This was — all not entirely comfortable. For one thing, August did not enjoy hosting over an entire weekend. For another, he had swiftly developed the impression that his mother had invited every single woman he had spoken to at any event over the summer. He knew what she was hoping for — he'd heard the rumors. But it turned out that in courtships were one was not head-over-heels, you had to ask people to court without knowing an incredible amount about them.

Not for the first time, August wished things had worked out with Miss Grace Greengrass.

While he'd told Thom several weeks ago that he was going to ask someone to court. But he'd said just that: someone. He spent the entire first day of the weekend considering the women, considering marriage — and feeling rather cheap about it. But he really was sure about her. August had enjoyed all of their conversations; he thought that real affection, maybe even love, could develop here.

After breakfast, he caught her before others settled into the yard games. "Miss Adebayo," August said, with a bright smile. (He hoped that he did not look nervous, but was sure that he'd looked vaguely nervous all weekend — hopefully people thought that it was because of the presence of his entire family.)

Sun streamed in through the bay windows of the parlor. August glanced outside to the garden, then back to her. "I had hoped that I might show you the library?" he asked.