Jonathan and Amy by Grace Burrowes Page A

discuss anything you wish, later .”
    â€œIn that case”—she kissed his cheek—“I want to remove your clothes too.”

Five
    A man with eleven siblings understood family. When seven of his siblings were female, he also had a healthy dose of respect for the sororal bond, which served Jonathan well when he took Amy to call on her sisters the following morning.
    Over strong tea and fresh crumpets, he observed several salient facts, which he discussed with his intended as he drove her back to Deene’s holding.
    â€œYou miss your sisters, Amy. I would not have begrudged you more frequent visits out here had you asked, and your sisters would certainly have been welcome to see you in Town.”
    â€œWe do meet occasionally, but you had me sign a contract that elucidated in detail when I was to have leave.”
    He’d forgotten about her contract, though it was no doubt filed tidily away in some drawer. “I wanted someone steady for Georgina’s governess.”
    She gave him an indulgent look that had him recalling the previous night. “One understands your devotion to your only child, Jonathan.”
    â€œShe might not be my only child for long. You will marry me, won’t you?”
    When her indulgent smile might have muted to the lambent expression of a woman in love, her lips pursed, and her brows drew down. “To plight my troth to one man when I’m engaged to another tempts fate.”
    Jonathan urged the horse, a handsome bay gelding on loan from Deene’s stables, to pick up the pace of its trot. When he wanted badly to argue, he instead fell back on the guidance of one of Amy’s preachy little books.
    â€œWe will deal with your cousin’s unfortunate misperception. I liked your sisters, liked them very much. They’re protective of you, and they look forward to repaying your generosity.”
    Now , her smile softened. “You, sir, have changed the subject, though I’m so very glad you liked Dru and Hecate. They liked you too, or they would never have brought out the cordial.” But then the smile disappeared. “I haven’t been generous with them, please understand that. They are very stubborn, those two. They refuse to see that I’m the oldest and it’s my duty to provide for us as best I can.”
    From what Jonathan had observed, Hecate and Drusilla were managing well enough. Their surroundings were humble but comfortable. They had a maid of all work, a man of all work, and a mule of all work, who was as near to fat as a mule could get.
    â€œWhat they see, my dear, is that you have gone into service to punish yourself for lapsing with the late Robert, and they have had quite enough of your penance. You refuse to admit your sisters are grown women—very pretty, capable grown women—and they are waiting for you to settle before they change their own prospects.”
    Beside him, Amy was silent for a moment while the tilbury spun along between green hedgerows. “I am not pleased to think you might be right. They are that loyal. What did Hecate want to ask you?”
    Hecate, the one who looked most like Amy, had drawn Jonathan aside in the small stable and whispered a few pointed comments in his ear.
    â€œYour sister asked me, among other things, if I my intentions toward you were honorable. I assured her they were. The question remains, though, whether your intentions are honorable toward me.”
    â€œDo you really want me to answer that?”
    Her expression, frowning again and distracted, was answer enough.
    â€œWhen we’ve sorted your cousin out, you will give me an answer, Amy.”
    Though as to how they would sort dear Nigel out, Jonathan himself did not yet have as many answers as he might have wished.
    ***
    â€œI have a plan, but I’d like your opinion on it.” Jonathan kept his tone neutral, because despite the recent thawing in his relations with Deene, the younger man was