An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) Read Online Free Page A

better than marrying the younger brother of some impoverished viscount,” Sophia spat.
    “I will not be marrying Mr. Bartleby,” Juliet mumbled.
    “Why not, Miss Juliet? He seemed like a nice enough chap for a steward,” Tony said.
    “An impoverished steward,” Sophia sneered.
    “I’m not a snob, Sophia. If I had feelings for him, it would be different,” insisted Juliet.
    “And I am a snob?” Sophia said.
    “If the slipper fits,” Juliet responded.
    Tony laughed loudly, drawing the attention of Lady Danford and Anne.
    “What trouble are you three stirring up now?” Lady Danford said from across the room. “Please tell me you aren’t teasing poor Juliet about that idiot Mr. Bartleby.”
    “Grandmother!” Anne gasped.
    “He’s a suitable gentleman, Grandmother,” Nathaniel said. “It connects our family to a very old earldom.”
    Juliet stared down at her hands. Please let the ground swallow me up now.
    “Never fear, Miss Juliet. Nathaniel always had a penchant for dynastic marriages,” said Tony.
    Juliet stared at Tony, pleading with him with her eyes not to say another word. The last thing she needed was for Tony and Nathaniel to start arguing again, especially over her.
    “That’s not it at all. Juliet likes him,” Nathaniel said defensively. “Don’t you?”
    Juliet felt all eyes on her. She looked up at Nathaniel’s hopeful face. “I don’t know him well enough to like him.”
    “There you have it. We’ll just have to have Mr. Bartleby to dinner more often.”
    Juliet fought the urge to groan. Simon Bartleby was an ass. If he treated her like she was stupid one more time, she was going to hit him with a book. Hard. It was probably the closest he’d ever come to the printed page.
    “Aren’t you lucky?” Sophia whispered in Juliet’s ear.
    “Do be quiet,” Juliet said.
    “You are eyeing those cushions as if they were weapons. Thank God we aren’t in the library, where the dueling pistols are.”
    “Dueling pistols? That would work,” Juliet said dryly.
    Tony chuckled. “A bit too permanent, I think. Stick with the cushions.”
    “I wonder if I can convince Anne to play,” Sophia said, apparently already bored with the topic of Mr. Bartleby. “Otherwise it will be dreadfully dull tonight. Tony, will you dance with me?”
    “Perhaps. But given the way Anne is nodding off over there by the fire, I doubt it,” Tony said.
    “I’ll go ask her.” Sophia stood.
    Tony took the now vacant seat next to Juliet, his body taking up most of the small settee. “Do you really hate the thought of Mr. Bartleby that much?” he asked.
    “He is a horrid man. Do you remember when I told you about the family I was helping on the Horneswood estate? It is the Williams family Mr. Bartleby means to evict.”
    “Was there truth in what Bartleby said?”
    “Unfortunately, yes. Mr. Williams was badly injured and hasn’t been able to work the farm as he should. The younger Mr. Williams has done what he can, but he’s only sixteen.”
    Juliet played with her gown, unsure how to get the rest of it out. How could she tell Tony the rest of the horrible things Mr. Bartleby had said? “I can’t do anything to help them.”
    She jumped when Tony took her hand. She looked up and sank into those deep blue eyes. Lord, his lashes are long. His mouth was moving. He had nice lips. Why hadn’t she noticed his mouth before? “Pardon?”
    “We’re old friends, Jules. You may tell me anything.”
    Just then Sophia flounced over and grabbed Tony’s hands away from Juliet. “I convinced Anne to play us a jig. Shall we dance?”
    “But we were talking—” Tony protested.
    Juliet smiled, relieved that she didn’t have to continue. “Go dance.”
    “Are you are sure?” asked Tony.
    “Quite. It does no good to deny Sophia. She will have her way.” Juliet watched as Sophia led him to where the footmen had cleared a spot for dancing. Anne was playing a jig, her fingers moving rapidly across the keys of