Deceiving the Viscount

Chapter 13A

Julia thumbed the Messier's Catalogue she'd secretly brought with her to London. It'd been wedged between her underthings and her nightgowns, hidden far away from the prying eyes of her Mother.

Curling up at the window seat in the library, she stroked the words lovingly, old friends that had accompanied her through the seasons of time. Closing her eyes, the words she'd memorised long ago coalesced with the images she saw through the telescope in her mind's eye. The beautiful colours of the M1 came together in perfect harmony and she savoured the memory of the joy at having seen it for the first time three years ago.

"Miss Marlowe?" Her eyes flew open at the deep voice and her hands contracted in fright as a squeak of surprise flew out from between her lips. "I beg your pardon, Miss Marlowe," Shearing bent down to retrieve the book that had tumbled from her hands, "for having startled you." He glanced at title, and she saw the questioning look in his green and brown eyes.

Embarrassed to have been frightened so, she snatched it from his hands. "Why are you here?"

"I...uh..." he clasped his now empty hands behind his back. "I..." Julia frowned at his nervousness. He had no reason to be flustered, unlike her. "Is that Messier's Catalogue?"

"As it so says. I wasn't aware you'd suddenly become illiterate in French."

He nodded agreeably despite her haughty tone. "Yes, I...I was merely surprised you have it."

What was he on about? He'd been the one to gift it to her! "Because you think that a silly, flighty woman like me shouldn't possess such an intellectual book as this?" She leapt to her feet, all rage and ire. "If that be the case, why send this as a present all those years ago?" She lifted the hardcopy book and slammed it down on his arm repeatedly. "Why? Were you taunting the poor little girl who had no friends? Who liked to climb trees and ride horses? Who hated dancing?"

"What?" He tried to duck her blows. "No! I didn't mean that. Ow! Stop!"

"No, you stop! Stop talking to me! Stop calling on me! Stop-" She pulled at the hold he had on her wrists as the book clattered to the floor once more. "Release! Me! Unhand me this instant, you...you brute!"

"Only if you promise to stop hitting me."

She snarled the way a wounded cat hissed, refusing to let anyone near it. "Believe me, hitting you is the least painful thing I want to do to you."

"Then what is the most painful punishment you can think of?"

"Your beating heart carved out and served on a platter."

"I never knew you to be so bloodthirsty." He murmured as he laid her hand on his chest, and she felt the organ thundering beneath. Even in her wrath, the sensation of the firm muscle under her fingers did strange things to her insides. "Here, take it. It's already yours, Julia."

The fury drained from her like snow melting in the heat from a fire. "Wh-what?"

"My heart, Julia, it's always been yours."

Her fingers curled and her throat constricted as tears pricked her eyes. "I...I don't understand." A single drop rolled halfway down her cheek before he caught with his thumb. "You said-"

"I know and I've regretted those words ever since." He released her other wrist to withdraw his handkerchief. "I never should have said them to you. I know an apology can never fully mend the hurt I've caused." He folded it so he could dab away the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. "But I wish only to atone for my sins of having caused you pain and be restored to your good graces. If that is possible at all. Though I will count myself fortunate if you merely hate me less."