Page 50 of Romancing Daphne

His tiny mutt of a puppy, its coat a muddled mixture of browns and yellows, ran in between his feet, yelping excitedly. He didn’t kick at it nor speak harshly but simply took pains not to step on its tiny paws as he continued his slow circuit of the park.

Daphne felt a smile spread across her face. This was her James Tilburn, with his puppies and his sparrows and his inherent compassion. She squared her shoulders as a small but appreciated surge of confidence took root in her. This was a gentleman worth the risk.

He saw her a moment before she reached him.“Good morning, Miss Lancaster.” His surprise at her presence registered on his face, but she did not think he looked unhappy.

“Good morning.”Confidence, she reminded herself.“It seems you have a little admirer.” She indicated the puppy scampering about.

James gently nudged the animal with his boot.“He is certainly attached to me. I’ve not gone anywhere these past two days without him tagging along. He is actually my mother’s, but his exuberance has frayed her nerves, and he has, out of necessity, come to live with me.”

“And you are exercising him this morning?”

“I believeheis exercisingme.”

“I do not wish to interrupt your efforts, especially if you are trying to undertake training. That is no simple thing.”

James smiled at her, and Daphne felt the tension in her begin to drain.“The interruption is a welcome one. Was there something in particular you needed?”

He would not be pleased to learn she had disrupted his morning for nothing more significant than a friendly conversation.“No. I merely wished to bid you good morning.”

“Oh.” James appeared genuinely surprised.

“Forgive me. I should have let you be.” She stepped back.“Forgive me.” Daphne turned quickly, escape her only thought.

“Wait,please.”

She felt him lightly touch her arm and stopped at the tingle his fingers caused.

“Your maid is here to lend propriety, and the park is a very public location. There would be no impropriety in our walking together,” he said.“Please, Daphne. Stay and walk with me a moment.”

He had called her Daphne. She could not even breathe. She had imagined hearing“Little Sparrow” again but somehow had not realized theimpact of hearing her actual name on his lips.

“I do not wish to make a nuisance of myself.”

“You have not, and I doubt you ever could.” He released his hold on her enough to move to her side and offer his arm.“Take a turn about the garden with me?”

“I would like that very much.”

She hoped James didn’t notice her hand trembling as she laid it on his arm. Faced with the prospect of spending time in his exclusive company—no matter that she’d desperately wished to—intimidated her. She wantedhim to like her enough to begin to love her. She wanted it so deeply she must have absolutely radiated desperation.

“I hope you do not mind an addition to our party.” James motioned to his side, where his faithful puppy trotted along looking quite pleased with itself.

“Not if you do not mind mine.” She indicated Fanny, following at a close distance.

James dipped his head to the maid. “I remember Fanny well. She was with us the day His Grace sent out the cavalry to herd us through Hyde Park.”

Fanny grinned.

James turned back to Daphne. “What brings you to this humble green?Falstone House is a good distance from this less-exalted part of town.”

“Adam procured a key to the park some years ago, after I discovered that a very rare subspecies of thyme grows here, a variety that cannot even be found at the Chelsea Physic Garden.” He had done so as a birthday present to her the year she’d turned thirteen. “I come here now and then to procure new cuttings of it.”

“I am beginning to suspect your talent as an apothecary is greater thanyou’ve let on,” James said. “Distinguishing between varieties of thyme is notsomething most people can claim to do. I, for one, am quite impressed.”

“I did learn a vast deal about various herbs growing up. We had not the means to secure the services of an apothecary, and home remedies were often our only option.”

“And you were given the role of healer? That seems rather weighty for a young child.”

She had spoken to very few people of those early years of poverty.James, however, was an intent and kind listener. She appreciated that.“I was grateful to be of use,” she said. “Being so young, I could do so little.”

---