Page 54 of Discovering Her Earl

“I’m sure I don’t want to try to argue even though it feels as though I should.”

He had no defense to use against his valet. The man was right. He was running out of time with Elaina.

He wanted more of her laughter and smiles.

“You’re going to miss her,” Ben said, plucking at Julian’s shoulders.

“I imagine I am. Isn’t it the strangest thing? When we arrived, she could barely stand to look at me, and now we are…” He swallowed when he realized that “friends” wasn’t the word he wished to use.

“Close?” Ben supplied with a raised brow.

“Quite. But there is nothing to say we won’t remain close if she allows me to go to Egypt.”

“You sound as if you still have doubts.” Ben shook his head as if the thought was preposterous.

“She hasn’t come out and said either way. I don’t want to pressure her. She should do what she feels is best.”

But he hoped with all his heart she would invite him. Not just so he could visit Egypt and satisfy his need for a final adventure, but because allowing him to go with them was proof of her acceptance. Something he desired more than he should.

And, of course, if she allowed him to join the expedition to Egypt, it also meant months of time spent with her. And he couldn’t get enough of that.

“I’m sure she will do what is fair,” Ben said.

There had been a time when Julian would have argued the woman didn’t have a fair bone in her body, but now he knew her better. And he was certain she would do what was best for everyone.

Including him.

Chapter Seventeen

It felt odd to be wearing a gown. Especially one so elaborate as the green confection Nettie assisted Elaina into for their final dinner at Dalkeith.

“You look lovely,” Lord Melville said as she descended the stairs to meet him in the foyer.

“Thank you. You are very handsome,” she said before thinking on her words. Should she have admitted to thinking him handsome? She was only speaking the truth.

“You are too kind.” He offered a quick bow and held out his arm to escort her to the dining room. As usual, he assisted her into the seat next to him.

She expected it to feel different, but touching his arm now felt exactly the same as it did when he’d helped her down from the wagon at the dig. Or assisted her in maneuvering a pile of rock.

The familiar tingle and heat radiated from the point of contact, up her arm and throughout her body. Lately, that tingle had resonated in a lower part of her body that was indecent, but delightful.

She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts before they turned her cheeks crimson. It wouldn’t do to be thinking of such things when she would be bundled in a carriage with him for days on end as they returned to England.

She couldn’t believe their time had already come to an end.

While she looked forward to seeing Aunt Rose and Uncle Henry, she would miss this time with Julian. She wasn’t ready to leave Scotland.

Here at Dalkeith Castle, they were in a bubble of contentment. No external forces pulling them apart. No distractions. Just she and Julian in the evening entertaining each other with comical tales of their youths.

“Are you looking forward to returning to London?”

She opened her mouth to tell him she was not, but instead settled on, “I suppose it is time.” Which meant nothing. “At least the Season will be over.”

“You don’t enjoy the activities?”

She shouldn’t have shrugged for it was unladylike, but there were no words to properly answer in the way a shrug did. When he didn’t say anything else, she felt the need to speak.

“I’m sure it’s not a surprise to you to know I do not fit in with the other ladies of the ton.”