Juliana stared at her a beat, two. Then she nodded. “If you say so. Now I should go speak to Father. Try to soothe his ruffled feathers, since I’m sure he’s crashing about his chamber drinking and cursing that he had daughters and not sons.”

“Oof, I’m sorry that duty falls to you,” Thomasina said.

Juliana’s smile faltered a fraction. “It always does. I am accustomed to it. Now go to bed if you can. There will be little rest for any of us for a while, I fear.”

Juliana left the parlor and Thomasina sank into the nearest chair as her knees gave out at last. She covered her face with both hands. Twelve hours before she had been working on acceptance that Anne would marry Harcourt, and that would be the end of that.

Now everything was turned on its head. And she had no idea if her terror was more powerful…or the joy that she ought not feel and which could not lead to anything good.

Chapter 5

Thomasina had not slept even a wink, and her body reminded her of that fact with every step as she walked through the long halls of Harcourt Heights. During the time they’d spent here, she had already developed an affection for the place. It was beautiful and the staff was nothing but kind to her and her family. But now she looked at it with a different eye. She would be lady of this house in less than a week.

That thought made her a little dizzy, and she stopped at the entrance to a parlor and leaned on the doorframe to steady herself.

“Are you well, Thomasina?”

She jerked her head up at the voice that came behind her. Harcourt’s voice. Slowly, she pivoted to face him as heat crept into her cheeks. God, but he was handsome as he stood there, just a few feet behind her, dressed perfectly. He was always impeccable from the perfect knot on his cravat to the bright polish on his boots.

“I-I am,” she said. Lied. And tried to smile.

“You are up early,” he said.

She shrugged. “It was difficult to sleep after all the excitement of last night,” she admitted, for there was no point in lying. Not anymore. “I hope you don’t mind that I decided to take myself on a small tour of the estate.”

His gaze flitted over her face and then his expression softened just a fraction. “Why would I mind? It will be your home soon enough. You must be curious about it.”

She nodded. “I am, I admit. Though I was already madly in love with it after all the weeks we’ve spent here preparing for the—” She cut herself off and dipped her head. Then she continued, “Still, it is different now that I know it shall be…it will be mine.”

He seemed to ponder an answer to that statement, but then he merely extended an arm. “Shall I take you on a more guided excursion?”