Page 32 of A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Heirs

“He has. But he said you wished to speak with me privately.” She glanced at the clock on the mantle. “We have ten minutes before my mother arrives.”

Victor cleared his throat. “Miss Merrick—Juliana. I believe a courtship between us would be most advantageous.”

Her brow furrowed. “Advantageous?”

The argument he’d rehearsed on his ride to the duke’s that afternoon suddenly sounded cold and calculating. Not the words a lady wished to hear when a gentleman requested to court her. Yet, he had no desire to lead Juliana astray. He needed to be upfront and honest.

“After Lord Felix announced his intention to court you in order to repair your standing in society, I began to see the wisdom in his words.” He held up a hand at Juliana’s widened eyes. “Hear me out, please. As much as I dislike Davies, the idea he proposed does have merit. However, Lord Felix is not the best man for the task. I don’t trust him.”

“And you are? The best man, that is?” The vulnerability in her voice gave Victor pause.

He questioned his approach again. He’d hoped being honest would reduce the chances of the one possible drawback in his plan—hurting her. And yet, it appeared he’d done just that.Damn.If only they had more time before her mother would arrive. “I wouldn’t say I’m the best man, but I do believe I’m a better choice than Davies.”

She moved in slow motion toward the settee, her body falling against the soft cushions, her eyes growing unfocused. “So, this is not to be a true courtship. Not because you have—affection for me?”

Her pained expression made his stomach knot. Oh, he had botched things up. He sat beside her and took her hand, wishing he could call back his clumsy words and start over. “I like you very much, Miss Merrick—Juliana. You deserve to be treated with respect and accepted by theton, and I believe I can help accomplish that. In their eyes, it would be a true courtship, and although I may not be your choice of a suitor, I am respected.”At least more than Davies.

Her lovely blue eyes became alert and snapped to his. “Does my brother know?”

Victor shook his head. “But he might suspect something is amiss. He asked about my feelings toward you. The way he studied my face, he clearly expected to see...” Victor failed to manage the word.

Juliana squeezed his hand, as if comforting him when he should have been comforting her. “I understand, Victor. However, I must ask. Are you doing this solely as a kindness toward me, or do you hope to gain something from our pretend association as well?”

At Juliana’s keen perception, his shallow proposal gained depth, becoming weightier and teasing a promise of something much more than a pretense. He would enjoy spending time with Juliana’s sharp mind and kind heart. Might their association turn into something more lasting?

But reading more into his attachment with Adalyn had been his downfall. He had no desire to do that to Juliana nor tread that path again himself.

“Very astute, Juliana. It’s only fair I be completely honest with you. My mother has been pressing me to court Miss Lydia Whyte. I have called on Miss Whyte in the past, and no doubt both she and my mother expected an understanding to have developed between us. But Miss Whyte is not supportive of my passion for art. For that and many other reasons, we simply do not suit. I want to concentrate on my painting, on the great privilege your brother has bestowed on me to craft your family’s portraits. Courting you would allow me that freedom and, at the same time, assure my mother I am actively seeking a bride.”

As honest as he wanted to be, he had no intention of telling Juliana that defying his mother played a considerable part in his choice to court her specifically.

He darted a glance toward the clock on the mantle. Two more minutes at best remained before Juliana’s mother arrived.

Juliana cast her gaze to their clasped hands, her brow wrinkling as the edges of her teeth caught the plush curve of her bottom lip.

He needed to give her more. To soften the cold, businesslike proposal. “As I said, I like you very much. And who is to say that as we become better acquainted, a true affection between us will not form? Is it not worth trying?”

Blue eyes locked with his, and his heart lurched at the hope within them. “Very well. I agree.”

He prayed again he wasn’t making a mistake. He had no desire to hurt the lovely young woman before him. One broken heart between them was one too many. With time running out, he explained how they must present themselves to be believable. “And above all else, we must appear to be a couple enamored with each other.”

All things considered, he should have pulled away when Mrs. Merrick entered the room and caught Juliana’s hands entwined in his, but instead he smiled up at Juliana’s mother, no doubt looking like a small boy who had been caught pilfering biscuits from the kitchen.

The ruse was underway.

For the thirdtime since Victor’s odd proposal, Juliana tried to ignore the aching of her bruised heart and concentrate on his question at hand.

And for the third time, she failed miserably. “I apologize again. What did you ask?”

“Which do you prefer?” Standing before her, he held the sketches up again. One, a traditional pose, showed her seated demurely on a sofa, hands folded in her lap, expression serious—and somehow sad. Elegant and sophisticated, the image matched that of the portraits lining the walls of both Pendrake Manor in London and Hartridge House in Dorset.

In the other, she stood next to a horse, one hand holding the bridle while the other stroked the horse’s muzzle. The corners of Juliana’s mouth in that sketch curled up, and her eyes held a wistful quality, as if dreaming of a great adventure.

Seated beside her, her mother sighed, reached over, and traced a finger over the smiling Juliana.

Juliana lifted her gaze to Victor’s. “Is this a trick question?”

His own lips tipped in a smile, not dissimilar to hers in the sketch. “Not at all. They are simply two different approaches. One formal, one informal. We could also do something of a compromise if you find these too?—”

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