“That’s Jewel, Ford’s niece. Rowan and she have been friends forever.”
“What sort of friends? And what do you suppose they were doing alone together in a barn?”
“Goodness, Rowan is only eleven and Jewel ten. Your mind is too much on romance these days. Knowing the two, they were probably planning a practical joke.”
“In a barn?”
Lily laughed at the expression on her friend’s face. “Over the years, there’s hardly a building on either property they haven’t used to stage a prank.”
Judith looked likely to say more, but the door popped open and her mother poked her head in. “Were you leaving without me, dear?”
“Of course not, Mama.” Judith scooted over to make room. “We just came inside to talk.”
A large, jolly woman, Lady Carrington wedged herself beside her daughter and tucked in her voluminous coral skirts. Before her footman could shut the door, Lily’s striped cat nimbly leapt inside.
Lady Carrington sneezed. “Shoo!” she exclaimed, waving a manicured hand at the hapless feline.
“Beatrix,” Lily said softly, “you cannot ride in this carriage.”
The cat gave her a hurt look but leapt out.
“Much better,” Judith’s mother said as the door shut. She turned to Lily. “This afternoon, I’m hoping your father will advise me about flowers for Judith’s wedding.”
The Earl of Trentingham was nothing if not an expert on flowers. “I’m certain Father will fancy being consulted,” Lily assured her.
The carriage began moving at last. “I’ve my heart set on yellow flowers,” Lady Carrington told Lily, “because Judith looks best in yellow. But she wants to be married in blue. What color will you wear for your wedding?”
“Blue is nice,” Lily said with a vague smile.
She wasn’t ready to think about weddings, and most certainly not her own.
Rose was a year older—her wedding should come first.
THREE
WHEN LILY arrived at Violet’s house, Rose motioned her into the drawing room.
She gestured toward where Rand stood in conversation. “He keeps looking over here, Lily. He’s spotted me.” Tall and willowy, Rose made a pretty picture against the drawing room’s soft turquoise walls—and well she knew it. She straightened one of her glistening chestnut curls and smoothed her deep-blue satin skirts. “He remembers me,” she added confidently.
“Of course he remembers you.” Lily glanced in Rand’s direction—or at least she intended to glance. Instead, she found herself staring. “You worked together translating that old alchemy book, didn’t you?” she added slowly.
How had she managed to ignore him in the chapel? Rand wasn’t a man to whom women would be indifferent. His physique was lean and athletic, and his hair, a million mixed colors of blond and brown, was longer than hers and gorgeous enough to make her jealous.
As though sensing Lily studying him, he turned his head while still talking. For a split second, his intense gray eyes blazed into hers.
Or she thought they had. She blinked, clearing her vision. Now Judith had her imagining things.
“I’ve been dreaming about this day for weeks,” Rose said, reclaiming her attention.
“The baptism?”
“No, you goose. Seeing Lord Randal again. Ever since I danced with him at Violet’s wedding, I’ve known he’s the man for me.”
Suddenly Lily remembered that Rand had danced with her, too, at their sister’s wedding. Not to mention, of course, that Rose lusted after every handsome, eligible man who crossed her path.
But Lily had to admit that Rand could be the one for Rose. Good looks aside, he was more suited to her sister than most men were. The two of them were both academically minded and shared mutual interests. “I had no idea you’d been thinking about him all these years.”
“Dreaming,” Rose repeated on a sigh.
“Four years is a long time to dream.” Lily cast him another quick glance, then smiled at her older sister. “I suppose he is the memorable sort.”
Rose looked at her sharply. “You’re not interested in him yourself, are you?”
“Of course not!” First Judith, now Rose? Was something in the air today? “Whatever would make you think that?”
“You said he’s the memorable sort.”
“That doesn’t mean I want him. A man like Rand would never be interested in someone like me. He’d want someone like you, Rose. You’re both fascinated with languages. Rand and I have nothing in common. And he’s too tall.” Lily drew herself up to her full height of five-foot-two and figured she stood to about his shoulders.
Looking down at her, Rose snorted. “There’s no such thing as a man who’s too tall. Will you promise?”
“Promise what?”
“Promise me you won’t pursue him. Promise me you won’t get in my way.”
The entire idea was so absurd, Lily laughed. “I promise. In fact, I’ll do better than that. I’ll help you land him.”
“Would you?” Rose breathed.
“Of course. You’re my sister. I love you, and I want to see you happy.”
Rose’s dark eyes actually misted. “You’re so good, Lily. You want everyone to be happy.”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“Of course not,” Rose said, and then in the next breath, “What will you do to help?”
Rose would be Rose, Lily thought with an inward smile. “Whatever I can. But you must do your part, too. And that means, for once, not pretending that your head is filled with pudding. I wish I could speak half the languages you do. You’re bright and intelligent, and hiding that makes no sense.”
“For Lord Randal, perhaps it doesn’t, because we have similar interests. But for other men—”
“For any man. Why would you want a man who doesn’t value your strengths?”
“You don’t understand men, sister dear. Most of them thrive on feeling superior.” When Lily opened her mouth, Rose held up a hand. “But we were talking about Lord Randal, who isn’t most men—” She broke off, her eyes widening. “Gemini, here he comes!”
As Rand approached, their mother seemed to appear out of nowhere—a habit Lily and her sisters found vexing. Chrystabel gave him a brilliant smile. “Lord Randal. How very nice to see you again.” Her brown eyes
