Love According to Lily PDF
Preview Love According to Lily
Julianne MacLean Love According to Lily For Stephen and Laura—the two people who make up my happy home. And a special thank you to Kelly Harms, for your intelligent, insightful editorial guidance, and for the true heart and dedication you show in your work. On top of that, you are organized, efficient, and just plain good at your job. You constantly impress me. Thank you also Paige Wheeler, my agent, who I adore. Seven years and counting! Finally, thank you Michelle Phillips, my cousin, my best friend and critique partner—for all the laughter, stimulating conversation, late-night brainstorming and deep, heartfelt friendship. To live is like to love—all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct for it. Samuel Butler, 1835–1902 Contents Epigraph Prologue It was at the youthful age of twenty-one that Edward Peter Wallis… Chapter 1 With the late-afternoon sun beaming in through the lace curtains… Chapter 2 At quarter past four in the afternoon, a liveried footman… Chapter 3 “Did you enjoy yourself last night?” James asked Whitby, who… Chapter 4 When Lily was a little girl, she had adored Whitby’s… Chapter 5 “I don’t understand it,” Lily said to Sophia later that… Chapter 6 Whitby sat on the cold bench and swallowed over his… Chapter 7 That evening, Lily sat in the green saloon with the… Chapter 8 Later in the evening, after the second theatrical performance by… Chapter 9 That evening, the ballroom was adorned with colorful flowers and… Chapter 10 Lily was taking part in a quadrille—still exceedingly unnerved over… Chapter 11 Later that day, after Dr. Trider had thoroughly examined Whitby, Lily… Chapter 12 “How is he?” Sophia asked, rising to her feet when… Chapter 13 Lily stood over Whitby, gazing down at his handsome face… Chapter 14 I shouldn’t be doing this, Whitby thought in a mindless,… Chapter 15 The next morning, Dr. Trider came to examine Whitby again. He… Chapter 16 That night, Whitby woke to find Lily at his side… Chapter 17 Lily kept her eyes fixed on Whitby’s as she crawled… Chapter 18 Though he was still extremely fatigued the next morning, Whitby… Chapter 19 Whitby entered James’s study at precisely 10 A.M. James was… Chapter 20 Facing James in his study that morning had taken a… Chapter 21 Lily stood outside her brother’s study for a few nervous… Chapter 22 Lily and Whitby were married in a private ceremony at… Chapter 23 Lily and Whitby spent the first three days of their… Chapter 24 Lily woke from a brief nap when a knock sounded… Chapter 25 Lily sat beside Whitby in the closed coach as it… Chapter 26 Lily had vowed to walk into Century House with optimism… Chapter 27 Lily realized miserably the next day that she needed to… Chapter 28 In the days following, Whitby gave Lily a wide berth. Chapter 29 Lily stood at the drawing room window with a cup… Chapter 30 Almost immediately, Lily and Whitby rekindled their sexual relationship, and… Chapter 31 It was quite surprising when Lily realized that contrary to… Chapter 32 After the doctor finished examining Lily and assured her and… Chapter 33 Whitby stood outside the closed door of his wife’s bedchamber,… Chapter 34 By mid-morning the next day, Lily was no longer cheerful,… Chapter 35 It was a miracle—one of God’s own miracles. Epilogue “Two sons in two years. Very impressive, Lady Whitby.” Author’s Note About the Author Other Books by Julianne MacLean Copyright About the Publisher Prologue Wentworth Castle, Yorkshire Summer 1872 I t was at the youthful age of twenty-one that Edward Peter Wallis, Earl of Whitby, raised a coffee cup to his lips and made the conscious decision that he did not want to die. Or rather, he did not want to grow old—for being young was far more entertaining. “Here comes your little sister, dashing up the hill,” Whitby said to his friend James, the Duke of Wentworth, who sat across from him at the breakfast table. They’d had the table brought outside onto the sunny stone veranda, having decided they needed fresh air to ward off the disagreeable effects of their excessive consumption of brandy the night before. Although now it seemed a rather idiotic idea, as the sun was casting a blinding reflection off the sterling silver coffeepot in the center of the table, making it necessary to squint. And squinting was never advisable when one was nursing a pounding headache. “Look at her run,” Whitby said, lounging back in his chair as he watched Lily, her blue-and-white skirts flying everywhere. “You don’t suppose she’s going to ask me to play hide-and-seek, do you? Good Lord.” “Maybe tag,” James replied irritably, resting his forehead on a finger.
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