The American Bride - By Karla Darcy Page 0,30

fresh drink. She dared to stand there in front of him with her blue-green eyes blazing fire and call him a bully. What nerve! The saucy chit isn't much bigger than Belin, he growled. In fact, she had looked exactly like a child having a temper tantrum. At any minute she might have thrown herself at his feet, kicking and screaming. He chuckled at the picture that would have made. Suddenly, overcome by the humor of the entire situation, he threw his shaggy head back in a great whoop of laughter.

Tears formed in the corner of his brown eyes and Julian sank against the back of the tub restored to a more reasonable attitude.

The little nonentity of a governess was a refreshing change from the legion of jaded or coy beauties that he had been used to dealing with. No simpering miss, our Miss Farraday, Julian grinned. It was hard for him to imagine that he had once thought she was too young and inexperienced to take over the care of his wards. He should have noted the flashing blue-green eyes during her original interview and he might have offered her a far more interesting position in his household. He stirred uncomfortably in the water as his mind conjured up the petite body he had held in his arms and the lush mouth he had crushed against his own ravaging lips.

Remembering he was a married man, Julian tried to bring his thoughts back to a less lusty appraisal of the wench and consider the charges that she had leveled at him.

In all justice Julian had to admit that he had been a neglectful guardian. He had been traveling abroad when word had come to him of his brother's death. He had discovered the two children were already in residence at Weathersfield when he arrived home. Unaccustomed to the company of a three and a six year old, he had obtained a governess and then fled to the fleshpots of London, content that he had done his duty. On his infrequent trips to the country he had realized the children were doing poorly but had no solutions to the problem.

At three, Belin had been confined to the nursery for the first few years but when she emerged she was a filthy hellion to be avoided. When he came upon her on the estate she evinced some winning ways but still looked and acted like a little savage.

And Richard. At nine the child was a source of bafflement to Julian. He was morose and sullen. The only time that Julian had attempted to take an interest in the boy, the young cub had balked. He had tried to interest the boy in a horse of his own but the child had cringed away in terror, earning nothing but contempt from his guardian.

Julian sipped the brandy, savoring the sharp bite of the spirits on his tongue. Miss Farraday had had some justice in her words. It was obvious that her arrival had shaken the household that Julian had ignored for so long. He wondered if all Americans were like the little governess or if he had just had the unfortunate luck to find a troublesome specimen.

His bride was an American.

If Miss Farraday were any indication of the national character, his future life would be far from tranquil. Julian enjoyed the carefree life of a bachelor and was in no hurry to give up his pleasures for the restrictions of wedded bliss. Yet according to the Duchess' letter his bride had arrived in England. In less than a month he would be saddled with her and an end to his freewheeling life.

When his father had broached the proposal to him he had been surprised at the ease of his own acceptance. He had never given a great deal of thought to marriage. He knew he was expected to marry a girl of impeccable virtues and good bloodlines to carry on the name of his family. The identity of the girl had never mattered. His brushes with the annual line of simpering debutantes had left him with little enthusiasm for a courtship. Perhaps the very lack of a need to do the pretty had convinced him that marrying his father's choice would involve the least amount of discomfort. Others in his set had married and managed to rub along well. Shrugging, Julian decided that no matter what, he would just continue his life as it had always been. Marriage need not alter anything, he reasoned