Free Loving Julia by Karen Robards

gently closed the door in her face.
    “Wot do ya want?” Jewel was apprehensive, but the words came out sounding belligerent. The earl, crossing to stand in front of the finely wrought white marble fireplace in which blazed a luxurious fire, merely looked at her over his shoulder for a moment without answering. Jewel felt herself wilting under that chilling gaze.
    “I thought we had agreed that you were to do as I bade you?”
    Jewel nodded once.
    “Well then, did I not instruct you that you were to bathe?”
    Jewel’s chin came up at that. Here, she thought, she was on
    strong ground. “Ayeh, ya did, and I like ter ’ave a bath as well as the next one. And I would , but not in that!” Her hand came out to point in a gesture of loathing at the steaming tub that sat innocently in front of the fire. The earl looked at the tub, then his eyebrows rose ever so slightly.
    “Is something amiss with it?”
    Jewel almost choked. “I can’t ’ave a bath in that!”
    “Why ever not? That is what it is for, you know.”
    “Because they tell me I’m ter get right down inside it! Get me whole body wet! I’ll die of the bloody ague, I will.” Her eyes narrowed on him suddenly. “Is that wot ya want? Ter murder me, so that you’ll not ’ave to worry about me bein’ married to yer cousin?”
    “You are becoming very boring, you know. Of course I don’t wish to murder you! The matter comes down to this: You agreed to obey me without question, I have instructed you to bathe, and you refuse. For the final time, you may either do as I bid you or you may leave my house. It is entirely up to you.”
    Jewel met those cold blue eyes, and felt anxiety knot like a wet rope in her chest. It was clear that he meant what he said. Yes, she was worried about the ills that complete immersion could cause—everyone knew that they were many and serious—but there was another problem, one that she hated to divulge to a man. Especially this one.
    “I—I can’t,” she muttered wretchedly, her eyes on the carpet. She couldn’t do as he asked and she couldn’t tell him why. She just couldn’t…. His eyebrows rose again, and he turned toward the door.
    “Very well then, I will tell Smathers to retrieve your hat and shawl and show you out. We shan’t meet again, so I will bid you farewell.”
    He was walking toward the door as he spoke, his black-clad shoulders very broad and formidable from the rear. Jewel stared at that unyielding back, hesitated, bit her lip, and spoke.
    “Ya don’ unnerstan’,” she cried, and he cast her a look over his shoulder, one eyebrow lifted questioningly.
    “What is it I don’t understand?”
    “They want me ter—ter get naked! In front of them! I can’t do it, and I won’t! Not even if it means I ’ave to leave ’ere!” The shame of having to tell him made her avert her blushing face.
    The earl turned slowly to face her, his expression disbelieving as his eyes ran up and down her slender body.
    “You object to undressing before other females?”
    “Before—before anybody!” Jewel blurted, her eyes as they swung back to him blazing gold. The earl’s eyes were expressionless as they met hers.
    “So the little guttersnipe is modest, is she?” he said softly, as though to himself. “Well, well.” His voice hardened. “If this is an act designed to impress me with your virtue, you needn’t bother. I could care less if you have whored for half of England in your short span of years. What interests me is what you will do from today on.”
    “I never did nothin’ like that! I keep tellin’ ya, I ain’t no ’ore!”
    The earl looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. “Very well then, the problem is easily solved. You may bathe in privacy if you wish. I will instruct Mrs. Masters.” He turned away again, one hand on the intricately carved gilt doorknob that had caused Jewel to marvel when she had first touched it. Then he looked back at her. “I rely on you to do a thorough