Page 32 of Lady of Fortune
The thought of being able to call a man like Eddie truly hers caused a thrill to rush through her veins, and she wondered if he ever thought of their kiss or the possibilities that could come of it.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight over there, Ed!” called a man from the other side of the table, a woman, who didn’t seem to be his wife, draped across his lap. “Now I can see why — you’ve been saving yourself for this pretty miss you’ve happened upon!”
Julia blushed deeply, but Eddie was much more used to this environment.
“I’m only saving her from you, Bob!” he shouted back over the din that filled the room, and the rest of them laughed at that.
“You’re a lovely thing,” Bob continued, looking at Julia now. “What could you ever see in a man like our Ed here?”
“Perhaps it’s that he knows when to keep his mouth shut,” she said with a wink, and Bob burst out laughing.
“You’ve got yourself one with a wicked tongue here, Eddie!” he said as he banged his drink down on the table. “You best teach her how to tame it.”
“I don’t know, Bob,” Eddie countered. “I think I rather like it.”
Julia didn’t know that her face could flush any hotter, but as the conversation around the table continued, she had to say she was rather enjoying herself. No one seemed particularly concerned as to who she was or why she and Maybelle had chosen their table to which to walk up. They simply accepted the fact that they were there for a good time. It was freeing, and even the ale began to taste better, the more she drank of it.
She couldn’t believe how fast the night flew by. Julia had no idea what hour it was when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Eddie looking at her once more.
“It’s late,” he murmured, “and, as far as I am aware, you still have a training session in the morning.”
“Oh, Eddie,” she groaned. “You will not make me —”
He put a finger against her lips.
“Ah, make you I will. How else do you expect to achieve second place on Saturday?”
“First,” she said stubbornly, and he smiled and shook his head.
“You best become used to losing, little one,” he said, and she wanted nothing more than to kiss that arrogant smile off his face. But despite the fact that she had seemingly lost much of her reservations, there was still enoughLadyJulia within her to keep her from doing so in a tavern full of people, many of them Eddie’s own close friends.
“Did you have your driver bring you?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“We do not live far. Maybelle and I walked.”
“Heaven help me,” Eddie said, bringing a hand to his forehead. “You live to worry me, little one. I’ll walk you home,” he said and rose himself before pulling out her chair.
“What of Maybelle?”
“It looks to me that Maybelle may be otherwise occupied,” he said with a laugh, and Julia turned around to find that Maybelle and Will were no longer even at the table, but in their own corner, where it was dimly lit and most wouldn’t even notice them alone, their heads bent close together.
“I’ll go have a word with Will, to make sure that he sees her safely home,” Eddie said. “You’ll wait for me?”
“Of course,” Julia responded, and knew then, deep within her heart, that she would wait for him forever if that’s how long it took. She had never known another man like him and now, with the knowledge of who he was from her view as a woman and not as a girl, she knew she likely never would.
Eddie returned in a moment, offering her a wink as he did so. “Maybelle’s in good hands,” he said, and when Julia began to protest, concerned for what troubles her maid might get into with the charming Will, Eddie held up a hand. “Not to worry. Will does enjoy the ladies, but he won’t take advantage.”
Julia nodded, trusting him — as she always had.
Eddie tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, and, with good-natured ribald jokes following them out the door, they began the trek back to her house. Julia wondered what Eddie was thinking, and finally, she decided to just ask him.
“I’m trying to decide exactly how to treat you, if I’m being honest,” he said. “Tonight you are Julia. In the mornings you are James Smith. But I am one of the few who knows that in actuality you are Lady Julia Stone, daughter of Lord St. Albans, and you should never be out here, with me, at this time of night.”
Julia stopped and urged him to turn toward her. She searched his face, seeing that he truly was struggling with the thought. She brought her hands to his cheeks, feeling the slightest stubble of whiskers beginning to form. Eddie would perhaps never be described as a classically handsome man, but his face had always drawn her. The lines in his cheeks and around his eyes were deeper than she remembered, and while his smile was often present, it didn’t seem to come quite as easily as it had at one point in time.
But as the nearly full moon highlighted the gold flecks in his hazel eyes and illuminated his cheekbones, she was reminded that it didn’t matter what their names were — this was Eddie, the man she had always known and would like to continue to learn more about.
“Eddie,” she said softly as the cool night air swirled around them, the slightest of breezes having come up while they had been within the tavern. They were alone on the cobblestone path they walked, for the moment at least. “No matter my title, no matter my last name, I will always be Julia. My parents do matter — not because of their station, but because of the person they raised me to be. They have shown me how important love is, how being happy is worth more than anything. So do not see me asLadyJulia. For I am far more than that. All I want is for you to look at me for who I am, for the spirit of the woman inside of me.”
