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He didn’t try to hide his grimace “If she could minimize the latter—”

“Don’t even think it, not until you’ve been ht be allowed to slink off and hide in your library Until that tirit your teeth and stand by her side at all necessary functions” Audrey threw hi your appearances, your wife’s duties will include keeping you up to the ht”

Deverell lance levelly and inwardly wished his wife-to-be good luck She’d need it “You seem to have a very clear vision of the qualities my wife should possess”

“Well, of course, dear I’ve known you from birth, and despite what you think, you are very like your father—you have little ti the last ten and ine your prejudices have only become more fixed

Consequently the notion of you finding any degree ofladies is utterly untenable” She arched a brow at hi your eye over the herd”

“The ‘herd’ appear to be henwitted flibbertigibbets with less sense than my horse”

Audrey grinned “Quite Well, there you are—it’s clearly necessary to look elsewhere for your bride” Laying aside her palette, she reached for a rag; sitting back, she started cleaning her brush

He frowned “Are you saying there’s some other place—so? That the e mart isn’t the place to look?”

Audrey cast him a droll look “Really, dear, I can’t believe you’d be so obtuse The ladies ould suit you are no estale cakes at Almack’s”

He blinked Hope welled After a on you believe would be the perfect wife for me—who is she?”

Eyes on her brush, Audrey smiled “Phoebe Malleson”

He could place neither lady nor name “Have I met her?”

“If you can’t remember her, the answer is no But I doubt you would have crossed Phoebe’s path, not if you’ve been doing the pretty by the s Phoebe turned twenty-five just last week, but she’s been avoiding s for years”

He had to wonder “Twenty-five and yet unwed” He caught Audrey’s eye “Why is it you think this lady is the perfect bride for me?”

The fond fe solicitude, that Audrey bent on him made him feel six years old “Really, Deverell dear, do use your head—the very reasons Phoebe is unwed are precisely the reasons that make her perfect for you”

He knew better than to quiz Audrey on theof that conundrum; her ansould make his head ache She had at least said the lady was attractive Besides, there was clearly aall he needed to know about Phoebe Malleson “I take it Miss Malleson is not in town Where, then, ht I find her?”

“Oh, she’s often in town” Audrey waved her brush “Just not where you’d think to look She’s an only child, and her o Phoebe has a small army of aunts and is usually to be found with one of the others in their train”

Dropping her brush into a jar, Audrey swung to face him “As it happens, I know Phoebe is presently with her aunt Mrs Edith Bal a house party at Cranbrook Manor—it starts the day after tomorrow”