Season for Temptation by Theresa Romain Page A

feelings altered.
    She sighed and straightened up. It was done; no more sense in thinking about it. James had come in, spoken with her, and left. He accepted what she asked. For at least a little while longer, she need not think about the changes in store for her.
    She picked up the volume at her side again and opened it to the title page.
    â€œEvelina,” she read.
    Evelina, who went to London and had a grand time, and made men love her, although she was a nobody. That old timeworn tale had seemed so entrancing once upon a time.
    With all the force Louisa could muster in her arm, she threw the book across the room.

Chapter 5
    In Which the Viscount Intentionally Walks through Manure
    James’s first full day at Stonemeadows Hall had already brought surprise after surprise, and it was still not yet noon. Thus the viscount was almost looking forward to having an extremely odd conversation with Lord Oliver about his eldest daughter’s marriage plans, and in this he was not disappointed.
    The older man welcomed James heartily into his study, but once the two were face-to-face across the baron’s large, untidy desk, James felt unsure how to begin.
    â€œLord Oliver,” he started, then paused as he met his future father-in-law’s expectant gaze.
    Should he say that the wedding was indefinitely postponed? Should he even try to discuss marriage terms at all? Was there any point until he and Louisa set a date?
    He cleared his throat and tried again. “Lord Oliver, I’ve just been speaking with your daughter—”
    â€œEmilia? Or Elise?” The older man’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Not Anne. Or is it? Has Annie been bothering you to play bilbo catch with her again? I’ll have Lady Oliver speak with her at once.” He rose from behind his desk and began to head for the door.
    James stood, too, but just stared after him for a second, trying to follow the older man’s thought processes. “No, no. Certainly not. It was Louisa.”
    Lord Oliver stopped with his hand on the door handle. “Louisa?” He looked confused. “Why should Louisa want to play bilbo catch with you?”
    James took a deep breath. All right, so this was going to be even more difficult than he had expected.
    â€œNo one was playing bilbo catch with anyone else, and no one wanted to,” he explained with what he hoped was a respectful amount of patience in his voice. Good Lord, even as a child, he’d never enjoyed the cursed game of trying to catch a ball in a wooden cup. Why was the baron going on about it now?
    â€œNo,” he continued, “I spoke with Louisa about our marriage.”
    â€œAh.” Enlightenment warmed Lord Oliver’s expression into a beam of delight. “Now I understand. Very appropriate, that. But if you’ve come to ask my permission again, you really didn’t need to. I’ve already consented to the match.”
    He clapped James on the shoulder and turned toward the door of his study again.
    â€œI’ve been indoors for too long this morning. Would you care to walk with me? I’m just going to check on a few of the animals.”
    Unable to get another word in before his host left the study, James found himself trotting after Lord Oliver to the stables, trying valiantly to interject some comment—anything at all—about Louisa.
    â€œWe’ve decided to postpone the marriage until after Julia begins her season,” he gasped as he followed at a near run behind Lord Oliver’s rapid pace.
    â€œHmm?” The baron was distracted now that they were almost to the stables. “Julia’s getting married during her season? Yes, excellent idea.”
    This was the closest James was able to come to any of the calm discussion he had planned, in which he and his future father-in-law would sit across a desk from one another, set the date of the wedding, and perhaps even discuss the marriage settlement. The