Free The Pursuit by Johanna Lindsey Page B

much.”
    “Yes, I recall his mentioning a dislike for crowded places during our brief talk,” Lincoln replied, then added, “My own family is here for the duration. Actually, I have been asked to chaperon my young cousin this season. She’s reached the age to marry as well.”
    “This does seem tae be the preferred place for getting that accomplished.”
    He grinned down at her. “Hasn’t it always been? For my cousin Edith, though, it won’t be an easy task. She just doesn’t fit the standard mold. But she’s a sweetheart, has a heart of gold. Anyman would be blessed if she favors him with her devotion.”
    “You sound verra fond of her.”
    “I am.”
    But he didn’t let his prejudice in Edith’s favor cloud his view. She was still a wallflower and hadn’t been drawing the least bit of notice if she wasn’t thrust forward. One had to get to know her well to appreciate her sterling qualities. And she hadn’t had a single prospect in the couple weeks they’d now been actively making the rounds.
    “Is your family here tonight?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’d like to meet them.”
    “Certainly, though I suppose I should meet your Megan first, before I go dragging you about the room to find my relatives.”
    Melissa chuckled. “You sound as if you’re expecting the duchess tae be a veritable dragon. You’ll be pleasantly surprised, I’m thinking.”
    It was time to find that out as the music ended. Lincoln would much prefer to keep Melissa to himself for the rest of the evening—and longer, for that matter—but etiquette wouldn’t allow that. Melissa, though, must not be acquainted with the strict rules of conduct by which the upper crust lived. She thought nothing of pulling him back across the room to her chaperon and holding his hand to do it.
    Relatives could do that. Affianced couplescould even do that. But those in the early stages of courtship most certainly could not.
    A pleasant surprise didn’t come close to describing Megan St. James, duchess of Wrothston. For one thing, Lincoln hadn’t expected her to be so young, likely not even ten years older than himself, or so incredibly beautiful. But she’d had only to hear his name mentioned to give him a magnificent smile and an open invitation to her home.
    “Finally found her, did you?” was the lady’s first response. “I’ll inform my butler to expect you henceforth. And shall we start with tea tomorrow?”
    There was no “grilling” as he’d been warned, just a few of the simple details one usually inquired about on first meeting. And he didn’t have to take Melissa to his family to meet them; they found him before Melissa’s next dance partner whisked her away.
    He introduced his aunt and cousin first and then, almost as an afterthought, his mother, Eleanor. He didn’t notice the curious look Melissa gave him over the latter, though he was aware of his stiffness, was unable to help it whenever he was in Eleanor’s presence. She might have solved his dilemma completely in giving him access to Melissa again, but that changed none of his personal feelings about her.
    His Aunt Henriette was, of course, delighted to meet Melissa at last and would have talked her ear off if the girl’s next partner weren’t standing there waiting impatiently to get her out onto thefloor before his promised dance ended. Edith was too busy blushing profusely over being in close proximity to the realm’s most eligible—and undoubtedly most handsome—young bachelor, Justin St. James, so for once she was too tongue-tied to say a word.
    Lincoln sighed as the young man finally was able to lead Melissa onto the floor. Megan, hearing him, chuckled at his side.
    “I’ve a feeling you’ll be doing a lot more of that sighing in the coming weeks,” she said softly, so only he would hear. “Needn’t, though. She’s made her preference rather clear, I’d say. Yours, Lord Cambury, will probably be one of the easiest courtships of the decade.”
    He certainly