night contented with her active days. One summer her father had tried to teach her to sail. Rigging a sail in a little dinghy, he stood on shore shouting instructions to her. But she was wholly inept, perhaps due to her lack of concentration and general joy in being on the water in any capacity.
"Those must be very happy thoughts."
At the sound of Julian's voice, Cara's eyes flew open to stare up at his towering figure. Her hands flew to her headdress to be sure it was in place. Reassured, she sat up straighter and tucked her bare feet under the hem of her skirt.
"I was thinking about summer when I was a child," Cara answered.
"And was it a happy experience?" Julian asked, interested in her reply.
"Yes," she purred. "Very."
Julian was touched by the wealth of emotion in such few words. He threw himself down on the grass and studied the young woman with interest. Although she kept her eyes cast down, Julian liked the feathery eyelashes that lay against her creamy skin. There was a spattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose that accentuated the youthful quality of the petite girl. By the rapid heartbeat visible on the side of her neck, Julian sensed that she was less than comfortable in his presence. But unlike most young women of his acquaintance she did not chatter away in her nervousness. Even though tense, there was a restful quality about her that bespoke a certain assurance of self.
"I have come to offer an apology, Miss Farraday."
"An apology? For what?" Cara asked in surprise.
"You were right to be angry with me. I was wholly ignorant about the children. And being ignorant I have done and said things that must have appeared needlessly cruel. Believe me it was unintentional."
From his tone of voice and the pained look on his face Cara could not doubt the sincerity of his words. Her attitude toward him softened but she was puzzled by his guilty admission. Noticing her bewilderment Julian continued.
"It seems, Miss Farraday, that I must find out from others what I should have discovered for myself. In the last week I have had some very informative conversations with the members of my household. All of them, you may be assured, are singing your praises," Julian said, grinning when Cara squirmed at his compliment.
Sitting up, Julian wrapped his arms around his knees and looked out at the children playing in the water. He smiled and waved at the joyous shouts as they tried to outdo each other in performing for his approval. Sighing Julian turned once more to the pensive girl at his side.
"I was abroad when my brother died. It took some time for the news to reach me and then I did not hurry home as perhaps I should have. My brother and I had been very close when we were growing up. We used to swim in this very spot. As the years passed we grew apart. He was far too interested in women and gambling. Although I like both, for him it was not a hobby as much as it was an obsession."
Cara sat with her hands folded in her lap, watching the play of emotion on Julian's face as he looked back in time. His voice held regret, sorrow and resignation. It was obvious that his words covered a range of soul searching. Cara remained still, not putting into words any thoughts of her own, only curious to hear the remainder of the story.
"I did not return for several months and by that time the children were already installed in my home. I was a confirmed bachelor and will be honest confessing that I resented their presence in what had been a blissfully childless household. I absented myself as much as possible in the first year. Partly from having had little traffic with youngsters and, yes, I will have to admit it, from sheer lack of interest."
At a shout from the water, Julian bounded up and shouted further instructions to Richard. Once this was well in train, he resumed his seat on the shore.
"I was aware of Belin's hands but I had no idea how to deal with it. The only occasion when I could have said something to alleviate the child's embarrassment was ruined when the lady I was with screamed in fear at the sight of Belin's fingers. By the time I had calmed her, the child had fled and I chose to ignore the situation." Julian