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hungry pair ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. James crunched through the thin-sliced ham and crisp toast until his empty stomach began to feel pleasantly full, and his mind returned to the three objectives he’d had for the day.
    First, find some breakfast. Done.
    Second, find Louisa and set a wedding date. The sooner, the better.
    Third, find Lord Oliver and get his approval for the wedding date and marriage settlements.
    He felt a bit queasy all of a sudden. He wondered if he’d eaten too quickly.
    Still in silence, he sipped at a cup of coffee until he felt more settled. He took a deep breath.
    â€œWhere is Louisa this morning?”
    â€œHmm?” Julia looked up from intently slathering an ungodly amount of butter on a piece of toast. “Oh, I expect she’s in the library. Or maybe up with the children, if Mama’s not up there. Or maybe they are all visiting the new calf. It’s sure to be one of those.” She dimpled at him. “You see, I do not do everything by any means. Or know everything about this house.”
    James nodded his acceptance, not quite able to respond to her smile. “Would you show me the way to Louisa, once you are done eating? I haven’t quite gotten my bearings in the house yet.”
    Julia stood up so quickly that James heard the thump of her knees banging against the underside of the table. She winced, but replied, “Yes, sorry, let’s go. I didn’t mean to eat so much and keep you waiting.”
    â€œNo need for injury,” James assured her, the urge to laugh returning again. “Please finish your toast. In fact, try these preserves as well—they are delicious.”
    That was all the persuasion Julia required to sit back down and resume her meal. “Mmm,” she agreed. “You’re right, the cook’s got a knack with blueberries.”
    James looked down at his own plate again, but the food didn’t appeal to him anymore. It had been delicious, and he had been very hungry. But now, his insides roiled, and he wasn’t sure why.
    So, with no food to occupy him, he watched Julia.
    She didn’t notice his gaze, so single-mindedly was she eating. Her light hair was pulling out of its pins, and with curls around her face, she looked very young and untroubled. Now that he knew the breadth of her responsibility in the household, he could hardly believe that she appeared so carefree, or that she and Louisa were virtually the same age.
    As he watched, he felt that warmth tickle through his body as it had the day before. She really was lovely, despite her untidy hair—or maybe even, really, because of it. And she was so unexpected .
    He suddenly wanted to touch her neck, or smell her hair, or drop a kiss onto those full lips. If he only could get that blasted toast away from her for a few seconds, to draw her attention. His hand even began to reach toward her as if of its own volition, and he forced it to pick up a fork and toy with that instead. But he wanted to grab her up and kiss her until she forgot all about her breakfast. He wanted to learn all about her. He wanted to . . .
    He mentally drew himself up with a start as he realized what he was thinking. What on earth was he doing, getting heated up about a young woman who hadn’t even made her debut yet? And, more importantly, with an intelligent, elegant, would-never-talk-with-her-mouthfull fiancée waiting for him somewhere in this rabbit warren of a house, too.
    He quickly shuttered his face, annoyed with himself. Honestly, had he taken leave of his senses to let this friendly, chattery ( don’t forget beautiful , his treacherous brain added) girl get to him in that way?
    He might well have, at that. But he wouldn’t let it happen again. Couldn’t he talk to her without thinking of her as a woman? He simply had to, while he was staying in her home. He couldn’t make her—or Louisa, for that matter—feel