Midnight Rain:

Chapter 5: Pursuit of Finding a Wife:

And just like that, both James and Anthony went on their way to call the eligible young ladies. 

Anthony recalled the list of the ladies that he had in a notebook while James's servant kept the miniatures of the debutantes. Anthony had written Evelina's name on the list, but he skipped it since he knew her drawing room would be full of many callers. She was a princess, after all. And he was not going to ruin everything he was working for by following his heart. 

"Are you looking forward to being a mother?" Anthony asked, promenading in the park with Lady Patridge and her mother.

"Oh, very much. I am quite close with my brothers and sisters. I love children." Lady Cordelia Patridge smiled, rehearsing the line her mother told her.

"What number do you have in mind?" Anthony asked rather bluntly.

"Of children? Four... Or five. No. Perhaps six." Lady Cordelia said, trying to say any number to please Anthony, but his tight-lipped smile was not helping the poor girl.

"Three children is what I have always wanted, my lord." Lady Abigail Evans was the next young lady, who spoke calmly as she sat with the viscount.

"And what if... If one of your daughters had a penchant for overspending, how would you deal with that?" Anthony asked, trying to see how she could handle herself as the lady of the house.

She had no response.

Anthony went to a few more interviews, crossing off the debutantes who did not meet his standards. 

"We must secure a new lady's maid for Eloise now that she is out. Ensure she is even more strong-willed than the last." Anthony said to the servant, moving to sit at the smaller study desk in his bedroom. "What are those?" Anthony asked him as the servant placed a stack of papers before him.

"Uh, accounts requiring your signature, my lord." 

"The harp is a wonderful instrument, my lord, teaching one patience, strength, and an appreciation for beauty, of course." Lady Margaret Goring smiled, sitting at her harp. Anthony sat across from her, and her mother sat at the back of the room.

"But do you read?" Anthony asked her when her smile turned to confusion.

"Books?" She asked as he sighed to himself before crossing off her name when he returned to his carriage.

Meanwhile, at the Palace.

"Ah, I see you ditched the luxury of your rooms while your lady friend was shown her way out, thanks to Brimsley." Evelina smiled as she walked into the library, seeing James napping on the sofa by the window.

"You act as though you are oblivious to having a mistress or escort, Your Highness..." James said, moving his arm over his eyes.

"I have many older brothers who have many illegitimate children, my dear... nephew..." She smirked a bit as James chuckled at her emphasis. "I am far from oblivious about such matters, but I assumed you would be out, bright and early, to see the long list of young ladies that my dear Mama has so graciously given you," Evelina smirked, looking around the extensive library where her father used to read her many books when she was growing up with her late sister, Amelia.

"Shouldn't you be in your own drawing room? Awaiting the vast line of callers?" He asked, moving his hand to look at the princess.

"Mother has already dismissed them all. None of them up to her standards, apparently." Evelina sighed before grabbing her nephew's pocket watch to check the time. "Oh, and I shall tell you before my mama makes Brimsley discuss it with you... No mistresses allowed in the palace; you might want to consider the brothels." Evelina smiled before heading toward the door.