Page 17 of Romancing Daphne

“I don’t know whether to wholeheartedly agree with you or be offended.I am both an older and a younger sibling, you realize.”

When Miss Lancaster rallied her courage enough to speak, her conversation was quite enjoyable. Perhaps the duke’s plan wasn’t so preposterous after all. If a few more people were given the chance to know her, she would likely have a relatively successful Season. James began to feel a bit more enthusiastic about this latest rescue. He didn’t mean to set himself up as a suitor nor as theyoung lady’s very dearest friend, but he could at least help ease her way a bit.

“Did you know, Miss Lancaster, there is quite a crowd gathered just outside this box?”

Some of her color dropped off as her gaze darted to the back of the box. “Why is that, do you suppose?”

He leaned closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “I asked that very question and was told they came to call on you and your family but, having heard that one of their ranks was nearly tossed to his untimely death, are now huddled in paralyzing fear in the corridor.”

She leaned a bit closer as well. “They wished to see me? Truly?” Hope warred with doubt in her expression.

“Truly. I spied Mr. Hartford and the Bowers, whom you met during our drive. I saw any number of other young ladies and gentlemen of theton.”

“That is unexpected,” she said.

“Perhaps in time thetonwill rediscover its collective courage.”

She smiled once more. “Adam is convinced they don’t have any.”

“You—”

“Lean in any closer, Tilburn, and I will personally hang you from this balcony by your feet.” The duke sounded utterly serious.

“That will not be necessary.” James stood once more. “I do need to be on my way.” He sketched the briefest of bows. “A pleasure to see you again, Your Grace. Your Grace. Miss Lancaster.”

Miss Lancaster smiled quite prettily, the color still high on her cheeks. He hoped he’d brought her a moment of reprieve from the pressures of Society. He could not quite imagine how difficult the social whirl must be for one who was truly bashful.

He offered her a smile in return. She blushed ever deeper.

As he stepped out of the box and into the corridor, the crowd of nervous theatergoers eyed him with a mixture of awe and incredulity. He couldhear more than a few of their whispers.

“The duke didn’t toss Lord Tilburn to his death. That is a good sign.”

“If Lord Tilburn is welcome in the Kielder box, surely someone of my station will be.”

Father would have pointed out that comments such as that one supported his argument that their family severely lacked standing. James had never overly cared for such things. The Tilburns were far from social pariahs. That was good enough for him.

“I am certainly not going to be left standing out here like a goose,” someone else declared as she pushed her way into the box.

Poor Miss Lancaster. James doubted she would appreciate the sudden incursion. He reached the outer portico of the Theatre Royal and buttoned his coat against the downpour. The evening had gone well, he thought. He’d kept his word to his father and His Grace. He’d enjoyed a friendly conversation with Miss Lancaster. And he’d managed it all without raising any expectations.

He might just navigate his way through these shark-infested waters after all.

Chapter Seven

Daphne remembered with perfect claritythe night Athena hadattended her first ball six years earlier. Her sister had overflowed with excitement. Facing her own first foray, Daphne felt nearly certain she was going to be sick.

Persephone, who had been mingling amongst the other guests during the quarter of an hour since their family’s arrival, returned and took a seatbeside the one Daphne occupied. “Your worries over being a wallflowerappear to be all for naught, dearest. No fewer than a dozen gentlemen told me in no uncertain terms that they are quite anxious to dance with you.”

As that was highly unlikely, Daphne simply offered her sister the doubt-filled look her words deserved.

“I am perfectly serious, I assure you.” Persephone put her arm aroundDaphne’s shoulders. “I realize your first week of the Season was less thanspectacular, but I do believe that was Adam’s fault. He rather frightenspeople, you realize.”

Adam stood beside and a bit behind her chair. Though he stood in utter silence, Daphne swore she detected a growl.

“Did he have to wear his sword?” she asked her sister in a whisper.

Persephone nodded without hesitation. “He wore it throughout Athena’s Season. And though I love our sister dearly, I readily admit he likes you farbetter than he does her.” Her grin was unmistakably conspiratorial. “Thesenext few months might prove a bit tense for the residents of London.”

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