Hell, did it matter why Juliana wanted him? The fact that she did was good enough.
"It's your turn," Stafford said.
"So it is." Griffin focused on the board—or at least he tried to focus. He was losing, but what the hell. Life was too good at the moment to worry overmuch about a chess game or a few guineas.
Pondering his strategy, he took another sip to celebrate. He'd never cared much for punch until tonight, but it was astonishingly good stuff.
He moved a rook and looked back up at Castleton. "I suppose you've come over to ask for permission to call on my sister?"
"Actually, I didn't. I was just sitting over there playing cards and noticed you looked foxed."
Castleton sounded a bit pompous and disapproving. The prig. Why again did Juliana like him? Oh, yes, he was a duke. And her reason didn't matter. Griffin wanted his sister to be happy—he wanted all of his sisters to be happy. If Juliana had her heart set on Castleton, he'd do whatever it would take to see her marry the prig.
"Did you know," he said, noticing that slur again in a detached, amused sort of way, "that Velocity is part of Juliana's dowry?"
The horse wasn't, of course. Until now.
"You don't say," Castleton mused, suddenly looking much more lively himself. "I hadn't heard that."
ELEVEN
SHREWSBURY CAKES
Beat half a pound of Butter to a fine cream, and put in the same weight of Flour, one Egg, a measure of grated loaf Sugar, and small spoons of Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Mix them into a paste, roll them thin, and cut them with a small glass or little tins, prick them, lay them on sheets of tin, and bake them in a slow oven. Serve spread with raspberry Jam if you wish.
Should you wish to convince someone of something, these cakes will do the trick.
—Helena, Countess of Greystone, 1784
DESPITE HAVING persuaded her cousins to attend her party, Juliana had no more ladies sewing than last week. Corinna, while present today in the drawing room, was "involved" with her latest painting and refused to pick up a needle. Aunt Frances was at Amanda's house, visiting with Lady Mabel. And Sunday was the one day of the week Emily's father made sure to spend time with her.
Luckily, Rachael's mother had been artistic and had taught her girls to sew. Since Rachael, Claire, and Elizabeth were sewing much faster—not to mention better—than last week's crew, Juliana was able to avoid panicking. And since Aunt Frances and Emily were missing, she took advantage of their absence to explain Amanda's situation to her cousins.
After hearing of Amanda's woes, Rachael sighed. But then her smile made Juliana hopeful she was becoming a little cheerier. "Well, you certainly were last night's Incomparable, Lady Amanda." Her needle flew in and out of the miniature coat she was making. "Were you enthralled by any particular gentleman?"
"Lord Stafford," Juliana answered for Amanda. "He's absolutely perfect."
"I'm not certain." Seated on the drawing room sofa between Juliana and Alexandra, Amanda stitched as slowly and clumsily as ever. Juliana doubted she'd ever progress beyond blankets. Perhaps this blanket. "Lord Stafford is handsome," Amanda admitted.
"He's gorgeous," Corinna corrected from where she was painting by the picture window.
"Quite," Juliana agreed, reaching toward the platter of Shrewsbury cakes. She might not personally prefer James's dark looks, she thought as she spread raspberry jam on one of the sweets, but she couldn't argue with her sister's assessment.
"But I'm not struck by love," Amanda said, her stitches getting shakier.
Fearing her friend might stab herself and bleed, Juliana pulled the needle from her hand and put the cake into it instead. "It might take a while," she said gently.
"Not everyone marries for love," Claire pointed out, her unusual amethyst gaze fastened on her expert handiwork.
Elizabeth reached for a spool of white thread. "Your parents didn't marry for love, did they, Juliana?"
"No," Juliana said. "And that was a big mistake."
"Not this again." Corinna frowned at her painting. "Our family was perfectly happy."
"Not Mama. She loved Father desperately, and he never returned her feelings." As Juliana had grown older and more aware, she'd found her mother's unrequited love painful to watch. "Although he gave her children, he never found any other use for her. Never spent time with her, never truly made her part of his life."
She wouldn't let that happen to her. Until she found a man she loved—a man she knew loved her madly in return—she was determined to remain unwed.
"Mama's life wasn't that tragic," Corinna argued. "Amanda cannot afford to wait to fall deeply in love."
Claire nodded. "Her wedding is quickly approaching."
Perhaps they were right. Unfortunately, Amanda didn't have enough time to get to know Lord Stafford well. Juliana patted her friend's hand. "You might have to find someone you like a lot and marry him, then be struck by love later."
Amanda took a bite of cake and swallowed convulsively. "Grow into love, you mean?"
"Exactly." Juliana spread jam on another cake. "Lord Stafford isn't only handsome, he's also young and well-off."
"What are you looking for in a man?" Alexandra asked Amanda. "Besides appearance and status, that is. Looks fade, after all. Shared values and interests are much more important."
"Very true," Elizabeth said.
They all deferred to Alexandra as the expert among them on marriage.
Amanda seemed to consider that question for a minute. "I would like a man who is interested in Roman antiquities."
Juliana looked up from the cake, startled. "Since when are you intrigued by Roman antiquities?"
"Since my father found the ruins on our property."
"Three years?"
"More or less. It's a fascinating subject."
"Hmm," Juliana said.
While she suspected Amanda's interest had begun as a hopeless attempt to win her father's favor, she supposed it might have transformed into a sincere fascination. After all, the girl had to find something to amuse herself during all those months and years stuck in the countryside.
However, she sincerely doubted James shared
