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no more smiles, no more jokes. She’d done everything
     she could to get him to pull her hair again; she’d been outrageous and
     wild as he used to be. She’d pestered him and Robin had protected him,
     and they’d never stopped.
    “Has he done something worse than breaking
     his engagement? You seemed to take that fairly well.”
    Amelia looked at her mother sharply. “I
     didn’t enjoy it. I simply wasn’t that surprised about
     it.”
    “Oh, I must admit I was. He is normally quite
     sensitive to the hurts of others.”
    “Don’t you think it was better than making
     himself and poor Clarice miserable? I know, don’t answer that.
     He proposed, he should have gone through with it. It just seemed
     so silly from the beginning. Why in the world did he ask her to
     marry him? She’s just a little mouse; he would have eaten her
     for breakfast one morning and no one would have realized.”
    Lady Beckham cleared her throat. “Well, that
     is behind us now. What has he done recently to raise your ire. I
     thought he’d been keeping home.”
    Amelia looked out the window. She couldn’t
     tell her mother that he’d kissed her. That he’d asked her to marry him, and despite all attempts to dismiss it, he’d
     sounded serious. Two weeks after the fiasco with
     Clarice!
    She continued to look out the window as she
     said, “He’s already looking to propose again.”
    “Surprising.”
    “Infuriating. I have spent considerable
     effort untangling his latest mess, and he wants to go out and do
     it again!”
    Lady Beckham was silent as she poured more
     tea.
    Amelia stood abruptly, giving in to the urge
     to pace. “Why this sudden fascination with marriage? He seems to
     think it will solve all his problems, yet I only see it adding a
     great many.”
    “Does he have a specific girl in mind? That
     would not be kind to Miss Underwood. Perhaps you are right,
     Amelia. Haste in this instance would not be prudent.”
    “Jameson and prudent are not on speaking
     terms, I fear. I must somehow get this idea out of his head
     before he makes a mess I can not undo.”
    Her mother did not try to hide this smile
     when she said, “I can not think Jameson is capable of doing
     anything so horrible, my dear. You do have a specific talent.”
    Amelia sat abruptly, boneless in her chair.
     “He taxes my abilities to exhaustion.”
    Her mother laughed. “You thrive in such
     conditions, my dear. You are never happier than when moving your
     chess pieces around.”
    Amelia sat slumped in the chair for a moment,
     then straightened her spine. “Yes, you’re right. I shall simply
     have to make him see reason. Shan’t be too difficult, as long as
     he stays sober.”
    She picked up her needlepoint again, focusing
     on the task only through sheer force of will, and wondered how
     she was to get rid of all the liquor in England.

    Jameson arrived early the next morning, his
     standing invitation to breakfast putting him in good stead.
    “Good morning, Lady Beckham. You’re looking
     marvelous as always.”
    “Thank you, Jameson. I haven’t seen you so
     early in the morning for ages. Robin won’t be around for
     breakfast for another hour or so.”
    “I’ve actually come for the dra—, for Amelia.
     Is she awake?”
    “Of course she’s awake. Are you escorting her
     somewhere this morning?”
    “I thought she might like a stroll through
     the green.”
    Lady Beckham eyed him. “Forgive me for saying
     so, Jameson, but would it be prudent to stroll through the green
     so soon after your, ah...”
    Amelia pushed open the door and made her way
     to the breakfast dishes. “It would be idiotic, as I’m sure he’s
     well aware. What are you doing here?”
    He smiled at her frown. “I’ve come to thank
     you for helping Miss Underwood get over her ill-advised
     engagement to me.”
    Lady Beckham tsked. “Oh, Jameson. She would
     have been very happy married to you. As would any young woman.”
    “No, no. Your