Lillian hugged her book to her chest with a sigh. “He’s brooding and beautiful but is cursed to steal the youth and vitality of the women he falls in love with. He keeps to himself to avoid such a tragedy.”
Jane pushed off the door and joined Lillian by the fire. “Sounds horrific. Do I really look like I’ve been ravaged by the cursed love of a goblin king?”
“Fairy king. And no, not that bad. You merely look tired.”
“Being courted is exhausting. Trying to choose between the men even more so. The barrister is all that is congenial. The soap-maker is lively enough to keep up with me. And the mathematician is… well, he’s handsome and smart, which I like, but he also seems to think I’m smart too. And I do not relish seeing the disappointment he will feel when he discovers I’m not.”
Lillian rolled her lips between her teeth, then spoke slowly. “So many questions. Where to begin? Papa says the only right question is the first question.” Lillian squinted, as if trying to see her father’s odd advice more clearly, then she shrugged. “Let me begin by saying if you say you’re not smart one more time, I’ll chunk you out of the window. But after that warning, we may safely move on to the soap-maker. Which suitor makes soap?”
“Mr. Newburton. I thought he had something to do with the military, but he’s not a colonel or general or what have you. He does, however, supply them with soap.” Jane waved her hand in the air. “And other people. He has several shops in London. One in Bath. He says he can get me a few bars of whatever scent I desire. Would you like some too?”
“I will let you know if the need arises. Next question. Why does Mr. Dour think you are a genius?”
Jane groaned. “A conversational blunder.”
“I’ll accept that without further comment. Most important question, now. Are you prepared?”
Jane nodded.
“Hekissedyou?”
She’d known that was coming. “Yes. I believe so. It was,ahem, not a particularly substantial kiss. But he did suggest we would try again at some point.” She attempted a smile. “There’s room for improvement yet.”
“Hmph. Does not sound promising. Do you remember when Tabitha first kissed her duke? She had stars in her eyes for days.”
“Starry eyes are not in my future, Lillian. You know that. They are all more than suitable. And likeable. I cannot seem to choose.” Jane paced back and forth between her bed and the fireplace, rubbing her arms up and down.
“What about the third fellow?”
“Mr. Quillsby is fine. Just fine.”
“Well, that’s… fine.”
“Precisely.” Even Jane heard the note of doom in her voice.
Lillian’s smile brimmed with pity. “You’ve only spent a few hours with each of them. You have six more days to make a decision. No need to rush.”
“Ha!” As if six days were not a rush when the decision in question would change the rest of your life. “I cannot attend dinner this evening. I must think. I must figure this out. They do not like me, anyway, not really. It’s all just a pretense to gain my dowry. And that’s fine. I do understand the situation I’m in. But I wish it were all laid bare, that we did not have to pretend to fall in love.” Especially since she had no intention of doing so. She continued rubbing her hands up and down her arms, cold to her very bones.
Lillian stood, picked up the shawl draped across the back of a chair, and wrapped it around Jane’s shoulders.
Jane plopped onto her bed with a sigh and fell backward, spreading her arms wide. “This is difficult.”
Lillian sat next to her. “It is. But I’ve no doubt you’ll make the right choice.”
Jane sat all the way up and crossed her arms over her chest. “How can you be so sure?”
“I’m an unexpected sage. Iknow.”
Jane wrapped Lillian in a hug. “Not unexpected to me. I know, if no one else does, that you’re wiser than the lot of us. Tell me, in all your wisdom, how will I know which man to choose?”
“Not a clue.”
Jane laughed, despite the prick of frustration. Lillian may be a sage, but Jane was not. Her own decision-making of late proved that point. How could she trust herself to choose a husband when she could not trust herself to know a dead tree when she saw one and stay out of it?
She stood and looked out the window at the white sky dipping into the forest. She could always ask for help. And she knew who was willing to give it. And he had supplied her suitors. Perhaps if she knew why George had chosen these particular men—other than their obvious willingness, of course—she’d be able to make a better decision.
“Will you come to dinner now? Mama has locked herself up in her room for days corresponding with Papa, and Katherine has been particularly spiritless of late. I’ll expire of boredom if you abandon me tonight.”
