The first semester in Oxford has already started. Balancing between studying to become a lawyer and life in general, Julia Eden has found herself sitting across from a shrink, or in better words: a psychologist.
It only gets worse when the old man s...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
dedicated to LadyVeniceMaria because you're going to love this chapter!
_______________
He was still here.
Probably he had something to discuss with her father. Whatever it was had to be related to the election campaign and not her being an insolent brat.
Although later she wouldn't remember feeling this guilty. But as she walked inside her father's study after the dinner, she realized that throughout the whole dinner Neal Williams hadn't even cared to take a glance at her. Had she been so arrogant and selfish?
The room was softly-lit by handmade Victorian shade-draped lamps that created a lovely glow about her skin. Her father had probably forgotten why he had summoned her in when he darted his gaze from Neal to her, halting their conversation and looked confused. Neal didn't stare.
The air inside carried the medieval smell of the freshener, tobacco, mint and scotch- a heady regal aroma. Beside the oak desk, an anachronistic fireplace was visible. An excellent forgery of the Last Supper hung on the same wall.
"There you are," her father sighed, pouring himself another glass of whatever he had been drinking and then sitting down on the gray velvet chaise lounge across from Neal again. Neal's glass, however, remained untouched.
"Keith left this for you. Your mother's already in bed. So I kept it when he left." Nicholas's eyebrows knitted, one hand pointing at the shopping bag perched beside him.
Julia took a few steps towards her father, near enough to smell the cigarettes and the cinnamon in his perfume. Gulping what was left in his glass, he set it on the trolley and wrapped an arm around Julia's shoulder, dragging her close to him.
"And this is from your mother and me," he smiled and placed a blue leather square box on her open palms. Only slightly excited, Julia shoved the box inside the shopping bag and picked it up.
"Thank you, dad. But what is it all for?"
"Didn't your mother tell you about the debutante ball?" Her father frowned. "This is what she has been talking about for a while."
"I didn't know," Julia feigned ignorance although she had known about the annual Queen Charlotte's ball for some time now. Only she had no clue that her mother wanted her to attend it.
"I am assuming you haven't chosen an escort yet. No problem, you have plenty of time, Julianne," Nicholas assured her, with crinkling blue eyes. "The ball's after your A levels."
She had enough time to convince Noah then.
"Wait," her father's voice dragged her out her thoughts. "Neal, aren't you going to be in London after finishing your bar? You can escort her."
