A Wallflower Christmas Read Free Page B

figure. If Hannah had the benefit of lovely clothes and adornments, she thought she might be considered very appealing. It was all in the eye of the beholder.
    â€œGo to tea at Marsden Terrace,” Lord Blandford told her, smiling. “Sow the seeds of romance. A match must be made. And as the Bard so aptly put it, ‘The world must be peopled.’” He glanced at her significantly. “After we manage to marry off Natalie, you will nodoubt find your own suitor. I have my suspicions about you and Mr. Clark, you see.”
    Hannah felt color rising in her face. For the past year she had undertaken some minor secretarial duties for Samuel Clark, a close friend and distant relation of  Lord Blandford’s. And Hannah entertained some private hopes regarding the attractive bachelor, who was fair-haired and slim and not much older than she. But perhaps her hopes were not as private as she had thought. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Uncle.”
    â€œI’m sure you do,” he said, and chuckled. “All in good time, my dear. First let us secure a satisfactory future for Natalie. And then it will be your turn.”
    Hannah smiled at him, keeping her thoughts private. But inwardly she knew that her definition of a “satisfactory future” for Natalie was not quite the same as his. Natalie deserved a man who would be a loving, responsible, trustworthy husband.
    And if Rafe Bowman were that man, he would have to prove it.

Two
    â€œAt the risk of sounding arrogant,” Rafe said, “I don’t think I need advice about how to court a woman.”
    Rafe had arrived in London the day before. Today, while Westcliff was off visiting the locomotive works in which he had a share, Rafe gathered he was supposed to have tea with Lillian and her friends.
    Rafe would have preferred to tour the locomotive works. He was a manufacturer’s son, and the lure of new machines and gadgetry held an unending fascination for him. On the other hand, Lillian had asked him to stay, and he had never been able to refuse her anything. He adored his sisters, who in his opinion were the best things his parents had ever accomplished.
    â€œMiss Appleton is not going to give you advice,” Lillian retorted, ruffling his hair fondly. “We’ve invited her to tea so that she can tell us more about Lady Natalie. I should think you’d like to find out as much as you can about your future bride.”
    â€œThat’s still in question,” Rafe reminded her wryly. “Even if I want to marry her, it’s still left to Lady Natalie to consider whether she’ll have me.”
    â€œWhich is why you’re going to be so charming that Miss Appleton will run back home to deliver a glowing report about you to Lady Natalie.” Lillian paused and gave him a mock-threatening glance. “Aren’t you?”
    Rafe smiled at his sister while he dandled her eight-month-old infant Merritt on his knee. The baby was dark-haired and brown-eyed like both her parents, with rosy cheeks and grasping little hands. After tugging off one of his waistcoat buttons with a determined yank, the baby attempted to put it in her mouth. “No, darling,” Rafe said, prying the button out of the wet clenched fist, and Merritt began to howl in protest. “I’m sorry,” he said contritely. “I’d scream too if someone took away something I fancied. But you might choke on that, love, and then your mother would have me shanghaied to China.”
    â€œThat’s only if Westcliff didn’t reach you first,” Lillian said, taking the squalling baby from him. “There, darling. Mommy won’t let mean old Uncle Rafe bother you any longer.” She grinned and wrinkled her nose impishly at him as she soothed her daughter.
    Marriage and motherhood became Lillian, Rafe thought. His sister had always been a headstrong creature, but now she seemed calmer and happier