Free Season for Temptation by Theresa Romain Page A

shouldn’t even have said it as a joke; the very thought was disgusting.
    â€œYou are not meeting the Prince Regent,” he told her firmly.
    â€œRot,” Lady Irving replied. That seemed to be a favorite word of hers.
    Julia’s face lit up with anticipation. “Aunt, I must have you teach me all the rude words you know before the season begins.”
    James met Louisa’s eyes helplessly, and she just shrugged.
    Yes . . . when faced with the combination of Julia Herington and Lady Estella Irving, what else was there to do?

Chapter 7
    In Which No One Falls through Any Floors
    The trip to Nicholls followed soon after Lady Irving’s arrival in Kent, although it was not soon enough for Julia. She was, as she told Louisa, simply mad with curiosity to see the place where her sister was going to live.
    Well, what other reason could there possibly be for her eagerness, after all?
    Every time she mentioned Nicholls, Louisa’s answering smile grew thinner. Probably, Julia realized, she was talking about it too much and making Louisa bored. But it was hard to keep quiet, especially as the set date grew closer.
    The trip was planned for a week’s length, and it was ultimately decided that Louisa would be accompanied only by Julia, who was wild to see how good the house looked; Lady Irving, who was just as eager to see what a terrible state the house was in; and Simone, on whose presence Lady Irving’s every comfort was dependent. Lord and Lady Oliver were respectively preoccupied with the livestock and the children. Fortunately, in the opinion of all concerned except for Lady Irving, the parrot also failed to make one of the party, having become indispensable to young Tom, who was fascinated by the bird’s swashbuckling vocabulary.
    The day of the journey to Nicholls was sunny and warm for late September. The carriage ride and a brief pause for a luncheon at a respectable-looking inn transpired with only a few complaints by Lady Irving regarding the crowding on the Olivers’ carriage seats, the stiffness of the “benighted” vehicle’s springs, the shockingly bad condition of the roads outside of London, and the fact that Julia was sitting on her skirts and crushing their silk (which today was an eye-testing bright yellow).
    As they arrived at Nicholls in late afternoon, each of the four occupants of the carriage had a unique reaction upon seeing the estate.
    â€œThe grounds are so pretty ,” said Julia.
    â€œGood God, the drive is a positive cesspool,” Lady Irving observed, looking pleased. “Matheson obviously hasn’t done a thing to it.”
    â€œI hope we will be able to get some hot water at once,” Simone commented in a low, lilting voice, looking at her hands with customary fastidiousness.
    â€œThe house is . . . larger than I expected,” Louisa said, her eyes growing wider as they took in the immense breadth of the viscount’s ancestral home.
    â€œLarge is good, my girl,” Lady Irving replied. “More than you know, where men are concerned, large is good.” She cackled at what was apparently, to her, an extremely witty remark, as Julia and Louisa stared at her blankly and Simone looked pointedly out of the window.
    James came out of the house to meet them himself, drawing a derogatory sniff from Lady Irving. As he helped the women down from the carriage, her ladyship commented in a lofty tone, “Although I am a countess, my dear boy, you really need not prostrate yourself like a servant for all of us.”
    Julia saw Louisa’s gaze fly, chagrined, to James’s face, but the viscount only smiled benignly.
    â€œLady Irving, I would never deny you any attention that might make you the slightest bit more comfortable. After all, knowing you’re the same age as my mother, I thought you might benefit from some assistance into the house, especially from the steady hand of an attentive friend.”
    Julia choked