“Excuse me; I will leave you alone,” Julia said in her loud whisper, and again with that knowing smile that twisted warmly through James’s stomach like a fine brandy, she melted off.



Once outside the door of the library, Julia blew out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. She looked up and down the silent corridor to make sure it was empty, then leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor, folding her legs in front of her.

“Why am I so stupid all the time?” she muttered.

Why, she thought to herself, did she keep embarrassing herself in front of James? Good heavens, that was actually Viscount Matheson she kept insulting! It seemed as if she couldn’t meet the man without some breach of propriety, whether chiding him for his town polish or, oh yes, giving him an earful of her most unladylike vocabulary words.

Well, they were not the most unladylike words she knew, but they were bad enough.

He had been kind about it so far, but she knew well that it was important that he like the family and want to go ahead with the marriage. Quite simply, Louisa’s turn in London was over, and Julia was to go next if she was ever to have a prayer of marrying outside the limited social circle of the surrounding estates. Their parents had never made the smallest allusion to the fact, but she knew well that, though a London season was a heavy financial burden, an unmarried daughter — especially one of five — could be even more so.

Julia glumly dropped her chin onto her folded knees, curling her arms around her legs. Thus far, her family had behaved quite unconventionally toward their guest — that is, their newest family member, as he had referred to himself — but then again, he did seem to like it.

So, did he like them?

Did he like her?

From what Julia had seen of James so far, he was. . well, wonderful. She couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him. His clever face, his warm smile, his low laugh, his long body. She only wished she’d been able to see more of it. Of him.

She felt her face heat again. This time, the heat spread into her fingers, making them tingle, and into the pit of her stomach, tickling it with nervous excitement.

James was exactly the sort of man she wanted to meet in London. Exactly the sort of man she’d like for a husband.

She had to remember, though, that he was also the man who was going to marry her sister.

Suddenly, she felt like using all her most unladylike vocabulary words.

Chapter 4. In Which Louisa Is Offered a Bathtub Shaped Like the Sphinx



In the library, James and Louisa were completely oblivious to Julia’s fit of confusion outside the door as they enjoyed their first private conversation in, it seemed to James, the weeks since his proposal. As soon as the door had closed behind him, he strode over to the red Grecian-style sofa on which Louisa was seated.

He wondered what type of greeting would be proper in this situation. A man should be affectionate with his future wife, of course, but he still felt the distance of unfamiliarity looming between them.

After the briefest of pauses, he caught up her hands in his and kissed first one, then the other.

“Good morning, my dear. You look more beautiful than ever.”

This was no exaggeration; Louisa was a lovely woman. Her wide brown eyes were bright, and her thick dark hair was coiled up neatly and caught back from her face by a pale green band that matched her print morning dress. The color brought out the rich tones of her hair and the delicate pink of her cheeks, which blushed in response to his words.

Louisa cast her gaze down and motioned for him to sit next to her. “Nonsense; that’s just fine talk. But it’s kind of you, so I’ll let it pass even though I know it’s ridiculous.”

“It’s the perfect truth, I swear. I’m very glad to see you alone this morning. It has been quite a while, and we have much to talk about.”

“Oh?” she asked, lifting her eyes. “I am glad to see you, too, of course, but what subject has arisen so suddenly?”

“Nothing sudden; just talk about our marriage. Before I talk to your father — which is, of course, one of the reasons for my visit here — I wanted to consult your wishes as to the time and scale of the ceremony.”

Again he reached for her hands as he moved closer to her on the sofa. Gazing at her intently, he added, “I would like to be married as soon as possible.”

This had been his plan even before arriving at Stonemeadows Hall; a key motivation for his swift engagement had been an equally swift — though respectably so — marriage. Now that he had arrived, he was also disconcerted by his unexpected attraction to Julia, and he determined to squelch it at once by cementing his tie with his fiancée.

Except Louisa didn’t react as he’d thought she would.

Based on his experience with women, he expected a warm, eager response, possibly even followed by an animated discussion of where to get the wedding gown. He wasn’t sorry to be spared the discourse on fashion, but still — when Louisa only stared at him, startled, he felt his heart sink a bit.

“I see,” was her only initial response. She hesitated a moment, then added, “There is no need for a rush, is there? Need we be hasty?”

Her lack of enthusiasm stung, and James drew back. “Hasty? I hadn’t thought of it that way. No, there’s no reason except my own wish to be settled.”

It was mostly true. True enough. He did wish to be settled. At once.

Louisa bit her lip as she considered, then admitted, “If we marry soon, I shall have to sponsor Julia during her season next spring.”

This was a total non sequitur to James, but he tried to respond as he thought Louisa would expect him to.

“I think that would be delightful. You could begin your life as a London hostess with one of your favorite family connections.”

His groin tightened. Delightful. Julia, in his house, nearby always, saucy and willing.

Oh, yes. And under his wife’s supervision. The vision popped as quickly as a soap bubble.

Unaware of his thoughts, fortunately, Louisa was struggling to explain herself. She raised one slim hand, as if to ward off James’s suggestion.

“I would not find it delightful. In fact, I’d find it the opposite.” She shook her head. “I can’t think of it; I really can’t. I do dislike drawing attention to my own faults, James, but it cannot have escaped your notice that I fit very poorly into the world of the ton. How would it serve Julia — or my own self — to try to take a place of prominence in that world and lead an unknown young lady into it?”

Her reluctance was startling, but after pondering her words for a few moments, James wasn’t really surprised. He knew she hadn’t enjoyed her London season; good Lord, they had met because she was hiding from a ballroom.

But he had to persuade her to be married as soon as possible. How best could he do it?

Well, there were always his title and his money. They were worth a try.

“Is that all that’s bothering you?” At her suddenly mulish expression, he added hastily, “Not, of course, that I mean to belittle your concerns. But you forget, my dear, that I bring connections to our marriage as well. As my wife, the new Viscountess Matheson, you will have the respect of all you meet.” He grinned at her; his most charming grin, the one that had always caused young women to swoon and flutter. “If I do say so myself.”

Louisa, of all young women, seemed immune to The Grin. “I know,” she replied, her expression glum. “I know that you’re very much a part of that world, and that it is important to you. But could I not be one of those wives who stays in the country all the time?” A hopeful smile peeped at the corners of her mouth. “You could tell everyone I misbehaved terribly and you had to rusticate me.”

James responded appreciatively to her sly smile and the potential double meaning of her words. “A misbehaving wife? Surely not my wife.”

He bent his head, intending to drop a kiss on her lips. Just a small one. Just to remind himself of what he had promised to be to her.

Louisa permitted him to draw within a breath of her face, but then seemed to think better of it and scooted away just out of his reach. “Apparently fictional misbehavior breeds genuine misbehavior,” she teased, her voice trembling a bit.

James was startled by her movement, and caught literally off balance. He swayed, checked himself to keep from tipping over, and took a deep breath to collect himself. “Surely a kiss is not out of place from your future husband.”

Louisa colored again, and he smiled inwardly. This was the blushing-est family he’d ever seen. He rather liked it; it made it easy to tell what they were feeling.

Although, judging from her appearance, Louisa now looked. . a bit anxious? Her brows were knit over her flushed cheeks, and she bit her bottom lip in seeming agitation.

This wasn’t working. Why wouldn’t she agree to marry him quickly? He couldn’t understand, but she seemed distressed by the idea.

Which, honestly, was a bit lowering for a man.

It seemed ungentlemanly to press her further right now, so James mentally shelved the topic for another time. Perhaps Louisa was always intractable in the morning, and she’d be more compliant under the charm of an evening sky. They could take a walk in the gardens, and in the presence of a romantic riot of flowers, he could broach the topic again.

For now, though, Louisa’s thoughts were still in London. He knew this not because he was suddenly able to read her inscrutable expression. It was, rather, because she suggested, “If we are not married until after Julia’s season, my aunt, Lady Irving, could sponsor her instead.”