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uncomfortable.
    But he couldn’t stop looking at her, either.
    Julia finally seemed to feel James’s gaze on her and looked up. “I’m sorry, I’m done anytime. You’re finished?”
    At his silent nod, she stood up and stretched luxuriantly. The taut flex of her body did nothing to help banish the thoughts that James knew, knew , he needed to put a stop to.
    â€œIt is so wonderful to have extra meals in midmorning. I can’t thank you enough for being a late riser and missing breakfast.”
    This broke James’s feeling of internal tension; it was too ridiculous. At his sudden explosion of laughter, Julia hastily corrected herself.
    â€œThat is, not late for town, but early. Maybe late for the country, but not really, since you are a guest. And you can do whatever you like, and not worry about it a bit, since you are a guest.”
    â€œFamily, I hope,” James replied in his most soothing, normal, brotherly voice. “And not to be tiptoed around with special arrangements that cause you extra trouble, like second breakfasts.”
    As he said this, he thought with a pang of the hour at which he would have to rise for breakfast with the family. Eight o’clock. It simply boggled the mind. Well, if he was to run his own estate, he supposed it would be good to get used to these early country hours.
    â€œRight, right,” Julia was still talking on. “That’s right, you are to be family. Anyway it’s very kind of you to provide me with an excuse to eat as much as I want to.”
    With this, the pair left the breakfast room and proceeded down a corridor James remembered only vaguely from his initial trip through the house the night before.
    â€œI still have quite a lot to familiarize myself with,” he observed.
    â€œLouisa will be happy to show you around the whole house,” Julia replied with—was that a knowing smile? He arched a skeptical eyebrow back at her, but she seemed not to notice as she continued, “We’ll check the library for her first. It’s her favorite place in the house.”
    They came to a set of heavy double doors, and Julia knocked before cautiously turning the handle of one. “She hates to be startled,” she explained over her shoulder in a stage whisper.
    James nodded his understanding. “Louisa?” he called hesitantly.
    â€œGood heavens, come in,” said an exasperated voice from inside.
    As Julia opened the door, Louisa added, “Julia, you have got the loudest whisper anyone could possibly imagine. Good morning, James. How are you feeling today? Did you rest well?”
    â€œExcuse me; I will leave you alone,” Julia said in her loud whisper, and again with that knowing smile that twisted warmly through James’s stomach like a fine brandy, she melted off.
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    Once outside the door of the library, Julia blew out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. She looked up and down the silent corridor to make sure it was empty, then leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor, folding her legs in front of her.
    â€œWhy am I so stupid all the time?” she muttered.
    Why, she thought to herself, did she keep embarrassing herself in front of James? Good heavens, that was actually Viscount Matheson she kept insulting! It seemed as if she couldn’t meet the man without some breach of propriety, whether chiding him for his town polish or, oh yes, giving him an earful of her most unladylike vocabulary words.
    Well, they were not the most unladylike words she knew, but they were bad enough.
    He had been kind about it so far, but she knew well that it was important that he like the family and want to go ahead with the marriage. Quite simply, Louisa’s turn in London was over, and Julia was to go next if she was ever to have a prayer of marrying outside the limited social circle of the surrounding estates. Their parents had never made the smallest allusion to the