Season for Temptation by Theresa Romain Read Free Book Online Page B

“Do you think your aunt would agree to have you both stay with her?”
    At her eager nod, he added, “I myself would be delighted to have you in town for another season; otherwise there would be little reason for me to go. And you are right, I can ease your sister’s path as I was not able to do for you.” He smiled down at Louisa, whose dark eyes were now sparkling with excitement.
    â€œOh, James, it would be so much better with her there—and with you, of course.” Her brow puckered. “But what would we tell people if anyone wondered why we had not yet married?”
    That was a good question, and one for which he had no answer. He was marrying to subtract from the family’s notoriety, not add to it.
    He shrugged.
    â€œWe’d tell them to get their blasted noses out of our business,” James replied straight-faced. Perhaps Julia was already influencing him; he’d never have dreamed of speaking so to a lady before yesterday.
    Louisa gasped, then started laughing when his face broke into a smile. “Why not? Or perhaps we could tell them that my parents enrolled you in their livestock operations, and you were far too interested in developing new cattle strains to get around to planning a wedding,” she suggested.
    â€œOr that you refused to marry me until my entire home was decorated exactly as you like, with fashionable Egyptian furniture and a bathtub shaped like the Sphinx,” he teased, pleased to see his fiancée shaking her head with laughter.
    â€œOh, no one would ever believe that one. That would be too repulsive,” she said, catching her breath. “Unless—is this the truth of your renovations at Nicholls? Are we to be transported to the Pyramids when we enter your estate?”
    â€œI’m afraid it’s much more prosaic than that,” he admitted. “I’ve got a sound roof over the place as a start, and the rest is repairing the damage of years of neglect. My father never kept more than a skeleton staff there, and many of the rooms have been closed off for years.
    â€œCome to think of it, though,” he continued, “it would be nice to have you put your own stamp on it as the work proceeds. You know, have things as you like—the wallpaper and draperies and whatnot.”
    Louisa nodded and offered him a small smile. “Your offer is generous, and your point’s well taken. Maybe we could make a family party of it someday soon. I’d love to see Nicholls, and I’m sure you are keen to get back there as well for a time.”
    â€œIt’s settled, then,” James said, and he stood to take his leave of her. “I’ll go and speak to your father, and I’ll acquaint him of your wishes for your aunt’s sponsorship of your sister. And I will suggest an excursion to Nicholls sometime soon, whenever it is convenient for your parents.”
    â€œBut what shall we tell people about our postponed wedding?” she asked again. She bit her lip.
    He pondered the question for a moment. Nothing came at once to mind, which had become a disturbingly common phenomenon since he’d entered this house.
    â€œWell, we’ll figure that out if we need to,” he said finally. “‘For family reasons’ is accurate enough.” It wouldn’t silence any gossiping tongues, but what else could he say under the circumstances? He tried to hide his perturbation with a small joke. “Or we can just say you’re waiting for the Sphinx tub to arrive; whichever you prefer.”
    She shook her head, smiling, and began to reach again for the bound volume she had laid aside upon his entrance.
    â€œI wouldn’t tease Papa like that if I were you,” she recommended. “He won’t be able to tell that you’re joking, and he’d think I had returned from London an extremely silly creature. Of course,” she considered, “a Sphinx is part lion, is it not? He