pursuit of the memoirs.” She considered her friend thoughtfully. “Although, now that I think about it, you would indeed do him a world of good.”
“Veronica.” Julia shook her head. “I have no interest in your newfound brother.”
“Excellent, as he says he has no interest in you either. I have already told him the two of you would not suit.”
“Oh? And how did that topic arise?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Veronica shrugged. “One thing led to another and I found myself telling him that while you might well be perfect for him, he would not suit you at all. He is entirely too stuffy, too proper, and too unyielding.”
“So I have noticed.” Julia paused. “Just as a matter of curiosity, mind you, nothing more than that, why do you think I would be perfect for him?”
“Darling Julia, you are the cleverest woman I know, aside from myself, that is. Harrison detests intelligence in a woman.” She smiled in a wicked manner. “You would drive him quite mad because you would never bend entirely to his will.”
“I bent to William’s will.” She huffed. “I was a most proper and obedient wife.”
“Perhaps, but William, from what you have said, was a rational man used to compromise. Besides, even if you do not see it, it’s apparent to me, you are not the same women who lost her husband three years ago. That Julia would never consider selling scandalous memoirs.” Veronica drew her brows together. “Do you realize how different you are?”
Julia cast her a reluctant smile. “Yes, I believe I do. I’m not sure that’s altogether good.”
“It’s nothing short of wonderful.” Veronica took her arm again and they started off. “As for Harrison, while it would be a great deal of fun to watch you lead him on a merry chase, I think you can do far better. And Harrison has a very strict list of what he wants in a wife.”
Julia snorted back a laugh. “He has a list?”
“You sound surprised.” Veronica chuckled. “Of all the men I know, Harrison is the one most likely to select a bride based on a strict list of the attributes he requires in a wife.”
They paused before an older couple chatting with two gentlemen and a young, lovely blond woman. Veronica introduced Miss Celeste Waverly and her parents, a Mr. Roberts and a Lord Minden.
When they continued, Veronica leaned closer and spoke into her ear. “Her father is the youngest son of the Earl of Guilesford. She meets all of Harrison’s requirements. The family fortune is immense. Miss Waverly has been trained since birth to be the perfect bride for someone exactly like Harrison. Her breeding is impeccable, her manners flawless, her education appropriate.”
“And she is not unattractive,” Julia murmured, wondering why she found the idea of the pretty young blonde with Lord Mountdale so disconcerting.
“She is a pale imitation. There is no substance to her, no spark. She is an empty vessel waiting to be whatever the man she weds wishes her to be.” Veronica sniffed in disdain. “She is exactly what Harrison says he wants. I have already introduced them.” She smiled. “We shall see.”
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing untoward, I assure you. I am simply being sisterly. My
brother
has expressed his desire for a certain type of woman and I am presenting him with one. God help him.” She glanced around the parlor. “We shall go into dinner as soon as the other guests arrive. I see Portia is not here yet.” She sighed. “We must do something about her alarming tendency to disregard the very idea of punctuality.”
“It seems to me, you are rarely anywhere at the appointed time.”
“I am an entirely different matter.”
Lord Mountdale noticed their approach and met Julia’s gaze, a warm smile lighting up his face. She nearly stumbled.
“Why is he looking at me like that?” The oddest sense of panic fluttered in her stomach.
“It’s called a smile. He doesn’t use it often, which is a very great
“Veronica.” Julia shook her head. “I have no interest in your newfound brother.”
“Excellent, as he says he has no interest in you either. I have already told him the two of you would not suit.”
“Oh? And how did that topic arise?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Veronica shrugged. “One thing led to another and I found myself telling him that while you might well be perfect for him, he would not suit you at all. He is entirely too stuffy, too proper, and too unyielding.”
“So I have noticed.” Julia paused. “Just as a matter of curiosity, mind you, nothing more than that, why do you think I would be perfect for him?”
“Darling Julia, you are the cleverest woman I know, aside from myself, that is. Harrison detests intelligence in a woman.” She smiled in a wicked manner. “You would drive him quite mad because you would never bend entirely to his will.”
“I bent to William’s will.” She huffed. “I was a most proper and obedient wife.”
“Perhaps, but William, from what you have said, was a rational man used to compromise. Besides, even if you do not see it, it’s apparent to me, you are not the same women who lost her husband three years ago. That Julia would never consider selling scandalous memoirs.” Veronica drew her brows together. “Do you realize how different you are?”
Julia cast her a reluctant smile. “Yes, I believe I do. I’m not sure that’s altogether good.”
“It’s nothing short of wonderful.” Veronica took her arm again and they started off. “As for Harrison, while it would be a great deal of fun to watch you lead him on a merry chase, I think you can do far better. And Harrison has a very strict list of what he wants in a wife.”
Julia snorted back a laugh. “He has a list?”
“You sound surprised.” Veronica chuckled. “Of all the men I know, Harrison is the one most likely to select a bride based on a strict list of the attributes he requires in a wife.”
They paused before an older couple chatting with two gentlemen and a young, lovely blond woman. Veronica introduced Miss Celeste Waverly and her parents, a Mr. Roberts and a Lord Minden.
When they continued, Veronica leaned closer and spoke into her ear. “Her father is the youngest son of the Earl of Guilesford. She meets all of Harrison’s requirements. The family fortune is immense. Miss Waverly has been trained since birth to be the perfect bride for someone exactly like Harrison. Her breeding is impeccable, her manners flawless, her education appropriate.”
“And she is not unattractive,” Julia murmured, wondering why she found the idea of the pretty young blonde with Lord Mountdale so disconcerting.
“She is a pale imitation. There is no substance to her, no spark. She is an empty vessel waiting to be whatever the man she weds wishes her to be.” Veronica sniffed in disdain. “She is exactly what Harrison says he wants. I have already introduced them.” She smiled. “We shall see.”
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing untoward, I assure you. I am simply being sisterly. My
brother
has expressed his desire for a certain type of woman and I am presenting him with one. God help him.” She glanced around the parlor. “We shall go into dinner as soon as the other guests arrive. I see Portia is not here yet.” She sighed. “We must do something about her alarming tendency to disregard the very idea of punctuality.”
“It seems to me, you are rarely anywhere at the appointed time.”
“I am an entirely different matter.”
Lord Mountdale noticed their approach and met Julia’s gaze, a warm smile lighting up his face. She nearly stumbled.
“Why is he looking at me like that?” The oddest sense of panic fluttered in her stomach.
“It’s called a smile. He doesn’t use it often, which is a very great
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