future. She still didn’t like the fact that he’d decided to arrive at the house party without telling her. And if the rumor about moving up the wedding date was true, she’d have a few choice words for him.
The dinner seemed to drag interminably. The only conversation she and Murdock managed were a few pleasantries about his journey from London and a variety of comments about the meal itself. Had he always been this dull? She hadn’t noticed before. But now that she thought on it, she hadn’t spent that much time in his company. They’d danced at balls, he’d brought her punch, they’d shared one meal at her father’s town house and one meal at Murdock’s town house, and then he’d asked her to marry him and she’d said yes, and they hadn’t seen much of each other since, honestly.
When Sir Reginald stood to make his announcement, Julianna was glad only because it broke up the monotony. But when Lord Kendall climbed up to the sideboard, ripped off his powdered wig, and declared himself to Frances Wharton, the entire dining room was agog. Within minutes, Lord Kendall and Sir Reginald were arguing, and Miss Wharton had fled the room.
Julianna turned to Murdock. “It looks as if dinner has unceremoniously ended. Would you care to go to one of the drawing rooms so we can speak privately?”
Murdock nodded, stood, and helped pull back her chair. They managed to flee in the midst of the commotion. Julianna doubted they’d be missed. She leaned down to whisper her plans to her mother and Mary so they wouldn’t worry.
Once outside the dining room, Murdock led the way down the corridor and around a corner until they came to a row of drawing rooms near the front of the house. They chose the first door they came to. The empty room was covered in shades of dark blue and gold.
Julianna remained standing. Murdock offered her a drink, which she declined.
“Well, that was something,” Murdock said. He’d gone to the window and was staring out across the darkened front drive of the estate. “Why in the world do you think Kendall was pretending to be a footman?”
Julianna stared at Murdock’s profile. He was handsome, to be certain, with dark-blond hair and brown eyes. He was fit and tall and had good teeth. But he never seemed to be silently laughing about things the way…Worthington was. In fact, Murdock seemed to take everything a bit too seriously.
She didn’t really know him, she reminded herself. Perhaps if she talked to him more, she might learn what he found humorous.
“It seems awfully romantic that Lord Kendall interrupted Miss Wharton’s engagement announcement,” she offered.
“Romantic?” Murdock scoffed. “It was an embarrassment. The poor young woman won’t live down that humiliation for years.”
“You think so?” Julianna replied, her brow furrowed. “I was thinking I’d like it if a gentleman wanted to marry me so much that he was willing to stand up on a sideboard to declare himself.”
Murdock’s nose wrinkled with disgust. “He made a fool of himself and Miss Wharton, if you ask me.”
“You wouldn’t declare yourself on a sideboard for me?” Julianna asked, her tone jesting, a smile on her face.
“Don’t be absurd,” Murdock replied, his lip curled in a frown. “I wouldn’t disrespect you that way.” He tugged at his coat and smoothed his hand down the front.
Julianna’s face fell. So much for a sense of humor.
“Tell me,” she said next. She strolled over toward the window to stand near him. “What do you find humorous?”
“Humorous?” His brows lifted. He seemed surprised by the question. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…what sort of thing makes you laugh?” she asked, watching him hopefully.
He furrowed his brow and seemed to think for several moments before lifting his head and saying, “Ah, I just thought of something. Once when I was in an archery tournament at school, I took a step back and stepped on one of the arrows.”
“Yes?” Julianna prompted, eagerly waiting for the humorous part. “Then what happened?”
Murdock’s frown deepened. “That was it. I broke the thing in half. Must have laughed for five entire minutes. I mean what sort of an oaf steps on an arrow that he needs? Clumsy of me, don’t you agree?”
Julianna wrinkled her nose and nodded. Very well, perhaps Lord Murdock wasn’t particularly humorous, but he must have other qualities.
“You like horses, don’t you?” she asked next.
Murdock shrugged. “They get you from one place to the next I suppose. Necessary evils.”
“Evils?” she repeated, frowning again.
“Can’t