And now it was over. He had to take her back. To her world. To her family.
And her fiancé.
She reached up and brushed his hair from his forehead. Then looked at him through very serious eyes. "How?" she whispered. "How am I going to live the rest of my life without knowing this again?"
A lump swelled his throat. Christ. Now he knew what it felt like to die inside. "I wish I had the answer. Because I need to know it as well."
Only there was no answer. Just his life stretching out before him. A life that didn't include Julianne.
When the hack pulled up in front of the duke's town house, Julianne had to force herself to exit the vehicle. Lights blazed from every window, and based on the shadows moving past the panes of glass, it was clear the house was still crowded. She didn't want to leave the intimate interior where Gideon had held her hand during the entire ride. Where his leg had rested against hers and he'd pressed his lips against hers in a kiss that had tasted unmistakably of good-bye.
But in her heart she'd resolved that it wasn't good-bye. Not yet. He would still be in her house for two more days. Two more nights. And she intended to see to it that they spent as many hours together during that time as possible.
Gideon had just helped her alight when the front door opened. Standing in the foyer were her father and a man she recognized as Charles Rayburn, the magistrate, whom she'd met two months ago when he and Gideon were investigating the last spree of crimes plaguing Mayfair.
Mr. Rayburn hurried down the steps, followed by Julianne's father. "What in God's name-" began her father, but Gideon cut him off, saying tersely, "Lady Julianne was kidnapped from the party." He gave a quick description of her ordeal, leaving out, she noticed, any mention of Jack Mayne and the kidnappers' plan to kill Gideon himself. He concluded his story with, "I sent a message to your office, Rayburn, giving you the kidnappers' location."
Mr. Rayburn nodded. "Simon Atwater is here. I'll send him to see to them." He turned to Julianne. "A harrowing ordeal to be sure, Lady Julianne. I'm relieved you're all right. Let's get you inside. There are a lot of worried people in there."
Julianne's father, who until now had remained silent, said to Gideon, in a low, furious voice, "You were supposed to keep my daughter safe, Mayne."
"I am safe, Father," Julianne said quickly. "Thanks to Mr. Mayne. He saved my life. No one else even realized I'd been kidnapped."
Her father's gaze never left Gideon. "If you'd been doing your job properly, the kidnappers never would have touched my daughter."
"You're right," Gideon said. "I accept full responsibility."
"Nonsense," Julianne protested. "There was complete pandemonium when the duke made the announcement he'd been robbed-"
"Which only further proves his incompetence," her father stated coldly. He narrowed his eyes at Gideon. "Kidnappers and thieves running amok, and you did nothing."
"He rescued me," Julianne said tightly. "Or do you consider that nothing, Father?"
"Please, let us go inside," Mr. Rayburn said, gently taking Julianne's arm. She wanted to shake him off, scream at all of them that she didn't want to go inside. That she wanted to leave. Now. With Gideon.
But instead, she allowed herself to be led up the path into the house. The duke strode into the foyer, his normally dispassionate features filling with obvious relief at the sight of her. "Julianne, my dear." He clasped her hands and raised them to his lips. "I was so afraid-"
His words cut off, and he seemed to freeze in place when he looked beyond her. She glanced over her shoulder and realized he was staring at Gideon.
"Mr. Mayne rescued me," she said quickly, before the duke could blame Gideon for her ordeal as her father had.
"That's right, Your Grace," agreed Mr. Rayburn who quickly repeated the kidnapping story Gideon had related. When he finished, the duke kissed her hand then murmured, "Thank God you're all right. We must get you home-"
"I want to see Sarah, Emily, and Carolyn first," Julianne said, surreptitiously wiping the back of her hand against her gown to rid herself of his touch. "If they're still here."
A muscle ticked in the duke's jaw. "They are. But so are many of the other guests…" His gaze raked over her. "And you're looking rather worse for your ordeal, my dear. Wouldn't you rather-"
"No, I wouldn't. I want to see them. Now, if you please."
The duke clearly wasn't pleased, but he acquiesced. "As you wish."
As they filed down the corridor, Julianne asked Mr. Rayburn, "Did you capture the robber or recover His Grace's jewels?"
"I'm afraid not. I've been interviewing the guests one at a time, which is why so many are still here. Of course, many also remained out of concern for you, hoping for news."
When they entered the drawing room, the hum of conversation stopped for several seconds, then voices exploded, and Julianne found herself surrounded by a sea of faces. Mr. Rayburn held up his hands and demanded silence then once again repeated the story of her ordeal. When he finished, Julianne was engulfed in hugs and well wishes and bombarded with sympathy and questions, while Gideon was congratulated for his quick action. Julianne's mother kissed her on both cheeks, told her she was very grateful she hadn't been hurt, then told her they should leave as soon as possible as she looked a complete fright.
Sarah, Emily, and Carolyn all hugged and kissed her.
"I swear I paced a hole in the duke's hearth rug," Emily said, giving her nose an unladylike blow.
"How dare you frighten a pregnant woman that way," Sarah scolded, pulling off her spectacles to dab at her teary eyes.
"I thought Daniel was going to nail my slippers to the floor to keep me from ruining whatever part of the carpet Emily left intact," Carolyn said, wiping her eyes with a lace hankie. "Are you certain you're all right?"
No, I'm not all right. For a brief, perfect, shining moment, in Gideon's arms, she had been. And she greatly feared she'd never know such happiness again. She mustered up a smile, hoping to erase her friends' troubled expressions. "I'm fine."
"Mr. Mayne was incredibly brave," Sarah said. She squeezed Julianne's hand. "We owe him a debt that can never be repaid."
A lump clogged Julianne's throat, and to her mortification, tears filled her eyes. Carolyn saw her distress and quickly led her to a nearby quiet sitting room that afforded them privacy but from where they could still be seen. After they settled themselves on overstuffed chairs, Julianne said, "Actually, there is more to the kidnapping story than you've heard." She proceeded to tell them the rest, only leaving out any mention of Jack Mayne.
When she finished, all three women looked at her with round eyes. "Heavens, Julianne," Carolyn said. "You were simply marvelous!"
"Incredibly brave," added Sarah.
"I was scared witless," Julianne corrected.
"I would have swooned on the spot," Emily decreed.
"You?" Julianne laughed. "You would have given those kidnappers an ear blistering so severe they would have promptly returned you and begged your pardon for disturbing your evening."
"I'm sure Mr. Mayne was impressed with your bravery," Sarah said.
Julianne felt a blush warm her cheeks. "He said he was. However, most likely he was merely grateful not to have a swooning female on his hands."
Emily looked at Julianne's wrist then frowned. "That looks like a bandage showing above your glove."
More heat flooded Julianne's face. "Mr. Mayne did that. My skin was chafed from the ropes."
Emily's brows shot upward. "He just happened to have some bandages with him?"
Julianne tried to think of a plausible excuse but realized nothing but the truth would do. "No. We made a stop on our way back here. At Mr. Mayne's house. He bandaged me there."