Page 107 of Romancing Daphne

“I will endure a set down from the Duke of Kielder but not from an overlooked debutante who—”

“That is quite enough, Father.” James spoke through clenched teeth.

“Boy, do not—”

Across the room, the duke cleared his throat loudly. The lieutenant unsubtly moved his sword hand to his scabbard.

Daphne drew the smallest bit closer to James. He kept his hand on the back of her arm, allowing his thumb to lightly stroke it in what he hoped she interpreted as a gesture of support. If Father uttered another disparaging word to her, James would fillet him and leave the duke to deal with the remains.

Father offered something of a bow and stepped away, finding a seat somewhat removed from the rest of the company. James remained at Daphne’s side, still thrown off by the odd sight of his father cowed.

Miss Artemis dove into a rather heart-wrenching recitation ofThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

James led Daphne to a sofa, taking his seat beside her.

“You must think me the worst sort of coward,” she whispered too softly for anyone else to overhear.

“Why on earth would I think that?” he replied in the same low tone.

“I ought not to have shrunk away from your father. I ought to have been confident and unshaken.” Her face fell.“Instead I stood there shaking, waiting for him to say something cutting.”

Miss Artemis’s performance completely held the attention of the others in the room. James cupped Daphne’s chin with his hand and turned her face up toward his before pressing a light kiss on her forehead. He lingered, fighting the temptation to actually, truly kiss her.

A man might expect a lot of different reactions after tenderly kissing a lady with whom he’d fallen in love. James, however, hadn’t anticipated her face crumbling, a sheen of tears in her eyes, and a swift, silent flight from the room.

* * *

Running from the drawing room hadn’t been part of the night’s planned entertainment, but Daphne hadn’t known what else to do. He’d held her so tenderly. He’d defended her to his father. She could feel her defenses crumbling entirely, and it terrified her.

James appeared in the empty sitting room only a moment after she arrived.

She tightened her clasped hands, tension radiating through every muscle in her body.

“I am sorry,” James said. “I should not have kissed you as I did, especially in front of so many people.”

I should not have kissed you.This most recent kiss was far less personal than the one they’d shared in front of the mirror. Did he regret that as well?

She tried to step away, but he took her hand, holding her near him. Gently, he brought her back to his side.

“What would it take, my Little Sparrow, to keep you from flying away again?”

The long-treasured endearment seized her heart and rendered her momentarily unable to speak.

“Ours was a difficult beginning,” he said, “but I swear to you, my affection for you is deep and real.”

“I do want to believe you,” she whispered. “But I have been hurt too many times.”

“Mark my words. I will find a way to prove myself.” He leaned toward her and lightly kissed the tip of her nose. A shiver tiptoed down her spine and echoed through her arms and legs. He stood so close she could smell his shaving soap and feel his warmth.

He leaned his forehead against hers long enough to say again,“Iwillfind a way.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“Why do I have thefeeling you are not attending to me in the least, Tilburn?”Lieutenant Lancaster’s amused comment broke through James’sabstraction. He had, in fact, been woolgathering, a seemingly constant statefor him of late.

“My apologies,” he said.“I am afraid my thoughts were wandering.”

He had far too much to think on to entirely prevent such a thing. The rumors his father had started seemed to be dissipating. Society eyed him with greater respect and acceptance. He would leave in only a day’s time to begin his new“job” in Shropshire. And yet Daphne weighed more heavily on his mind than anything else.

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