The Spare Read Free Page A

You've no notion how celebrated you are in Society. Hero of the Indian Ocean. Pirates. Battles. Prize money. And that's without the title. With it, well…"
    Sebastian rolled his eyes. "You exaggerate. As usual."
    "No. I don't. Diana, like every other young lady of Society, spends hours imagining herself married to you. And probably dreams of you at night."
    He tried again to fill in his faded and incomplete memory of Diana. He recalled brown hair, light eyes and very little more. He knew she was pretty. She must be if she'd broken the hearts of a dozen of London's most elite bachelors. Except, he needed a wife. Not a debutante. A sensible, capable woman. Not an orchid in need of fretting care. No, his wife must be content to live simply. If it came right down to it, he wanted a woman who wouldn't mind life on a ship and, at minimum, a woman who wouldn't resent long stretches alone while her husband sailed the seas. The familiar excitement for the waves and salty air failed to materialize. "I'm cold," he complained, staring at the discarded blanket on the marble tiles.
    "You can marry anyone, Sebastian. No one is out of your reach. But I'd be pleased," James said, "if you married Diana."
    "Arrange it, then." His indifference ought to worry him, but it didn't. How had such an attractive woman as the redhead stayed unmarried at her age? Some abiding fault perhaps. A distemper of manner or a horsey laugh. Or perhaps no sense of humor at all. Remembering her laughter, that seemed unlikely. Perhaps she was vain or haughty. He sighed. In fact, he would be quite satisfied if he were to wake up one morning and find a wife at his side, a ready-made helpmeet braced for a life in the country. He had no intention of living in London. Ever. "Get her to agree, and I'll marry her tomorrow."
    "I've done what I can. She's at least amenable to the notion, for it seems that in addition to your reputation, you made quite an impression when you met her before. At the least, she already loves your naval record. Shouldn't be hard to convince her to marry you. Nothing could be easier, I expect."
    "What about the redhead?" The sight of that flame-colored hair unsettled him, but he recalled with interest the nature of his response to first seeing her. Significant interest, and that was encouraging for the improving state of his health. He'd been coddling his injury too long and as a result, let his resolve to action grow soft. For years he'd solved his own damn problems, and here he was letting James take over his life. Was she as passionate as that hair of hers? "Is she a Scot?"
    James turned his head to look at him, his smile gone. "That's her, Sebastian." He lifted his palms in a defensive gesture. "From everything I've heard, it's a miracle she didn't die with your brother and his wife."
    Sebastian absorbed James's revelation with typical self-possession. "I'm surprised she came."
    James's grin reappeared. "You are the leading citizen of Far Caister, Sebastian, in need of a spare for your dinner table. When Diana arrived without her companion, her most bosom friend whose name escapes me just now, I took it upon myself to importune the vicar for help. By merest chance, this woman's name came up, and she was soon convinced to remedy our predicament of numbers. She could not refuse. Your patronage might do her a world of good. Besides, by reputation at least, she is a lady of breeding, I assure you. Impoverished. But a lady."
    "Not what I expected."
    "No family to speak of. Next thing to an orphan. Her mother's an invalid, so I'm told." James waved a hand. "The proprieties are satisfied, the numbers once again even. Our spare is tolerably attractive, more than tolerably intelligent and quite enough on the shelf not to upset the other young ladies. Her reputation is nearly unassailable." His white-toothed grin reappeared. "And you are free to question her to your heart's content. For all the good it may do you."
    Through the windowpane, Sebastian