Page 12 of A Chance to Dance with the Duke
As it was, he’d withstood the older man’s company as he’d hoped to hear some sound of his daughter arriving.
Not that he truly believed for one moment that she really had stepped out just seconds before his arrival.
The Viscount had glared witheringly at Carver as he’d muddled his way through an explanation of what he was doing there.
“It seems I may have unwittingly offended your daughter, sir,” he’d started.
He’d expected to hear an earful about the inadvertent gossip he’d stirred up. But the Viscount had given a disdainful sigh and a shake of his head. “Women these days are always upset over something.”
“Er…well, all the same, I should like to explain?—”
“No need.” The older man had waved away his words. With a glint of amusement in his eyes that made Carver feel slightly ill, the Viscount had continued. “I was a young lad myself once upon a time, you know.”
“Of course,” he’d started.
“I remember what it was like to issue dares and get up to no good.” The older man had leaned back in his chair with a chuckle. “Oh yes, I've been known to initiate some hijinx in my day.”
Carver had remained quiet at that, truly too stunned to respond. Had her father just likened her public humiliation to…some boyish hijinx?
Somehow that conversation had made his guilt go from burdensome to absolutely crushing.
He wanted to explain to the older man that he’d gotten it all wrong. He hadn’t been poking fun at Pegleg Meg. But instead he’d found himself nodding and giving his thanks when the Viscount insinuated that he’d be welcome to visit Miss Taylor any time he liked.
A dinner invitation had come after that.
And it had become markedly clear that her father didn’t care one whit that his daughter didn’t want to see him.
Her father looked at him and saw a Duke. A young, unmarried one, at that.
And as always, that trumped all else.
“Stop brooding,” Kal said with a frown that was…why yes, it was decidedly brooding.
“Why are you the only one who’s allowed to brood?” Carver asked.
“I never brood.” Kal managed to sound insulted, though this was an old joke between them.
Carver cast another glance around them, at the distant corner Kal had planted himself, so far from the crush. “If you weren’t brooding just now, then what were you doing over here by yourself?”
Kal lifted a shoulder and resumed what he’d been doing when Carver had found him—scouring the crowd. Carver felt a surge of gratitude. “You’re searching for her as well, aren’t you?”
Kal turned to him with a blank look. “What? Oh, er, yes…of course.”
His cousin might be able to lie to others, but he’d never been able to tell a fib to Carver.
Carver narrowed his eyes. “If you weren’t searching for Miss Taylor, then who?—”
“Don’t look now,” Kal interrupted. “The Ferguson twins are here.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Please say they’re not heading in our?—”
“Carver, you rogue!” the first twin said.
Carver never could keep them straight. One was Ted and one was Fred. And both were addlepated nitwits.
