Page 31 of Lady of Fortune

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“We’re here to watch the races, of course, just like everyone else,” Julia explained, and Maybelle simply smiled. “And you?”

“We are the jockeys,” Will explained, his voice filled with pride. “We will be riding the mighty steeds to victory. If you’re placing a bet, my lady, you may place it on me and Cloud Dancer. Will Scott, at your service.”

Julia had started when he referred to her as “my lady,” but at his exaggerated bow, she must have realized that he was clearly joking and she somewhat relaxed.

“I will remember that, Will,” she said with a smile.

“Say, you remind me of someone,” he said, placing a finger on his chin, and Eddie sighed deeply. This was it. It would all be over now, just because Julia had insisted on coming to this blasted tavern tonight.

“I am often told that,” Julia said in quick response. “I must have one of those faces.”

“That, you most assuredly do not,” Will said, and once again, Eddie wished he could reach over and shake him. “No, it’s as though we’ve met before — and fairly recently, likely, as my memory’s not the best. But it’s evading me. Ah well, it will come.”

Eddie surely hoped it would not — at least, not while they were in a public setting where Will might speak the truth in front of others. But then, Will had been one of the few who had been close enough to see “James” after the race today.

“So, tell me,” Will continued. “With whom are the two of you in Newmarket? For I hardly think you would have traveled alone. Husbands? Fathers? And what are these men doing, allowing you to go out by yourselves at night?”

Julia looked shocked at the question for a moment, but luckily Maybelle provided her answer first.

“I am a maid,” she said with a smile for Will, and suddenly Will’s attention shifted from Julia to Maybelle. She didn’t have Julia’s beauty, but she had a ready smile and big brown eyes that seemed to captivate Will. Although Eddie knew it didn’t take much to capture Will’s attention, he was certainly glad that Will had paused for a moment in his perusal of Julia.

“And you have been released for an evening of entertainment?” Will asked with a gleam in his eye, to which Maybelle laughed. “Something of the sort.”

Will moved to the seat next to her, apparently much more interested now, which thankfully allowed Julia a reprieve from his questioning.

“And you?” Eddie asked her in a low voice as he leaned closer to Julia, wrapping an arm around the back of her chair. “Who are you tonight?”

Julia looked up at him slightly shyly. “I am simply Julia,” she said, and when she met his eyes, her gaze spoke far more than her words did. For if she was Julia, and he was Eddie, with nothing else holding them back from one another — everything changed.

Eddie swallowed hard, unable to tear his eyes away from her, even when the buxom barmaid returned. Eddie barely looked at her this time, so enraptured he was by the woman before him.

“What would you like to drink?” he asked Julia without breaking her stare.

“Whatever you’re having,” she said, and he realized that she had no idea what to order at a tavern.

“Ale,” he said with a smile, and she visibly blanched, but nodded nonetheless.

The barmaid, not quite as enthusiastic now that Eddie was accompanied by a woman, soon returned and placed another glass in front of them.

Julia lifted it, the large glass nearly as big as her arm, and took a quick sip. Her eyes widened and she swallowed hurriedly, though, to her credit, she said nothing, despite the fact Eddie was aware that the taste would be far from the fine wines and liqueurs she was used to.

“Do your parents know where you are this evening, Julia?” Eddie asked, to which Julia furiously shook her head.

“Of course not,” she said, her eyes wide. “They would be horrified. I went to bed early once again, only tonight… tonight I am not actually in bed.”

“No, you are not,” he murmured, though he could no longer deny that he would very, very much like her to be.

CHAPTER16

Julia was trying as hard as she could not to portray her nervousness, but the longer she sat here with Eddie staring at her, the more difficult it was becoming. Thank goodness Maybelle had agreed to accompany her to the tavern, otherwise Julia didn’t think she would have had it in her to leave the house. Maybelle had also borrowed a dress from one of the other maids of a similar size for Julia to wear, for any of Julia’s own would surely have given her away as a lady of quality.

Julia enjoyed the anonymity it provided. She seemed to be able to come and go as she pleased, to which she was not altogether accustomed.

No longer able to take the intensity of Eddie’s stare, she broke away for a moment to survey the party in front of her. The drinks were clearly flowing steadily, the conversation lively. Maybelle fit right in, and already Will was introducing her to others in the party. Julia listened intently. She recognized some of the other jockeys, though she had done her very best to keep her distance. She had no idea why it was somewhat surprising to hear their wives introduced, for why shouldn’t they be married?

The thought caused her to steal a glance back over to Eddie. What would it be like, to be married to a man who was consistently out on a racecourse, traveling the country, potentially putting himself at risk for injury or worse?

It would be slightly terrifying, and yet… she could understand it, having raced once herself.