“Pfft,” Amanda dismissed.“Of what importance is the matter of a missing wife when Georgiana is in love with him?”
Julia gave a shake of her head.“You are such a romantic.”
“You will see,” Amanda stated with certainty.
“I have to admit I find the situation ridiculous rather than amusing,” Julia snapped.“If you really are correct about Georgiana, then there is only you, Rose, and I left of the Spinsters Alliance to uphold our decision never to marry unless it is for love.”
“Which Lily and Chloe, Georgiana too, I do not doubt, have all found with the men they are now betrothed to, have married, or are in love with,” her cousin reminded.
“Yes,” she accepted heavily, knowing that claim could not be denied.
Two of their close friends, possibly three, were ridiculously happy with their fiancé or husband.St.Albans and Hellsmere certainly doted upon the woman they loved and did everything within their power to ensure their happiness.
Julia drew her legs up beneath her as she sat in one of the armchairs in such a way that her stockinged feet were not on display.Her mother would not approve if she knew Julia was walking about the house with no shoes or boots on her feet.
“It seemed as if the moment we decided to form the alliance, eligible gentlemen started to fall madly in love with us, one after another.”She shook her head.“I sincerely hope you are not going to do that with Wolfingham.”Julia frowned at the thought of it.“You are my best friend, as well as my cousin, and it would break my heart to have to cut you from my life.But I am afraid that is exactly what I would be forced to do if you were ever to align yourself with the Earl of Wolfingham.”
The two cousins were similar in coloring, both having fair hair and pale skin, but Amanda’s eyes were a sparkling green, while Julia’s were indigo.Only a month apart in age, the two of them had been best friends since they were in the cradle.As their families spent so much time together, and they were both only children, it was as good as having a sister.
Amanda eyed her sympathetically.“I know that you blame him for Freddie’s death?—”
“Because he is to blame!”she cut in mutinously.“Freddie admired him so much.He would never have joined the army if he had not been trying to impress Nicholas.Freddie only ever wished to be like him and to earn his brother’s respect.”
“That does not make it Wolfingham’s fault that Freddie ran off and joined the army,” Amanda said softly.
“Of course it is his fault,” she snapped, rising agitatedly to walk over and stare sightlessly out the window looking over the back lawns and to the field, where she could see deer grazing.“Freddie was delicate from the day he was born.Indeed, he almost died alongside his mother.He was totally unsuited to becoming a soldier.”
“He did not wish to join the church either,” Amanda reminded, having known and been friends with Freddie for as long as Julia had.
Julia turned, her cheeks feeling heated with temper.“It is so unfair that sons of the peerage have only the three avenues open to them, becoming the heir, the soldier, or the vicar.”
“There are four, if you count wastrel,” Amanda said dryly.
Julia stared at her for several long seconds before she began to laugh.She was still smiling when she spoke again.“What would I do without you to remind me not to take life too seriously?”She sobered completely as she dropped onto the sofa beside her cousin.“But you really must promise me that you will not fall in love with the Earl of Wolfingham.”
“Our parents have invited him for dinner this evening,” Amanda revealed with a wince.
Julia gasped.“You should have told me that as soon as I returned.”
“What difference would it have made when the outcome is the same?”
Julia shook her head.“We should not be entertaining when we are in mourning.”
“It is not a dinnerparty, only a hot supper that will be eaten by a group of people who wish to quietly share a meal together after losing a family member and close friend.You know how much Grandmama loved all the Harding boys, as she so often called them.We know that is because she had no sons of her own,” Amanda added affectionately.
Julia was well aware of her grandmother’s warm feelings for the Harding brothers.But that knowledge did nothing to prevent the scowl on her brow at the very idea of sitting down at the dinner table withthatman.“I believe I feel a headache coming on.”She raised a dramatic hand to the coolness of her brow.
Amanda eyed her derisively.“One that will become bad enough as the day goes on, I expect, that it will prevent you from coming down to dinner this evening?”
“Exactly,” she acknowledged happily.
Amanda studied her for several seconds before speaking again.“If you dislike Wolfingham so much, I am surprised you would create a situation where he might have the satisfaction of speculating as to your absence being an attempt to avoid his company.”
Julia scowled.“There is no way for anyone to prove I do not have a headache.”
“Only that it will appear suspicious when it conveniently prevents you from coming down to dinner on the very evening Wolfingham is to join us.”
Julia’s eyes narrowed.“Are you deliberately goading me into joining you all this evening?You know there is a chance I will not be able to sit down withthat manfor a whole evening without speaking my mind sometime during it.”
