Page 26 of Romancing Daphne

“I would give a year’s pin money to see you prance, Adam.”

He laughed, something only Persephone had ever managed to make him do.

“This is one invitation, dearest,” Persephone said, “and one to a single dinner being held before Linus can possibly reach Town. You cannot use him as an excuse to avoid it.”

“When have I ever required an excuse to avoid anything I didn’t wish to do?”

Persephone only smiled. “The solution to this difficulty is quite simple. I will accompany Daphne to the dinner party, and you can sulk here at Falstone House.”

“You will be spending much of the Season at balls and musicales whilst I am home, and you wish to add another evening apart to our already ridiculous schedule of them. This is your perfect solution?” He eyed Persephone with patent disapproval.

“Then you shall simply have to come to the dinner with us.”

“How fortunate for me,” he drawled.

“Do you mean to accept the invitation, then?” Daphne asked.

The flash of surprise that crossed both Adam’s and Persephone’s faces clearly indicated they had forgotten her presence in the room. That happened far more often than it ought.

“I believe we should,” Persephone said.“Lord Tilburn has been attentive. His father clearly wishes to deepen the connection. An intimate dinner party would be the best opportunity for us to come to know Lord Tilburn better.”

“That is likely their purpose, after all.” Daphne tried to convince herself that she was living the smallest fulfillment of her hopes where James was concerned. She wanted to believe it. She truly did. She also didn’t want to be disappointed if nothing came of these dreams.

Persephone pulled away from Adam and leaned toward Daphne, her brow pulled with concern. “What is it that has you so worried, dearest?”

“What if—” Personal confessions never had come easily to her. And yet this undertaking was so new and unfamiliar that she needed some guidance. “What if he comes to know me, then decides he doesn’t care for what he has found?”

“Then the whelp is a fool,” Adam declared.

Persephone stopped him with a gentle hand on his leg without ever looking away from Daphne. “You always have been wont to worry. But being courted—and Idobelieve this is the beginning of exactly that—ought to be a wonderful and enjoyable experience. Please try to simply enjoy it. Allow Adam and me to worry and watch.”

“And I most certainly will be watching him, Daphne,” Adam declared in his very sternest duke voice. “I offered my approval of his first visit to this house, but I made no promise beyond. I will keep a very close eye on Lord Tilburn, make no mistake about that.”

Chapter Ten

“This is lunacy, James. Utterlunacy.”

James walked beside his brother as they made their way from his London rooms toward Techney House. Bennett had arrived unexpectedly in Town only that morning.

“I have never once heard you mention this Miss Lancaster, and then wordarrives from Father announcing that you are courting her? It is madness.”

James completely agreed, but giving voice to that opinion would not be helpful. He straightened his cuffs, attempting to appear at ease despite the weight in his chest and the oppressive heat of the late-summer day. The heavy clouds did little to improve conditions.

“I am certain all will work out fine in the end.” He’d been telling himself that ever since signing his deal with the devil the night before.

“By whose estimation?” Bennett demanded.“Mother wept when she read Father’s letter, and not tears of joy. I would certainly never advocate you marrying someone I know you do not love. Lands, I doubt you even care for her. You could not have known her before this Season.”

“I am sure I have met her in the past,” James said.“She looked familiar.”

“She looked familiar?” Bennett laughed humorlessly.“What kind of a beginning is that to a courtship?” He grasped James’s arm, stopping their forward progress.“Did she trap you into this? Trick you into compromising her?”

“No.”Miss Lancasterwasn’t the type to do anything so underhanded. “Father was more than a little presumptuous in what he wrote in that letter.” And even more presumptuous in his timing. For Bennett to have receivedthe letter and come to Town, arriving less than twenty-four hours afterJames himself had been forced to agree to the courtship, Father had to havesent the letter several days ago. “A betrothal between us is not a foregone conclusion. I would wager Miss Lancaster would be shocked to hear that any kind of future between us is being discussed at all.”

Bennett did not look relieved.“You have never been one to act rashly, and such a swift courtship is inarguably rash.” He shook his head as they turned a corner.“I’d sooner expect the Duke of Kielder to run you through than allow you to compromise his sister-in-law.” Bennett’s voice suddenlydropped in volume.“Did theDangerous Duke force your hand?”

“No.” There’d been no true force from anyone but Father. Despite having been the one to first propose a courtship between James and Miss Lancaster, His Grace watched James with suspicion.“No, he didn’t.”

James could see Bennett’s posture stiffen. Realization, it seemed, was dawning.“Father is forcing you, isn’t he?”

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