to go over the top. The lime-green tulle will be just the thing.’
Julius smiled his agreement, his eyes appraising his future wife. ‘I agree absolutely. With that hair and those eyes, it cannot fail.’
In the carriage taking him back to his house, Julius leaned back against the upholstery, thinking over his meeting with Beatrice with fascinated interest. He was amazed by the gracious ease with which she had fitted into the Merrick household and the way she had effortlessly charmed James Merrick, bringing the house to life with her presence and her smile. She was fresh and unspoiled and, despite her youth and inexperience, there was a natural sophistication about her that came from an active mind. He remembered her shy responsiveness to his kiss in the garden at Standish House and the incredible surge of desire she had ignited in his body.
Beatrice was full of surprises and full of promise, he thought, with beauty moulded into every flawless feature of her face, but her allure went deeper than that. There was something within her that made her sparkle and glow like a rare jewel.
It seemed as if everyone in London was at the Newlands’ ball. When Julius arrived at the Merrick house, Beatrice was just coming down the stairs. She paused and looked down at him. With a stunned smile of admiration, he took in the full impact of her ravishing lime-green gown. High waisted, it fell from beneath her breasts into panels that clung gently to her graceful hips and ended in a swirl just above her toes. Her hair was drawn back in a sleek chignon, its lustrous simplicity providing an enticing contrast to the sophistication of the gown.
Moving towards her, he took her hand to help her down the last steps. ‘You look positively enchanting. After tonight, you’ll take the shine out of all the London belles.’
Buoyed by confidence stemming from wearing her first London gown, Beatrice returned his smile, while deep inside she felt something tighten and harden, clarifying and coalescing into one crystal-clear emotion. Her cheeks were delicately flushed, her eyes alight, her parted lips moist and rose tinted. She thought Julius looked incredibly handsome in his evening attire. It made him look elegantly powerful. He had a certain flair in his mode of dress—a bold splash of claret in his waistcoat beneath the black coat, an artful twist to his pristine white cravat and a flourish to the ruffle at his sleeve. It was impossible to believe he would be her husband in just a few days.
When his shrewdly judging gaze swept over her once more, with a little laugh she obligingly performed a twirl, her skirts flaring.
His eyes warmed appreciatively. ‘The gown is beautiful, Beatrice. But perfection can only be attained when one works with the best of raw materials.’
Beatrice’s heart skittered. She lowered her gaze. ‘I appreciate your compliments, Julius. It gives me confidence for what is to come. I think I shall need it.’
‘I truly expected you to send me a note informing me you had taken to your bed with a headache and a dose of salts.’
Despite her dread of the evening before her, Beatrice had to bite back a guilty smile over that remark. ‘I did consider it,’ she confessed, smiling reassuringly at Lady Merrick who stood looking on, immensely proud of her handiwork. ‘Lady Merrick talked me out of it.’
Julius nodded his approval. This young woman who was to be his wife was brave, immensely so. It was a slightly dangerous bravery that she possessed, but it was a quality in her that he admired. ‘Everyone of importance will be at the ball and it will be a complete crush—which will work to your advantage. Hopefully, afterwards, when everyone has seen you with me, the gossip will die a death and you can get on with the business of being my wife.’
The four of them travelled in Julius’s long black town coach drawn by four fiercely black horses. Less than half an hour later they arrived at the Earl and Countess of Newland’s mansion, which was an outstanding example of opulence on a grand scale. They stepped into the brilliance of the interior. It was lit by a multitude of candles in countless chandeliers and crystal sconces that made the marble pillars gleam.
A grand staircase swept upwards to the first floor where the ballroom was located. Gaming tables had been set up in reception rooms for those who preferred to pass the evening in dice and cards,