Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno #4)(33)

Since Gabriel had to arrive early, Graham had agreed to meet Julia in the quad. He greeted her with a friendly smile and walked her to the entrance, being careful to avoid the immaculately manicured grass.

Julia was grateful for her university escort, as finding the Playfair Library Hall wasn’t easy. The hall was bright and had a large barrel ceiling. White pillars lined the space, along with a series of marble busts perched atop plinths.

Julia regarded the bookshelves and their contents with envy, wishing she had time to explore the collection.

Almost all of the two hundred fifty seats in the hall were taken. And there was a large media section gathered at the back of the room, behind the last row of chairs. Julia noticed that BBC News was present, along with several other press organizations.

Graham escorted Julia to the front row. She was careful as she walked in her high heels, determined not to stumble in front of the crowd of people.

Gabriel was nowhere to be found.

“I’ll find you after.” He’d kissed her in their suite more than an hour ago and lowered his voice to a whisper. “See me in my office after class.”

Julia had trembled at his words, which brought her back to the command he’d given her on the very first class of his she’d attended.

He must be joking, she thought, as she walked toward the front. He doesn’t have an office. At least, not yet.

But Gabriel never joked about sex. No, on the subject of the erotic arts he was always serious.

Which means that we . . .

Julia didn’t finish the thought. Seated in the front row were two figures she recognized. She paused, confused.

“There she is.” Katherine Picton rose and crossed over to Julia. The two women embraced.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Julia faltered.

“I heard a rumor that this year’s announcement of the Sage Lecturer would be worth attending.” Katherine’s eyes shone mischievously. “I’m not alone. I believe you two have met?”

Katherine stood back and gestured between Julia and an aged man who wore a tweed jacket and dark corduroy trousers.

“Don Wodehouse.” The man removed his glasses and extended his hand to Julia.

“Professor Wodehouse, it’s good to see you again.” Julia’s voice was faint, for she was in shock. She mustered a smile.

“Graham.” Professor Wodehouse shook hands with his former student, although his greeting was remarkably cool.

Graham appeared unfazed by the professor’s demeanor and smiled. “Julia has been telling me about her paper on Guido da Montefeltro.”

Julia tensed.

“Yes, I’m familiar with that paper.” Professor Wodehouse replaced his glasses on his nose. “I’m interested to hear what Mrs. Emerson has to say about Dante’s treatment of Ulysses.”

Julia felt almost light-headed. “I haven’t focused on that text, but I’m looking forward to discussing it with everyone at the workshop you’ve organized in April.”

Graham chuckled next to her.

“Yes, there will be plenty of time to discuss Ulysses.” Katherine nudged Professor Wodehouse. “We need to sit down. I see the guest of honor has arrived.”

At that moment, Gabriel entered the hall with a group of university officials, in full regalia. Julia found herself seated in between Graham and Katherine as Professor Wodehouse took a chair on the other side of Katherine.

Gabriel and the officials gathered on the raised platform. Julia recognized most of the dignitaries from the reception the evening before.

Having just survived a brief challenge from Professor Wodehouse, who by all accounts was intimidating, Julia’s heart beat quickly. She was reminded of how, more than three years ago, she sat in Gabriel’s seminar at the University of Toronto—a young, grass-green graduate student who’d hidden a secret love for her professor in her heart. How far they’d come.

She had survived Toronto and their separation. She had survived Christa Peterson and Paulina Gruscheva. Despite her inherent shyness, she’d won a place at Harvard. All that remained was for her to complete her program and then she, like Gabriel, would have the academic freedom to study and write what she pleased.

Professor Emerson looked very handsome, dressed in his Harvard crimson over a gray suit. His pale blue shirt and darker blue tie made his sapphire eyes seem bluer.

She’d wanted to match his gray suit, but she’d succumbed to his last-minute plea to wear something brighter.

“I need to be able to find you,” Gabriel had pleaded over breakfast. The sound of his voice was strangely vulnerable.

Julia could not refuse. Vulnerability was something he shunned like mediocrity. Yet he could be vulnerable with her, privately. She treasured and protected those moments.

So she eschewed the gray dress she’d wanted to wear and replaced it with a sleeveless kelly green dress. The dress was modest and fell to her knees, but the color was daring and the wide neck exposed her collarbones.

Gabriel had predicted that most of the audience would be clad in dark colors. He was correct. In a sea of black, navy, and dark tweed, her green dress made her highly visible, which was precisely what he’d wanted.

And she was wearing a pair of red-soled stiletto heels. Somehow her right leg had felt better that morning and so she thought she’d chance it. She hoped Gabriel would appreciate her choice.