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him and been better able to counsel her niece. Caroline had little experience of men; per haps she was overreacting. If he were a good person who truly loved her, he could be a wonderful husband.
    “He may be somewhat alarming now, Caro,” her aunt said carefully. “But he must truly care for you or he would not be courting you so assiduously. With a basis of affection, even two very different people may live in harmony. Indeed, my darling John and I were quite unlike, and yet that difference was a pleasure to both of us.”
    “There are degrees of difference,” Caroline said gloomily. “Wine and water may mix with ease, but fire and water will never blend.”
    With a visible effort she shook off her misgivings and added with a smile, “Enough of worrying about the dire possibility of be coming a rich, pampered lady. It is time to talk of Gina’s bride clothes.”
     

Chapter 5
     
    Jason Kincaid and George Fitzwilliam had reached the after-dinner port before conversation turned to Radford’s courtship. George was resigned to losing the wager, and accepted the loss of his salmon- fishing privileges with fortitude. Still, he felt a few qualms about his part in the situation.
    “Y’know, Jason, it was a silly bet we made about your marriage. Would you like to call it off? Most improper. Not at all a suitable topic for gambling.”
    “Back out of a wager!” Radford said in mock outrage. “What kind of a maw-worm do you take me for? Or do you fear losing?”
    Fitzwilliam snorted indignantly. “Those would be fighting words if I were a fighting man, which of course I ain’t. It’s just that when I see the two of you together, you both look like you’re coming from the funeral of your favorite uncle, and you found out he hasn’t left you anything to boot. I’m willing to concede you my fishing rights. I just don’t want to see you unhappy the rest of your life because of a foolish bet. Marriage is a se rious matter.”
    “Indeed it is, George, and I am deadly serious about it. Even if we did call off the wager, I would still have my Aunt Honoria to answer to. I promised her a bride by the end of the Season,” Jason paused, then added slowly, “It has occurred to me that perhaps I should have given you a few more guidelines for the selection. Miss Hanscombe is a pleasant-enough young lady but very hard to know, and there is a want of spirit in her...”
    His voice trailed off before he resumed in a more vig orous tone. “I’m sure she will discharge her duties well. I could not in conscience draw back now in any case. I mean to call on her father tomorrow, and I foresee no problems. As she and I become better acquainted, I trust we will rub along tolerably well. I’ll invite her and her family to Wildehaven right away. The Season will be ending soon and it will give her a chance to become relaxed with me before the wedding. If we left at the end of next week, there would be time enough to improve her wardrobe before we leave. Now, if you will excuse me for not lingering over my port, I must intercept my soon-to-be- betrothed at Lady Beechwood’s musicale.”
    “I’ll go with you,” George said. “I’m sure I have a card for it around here somewhere, and I’d like to be present for the final act of your little drama.”
    Lady Beechwood’s house was only a few minutes away. It was obvious when they entered and gave their hats to a footman that the musicale was in full swing, or perhaps full voice was a more appropriate term. There was a distinct caterwauling coming from the reception rooms that could be identified by the cognoscenti as one of Miss Smythe-Foot’s infamous assaults on Mozart. Jason twitched visibly, while George put on his blandest social face. In a stirring example of British grit in action, they headed manfully toward the source of the wailing.
     
     
    Their valor was rewarded by the song’s end and the beginning of an intermission. Leaving George to his own devices, Jason scanned