Page 79 of Forget Me Not

She touched his arm as she passed. “Thank you, no.”

He sat but didn’t return to his meal. Julia continually pulled his gaze. She wore her hair tied back with a ribbon, a few tendrils loose. How was it she looked elegant even in such simplicity? London would be utterly enamored of her when the Season arrived. A significant impediment followed immediately on the heels of that realization. Julia preferred to be at home. She’d told her father, specifically, that she disliked social gatherings and balls. Lucas might have taken delight in introducing her about Town, but she would be miserable. And he refused to force her participation the way her father had.

Julia joined them at the table. “Please, continue with your discussion. I will need this entire cup of tea and at least a quarter hour to fully awaken.”

It was good to see her so at ease. The first weeks of their marriage, she had been anything but. Perhaps, in time, she would grow comfortable enough to consider something more adventurous than quiet days spent at home.

“Our topic involves you, actually,” Lucas said.

“Does it?” She looked at them both.

“We leave in the morning for Falstone Castle.”

Julia paled. “I’d forgotten about the ball.”

Clearly, adventure was not on the menu just yet.

“Are you nervous, Our Julia?” Aldric offered a look of empathy. “You’ll have five brothers there. And Lucas isn’t entirely useless.”

“I’ve no experience with social gatherings,” she said. “I’ll be a weight around your necks.”

Lucas himself had once argued that she would be a weight in his life. What a fool he’d been.

“Not one of us has the least worry on that score,” Aldric said. “Resign yourself to a marvelous experience. We will see to it you have precisely that.”

***

Julia would have rather been almost anywhere other than the traveling carriage as it drew ever nearer to the edge of Falstone Forest. Lucas set his hand on her clasped hands, drawing her attention to just how tight her grip had grown.

“I’m so nervous,” she whispered. “I’ve never met a duke and duchess before. They must have very important friends and associates. I’ll be so utterly and awkwardly out of place.”

“That is Grumpy Uncle’s role,” Digby said. “You can’t usurp it; he’ll have nothing to do tonight.”

“I thought being the jester wasLucas’srole,” she tossed back at him with a grateful smile.

“Monarchs are allowed to fill whatever role we choose.” He fussed with his lace cuffs, somehow making the gesture grandiose.

“Except a role of humility, apparently,” Lucas said.

Kes met Julia’s eye. He gave her a look of heavily tried patience accompanied by a subtle gesture toward their traveling companions. Grumpy Uncle was living up to his name. The General, Archbishop, and Puppy were following in Archbishop’s carriage. These gentlemen were good for her burdened heart.

She threaded her arm through Lucas’s and leaned against him.

“Feeling better?” he whispered.

“I’m nervous yet, but my courage is rallying.” She wrapped her other arm around his, very nearly embracing his arm, feeling like a little girl needing to be rescued from a spider again. She could face a great many things with his support. His encouragement had buoyed her as she’d assumed the role of hostess. With him at her side, she’d climbed a mountain—twice—and rediscovered her spirited side. She’d gained friends. She was even on her way to a ball, and though she was nervous, she wasn’t crumbling. “Will the guests be horrified that I will not have my hair powdered?”

“Some may find it surprising,” Lucas said. “But hair powder has begun falling out of fashion enough that no one will be truly shocked, I daresay.”

“I agree,” Digby added. “Most will simply declare you an endearingly eccentric couple.”

She hadn’t expected quite that wording. “An eccentriccouple?”

Kes seemed to recognize her confusion. “Lucas has declared he will forgo hair powder tonight as well.”

She looked up at her husband. “Why would you do that? You like powdering your hair.”

“Ah, but a lady told me recently that I look more dashing with my hair its natural shade of gold. I am not so foolish as to deny myself the opportunity to be dashing.”

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