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Though she had never imagined returning to Hyde Park, Laurel found herself feeling a bit more confident on the arm of Lord Ashford as they strolled the path along the Serpentine’s edge. The water in the lake sparkled like diamonds. Similar to the one now adorning Laurel’s left hand.

Lord Onslow had not even bothered to give her an engagement ring.

Yes, Laurel was truly and officially betrothed, and the day after next she would wed the man who had placed the ring on her finger just that morning: Lord Julian Ashford, Earl of Strathmore.

Though she wore gloves to protect her hands from the sun, the ring weighed heavily on her finger.

When they had struck a business arrangement, and even memorialized it in writing, Laurel had thought it was all a matter of formalities.

A special license had been granted and the wedding time and date set.

So when her fiancé — she still had a difficult time adjusting to that term—arrived at Winchester House that morning and asked to speak with her alone, she had thought that surely a good night’s sleep had brought him to his senses and he intended to ask her to relieve him of the obligation of marrying her.

Instead, he had pulled a velvet box from his pocket and told her how the ring inside had belonged to his late mother and it would be an honor if she were to wear it.

She nearly swooned. And when she showed the ring to Cassie and relayed the story to her friend, the expression on Cassie’s face mirrored Laurel’s own cautious excitement.

When Julian had further insisted that they be seen out and about as a newly betrothed couple by strolling through Hyde Park, Laurel had shied away.

Her mind flew to the horrible incident recently when she and Cassie, poor innocent Cassie, had been given the cut direct by the Forrester sisters.

A shiver of dread ran down her spine, but Julian, he now insisted she call him by his Christian name, would not be dissuaded.

Laurel recalled that she and Lord Onslow had also taken a walk in Hyde Park as a newly betrothed couple. It was sort of an unofficial way of letting the world, or those who mattered in the world, know they were a couple.

This time however, with Julian at her side, Laurel felt completely different.

Where she had struggled to engage in conversation with Lord Onslow, he being rather restrained and uninteresting, with Julian she felt quite relaxed.

His conversation was lively and he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.

Though they had agreed to marry out of practical necessity and expediency, she found she enjoyed his company more than she would have expected.

It was, dare she say it, comforting. His quiet strength.

He had been forthright about his reasons for marrying her.

The unflinching way he had removed the patch from his eye, confronting the truth about his appearance.

She thought she might find a great deal about Julain Ashford to admire.

This morning she wore a pale blue dress with matching hat which she had embellished herself with feathers and lace.

When they had gathered at Winchester House with Lord and Lady Winchester as their chaperones for this stroll, Lady Katherine had glanced at the hat with unmistakable admiration.

Laurel had been thrilled, for Lady Katherine was a well-known fashion icon of the ton .

But even more than that, Laurel felt her pride and confidence return with each bit of approval, whether from Lady Katherine for her creativity or from Julian’s attention to her comfort as well as her words.

Lord and Lady Winchester walked ahead of them, giving Julian and Laurel more privacy while providing the proper chaperone decency required. Laurel had no desire to invite more scandal.

"I wish to thank you again for the beautiful ring, my lord," Laurel said. "It was most unexpected."

He turned and raised a brow at her. "I believe, Laurel," her name on his lips sent a tickle of pleasure through her, "that I have asked you repeatedly to call me by my Christian name."

She licked her lips and returned his gaze. "Yes, of course. J-Julian. My apologies."

A slight smile of satisfaction lifted his lips. "I enjoy hearing you use my given name," he said, his voice low. Intimate.

Ahead of them, Lord Winchester leaned close and whispered something in his wife’s ear. She gave him a scandalized look as well as a mischievous smile in reply.

"You are most fortunate to have the Winchesters as your friends," Julian said. "They appear to be a most unusual couple, particularly within the ton ."

"You mean because they seem to actually like each other?" Laurel replied, then thought better of her quip. "Oh dear. That was uncalled for. Yes, I am quite fortunate to have them as friends."

"They have great affection for each other," Julian said, studying the pair in front of them.

"Yes, that is quite true, my lord."

This time, Julian stopped and turned to her. "Laurel, is it really so unpleasant for you to call me by my name?"

"No, not at all," she said, truthfully. "It is simply that I have never, in my entire life, called a gentleman by his Christian name.

My stepbrother was so much older than me, he too insisted that I call him ‘sir’ or ‘my lord.’ Or perhaps it had more to do with power than his age.

Regardless, I am simply becoming accustomed to it. I will endeavor to do better."

He smiled at that and they resumed their walk.

"Forgive me if this is too personal, I do not wish to cause you discomfort, but did you not call your former fiancé by his given name?"

Caught off guard by the question, Laurel could not help but giggle. "My apologies, my…er, Julian," she said when she caught her breath. "The mere idea of being that familiar with Lord Onslow…"

"Lord Gerald Onslow?" Julian interrupted her, his face gone hard.

"Why yes. I assumed you knew. Or that Lady Katherine had told you. I-I hope that does not alter your opinion of me. Or our arrangement." Laurel held her breath. The idea of Julian cutting off their betrothal filled her with deep sadness.

"No, of course not. In fact, it makes me all the more glad I was able to save you from a life with a man like that."

"So you are familiar with him?" Laurel asked, curious about her betrothed’s opinion of the man who had left her at the altar. Well, technically, she hadn’t made it to the altar. Small consolation.

"He and my cousin, Lord Leonard Tinnitus, created a number of scandals together while at university. Family money quieted the outcry from the families of some young ladies in the area." Julian’s jaw was set hard and Laurel was glad he did not elaborate.

"Needless to say," Julian said, his face softening as he looked at her, "I am glad you did not marry him. No lady should have to tolerate such an insufferable human being and particularly not one as charming as you."

Laurel blushed. "Th-thank you, si–er, Julian."

"Well then," Julian said, tucking her be-ringed left hand into the crook of his right arm, "let us not speak of him ever again."

"Gladly," Laurel said, the warmth of his touch giving her the flutters.

"I’ll be hanged," Julian said under his breath.

Laurel glanced in the direction of Julian’s gaze.

"Seems I will not get my wish."

Mere yards away, Lord Gerald Onslow approached from a path to their right. Lord and Lady Winchester were busy looking to their left and did not notice him. Laurel felt her breath stall in her throat as her former fiancé set his course for them.

With a gentle squeeze of her hand, Julian reassured her and her breath hitched again, but for an entirely different reason.

"Well, it’s true then," Lord Onslow said, stopping in front of them and blocking the path without any other greeting.

"That you are a despicable scoundrel?" Julian said. "Why yes, I thought that was a well-established fact."

Laurel stifled a gasp and a giggle. She looked toward her former-fiancé, bracing for his reaction. As far as she knew, Lord Gerald Onslow had no discernable wit.

"No, you one-eyed twit," Lord Onslow spat out. "I was talking about you and my cast-off bride." His eyes raked over her in a way that made her wish she wore a heavy cloak to shield herself from his gaze.

Julian disengaged her hand from his arm and then, still holding her wrist, he stood in front of her, blocking her from Onslow’s vision.

"You will address my betrothed as Miss Harwood and in two days’ time, you will call her Lady Ashford. Or better yet, you will never speak her name again. In fact, that is my preference."

"Mine as well," Laurel said, and Julian gave her wrist a gentle squeeze.

Peeking around Julian for a moment, she saw that the Winchesters had taken notice and were headed in their direction, though they stopped at a discreet distance to observe, not wishing to add any more attention to the potential drama playing out.

"I left her at the altar, if you want to pick up my scraps, feel free," Lord Onslow said and Laurel felt the stab of his words in precisely the humiliating way he had intended them.

"From what I heard," Julian said with a defiant lift of his chin, "you ran off like a frightened kitten at the first sign of trouble. Just like always. Get out of my sight."

"That won’t be hard, considering you’re already an eyeball down," Lord Onslow said and turned away.

"I might have only one eye, but I’ve got two fists." With that Julian grabbed Onslow by the shoulder, spun him around and raised his fist and punched him square in the jaw.

Though she would never admit it aloud to a living soul, Laurel thought it was the most enjoyable and exciting thing she had ever witnessed in her entire life.

Lord Onslow fell to one knee and rubbed his jaw, spitting blood onto the ground. He got to his feet and raised his fists. "All right, you one-eyed son of a bitch, you’ve asked for it now."

Lord Onslow bounced on the balls of his feet and moved around Julian in a way that showed he had been schooled in proper boxing technique.

Laurel wondered if perhaps this might not have been such a good idea, but then Julian took hold of Lord Onslow again. "Hold still, you blighter." He held him with his left hand and landed another right to the jaw.

Laurel held her breath and saw Lord Winchester take a step toward them.

Onslow went down and stayed down, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Lady Katherine gasped and Laurel’s gaze met hers. Oh, she did not wish to have another scandal.

Fortunately, there was a lull in the crowd and no one was near. Julian took Onslow’s shoulders while Lord Winchester took his feet. Without saying a word, the two men dragged Laurel’s former fiancé into the shrubbery and left him there.

The two men then returned to their ladies and resumed their walk.

Laurel knew she ought to be shocked. Perhaps even send for help for Lord Onslow, but then she remembered his reaction to her moment of need when her stepbrother was arrested, and she continued on her way with an extra spring in her step.

"Are you all right, dear Laurel?" Julian asked, leaning close, his voice filled with concern.

"Yes," she said. "As a matter of fact, I have not felt this good in a very, very long time."

Their gazes met and something passed between them. It was a feeling that Laurel could not define, but she did begin to wonder, not for the first time, if perhaps this match might be more than a business arrangement.