Addington chuckled. “He is the bravest man you have ever seen on the battlefield,” she said. “He has that de Velt beast in him, something my father had, something that turns a man into a monster when he smells the first blood. You’ve seen how big Julian is and he uses that strength in a fight, believe me. But he has been badly hurt by cruel women he thought were fond of him. Do you know how it is with a horse when you raise your hand and the horse shies away because he’s afraid of being hit? That is Julian. He is hand shy. He has been hurt before and he will not put himself in that position again.”
Lista thought on the handsome, quiet knight she was quickly becoming very fond of. It was true that she once believed she was unworthy of him, not of his station, but she was coming to think that she may have been mistaken. Addington certainly thought so and that was enough to give her hope.
“It is very sweet of you to be so concerned for your brother’s happiness,” Lista said. “If I had a sister, I wish she would be as concerned for me as you are for Julian.”
Addington smiled. “Everyone else has left home,” she said. “It is just Julian and I left with Mama. I want to make sure he finds the right woman.”
“And you think that is me?”
“I do. I truly do.”
“After only having known me a short amount of time?”
Addington chuckled. “As you said, when you meet people, sometimes you just know,” she said. “You just know if they are good in their heart. I knew that you were good within the first few hours of knowing you. I think that I would very much like for you to be my sister.”
Lista grinned broadly. “It would be like a dream for me to have a sister like you,” she said. “And to have a husband like Julian… it is too good to be true. Addie, I have told you about my mother and aunt. How they are.”
Addington waved her off. “Julian has the patience of Job,” she said. “And you said your mother became grieved following the death of your brother, did you not?”
“That is true.”
“Mayhap, in a small way, Julian can replace him,” she said. “Mayhap she would not be so sad to have a new son in her life.”
Lista hadn’t thought of it that way. “It’s very possible,” she said. “But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, don’t you think Julian should decide if I am someone he wishes to court?”
Addington beamed. “Not to worry,” she said. “I shall ask him.”
Lista was a bit leery. “You’re sweet to want to play matchmaker, but don’t you think that’s something that Julian and I should work out between us?”
Addington took the brush from Lista’s hand and began brushing her hair with it. “You cannot ask him because it would be unseemly,” she said frankly. “And Julian will never have the courage to ask you, so you need my help. Trust me on this, Lista. I will be subtle, I promise.”
As Lista watched the young woman brush her hair, somehow, she didn’t think subtlety was one of Addington’s great virtues. She had many, but that more than likely wasn’t one of them.
Subtle as a garlic pie, Lista thought.
Little did she know.
“Lista is agreeableto having you court her,” Addington said. “Well? What are you going to do about it?”
Julian nearly choked on his wine. In fact, he did choke and it all went spraying onto the floor of Felkington’s enormous hall. He was sitting with Ashton and they had been indulging in some very good wine that a servant had brought up from the cellars when Addington had entered the hall, dressed in a lovely gown that flattered her figure. Ashton certainly thought so. But words of courtship were the first thing out of her mouth when she saw her brother and Julian wiped away the wine he’d just sprayed on his hand.
“My God, Addie,” he said, wiping it from his lips. “You have the diplomacy of a dog fart. What do you mean by that question?”
Addington looked at him with little patience. “What do you think I mean?” she said. “I have interrogated Lista and although she feels she is not of your social station, I have convinced her otherwise. Julian, she thinks you are marvelous. Remember? That has not changed. Better still, I do believe she is falling for you. Are you going to let this perfect woman get away from you?”
Julian was staring at her as if she’d grown two heads, horrified and intrigued and, most of all, thrilled. But he couldn’t decide which emotion was stronger. He knew Addington meant well, but the woman was indeed as subtle as a farting dog sometimes. She was clubbing him over the head with his romantic future.
He set his wine cup down.
“Addie, I appreciate that you are trying to help me. But in this case, I do not need your help,” he said. “This is between Lista and me.”
“That’s what she said,” Addington said. “I disagree. I know that women have been… unkind to you in the past and I wanted you to know that Lista is not that sort. She is kind and compassionate and understanding. She is far too good for you,but she is agreeable to a courtship if you will only have the courage to ask her.”
“Did she ask you to tell me that?”
Addington frowned. “Of course not,” she said. “I am doing it of my own accord. I am doing it because it is important. Don’t you like her?”
Julian could hear Ashton snickering next to him, laughing at Addington’s pushiness. He was growing annoyed with them both.
