Page 98 of Forget Me Not

Lucas tucked the packet, twine and all, into the pocket of his greatcoat. His plans for the day could still go forward, but he would give her the packet before the day was out. Then he unfolded the other piece of parchment.

Jonquil,

Have just received word that the Duke of Kielder’s suffered a fatal stroke. Julia’s heart was so tender toward little Lord Falstone. She’ll be heartbroken for him and worried. Break the news gently.

—D

Lands.They’d seen His Grace mere weeks earlier. He was young, with a young family.Laws.That poor little boy. Julia would be devastated for him. Her heart could hardly bear more loss, even someone else’s.

She was in the Farland Meadows’ sitting room when he arrived. “This is becoming a habit, Lucas.”

“And here I am, ruining the pattern.” He rather enjoyed her adorable look of curious confusion. “I’ve come to take you on an adventure.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Will I enjoy this adventure?”

He loved when her eyes danced with mischief. He closed the distance between them and leaned close enough to lower his voice. “My dear, youinventedthis adventure.”

She tipped her head in saucy contemplation. “We’re going to call Robert Finley a ‘fish face’?”

A laugh burst from him. “I’d forgotten you’d called him that.”

“He made Charlotte cry, and he did so on purpose.”

“He always was a little rat of a child,” Lucas said through his tight jaw.

“A fish face,” she said firmly.

“We should go to Finley Grange and call him that.”

Her expression lightened a little. “It will be like we’re eight years old again.”

He shrugged. “I was sixteen,” he said. “And as I recall, I applauded.”

“I always appreciated that you weren’t put off by my spitfire tendencies. Especially considering on more than one occasion I called you a pompous embarrassment to the neighborhood.”

He winced theatrically. “It only hurt because it was truer than it ought to have been.”

“And still, you didn’t hold it against me.”

He shook his head. “Far from it. Your fire is one of the first things I loved about you.” He held his hand out to her. “Are you ready for an adventure?”

She slipped her hand in his. “Always.”

“Do you promise?”

The question made her pause. She watched him unexpectedly.

He hadn’t planned to ask that particular question but found he very much wanted an answer. “When we were at Brier Hill, I promised to hold you and comfort you when you need comfort and to hear your concerns when you have them. I will do so happily.”

She slipped free, moving a little ahead of him. But she walked slowly, even looking back at him. Clearly, she meant for him to walk with her. “You also promised not to leave without talking with me about it first.”

He understood the point she was making. He’d planned his upcoming journeys without so much as a mention to her.

“You’ve told me about a few of your dreams since we’ve been married,” she said, walking on. “I’ve been listening closely, anxiously waiting to hear myself included in them.”

“Julia, you married an idiot.”

“I know,” she said with a smile. “Aldric told me. And Kes. And Digby.”

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