The Wagered Heart: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix) by Rhonda Woodward

how it was done.
    A few years ago, she had raised the subject with Aunt Beryl and Uncle John, and the consensus seemed to be that one just knew when one met their true love. Her aunt had described in great detail the flutters she had experienced when she first laid eyes upon her beloved John.
    Was that it? Did one just hope to chance upon the right person? And when one did, was there some sort of telltale vapors or palpitations?
    While growing up, she had also heard that some women were not meant to fall in love. Could she be one of those? It was a disturbing thought. After all, she was four and twenty, and it seemed that if someone were going to engage her heart, it would have happened by now.
    Her eyes sought out Mr. Dillingham. He was partnering Lady Drake, and Julia followed his elegant movements for some moments. He was certainly a handsome man—and his manners were exceptional—but nothing about him caused any kind of breathlessness or heart fluttering.
    Just then, Caro moved to Julia’s side, interrupting her ponderings. “I have spoken little to you this evening, dear cousin. Let us take a turn around the room and see if we can find a private spot.”
    Smiling down, Julia set aside her musings to attend her cousin.
    Soon they found a corner where they were partially shielded by a voluminous potted fern balanced on a Corinthian-style pedestal.
    “Oh, my dear, you must be fatigued after all the dancing you have done,” Caro said.
    “Indeed. I’m glad we found this quiet place before Mr. Gordon can beseech me to dance again,” Julia said, laughing lightly.
    “How delicately put! What you really mean to say is you are glad you got away before Mr. Gordon attempts to tread on your toes again.”
    “I confess you are right, and my shoes bear the evidence.” She grimaced as she raised the hem of her gown an inch or two to reveal the smudges on her pale blue dancing slippers.
    “At least there is Mr. Dillingham to dance with. The two of you are very graceful together.”
    “Thank you. He is a very accomplished dancer. Mr. Gordon aside, I am having a lovely time.”
    Caro sighed and peeped around the fern before replying to her cousin. “It is a lovely evening—I will give my mother-in-law that much credit.”
    “As much as it pains you to say so,” Julia said with gentle humor.
    The younger woman made a face in response. Julia thought the pouting expression was in stark contrast with the sophisticated façade Caro usually presented.
    Adjusting her oyster-shell silk shawl, Caroline sniffed. “Well, I certainly am not so churlish that I will not give credit where it is due.”
    Julia glanced through the gauzy leaves of the fern, her eyes chancing upon the dowager Lady Farren holding court on the other side of the room.
    Julia had noticed before that the dowager liked to think of herself as up to every rig and went to great pains to be considered in the latest mode. But Julia thought the multitude of peacock feathers erupting from the bright green turban the lady wore looked quite comical.
    Since the start of the evening, she had also noticed that whenever her son strayed too far from her side, his mama called him back on the pretext of needing his opinion or some other transparent nonsense.
    Caro had been subtly punishing her husband by staying as far from the dowager as possible, thereby forcing Lord Farren to trot from one end of the salon to the other whenever his mama beckoned him from his wife’s side.
    It would all have been rather amusing if Julia were not completely aware of how upset Caro really was.
    Lord Farren, poor fellow, seemed flustered. When he was at his mama’s side, he could barely take his eyes from his wife, and frowned fiercely as she laughed with her circle of friends.
    Conversely, when he was with Caro, he continually glanced nervously in his mother’s direction.
    Julia almost felt sorry for him.
    “I half expected to see the Duke of Kelbourne tonight,” Caro stated.
    “Good