“Mr. Maitland and Miss Maitland.”

Seated on a large chaise longue on the far side of the room was the Earl himself, whilst the Countess and her son were side by side in chairs opposite him. They all rose, and the introductions were made. Polite inquiries were made about Mrs. Maitland’s health and about Sophie and Harriet.

“I regret, Julia, that Emily is not at home,” said the Countess. “She is still away staying with friends and will not be back until next week. Freddie also asks to be excused, since he is away on military duties.”

“I am sorry not to see them, but I hope that there will be another opportunity soon.”

“But you know Dominic, of course,” said the Earl. “Although he is often in town, he has promised me that, now that he has left the regiment, he will spend more time here at the castle helping me manage the estate.”

Julia looked directly at Dominic for the first time, and was relieved to see that he smiled cautiously in return. He was as she had remembered him, rather taller than Freddie, but with the same thick dark hair and strongly marked brows above deep blue eyes. His coat and breeches were appropriate for a day in the country, but so expertly cut that they could only have been made for him by one of the best tailors in London.

“He would like to show you the picture gallery,” continued the Earl, “so why don’t you go there now, before we take some refreshments with your father.”

The tone in which this comment was made did not seem to invite discussion, so Julia followed Dominic out of the room and through a series of grand salons to the gallery. Both walls were lined with oil paintings, which seemed to Julia to extend as far as the eye could see.

“I am, you will have noticed, burdened with rather too many ancestors, Miss Maitland.”

Julia was comforted by this remark, remembering that he shared Freddie’s lively sense of humour.

“I suppose that applies to everyone, though not all end up in an oil painting! Are there any portraits of your parents?”

“Not here; you can see their likenesses on the west wall in the dining room. It is a family tradition that the paintings in the gallery are only of Brandons who have moved on to the next life.”

Julia smiled. “Some of your ancestors seem to have had very large families.” She regretted making the remark almost as soon as she had uttered it.

“Do you like children, Julia? I fear that I will be expected to produce an heir in the next generation as quickly as possible, once I am married.”

This reference to the underlying reason for her visit immediately removed her enjoyment of their conversation, and she was silent.

Moving to stand by one of the tall windows, he drummed his fingertips on the sill in a nervous manner. “I must ask you—do you favour our suggested alliance with any enthusiasm?”

Julia had considered already what her reply to this question might be. Perhaps this was her opportunity to ask why she was being considered as his prospective bride.

“Dominic, please tell me, honestly, why should you wish to marry me? You must be one of the most eligible young men in town at present, with every fond mama keen to throw their daughters at your feet!”

He laughed, and said, “You are right, and a damned tiresome business it is, I can assure you. Your brother saved my life in Spain, and I had promised him when he got to Spain that I would look after you if anything happened to him. You were David’s favourite sister, you know.”

“Thank you. But if everyone married as a result of such circumstances, there would be some very odd alliances in the world. There are other ways, no doubt, in which you could offer me assistance, should I need it?”

“True. But consider the situation from my point of view. We know each other a little already, since you are a friend of my brother and, of course, my cousin Emily. I have to marry someone soon, to continue the family line—my parents insist on that—but so many of the eligible girls are so vapid and boring. My parents like you, and certainly prefer you to some of the other candidates for the role who are pushing themselves forward.”

He observed her startled expression. “You may think that too cold-hearted a way of considering the matter, but I know you to be an intelligent and sensible person, aware of how family life is conducted in the highest circles.”

He meant, she assumed, by that last remark that she would have to turn a blind eye to any liaisons that he might conduct in town outside his marriage, and the time that he might spend at the various gaming houses and in his clubs drinking with his friends.

“I am not sure that that is the kind of life that I would like, however comfortable the financial circumstances that I might be offered.”

“If you would prefer to spend most of your time here at the castle, I would not object to that. It is a good place to raise children.”

Julia’s dismayed expression did not escape him.

“That is not the kind of marriage you would want? You had hoped to marry for love? Not many people are that fortunate.”

“No, but I would much prefer to be together with my husband for most of the time, to share common interests.”

“Not many relationships stay like that in the highest social circles, Miss Maitland, at least in the long run.”

“No, I accept that.”

“I sense that you do not approve of my suggestion of your living here whilst I would be in London. My parents have been married for thirty years and seem to have found that a tolerant attitude to each other’s preferences works for them. It has been a comfortable basis for their relationship.”

Julia wondered if that was more his father’s view than his mother’s, since the Earl had had a reputation for fast living when in town, and not only in his youth.

“I am trying to be honest with you, if only for your brother’s sake.”

“I am grateful to you for that, Dominic.”

She turned away to look out of the window. She was aware that many young women would be only too happy to accept an offer from the heir to the earldom, and to be assured of wealth and a great social position for the rest of their lives. Her mother had already told her how lucky she was to be offered such an opportunity when she now had only a small dowry and no share in property or the family estate.

“I do not need an answer now, Julia. A few weeks’ delay will make no difference. Why don’t we meet again, once you have had the opportunity to consider the matter more thoroughly? My offer still stands in the meantime.”

Julia thanked him. She should be grateful, she supposed, for his being thoughtful enough not to rush her. Whether she wanted someone to marry her because of a promise made to her brother was quite a different matter.

They returned to the salon, where her father was apparently enjoying his conversation with the Earl and Countess.

“Well, Miss Maitland, what do you think of all those past Brandons?” said the Earl in a friendly tone. “Some of the earlier ones would make good brigands, don’t you think! We are lucky that they are not still alive, in my opinion!”

Matching his mood, Julia said, “No more than many families may have had in their past history, sir. But I was glad to have been able to see more of the castle. On my visits to see Emily and Freddie, we usually spend most of our time in your family’s private quarters.”

“Yes, these rooms here are shown to visitors when we are not in residence. We spend most of our family time elsewhere in the castle.” Then, turning to her father, he said, “Lewis, shall we go and look at those bank papers now, so that I can sign them for you before we leave?”

Her father answered Julia’s unspoken question before she could say anything.

“I brought them with me at the Earl’s suggestion—it is just some unfinished business,” and he left the room with their host before she could reply.

“Come and sit next to me, Julia,” said the Countess. “And Dominic, please go and find Annette, and ask her to bring down the blue silk shawl that I have set aside for Miss Maitland.”

To Julia she added, “Annette Labonne is my personal attendant. She was born in northern France and, before she became my dresser, Annette was our nursery maid when Dominic and Freddie were young.”

Julia hesitated after he had gone out of the room, but only for a moment.

“Ma’am, would you find me presumptuous if I asked you a personal question?”

“If I did, I need not answer you.”

Julia took this as being an affirmative.

“Dominic said just now that you had spent part of your married life living here with the children whilst the Earl was more in town—were you happy with that arrangement?”

The Countess did not answer immediately, but then said, “I would prefer to reply by saying that Dominic is, in some respects, very like his father. I would expect that he would want to adopt that pattern of life—yes, my dear. If that would make you unhappy, you should not marry him. But if you fear that he would in any way be disrespectful to you in public if you were to become his wife, you can put that idea out of your head!”

“Thank you for answering. I apologise for any intrusion.”

The Countess took Julia’s hand and held it firmly. “Marriage is not always a happy state, my dear, but I am sure from what Emily and Freddie have told me that you would make Dominic as happy as anyone of our personal acquaintance.”

Anyone of our personal acquaintance—that struck Julia as being a rather unusual expression.

The Countess smiled at Julia. “I never had a daughter of my own, so the untimely death of Emily’s parents gave me an opportunity to care for the daughter that I would have otherwise been denied. I would be happy to welcome you also into our household.”