Theresa Romain - Season for Temptation

“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.”

So now they were talking of Julia’s season again. James wrenched his thoughts into the proper channel. But. . Lady Irving?

“Good Lord, that woman is terrifying,” he gasped. “She makes my mother look like the veriest lamb in comparison.”

He realized at once that this was a rather rude thing to say about a gently bred lady, an elder, and a countess — and especially about a female who was all of these things as well as aunt to his betrothed.

But Louisa nodded calmly, not seeming to mind at all.

“That is certainly an apt description,” she agreed. “I know sometimes I felt overwhelmed by the amount she had planned for me during my season. But that would be ideal for Julia’s presentation, if Aunt Estella is willing.”

An idea struck James. “Actually, your sister Julia’s rather like your aunt.” At Louisa’s look of surprise, he explained, “Not that she is terrifying in the slightest, but she seems to say whatever comes into her head.”

“Oh, well, that’s true. I suppose it comes from growing up with. . rather an unusual set of parents.”

“I expect the ton will find her honesty refreshing,” James added loyally, but he felt a pang of doubt. What if they should not take to the young Miss Herington any better than they did to the Honorable Miss Oliver? He shook off the thought, remembering Louisa’s own pain at her invisibility during the season and determining to do whatever he could to ensure Julia’s success. For Louisa’s sake, naturally.

“I hope so,” Louisa said, her expression uncertain. “I don’t know if she cares to go at all, but of course she must marry. And probably she will enjoy London. Julia genuinely likes people, so the crush of a party may seem like a very fine thing to her.”

They sat together in silence for a moment; James was unsure of what to say. His own relations would sooner give any amount of money, he knew, than admit that they were ever ill at ease. The ton could be quite a minefield for the socially awkward or timid.