Page 41 of A Mismatch Made in London

“Of course. I am happy to know any of your relatives. I am sure your sister and I will become very good friends.”

“I am sure of it as well.” He smiled, looking truly happy.

Mr. Shelley was just turning round, and he and Juliet came walking back toward us.

The rest of the outing, Lord Gotthurst walked close by my side, talking only with me. By the time we arrived home and thegentlemen left, I felt myself “all aflutter,” as in the romance novels my mother didn’t particularly approve of me reading.

“Amelia, do you realize what this means?” Juliet squeezed my arm with both hands when I told her what Lord Gotthurst had asked.

Jeremy made a sound, almost like a cough, and stalked away, leaving us alone in the sitting room.

“What?”

“It means he is making plans to marry you!”

“Does he need his mother and sister’s approval?”

“I would not say he needs their approval, but he would like them to see what a lovely, wonderful girl you are. This is the last step before he makes you an offer of marriage!”

Juliet let go of my arm and spun around in a circle, her skirts flying around her legs. When she stopped, she clasped her hands together.

“I know it’s selfish to think of myself, but I do hope that when Lord Gotthurst asks you to marry him, it will inspire Mr. Shelley to ask me.”

“Are you in love with Mr. Shelley?”

“I don’t know. I think so.” Juliet pressed her lips together as she did when she was deep in thought. But then she looked at me. “Are you in love with Lord Gotthurst?”

“I think so. He makes my heart flutter sometimes, when he looks into my eyes, and when he touched my hand.” I whispered this last part.

“I love how he wanted to see where the goose bit you, just so he could hold your hand without your glove.” Juliet did her suppressed squeal, then giggled. “I just know he’s in love with you. How does it feel to make a conquest of a baron?”

“I wouldn’t say he’s a conquest.” But I couldn’t stop smiling.

“He’s quite wealthy too,” Juliet said. “I hear his estate in Yorkshire is enormous and has a very fair prospect of mountains on one side and a lake on the other.” She raised her brows.

“And Mr. Shelley’s fortune is also quite large, I heard someone say at the ball.” I raisedmybrows at Juliet.

“I have seen a painting of his estate,” Juliet said, leaning toward me. “It is enormous. I daresay you wouldn’t be able to walk from one end of his grounds to the other in one afternoon.”

We both laughed.

“And the house is filled with art—statues and paintings. I could do nothing else but look at the art for days and days.”

Juliet valued art more than I did. She once went on and on about how a painting made her feel, and I just nodded and listened, trying my best to understand how we were both looking at the same painting. But I loved that she could see so much emotion in a painting, even if I couldn’t.

“I think I am in a fair way of falling in love,” Juliet said. “But I want to see more of him. I want to see him when he’s annoyed with me. How will he react to me when I’m annoyed with him? And I would like to see him around his family. Is he respectful of his mother? Is he kind to his servants?”

“That seems very wise.” I suddenly wondered why I’d never thought about that. “I can’t imagine Mr. Shelley ever being unkind to anyone.”

“If it sounds wise, it’s because of my mother. It’s what she told me in a letter before she passed away.” Juliet was uncharacteristically quiet, staring down at the floor.

“Your mother sounds wise indeed.”

“I am thankful she was my mother. And now,” Juliet said, standing up straighter, her countenance brightening, “you shall meet your future mother-in-law and your beloved’s sister next week! I’m so excited for you. And you shall be Lady Gotthurst. What will your aunt, Mrs. Kendall, say to that? She shall be so pleased, and your mother and father too.”

It sounded exciting and a bit frightening. Was I ready to be married? Did I know enough about Lord Gotthurst to marry him? After all, I hadn’t seen him when he was annoyed or when Iwas annoyed with him, as Juliet’s mother had counseled. I hadn’t discovered whether or not he was kind to his servants or respectful to his mother, although I would surely see the latter next week.

I kept remembering how Jeremy Beaumont had frowned and scowled when he saw how happy Juliet was about Lord Gotthurst asking to introduce me to his mother and sister. Was he afraid his sister was happy about it because she was thinking she might get married next? Was he sad to see her get married and leave him? He’d be all alone when she was married and living with her husband in another county.