Juliette practically skipped out of thescuola di danza, having just finished with her final student of theday. There was to have been one more but the student’s mother sentnews that the child was ill, leaving Juliette with the rest of herday free.
The sun was shining and the breeze light. Itwas a glorious day. She smiled and inhaled deeply. Would Acker beat the performance again tonight? Or, now that they had met wouldhe move onto someone new. Genviève seemed to think that is whatwould likely happen, especially since very little had been saidlast night following his few questions about her family and theirmove from France to Milan. Juliette had wanted to ask him aboutEngland but knew her sister would disapprove. Perhaps she would getthe chance to speak with him again, and this time without thescrutiny of Genviève.
It had been an awkward discussion with hersister behaving far from friendly toward Lord Acker and theyeventually slipped into silence, only occasionally mentioningtopics like the weather. Juliette doubted the evening could havebeen more uncomfortable had maman been there scrutinizing everylook, word and mannerism.
Would she and Acker have been more at easewith one another had they been alone? Would she have learned moreabout him? Had Genviève ruined her one chance to get to know agentleman because of her unfriendly disposition?
Juliette rounded the corner leading in thedirection of her home and walked directly into the solid chest of agentleman. His hands came up to cradle her elbows when she stumbledback and kept her from falling. Juliette glanced up to thank himfor his assistance and apologize only to look into the light blueeyes of Lord Acker. Instead of speaking, she simply smiled. Thisday was glorious indeed.
“My pardon,” he acknowledged with a nod ofhis head and slowly smiled when he looked into her face.
“It is I who was not watching where I wasgoing.” Her mind had been thinking about him, and Juliette wassurprised she had made it down the block without tripping orrunning into anyone before now because she had no recollection ofthe path she took after exiting the scuola to this moment.
Acker’s hands still cradled her elbowssending warmth and awareness through her body. How odd! She wastouched often, especially when she and Carlo danced, but she hadnever been so aware of another’s physical presence as she was withLord Acker. She really should step back. This was not proper atall, yet she couldn’t bring herself to move.
A moment later Acker cleared his throat andwithdrew. “Might I escort you somewhere?”
He certainly couldn’t escort her home, Mamanwas there. “I would hate to delay you, but thank you for theoffer.”
His smile broadened and lines crinkled at thecorner of his eyes as if he laughed often. “I was simply outenjoying this beautiful day.”
“I was thinking how lovely it was aswell.”
“Shall we enjoy it together?” He offered hisarm.
Juliette glanced down at his bent elbow.Should she take it and enjoy a bit of time with Lord Acker, orshould she return home. Maman would not expect her for another twohours and when would she get this opportunity again? With a grin,Juliette slipped her hand inside the crook of his arm. Her fingerstingled and she was never happier to have forgotten her gloves inthe rush to leave the house this morning.
“Where shall we walk, Miss Mirabelle?”
She didn’t really care, but a busy street wasnot the best place to converse. “There is a small park not far fromthe cathedral.”
His eyes lit. “I know the area and have gonethere often on beautiful days such as this.” Acker turned so thatthey were now walking in the direction of the gothic cathedralwhich sat at the center of Milan. There were several people outthis afternoon, strolling and enjoying the warm weather. He pointedto an unoccupied bench beneath some trees and turned Juliette inthat direction.
“Tell me about England,” she said once he wassettled.
Acker straightened and looked at herquizzically. “What would you like to know?”
Juliette pondered his question for moment. “Iam really not sure exactly. Is London much different thanMilan?”
“London is a large city, full of people andsmells, if you must know.” He chuckled. “It isn’t nearly asbeautiful as Milan, nor does it possess such lovely ladies.”
Heat stole into her cheeks at his flirtation.“It can’t smell that bad,” she teased back, not acknowledging hiscompliment. All crowded cities in the heat of the summer had anunpleasant stench. But this was spring and all she could smell wasthe fragrance of the spring flowers, blooming after remainingdormant through the winter.
“I was born in England,” she said withoutthinking. Why had she shared that information? Maman had been veryspecific never to offer anything personal, especially to strangers.But there was something about Lord Acker that made Juliette trusthim. She didn’t know why and it wasn’t even reasonable being he wasa complete stranger, but for some reason she wanted to tell himeverything and learn all she could of him.
Acker arched an eyebrow in surprise. “So youwere born in England, raised in France and now live in Italy. Tellme, Miss Mirabelle, how did that come to be?”
She bit her bottom lip and wondered how muchshe should tell him. Really, what harm could there be? “My greatgrandparents were French and lived in Paris.” At least she assumedher great grandfather was French, but they didn’t really know whohe was. “My grandmother married an Englishman and he took her toEngland, where my mother was born, and of course she married andthen I was born.”
Lord Acker was nodding as if he wished her tocontinue.
“When my father died, my grandparents
