Page 102 of A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Heirs

After an interminable length of time, Nash motioned him forward, and the only time Victor remembered going down the stairs faster was when he slid down the railing as a boy. Of course that ended with a severe reprimand from Nanny while Cilla giggled furiously.

Dim light shone in the entrance of the grand home, and Victor breathed a sigh of relief as they arrived unnoticed and unscathed.

As Nash opened the door, a maid appeared and stopped short, her mouth gaping open as her gaze darted between Nash and Victor.

Victor stared down at his hastily dressed body, his waistcoat and coat unbuttoned and hanging loosely around him, his neckcloth haphazardly tied. No doubt his hair looked a fright. In his haste, he’d forgotten to find the ribbon with which to secure it.

“You’ve seen nothing,” Nash said to the maid and ushered Victor out the door. “Don’t worry about her. I’ll slip a few coins her way and explain you were lost and looking for directions.”

“Do you really think she’ll believe that? You realize I’m a frequent caller here.”

“A caller who is going to marry the duke’s sister.” Nash stopped and stared. “Youaregoing to marry her, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I’m going to marry her. I would marry her even if we hadn’t—”Damnation.He’d almost blurted the truth out to that blackguard.

Nash laughed again. “Despite what you think, Pratt, I know what goes on between a man and a woman, especially when he emerges from her bedchamber looking like something the cat dragged in. Now, I hailed a hackney for you and told him to wait several houses up the street. Go.” With a push, Nash sent Victor off.

Victor popped his hat on, gave it a little tap, and raced off to the waiting hackney. The driver didn’t bat an eye as Victor gave his address and hopped inside. He sank against the worn squabs of the coach and closed his eyes.

Juliana loved him! Gave herself to him.

And it was glorious.

He lifted his hand to his face and inhaled deeply, Juliana’s alluring mix of jasmine and ginger recalling the memories of her in his arms.

The carriage jolted to a halt in front of his bachelor apartments, and he climbed out, grateful to be home, but already missing Juliana. For the small amount of sleep he had—which truthfully had been nothing—he felt remarkably alert as he entered his apartments and headed toward his bedroom.

Slumped in a chair, Tierney snored loudly, and with a snort, startled awake. “Sir! You’re home. I was so worried when youdidn’t arrive. Have you heard the news?” He leapt to his feet then came to an abrupt halt. “You’re injured! What happened?”

“I’m fine. Minor scratches. And if you’re speaking about the king’s death, yes. Burwood announced it at the ball when the news arrived. Now, I need sleep. Please don’t disturb me.” His bed beckoned, but he turned back, almost running into Tierney, who had been right on his heels. “Except if Miss Merrick comes. Then wake me immediately.”

Victor voiced no protest as Tierney untied his cravat—clucking his tongue in disapproval—and removed his coat and waistcoat.

As Tierney moved to hang up his coat, he pulled out the stockings Victor had shoved into his pocket. “Sir?” His gaze shot to Victor’s feet.

“It’s best not to ask.” Victor waved him off. “I can finish the rest. Wake me around noon; I’ll take a bath then.”

With a final questioning glance, Tierney bowed and closed the door behind him, leaving Victor blessedly alone. He collapsed into bed and hoped to dream about his wonderful night with Juliana.

He had indeed been enjoying a wonderfully erotic dream about Juliana when Tierney’s annoying voice pulled him from his slumber.

“Sir! Sir!”

Victor pulled the pillow over his head. “What is it? Don’t tell me it’s noon already.” Lord, it felt like he’d only just fallen asleep.

“It’s close, sir. But that’s not why I woke you.”

“Then what the devil is it?” As his mind rose to consciousness, Victor remembered the one reason he told Tierney to disturb him. He bolted upright in bed. “Is Juliana here?”

“No, sir.” Tierney had the gall to look chagrined. “It’s this. I thought it best not to wait.” In his shaking hand, Tierney held outThe Muckraker, and Victor’s stomach dropped.

Unable to sleepafter Victor left, Juliana washed, shivering from the cold water. After she’d dressed, she pulled the stained sheets from the bed and crumpled them up to cover the evidence. If the maid collected others along with hers, perhaps no one would tie the blood to her. A faint hope at best, but a hope, nonetheless.

She occupied her mind with her book. For the last few weeks, she had put the story of the two sisters aside, unwilling to read about their heartbreak on top of facing her own.

How quickly things had changed for her, and she picked up the book in hopes that things would work out for Elinor and Marianne just as beautifully. Enthralled by the story right as Edward enlightened Marianne that he was unmarried and how Lucy Steele had married his brother, Robert, and not him, Juliana glanced up at the quick knock at her door.

“Come in,” she answered, doing her best to keep her annoyance from her voice.

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