Page 51 of His Unforgettable Bride
Overlook the deficiencies of others when conversing with them,as they may be the results of ignorance,
and impossible to correct.
Gray sprang out of bed, his heart pounding in his ears. A memory or a dream placed him in the middle of a confrontation. He closed his eyes, recapturing the image—sand, waves, the swing of a gun ramming his temple. Excruciating pain followed. And he recalled nothing more.
Real or a nightmare?
He dropped his face into his hands. If a genuine memory, did the image confirm he was a scoundrel, consorting with men who wielded guns? Heaven, please help him.
Wide awake and with dawn not far away, he lit a lantern and dressed. Thoughts of dancing with Juliet had kept him from falling asleep in the first place. Holding her in his arms was unforgettable. At least, he hoped it was.
He departed the room, then quietly descended the front staircase, starlight shining through the wide window above the door. There was no reason to rouse anyone else at the early hour, and his mind was still on Juliet. Her silken hair had carried a citrus scent, her skin felt breathtakingly soft, and her brilliant eyes were as enchanting as a fairy tale.
And her form…
When his foot touched the foyer floor, an envelope slid underneath the front door. Startled, he paused a moment. What in the name of heaven was going on? And who stood on the other side?
He rushed forward, picked up the paper, and quickly unlocked and opened the door. A cold December breeze rushed inside. He held up his lantern to find a small-built woman starting down the front step.
She paused in the darkness of the early morning hour. A dark hood enveloped the stranger’s hair and much of her face. “Where is Juliet?”
“Juliet?”
“You heard me.”
A warning bell clamored inside him. “Who is asking?”
“An old friend from Victoria.” She pointed at the envelope in his hand. “Give her that and tell her it’s urgent.”
His muscles tensed, wary of the stranger. “What’s your name?”
“You don’t know me.” She clearly had an American accent, so she couldn’t be Willow or Daisy, the friends Juliet had made on the bride ship. Or Willow’s sister Sage. Juliet hadn’t talked about any other friends. But that didn’t mean this woman was lying about the friendship.
Squinting, he peered deeper into the darkness and only spied a cat creeping in the yard. “Are you alone?”
“You don’t see anyone besides me, do you? Come on, fella. I don’t got all night.”
Although he hesitated to involve Juliet, she brimmed with compassion and would offer aid if required, especially for a friend. “Proceed to the rear of the house, and I shall determine if she desires to converse with you.”
The stranger cocked her head and studied him in silence. “You do that.”
Gray watched her stalk away before he shut and locked the door. Then quietly climbed the staircase. The sisters’ doors remained dark and closed—two small blessings. No need to awaken them and deprive the ladies of sleep.
In a few steps, he reached Juliet’s room, where a soft glow came from underneath her not fully-closed door. The inappropriateness of going to her bedchamber jabbed at his chest, yet he ignored the stab. “May I speak with you a moment?” he whispered.
Footsteps pattered before she opened the door a notch more. “What’s wrong?”
The intimacy of Juliet in her bare feet and cream-colored nightgown perked up his pulse. Her hair hung loose, falling over her shoulders and landing near her waistline. Her heart-shaped lips, a perfect cupid’s bow, locked his attention until he raised his gaze to her blue eyes.
“Perhaps nothing.” On the dance floor, she had smiled like an angel one minute, a vixen the next. She had fit perfectly into his arms as they waltzed around the drawing room.
Gray shook his head, regaining control of his wayward thoughts, and handed Juliet the envelope. “This is for you.”
“Me?” Her brow cocked before she reached for his wrist and drew him more fully into the room.
“I am surprised you are awake.”
She collected a shawl from a hook on the wall and tossed the knitted garment over her shoulders. “Why are you passing me a message? If you have something to say, go ahead.”
