Free Devil in Her Dreams by Jane Charles Page B

townhouse. None of her female cousins ever bothered to live here during either Season, and the unmarried male cousins all kept bachelor lodgings. Probably because they didn’t want the servants reporting back to Grandfather. It was such a shame to let the grand place go to waste.
    Mrs. Meriwether was in the corner, a book open on her lap and her chin dropped to her chest. Her quiet snores were the only sound in the room.
    Louisa sighed and leaned her forehead against the glass window and glanced outside. Goodness she was bored. Since she had met Marston, Louisa had not been able to concentrate on her stitching or reading. She would attend her first ball tonight and was anxious to see Marston, assuming they attended the same function, but she wished to avoid him as well. She needed to forget him and find a suitable husband, but it was impossible since he was all she thought about and he continued to invade her dreams at night. As much as she wanted to see him again, how could she possibly concentrate on finding a husband with him in the room?
    A footman stepped into the parlor. “Lady Ainsely to see you, Miss Whitton.”
    Ainsely? Excitement surged through her. “Moira,” she called and rushed from the room. “I am so glad you are here!” Louisa pulled her friend into the morning room. Even though Mrs. Meriwether was asleep, the woman may wake and Louisa did not want her to overhear her plans, lest a message be sent to Grandfather and Father before Moira left the house. “Did you get my letter?”
    “
Yes.” Moira settled onto the settee. She glowed with happiness. “It arrived the day we were to leave. I didn’t write back since I knew I would be seeing you.”
    “
You must help me,” Louisa insisted.
    “
Your situation sounded rather urgent. You want to find a husband before the month is out.”
    “
I must. When you put your mind to it, you found one quickly enough.”
    A blush stole into Moira’s cheeks. “I wouldn’t recommend the betting book.”
    Louisa laughed. “No, Grandfather would have an apoplexy.”
    A footman entered, set a tea service on the table between them, then quietly exited, closing the door behind him. Louisa poured them both a cup, not bothering to ask Moira what she wished in her tea since she already knew, and dropped four sugars into the liquid before handing her the cup and saucer.
    Moira grinned. “Thank you.” She stirred then took a sip. “Do you have a particular gentleman in mind yet?”
    Marston’s name was on the tip of Louisa’s tongue, but she didn’t offer it.
    Moira narrowed her blue eyes on Louisa. “Who is he?”
    “
He?” Louisa asked innocently.
    Moira rolled her eyes and set her cup and saucer on the table. “I have known you my entire life. There is something different about you, and I want to know who he is.”
    “
Different?” She didn’t feel all that different, and did kisses really alter a person?
    “
You were always calm, relaxed.”
    “
I am now,” Louisa defended.
    Moira laughed. “No, you are agitated.”
    Louisa had to admit Moira was correct. “With each day that slips by, I am closer and closer to Christmas and my grandfather’s orders.”
    Moira dismissed her concern with a wave of her hand. “I am sure Danby has the perfect vicar for you.”
    She narrowed her eyes at her friend.
    “
I know you don’t want to be a vicar’s wife.” Moira laughed. “But you would make a very good one.”
    Yes, she would, Louisa admitted to herself. But she didn’t want that existence. There was no excitement in living in the same small parish all of your life, knowing the secrets of everyone in the community and never going anywhere except for an occasional trip to Yorkshire or London. She wanted to travel, be free to do what she wished. “Do you know of any eligible Scotsmen?”
    Moira lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, but why Scotland?”
    “
Anywhere but here.” Where she could run into Marston at any time. She would move to another country if