Page 62 of Snowbound Regency Christmas
‘Will Rhys and Pip know that you entered their room?’
‘Of course they will. I cleaned it and made the bed. It was a disaster before.’
‘But they didn’t see you in it. For all they know any person in the inn could have entered their room and tidied it.’
She scrunched up her nose in the most adorable way. ‘Won’t they realise that all of the men were helping with snow removal? Which would only leave myself or Mrs Mack as suspects.’
‘And the sick groom,’ Devin pointed out. ‘Unlike your snoopy self, I don’t think they have searched his room.’
Julia touched her heaving bosom, her face a beautiful picture of indignation. ‘I wasn’t snooping, I was tidying.’
‘You were brilliant and clever to put the necklace back where it was.’
His compliment seemed to catch her off guard and instead of smiling, she regarded him with suspicion.
‘What are you waiting for?’ he asked.
‘The insult at the end.’
‘There is no insult.’
‘How unlike you.’
‘I know,’ Devin said and remembered Mr Mack’s words from before breakfast about trying to be a better person each day. His behaviour the last two days had been petty and embarrassing. He was a twenty-six-year-old man and yet he had acted like a spoiled boy, who was petulant because he couldn’t have something that he wanted very badly—Julia. She was off-limits to him, as a woman formerly betrothed to his brother. Still, Devin’s behaviour towards her had been unworthy of a gentleman. ‘I am trying to do better.’
She inhaled sharply and Devin realised that his compliments were far more staggering to her than his rudeness had been. Only now, he no longer wished to injure her feelings. Julia was right. Devin did not know the reason for the end of the engagement with his brother—although, he still wished that it had not been the night before the wedding and that somehow she could have prevented the scandal that followed.
Julia said when they arrived at the inn that she had caught Joshua with his true love and broken off the wedding. When Julia told him this, Devin had been too angry to listen or to try and understand her side of the story. But if that was the case, Julia had sacrificed a title and her own happiness for his brother Joshua. And for her trouble, she’d been disowned and forced to become a governess. Julia wasn’t the villainous vixen he had created in his mind but the heroic heroine.
It felt as if his entire world had been turned upside down. Devin would have to ask Joshua forhistruth, but something deep inside of Devin’s heart believed that his brother’s words would match Julia’s. But why had Joshua not confided all of this to him three years previous? Did his elder brother not trust him with the truth? Did he think that Devin would not love and accept him no matter whom he loved? Joshua was welcome to marry a barmaid or a servant for all he cared. His brother’s happiness meant more to Devin than their family’s position in Society or even his own reputation and business prospects. It hurt him deeply that Joshua had not confided in him. Perhaps if he had, Devin would not have behaved so poorly towards Julia.
The beautiful woman across from him gave him a sceptical look and Devin remembered Mr Mack’s other piece of advice about listening and asking what his wife needed. ‘What do you need me to do?’
‘I—I thought you would tell me.’
‘I have learned that telling you things is rarely helpful—for either of us.’
Julia laughed in his face and Devin found his own lips twitching with amusement. Warmth filled his chest. ‘You’re right. But I do not wish to put you into any danger.’
Another misconception on his part. Julia didn’t purposely try to hurt people, even taciturn strangers. Devinwastrying to be better, but he was still a man with pride. He flexed his arm muscles. ‘I am not afraid of those men.’
This time she giggled and his entire body hummed in awareness of her.
‘I thought we could stay together for the rest of the time at the inn and then perhaps you could contact the local constable when we arrive in Pickwich.’
Devin wanted nothing more than to stay by her side. Before, he hadn’t been a true gentleman, but he was determined to be one now. He returned her steady gaze and felt his pulse race. He needed to calm down, even if that meant jumping back into the snow. His eyes moved to the floor and he saw that Julia had dropped whatever sewing she had been working on. Devin stooped to pick it up and saw that it was a doll. ‘For the Macks’ little girl?’
‘To replace her lost one.’
As he held the delicate doll, Devin realised that he did not know Julia at all. But oh, how he wanted to. If only she wasn’t the woman who had jilted his brother.
Chapter Seven
Julia didn’t know what to think of Devin’s abrupt change in behaviour. Perhaps the cold had addled his brain. She left the room so that he could change into dry clothes. Her entire body seemed to tremble as she went down the stairs to the kitchen to start making supper.
Mrs Mack was feeding Lizzy a slice of bread and jam from the second loaf Julia had baked this morning.
Julia was relieved that no other person was in the kitchen. She was not ready to see Mr Rhys, Mr Pip or even Mr Peebles. ‘You must be very hungry.’
