Page 68 of Discovering Her Earl

“And she stated that I was?” There must be some mistake. There was no way Elaina would have approved of him. She’d seen him at his worst. And he wasn’t only referring to his drunken laughter.

“Yes.” The man chuckled. “You seem surprised.”

“It was clear your niece didn’t want me to go when I first made the request.” He rubbed the back of his neck trying to puzzle it out.

Lainey had said she’d already mailed off the letter with her decision before he’d kissed her. But perhaps she’d changed her mind after the kiss. Had Julian seduced her compliance after all?

“When did she tell you she approved of me?” he pushed.

He knew he should just stay quiet and be happy to be included. It was what he wanted after all. But not like this. Never like this.

“She wrote to me while you were in Scotland to tell me of your performance there. She stated you were hardworking and quick to ask questions so you could learn how to do things properly. She told me how thorough you were while excavating a piece of pottery you found. She even said she was impressed that you never once dismissed her authority over the site.”

“Of course not. It was clear she was competent in handling a site.”

“Surely you know how many men would think otherwise simply because they are men and she is a woman.” He raised one of his fluffy gray eyebrows.

“I dare to hope I am not so ignorant as that.”

Henry nodded in approval.

“May I ask why you expected a different outcome?” Both of the man’s eyebrows had pulled up now, and Julian felt the question shift to something resembling a threat.

“As I said, your niece didn’t care for me when I first asked to be included. I wasn’t certain she would allow me to go even if I proved myself.”

“My niece may be impulsive at times, but she is fair. I trust her judgement implicitly.”

“As do I,” Julian agreed truthfully. Except maybe in this. Why had she allowed him to join them? It made no sense. “Thank you for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I look forward to our journey. I’ll be counting down the days until we can set sail.”

“You will soon see there is much to be done before we leave and the time will go by quickly.”

The man was not wrong. There was much to do before being away for four months. Normally he would be in the country over winter, but this year he would be in a warmer climate.

Still, he needed to make sure all of his estates were handled. He met with the steward and made sure enough funds were available for any unexpected expenses. It would take quite some time to get mail in Cairo.

With only a week left before it was time to leave, he visited his friend Hale at his home in Scotland.

“You’re doing what?” his friend said, confusion clear on his face.

“I’m going to Egypt to explore the pyramids. We’ll be working on the Bent Pyramid.”

“You were just exploring in Scotland.”

“As I told you at my last visit, my father is forcing me to marry before I turn thirty next May and I want to do something adventurous before I settle down.”

“Some days I’m not sure which of us had the worst sire.”

Julian didn’t answer, but he was certain he had it worse than Hale had. Hale’s parents left him alone on their estates. He only remembered seeing his father twice. Julian would have rather had an absent father than one who was involved in every aspect of his life and found fault in every breath he took.

But he hadn’t walked in Hale’s shoes, so he couldn’t know what the duke felt.

“At least yours hasn’t come back to haunt you from his grave with his ridiculous demands.”

“If you pick the right woman for your wife, every day will be an adventure.” He pointed to where Gia, the Duchess of Roxburghe led a giant stallion from the stables.

“I doubt my father would approve of an adventurous bride. I need to marry the perfect countess.” Proper, chaste, boring.

“You need to make sure you are happy. It is your life. Marry for love and the rest will work out.”