Tis the Season to Be Sinful by Adrienne Basso

girl with a head full of dreams. That’s the main reason I chose her.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I am,” Richard replied, ignoring the tug of concern. Heaven help him if George were right. “You’ll come to the wedding?”
    George leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Richard, my good friend, I would not miss it for all the champagne in France.”

Chapter 5
    Juliet smoothed her silk skirt one final time, then threaded her fingers and stood staring blankly at the drawing room door. On the opposite side of the room, Reverend Abernathy sipped his second cup of tea and conversed congenially with Mrs. Hazard while Squire Dudley stood with Mr. Barclay. Her girlhood friend, Harriet Moss, who had kindly agreed to be her attendant, acted as hostess, flitting from guest to guest, trying to keep the mood festive.
    The children, each dressed in their best clothes, were sitting restlessly together on the gold brocade settee. Mrs. Perkins stood a respectful distance behind them, her eagle eyes trained upon their every move.
    The drawing room was filled with a profusion of flowers, freshly cut this morning and artfully arranged by Juliet. The dining room chairs had been pressed into service and were arranged in two neat rows facing the long French windows. The sun was shining through those windows, brightening everything inside.
    There was only one thing missing from this lovely wedding setting. The groom.
    The clock ticked loudly on the mantel, an ominous sound. Mr. Harper—Richard—was late. The ceremony was due to start at one o’clock. It was now two and there was no sign of him, nor any message of explanation for his delay.
    Juliet smiled, trying to put on a brave front, fearing it was a wasted effort. Everyone knew he was late; even the children were beginning to suspect something was wrong.
    Though she tried to prevent it, her fingers moved to the nape of her neck, twirling the few loose strands of hair that had escaped from their pins. Dear Lord, she was nervous. Was this a sign? A message that she was about to make the most impulsive, foolish mistake of her life and the good Lord was giving her time to correct that mistake, to stop herself before she took a step that she would regret for the rest of her life.
    Gerald had come to see her a few hours after the first banns had been read at the Sunday church service. His spiteful words and predictions of her future misery now echoed in her head despite her best efforts to ignore them.
    “Can we eat the cake now, Mama?” Lizzy asked. The sight of the lovely two-tiered confection that Mrs. Perkins and Cook had so kindly made held endless fascination for Juliet’s daughter. Lizzy had not ceased asking about it since she saw the treat early that morning.
    “We don’t eat the cake until after the ceremony,” Edward scolded his younger sister.
    “Edward is right, sweetheart,” Juliet said soothingly, brushing the long, blond curls off Lizzy’s shoulder. “It won’t be much longer until we can taste the pretty cake.”
    Or would it? What if Richard wasn’t coming? Juliet swallowed uncomfortably, feeling slightly nauseated at the thought. She had written to Richard about Gerald’s visit and within the week had received a letter stating that Gerald would relinquish his guardianship of the children upon her remarriage.
    Though lacking any specific evidence, she knew Richard had arranged it. The letter had been a comfort, an assurance that marrying him was a wise decision. Initially she had agreed to Richard’s proposal out of fear, desperate for the financial security and independence he could provide. She told herself she was doing this for her children, to provide a better life, to protect them from the earl.
    But it was not only obligation. As she and Mr. Barclay had planned this wedding, there were moments when Juliet felt hopeful and optimistic. This was a new beginning, a chance for a more fulfilling, happy life.
    Mr. Barclay approached, his