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Back The Marriage List
Chapters (45)
  1. FIRST WALTZ
  2. Also by
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. EPILOGUE
  45. AUTHOR’S NOTES

“No.” He infused his tone with a firmness he rarely used with his mother. “The requirements are quite enough.”

Mama frowned at him. “Would you like me to rewrite the list leaving off the names?”

“No, thank you. I am capable of remembering them.” Although his sister never seemed to believe he could remember anything these days.

“Very well. In that case, I shall keep them with me in the event you need to look at them.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your offer.” Perdition! He’d find his own damn wife.

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

Eleanor and her sisters were in a room known as the “Young Ladies’ Parlor” when several packages arrived. The parlor, situated close to all their bedchambers, was large enough for them to be comfortable and contained a writing desk, three chairs, a small sofa, and a square cherry wood table with four chairs. The walls were painted pale yellow and there were light green curtains. She unknotted the twine around the brown paper that had just come from Madame Lisette. The modiste had had the family’s custom since her older sisters’ first Season.

Holding up the rich, cream silk evening gown covered with the same color netting embroidered with leaves in Pomona green that covered the silk, Eleanor was amazed at how beautiful it was. “I never believed this would turn out so well.”

“I do not know why.” Madeline lifted up a white gown that was embroidered in blue. “You selected the colors, and Madame agreed they would be perfect for you.” She grinned at Alice, who held a gown of buttery yellow. The bodice had been embroidered with vines and purple brilliants. “As we all did.”

Hurried footsteps sounded on the floor above. “Quickly. My room.” Eleanor gathered up the gown and packaging. “We need to put these someplace safe. We are about to be invaded.”

They had just laid the gowns on her bed and got back into their parlor when Posy bounded into the room and to Alice, the first person the dog saw.

“Yes, yes, I love you too,” Alice said as Posy wiggled against her.

Zeus, only a little less exuberant at two years old, knocked Madeline onto the small sofa and sat on her lap. “I will never understand why Danes think they are lapdogs.”

Their nephew and niece, Gideon, five, and Elizabeth, four, ran through the door after the dogs.

“They got away from us,” Elizabeth panted.

“I seem to remember that happening to Mary”—the youngest of the brothers and sisters—“when she was your age.”

“With Daisy?” Gideon asked.

“Yes.” It was amazing how one forgot what puppies were like after the Great Danes became adults.

“I remember Duke knocking Theo down when he was young,” Madeline added.

“Did he hurt her?” Elizabeth cast a worried look at Zeus.