truly am instead of as an awkward or cantankerous girl. She had always felt herself to be poised and socially adept. But in Julian's presence she reverted to a graceless gawk of a schoolgirl. Writhing in embarrassment she recalled each of her encounters with her husband. Finally in resignation she sat up briskly and sponged herself clean.
Chapter Nine
To Cara's chagrin, in the days that followed Julian took an increasing interest in the children. It was not unusual for Cara to glance up from her schoolbooks to find the disconcerting brown eyes spearing her from the doorway. More and more often Julian found excuses to pass the schoolroom or to check with Richard about the time for their ride. Belin and Richard fought to outdo each other in inventing reasons that he should stay to hear their lessons. The children were overjoyed when their guardian acceded to their badgering but Cara was less than enthused.
Cara noticed that Richard in particular was thriving under the attention from his uncle. The sullen, taciturn young man became as talkative as Belin. His eyes glowed with pride and he vied with his sister in showing off before their guardian. When Julian arrived the lessons were disrupted while he launched into a description of his adventures abroad. Richard, eyes filled with hero worship, bombarded the older man with questions, his inquisitive mind titillated by the narratives of new worlds.
At these times Cara attempted to remain in the background. She sat in the window alcove embroidering, hoping not to attract Julian's attention. Her eyes watched the expressions flitting across his face as he described strange sights and wild and, she suspected, largely fictitious dangers. His efforts to please the children endeared him to her as no other action could have.
For his part Julian enjoyed his hours in the schoolroom. The clamor of the children and the delightful homeyness of the room were a solace; he had been without family for a majority of his life. It brought back to him the happy days of his own childhood when he and his brother threw themselves into the caprices of early boyhood. He was delighted to find that Richard was so much like his father. The boy had a great curiosity about the workings of the world and a penchant for mischief. Julian was getting acquainted with his nephew and finding a pleasure in his company. Even Belin was beginning to take on the qualities of a young lady.
However, much to Julian's annoyance, he discovered it was Miss Farraday who was the magnet that drew him to the schoolroom. He was honest enough to admit that if he wanted to see the children he could send for them at will. The one time that he had done that the little governess had absented herself. So in confusion Julian sought her out in the schoolroom.
The redoubtable Miss Farraday was a puzzle. It had not been a month since she had taken his household by storm. He could recall her apparently shy and docile nature. He should have been forewarned when she almost lost her temper at that first interview. The servants could not say or do enough for her; the children adored her. He watched in amazement her handling of his niece and nephew. She treated them as reasonable human beings, listening to their statements with an open-minded interest that to Julian's mind was ungovernesslike. Despite her own youth she seemed to have a finely tuned intuition of when to be firm and when a subtle diplomacy was needed. Her quiet presence was restful and yet Julian could recall instances where the passionate anger that bristled beneath her acquiescent manner had broken loose. She was at once a nonentity and an enigma.
"And why do I care?" Julian muttered under his breath. He was sitting on the floor building a castle of blocks with the children. His eyes darted to the window seat where Miss Farraday was sewing. "You are a married man," his mind accused. "What do you want from the girl?"
Julian shook his head in confusion. He didn't know what he wanted. The little American was in his thoughts constantly. When he didn't see her during the day his feet brought him willy-nilly to the door of the schoolroom. For now, all he wanted was to be in her presence. But he realized that beneath the surface there was a roiling wave of desire that threatened to overcome his better nature. Just staring at the girl, he could feel