Carousel of Hearts Read Online Free

that you were a respectably married lady, only to have you write that you had sent Lord Ramsay to the rightabout. Have you brought anyone else up to scratch yet?”
    “Such vulgarity, cousin.” She grimaced. “I’ve had no shortage of proposals, but none worth accepting.”
    “What happened with Ramsay? You wrote that you had called things off, but you never gave a reason. Did he behave badly?”
    “No need to look so protective, Adam. Lord Ramsay was a perfect gentleman.” Antonia smiled wryly and toyed with the Chinese scent bottle. “That was the problem. I decided it was time I accepted somebody, and Ramsay was the best of the lot—handsome, wealthy, titled, good-natured . . . and a complete bore.
    “I kept dragging my feet, and finally he gave me an ultimatum.  Set a wedding date or the betrothal was off.” She chuckled. “You would not believe the alacrity with which I called things off.’’
    “Minx.”
    “By that time, I think he was as relieved as I was,” Antonia said a trifle defensively.
    “Are you determined never to marry, Tony?”
    Antonia considered her answer. Even to Adam, she would not reveal her foolish romanticism, her desire to fall totally in love. Especially not to Adam. “I would like to marry,” she said slowly, “but I also would like to feel something more than mild affection for my husband.”
    “As romantic as ever, I see.” Adam gave her his warmest smile. “Well, you can always marry me. I rather fancy the idea of settling down, and you’re the only woman I know in England.”
    After another silence that lasted a moment too long, Antonia laughed. “Be careful what you say, Adam. Think how appalled you would be if I accepted.”
    “I was prepared to accept the consequences,” he lightly.
    Across the room, Judith caught a note in Adam Yorke’s voice that made her glance up. Perhaps it took a stranger to see that he was speaking in dead earnest, though her employer seemed oblivious to that fact. Antonia may think of Adam as a brother, but clearly he did not see his beautiful cousin as a sister.
    Judith returned to her needlework, embarrassed at seeing more than she should. It was an unfortunate situation.  Fond though Antonia was of Adam, she didn’t see him in a romantic light. For Adam’s sake, Judith hoped that he would not pine after what he could never have. Far better that he seek a female who would return his affections.
    Such a woman would be very lucky.
    The butler entered and made the discreet throat-clearing noise he used to gain attention. “Lady Fairbourne, shall I direct that the midday meal be served?”
    Antonia glanced guiltily at the clock. “Lord, look at the time, I’ll wager Cook is furious. We’ll be down in ten minutes.”
    After Burton withdrew, Adam said with puzzlement, “Lady Fairbourne?”
    Antonia cocked her head to one side. “Didn’t I ever write you about that?”
    “As I recall, Fairbourne was one of your father’s minor titles, but surely your cousin Spenston holds that now.”
    Antonia straightened up in the sofa and said haughtily, “I, sir, am Baroness Fairbourne in my own right.”
    Her dignity dissolved into chuckles. “It’s the strangest thing. After Papa died and the solicitors were dealing with the legal aspects someone noticed that the Fairbourne title is a barony by writ.”
    “Which means?”
    “Such baronies go back to Norman times, and they can be inherited by a female in the absence of male heirs. A barony by writ can be submerged in higher tides, then liberated when there is a female heir but no male one. The rest of Papa’s titles and the entailed property went to Cousin Roger when he became Earl of Spenston, but Fairbourne stayed with me.”
    Warming to her topic, she continued, “Papa’s lawyer told me that the de Ros barony, which is thought to be the oldest peerage in England, has gone through eight or nine family names.  It’s dreadfully complicated. If I had sisters, we would be coheirs to