Ah, so this was what that little scene was all about, was it? Lesley was about to make his move, with Freddie’s connivance. Julia smiled in return. “Hello, Les,” she said. “Didyou have a pleasant ride?”
“Yes, we did, Jule,” he said. “The weather has turned cold but it was pleasant for a ride.”
“I know,” she said. “I rode early. Before breakfast.” Having found that she could no longer bring herself toswim in the early morning, she had taken to riding instead.For the first two mornings she had been quite decorousabout it, donning one of her riding habits and having asidesaddle placed on Flossie’s back. But she had met noone during those rides and for the last three mornings hadworn her breeches and had been able to gallop and enjoyherself.
“Some females don’t get up until noon,” Lesley said. “They miss a lot. I like females who get up early. I likeyou, Jule.”
“Do you?” She smiled encouragingly. But he was merely beaming back at her. “Just because I get up early, Les?”
He looked blank for a moment and then startled. Then he laughed. She had always liked Lesley’s laugh. He alwayssounded and looked genuinely amused. “Oh, no,” he said.“No, no, Jule. I like you for everything. I have always likedyou.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I have always liked you too, Les.”
“Thank you, Jule.” He beamed at her again.
Dear Les, she thought, trying to decide quite irrelevantly if he really was an inch or so shorter than she was or if theywere on a level. They looked on a level, but then he waswearing riding boots while she wore silk slippers. Les wasgoing to need as much encouragement as Malcolm, shecould see.
“What did you think of Grandpapa’s will?” she asked him.
“Uncle’s will?” His smile broadened. “Very generous, Jule. He was a kind man, Uncle, even though he didn’t likeanyone to know. Five hundred pounds was very generous. Iwas happy.”
Julia was hard put to it not to laugh out loud. Oh, dear. Perhaps he would need even more encouragement thanMalcolm. “He did not leave me five hundred pounds,” shesaid. “He left me the chance to live at Primrose Park for therest of my life if I marry one of his nephews. Do you thinkthat was really like leaving me nothing, Les?”
“Nothing?” he said. “No, it was not nothing, Jule. Though you wouldn’t own Primrose Park, would you? Andif your husband said you were to live somewhere else, youwould have to go, wouldn’t you?”
“I would owe him obedience,” she said.
“And if he lost Primrose Park,” he said, “you would have nothing but a husband, would you, Jule?”
“Oh, dear,” she said. “How would he lose it?”
“If he spent too freely,” he said. “Gambled or something like that.”
“Do you gamble, Les?” she asked.
“Me?” He laughed again. “No, not me, Jule. I can never remember how to play a card game from one time to thenext.”
They stood smiling at each other for a few silent moments.
“Let’s go and sit by the fountain, shall we, Les?” Julia suggested at last and took his arm to walk along the twogravel paths that would bring them to the marble structureand the wrought iron bench that circled its base. “Did youwish to talk to me about anything in particular?”
“Freddie and I thought it would be a good idea if I suggested you marry me, Jule,” he said. “Freddie said he would take Aunt Millie out of the way.”
“Did he?” She smiled. “Freddie thought you should ask me?”
“Yes,” he said. “He said he would give me a sporting chance before he asked you again. You are bound to chooseFreddie, of course, Jule, but you can choose me if youwish. I think you would be better with me even though Idon’t seem as good a bargain.”
“Why not?” she asked, releasing his arm to seat herself on the bench and patting the place beside her. He took it.
“I don’t have the looks or the brains that Freddie has,” he said. “And he is the older son. 1 don’t know much aboutwomen except that I like them.”
“And you like me,” she said. “You said so a little while ago.”
“And I like you, Jule.” He beamed at her.
“Why do you want to marry me?” she asked. “Just because you like me, Les? Or is it Primrose Park?”
“It’s Primrose Park, Jule,” he said eagerly, and Julia felt her heart sink. “I love it here. Everything is always so wellkept. And the farms are prosperous. It is always fun beinghere.”
