Read Online The Pursuit by Johanna Lindsey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Johanna Lindsey
Ads: Link
need, but this one I wouldn’t dream of missing. Goodness, I almost feel eighteen again m’self!”
Ten
M ELISSA ’ S disappointment was so strong after the second week rolled by and she’d still had no sight or word from Lincoln Burnett that she’d been ready to go home to nurse it. She couldn’t do that to Megan, however, who was going to so much trouble to make sure she had a good time. And, fortunately, Justin came home about then, and Justin had always been able to take her mind off any current distractions, good or bad.
She’d known the St. James heir all her life and became really close friends with him the year he spent the entire summer in the Highlands. He’d been eight, she seven, and they found they had everything in common—had been inseparable. He’d ended up with three younger sisters and a brother, but he was the closest thing Melissa had to a brother of her own, other than her youngest uncle.
She was surprised, actually, that they’d maintained that closeness, when they didn’t live near each other and didn’t even see each other every year. But maintain it they did, keeping in touch with letters—anywhere from a few to ten a month—conversations really, like whispering secrets through a fence, where you couldn’t actually see the person you were talking to but knew he or she was listening.
A few times there had been talk—albeit casually—from their parents that they made a splendid pair and might get married someday to each other. Both Melissa and Justin thought that was one of the funnier things they’d ever heard. It might be fine and dandy to marry your best friend, but not when you thought of that friend as a brother or sister as well.
She usually told Justin everything. Oddly, she didn’t tell him about Lincoln Burnett, probably because too much time had passed and she was sure now that she’d never see him again, so there was no point. Justin would have been sympathetic, but sympathy was one thing she didn’t need or want. Besides, she was afraid she’d start to cry if she mentioned how acute her disappointment was. She didn’t want to be that silly. She’d already been silly enough, to base all kinds of hopes and expectations on just one meeting with the man.
She resolved to put it behind her and keep more firmly in mind why she was there: to have some fun and maybe find a husband as well—inthat order. Justin was going to help in that, the fun anyway, since he’d agreed to join the women on a few of the upcoming events.
She was grateful for that, knowing that he’d experienced the formal social whirl last year for the first time himself and didn’t really like it. He’d bemoaned that fact to her in his letters, since he had been looking forward to being included in the realm of adults, only to find that he much preferred just to chum about with his friends as he used to do when he was home from school.
Justin also had two men in mind for her to meet, whom he was certain she would like. Not that he was playing matchmaker. He simply didn’t think that these particular fellows much cared for the social scene either, so she wasn’t likely to meet them unless he arranged it.
He was mistaken about one of the men, however. Richard Sisley was the older brother of one of Justin’s school friends, and as the heir to the family title, he was being prodded by his family into finding a wife this season as well, so he was forced to make the rounds with all the other young hopefuls.
Richard explained this to her as they twirled about the dance floor that evening. It was the second ball she’d attended, more impressive than the first, with half again as many people present. And it turned out she’d already met Richard at a previous gathering, but just hadn’t remembered his name that night. She did remember that he’d made her laugh on their first meeting, which wasa plus for him, considering that her dejection had been at its worst that week.
He was a very likable
Ten
M ELISSA ’ S disappointment was so strong after the second week rolled by and she’d still had no sight or word from Lincoln Burnett that she’d been ready to go home to nurse it. She couldn’t do that to Megan, however, who was going to so much trouble to make sure she had a good time. And, fortunately, Justin came home about then, and Justin had always been able to take her mind off any current distractions, good or bad.
She’d known the St. James heir all her life and became really close friends with him the year he spent the entire summer in the Highlands. He’d been eight, she seven, and they found they had everything in common—had been inseparable. He’d ended up with three younger sisters and a brother, but he was the closest thing Melissa had to a brother of her own, other than her youngest uncle.
She was surprised, actually, that they’d maintained that closeness, when they didn’t live near each other and didn’t even see each other every year. But maintain it they did, keeping in touch with letters—anywhere from a few to ten a month—conversations really, like whispering secrets through a fence, where you couldn’t actually see the person you were talking to but knew he or she was listening.
A few times there had been talk—albeit casually—from their parents that they made a splendid pair and might get married someday to each other. Both Melissa and Justin thought that was one of the funnier things they’d ever heard. It might be fine and dandy to marry your best friend, but not when you thought of that friend as a brother or sister as well.
She usually told Justin everything. Oddly, she didn’t tell him about Lincoln Burnett, probably because too much time had passed and she was sure now that she’d never see him again, so there was no point. Justin would have been sympathetic, but sympathy was one thing she didn’t need or want. Besides, she was afraid she’d start to cry if she mentioned how acute her disappointment was. She didn’t want to be that silly. She’d already been silly enough, to base all kinds of hopes and expectations on just one meeting with the man.
She resolved to put it behind her and keep more firmly in mind why she was there: to have some fun and maybe find a husband as well—inthat order. Justin was going to help in that, the fun anyway, since he’d agreed to join the women on a few of the upcoming events.
She was grateful for that, knowing that he’d experienced the formal social whirl last year for the first time himself and didn’t really like it. He’d bemoaned that fact to her in his letters, since he had been looking forward to being included in the realm of adults, only to find that he much preferred just to chum about with his friends as he used to do when he was home from school.
Justin also had two men in mind for her to meet, whom he was certain she would like. Not that he was playing matchmaker. He simply didn’t think that these particular fellows much cared for the social scene either, so she wasn’t likely to meet them unless he arranged it.
He was mistaken about one of the men, however. Richard Sisley was the older brother of one of Justin’s school friends, and as the heir to the family title, he was being prodded by his family into finding a wife this season as well, so he was forced to make the rounds with all the other young hopefuls.
Richard explained this to her as they twirled about the dance floor that evening. It was the second ball she’d attended, more impressive than the first, with half again as many people present. And it turned out she’d already met Richard at a previous gathering, but just hadn’t remembered his name that night. She did remember that he’d made her laugh on their first meeting, which wasa plus for him, considering that her dejection had been at its worst that week.
He was a very likable
Similar Books
