Courting Claudia Read Online Free Page A

beautiful.”
    â€œSometimes being pretty isn’t enough,” Poppy murmured.
    Claudia loved her friend, but she’d never understood her aversion to her own looks. Granted, Poppy’s nonexistent dowry had made marriage proposals nonexistent as well, but why would being beautiful ever be a bad thing? Oh, to know how it felt like to walk into a room and have all the men stop and stare!
    â€œThis isn’t about me,” Poppy said. “We’re talking about you, remember? I know you don’t want to abandon your illustrating.”
    â€œNot this again. Poppy, I have to. You understand about familial duty, I know you do.”
    â€œYes, but my family is supportive of one another.”
    â€œWould your father approve of you taking a paying position?”
    â€œI don’t know. If my family doesn’t figure out some way to get back some of our money, I very well may have to. Claudia, it’s 1848, the times are changing. Someday it will be respectable for women like us to have paid positions other than governesses. Being a governess is all I could do, but not you. You’re so talented, and you shouldn’t have to give that up. Not for your father or any other man. If you found the right husband, someone who would support you…”
    â€œIt would be nice,” Claudia agreed. But it wouldn’t happen. “You know something? You and I together make the perfect woman. You with your beauty, not to mention grace, and me with my pretty dresses and dowry. Someone would snatch us up, wouldn’t they?” Poppy looked so pretty in that dress, prettier than it had ever looked on Claudia. Poppy, an accomplished seamstress, had taken it up in all the places where Claudia had more flesh than a girl should have, and the bodice fit snugly against her slender body. She’d removed the bows and ribbons so that now it was simple. Just a pretty, sea-green, satin dress.
    â€œIndeed they would. But someone will snatch you up. Look at this hair.” She picked up one of Claudia’s ringlets. “And you don’t even have to use an iron to get these curls. I would wager half of the girls in this town would likely pull themselves bald if they thought their hair would grow back like yours.”
    Claudia nodded to the scene in front of them. “I hate to admit it,” she said quietly, “but I should like to see Francie Barkwell yank all her hair out. Of course if she doesn’t marry soon, her mother might do that for her.”
    They both giggled as they watched Francie’s mother practically push her daughter into a passing earl’s path.
    â€œI almost feel sorry for her,” Poppy said. “But as I was saying, I just don’t think you should close yourself off to other suitors. Why should you have to put your life on hold while Richard pussyfoots about? He’s not your only choice.”
    â€œHe’s my father’s choice. Besides, it’s not as if I have a line of men to choose from.” Claudia held up her dance card. “He will propose when the time is right. He’s merely busy with his career. Like it or not, Richard is my only choice.”
    â€œWhat about Mr. Middleton?”
    â€œWhat about Mr. Middleton?”
    â€œWhat color were his eyes?”
    â€œBrown.” She said that entirely too fast. Cripes. She was supposed to be uninterested in that man. If she was so uninterested, why did she keep thinking of him? And his brown eyes.
    â€œBut he’s nothing special?”
    â€œOh, all right, he’s handsome. Devilishly so. Satisfied?” She crossed her arms over her chest, then smiled in spite of herself.
    â€œPartially.”
    â€œIt simply doesn’t matter whether or not he’s handsome, I’m still not work—”
    Gracious, he was here. And dressed head to toe in black, like a walking sin. His hair, tied back tonight, gave him an almost civilized look. But the sharp slant of