Read A Bride for Christmas (Sweet Regency Novella) for Free Online

smiling at his nod when he passed her chair. She almost followed him to enquire where he was going, and might she come along. But that wasn't wise, or even remotely proper. It appeared the more time she spent with him, even spent thinking of him, the more she questioned her life. The sooner she returned to Aunt Phillips' house, the better. Right or wrong, her aunt supported her unusual notion to become a writer. She needed the affirmation at the moment.
    Questions about Mr. Sinclair 's life ran through Julianna's thoughts until there was no room for anything else. She sighed. Evie continued to stare at her book, even after Julianna set down her own. Unable to hold back any longer, Julianna spoke. "Evie, may I ask you something about your brother?"
    The younger woman blinked and set aside her book. "Of course. Which one?"
    " Nash. I was told he was injured in battle. Was it a grave wound?"
    Evie folded her hands in her l ap and kept her eyes down. "Quite. By the time news reached us, he'd begun to recover, but we feared we were to lose him until we got further reports from his batman."
    " He doesn't speak about it."
    " No. Nash doesn't talk about himself at all, but most specifically not the Battle of Toulouse, where he was wounded."
    Julianna couldn't recall what she'd read about the battle that took place the past spring, other than the great loss of life. "He should be proud to have fought in the battle that ended the war."
    Evie quickly looked up, her eyes softening, and glanced at the door before speaking. "But you see, Napoleon had abdicated before the battle began. All those men died for nothing. Nash's wounds were for nothing."
    " Are you certain?"
    She nodded. "As I said, we don't discuss it, but Mama explained it to me when I asked why Nash was so sad all the time. The Duke of Wellington didn't receive the news until the day after Nash was wounded. Of course, the French didn't know of his abdication either, so they continued to hold their ground."
    Pressing a hand to her mouth, Julianna considered this. Was Mr. Sinclair angry at how the war had ended? But he'd fought many battles by that time. Surely he understood how slowly news traveled. Yet how must he feel, nearly losing his life when Napoleon had already surrendered?
    " Thank you for telling me this, Evie. He is very affable, yet he seems to have something secreted away. Was he always that way?"
    " Not that I recall. I was quite young when he left us to join the cavalry, though. But when he visited, he seemed to laugh as much as the rest of us."
    Julianna smiled. She and Clemmie had laughed often when they'd played in their nursery, but were expected to sit quietly and properly with their parents. She couldn't recall the last time she'd heard her father laugh. "You must have had a delightful childhood."
    " As the youngest, I was usually being blamed for what the others had done. Thankfully our governess observed I was the studious one, and knew who better to blame." Evie's face glowed as she spoke. "But I wouldn't change any of it, not even for all the books in London. Did you and Clementina get into trouble often?"
    Julianna shook her head. "I'm not certain if it wasn't in our nature, or if Papa's disapproval meant that much to us. We were so eager to please him, yet he wasn't often given to praising our efforts."
    " How sad. I think I shall always be praising my children. I fear I might spoil them if my husband is not stern enough to make up for my light hand."
    Julianna toyed with a loose curl near her ear. Evie sounded eager to begin her family after all. Was Julianna truly the odd one, then? "Are you looking forward to your first Season?"
    " Yes, very much so. My cousin will have her come out then, too. We shall have so much fun going to the balls and walking in Hyde Park. I can't wait to go back to Gunther's for ices. And Mama always lets me purchase a new book or two when we're in London."
    Not one mention of the young gentlemen to be met. Perhaps Evie was