“Only with you.” He leaned close. “Come and see me after Linus falls asleep.”
Julia’s pulse jumped. Linus could fall asleep in an instant if the circumstances were right. “I could slip out to the workshop for a little while.”
“Come to the townhouse instead. I’ll be waiting at the back door for you.”
What he suggested was not without risks, to her reputation and to his. “I don’t know. What about your housekeeper?”
“Forbes has the night off and I will take care of Mrs. Vant.” He grinned. “Do I really need to be the one to dare you to do something potentially scandalous with me this time?”
Julia grinned, remembering how she’d pleaded with him right before he’d accepted her dare to race her in the ocean. “Very well. I’ll meet you at your back door, provided you make it worth my while.”
“I’ll have champagne waiting.”
Julia almost squealed with excitement and then cast a guilty glance behind her. Linus rarely allowed her to drink. “I love champagne,” she whispered.
“That’s why I purchased a few bottles earlier this week.” He smiled warmly. “I have to return Melanie to the hotel after I leave you. Give me an hour and then come to me.”
She squeezed Valentine’s arm, excited to have a partner in scandalous behavior at last. So far, he’d never let her down. “I can’t wait.”
Twelve
Valentine dragged Julia into his home before she said one word and quietly shut and locked the rear door. Small noises traveled far on a still night and he didn’t want any interruptions. Not when he had stolen a moment alone with his betrothed for their private celebration. He was giddy with excitement for the future and he wanted to celebrate with Julia. “Did you have any trouble getting away?”
“None. Linus was half asleep when I returned and snoring within fifteen minutes of retiring. It’s incredible the change in him, now we are to marry. He’s almost pleased with me.” She touched his arm. “Is your sister happy everything has worked out with the company?”
“I think so. George joined us for the stroll to the hotel so we didn’t have a chance to speak privately.” He raked a hand through his hair. “And my father was waiting and blathered about family responsibilities and settling for second best. She slipped away before I could even say good night, but I could tell she has something on her mind.”
“And Teresa?”
“I did not see her.” He wasn’t worried about Teresa one bit. Not after discovering how she’d worked against him. He slipped his arm around Julia’s back and urged her toward the parlor, where he’d lit candles and the fire in preparation for her arrival.
The room was warm and intimate. Perfect for improving their relationship. He wanted Julia to consider him her friend and future. He didn’t want their wedding night to be awkward. “Champagne is this way.”
She clapped her hands and giggled at the sight of two champagne glasses set beside the open bottle on the small table. He poured and handed her a glass. “To disaster narrowly averted.”
They clicked glasses and Julia sipped her beverage, her eyes aglow with mischief. She smiled warmly and settled on the settee. “I’m so happy that everything will work out with the company. How kind of Mr. George to help us.”
“He was remarkably devious about it.” Valentine sat beside her and reclined comfortably too. “George has some explaining to do tomorrow morning. Never a hint he knew what tonight was about.”
“Oh, don’t be too hard on him.” She grinned and took another sip of her champagne. “Did you see how gentlemanly he was with Melanie tonight? He never used to like her very much.”
“Because of how she reacted to Imogen’s loss of sight, I imagine. She’s never been very good around sickness, I’m afraid, especially when it involves our friends.”
“She wasn’t very kind about Imogen’s lost sight. I truly thought she would hate the idea of our marriage.”
He tipped his head as Julia started to fidget. “She doesn’t. She’s very happy about us.”
She swallowed her champagne quickly and set the glass down.
Puzzled by her sudden nervousness, he set down his glass too. “Would you care for more? I must warn you, though, too much might make your head pound in the morning. That might be hard to explain.”
“I had three glasses once.” She laughed a little nervously. “Imogen conspired to help. My head hurt so terribly the next day that I vowed never to drink so much again.”
He grinned. “When was that?”
“Hawke and Abigail’s wedding.” She sighed. “I miss Abigail.”
He refilled her glass and handed it to her. “Perhaps they will visit soon.”