An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) by Eileen Richards

Horneswood prior to coming to Beetham.”
    “I didn’t—”
    “I was mistaken,” Mr. McDonald interrupted.
    Juliet raised her eyebrow at them both. “What’s going on?”
    “Nothing,” said Tony and he stood up from his chair. “McDonald, why don’t we leave the ladies to their tea and go find Nathaniel?”
    “I think Nathaniel is in the library,” Anne said.
    Ian McDonald also stood. “If you will excuse us, ladies.” He bowed and followed Tony out of the room.
    “That was strange,” Anne said, pouring herself more tea.
    Tony had been acting oddly since his arrival yesterday, thought Juliet. If Ian McDonald knew of Horneswood, then he and Tony had obviously discussed it before their arrival in Beetham.
    But how was that possible?
    Sophia sat down beside her. “We need to talk.”
    “I thought we already had.”
    Sophia glanced at the garden doors. “Outside,” she whispered. Then, more loudly, “Anne, do you mind if Juliet and I take a stroll in the garden?”
    “Please don’t go out there and argue under the library window. You know how much Nathaniel hates that.”
    “We won’t.”
    Juliet barely had time to gather her shawl before Sophia dragged her by the arm toward the door. “Sophia, slow down, please!”
    “We have to hurry before they come back,” Sophia said. She kept walking, a death grip on Juliet’s arm, until they were at the edge of the garden and away from the house.
    Juliet yanked her arm free. “What is this about?”
    “Mr. McDonald is here to propose to me.” Sophia looked more desperate than she had in a long time. Usually, Sophia could quash any overt interest a gentleman had in her in less time than it took to sip her tea.
    Juliet wished her sister liked Mr. McDonald. He was charming and fun, but there were no sparks between them. “It’s an equitable match.”
    “Not as far as I’m concerned. I want one more Season to—”
    “To find a wealthy husband with a title, but consider, Sophia: Isn’t it more important that you care about the man you marry?”
    “Finding a wealthy husband means everything! It means I’d be accepted everywhere socially. Please help me.”
    Juliet freed herself from Sophia’s desperate grasp. She felt like the stick for the dog today. “Help you with what?”
    “Keeping Mr. McDonald from proposing.”
    Her sister had finally taken leave of her senses. “He’s wealthy. He’s a gentleman. He has a wonderful sense of humor.”
    “When we say that about a young lady, they tend to be plain,” Sophia snapped. “I don’t want him to propose.”
    “Then refuse him. It’s not as if you haven’t had practice.”
    Sophia put her hands on her hips. “Just because I receive marriage proposals and you do not isn’t a reason to jump down my throat.”
    Juliet looked up to the heavens for patience. She could stand here and argue with her sister for hours. Or she could go along with whatever crazy scheme Sophia had concocted. Yes, definitely, the path of least resistance was preferable. “What’s the plan?”
    “I want you to pretend you are attracted to Ian McDonald,” Sophia said with a smile.
    “Mr. McDonald is going to know it’s not real.”
    “If you don’t help me, I’m going to Anne with those books you’ve been reading.”
    Juliet experienced a shiver of fear. “About the agriculture journals?”
    Sophia smiled an evil smile. “Those naughty books, the ones you’ve been hiding in your room. Really, Juliet, they are obscene. No young lady should see those.”
    “Anne doesn’t care what I read.” Oh God. Juliet could feel the color drain from her face. How had Sophia found out? She had kept them hidden. “You’ve been going through my things.”
    “Anne will care about these books. They aren’t fit for good society. Good Lord, if this got out, you could ruin us all,” Sophia said.
    “Did you remove them from my room?”
    “I left them where they were, for now,” Sophia said. “I’ve also decided to not tell