Page 4 of A Virgin for the Duke of Ash

Fools, every single one of them,Daniel scoffed inwardly.

But then again, he had heard of far more ludicrous wagers in his three decades of existence. Many members of the beau monde had the same tendency towards the excessive and outrageous.

That day, however, he had lost all tolerance for such inanity.

With a slight raise of his eyebrow, the waiter who served him rushed immediately to his side. Daniel merely had to glance slightly at the rowdy group for the man to grasp his intention.

“I shall take care of it, Your Grace,” the man promised him with a deferential bow. With measured steps, he hastened over to the group.

Daniel saw the brief flash of hesitation on his face before he approached who appeared to be the leader of the group. The so-called gentleman’s face scrunched up in obvious displeasure, and he glanced over in Daniel’s direction.

“The Duke of Ashton, eh?” he sneered. “Well, we have paid our dues to this club fairly. Surely, His Grace would not be so impolite as to kick us out.”

Daniel did not even bother to look in his direction. The rabble always made a lot of noise when they were about to be tossed out. Even the thin veneer of sophistication could not hide a man’s true nature.

“Come now. Surely His Grace is not at all as you make it seem, Darnley,” a more congenial voice appealed. “Perhaps His Grace would care to join us in a friendly wager?”

I would rather be tormented by seven devils.

The one who tried to at least make an attempt at civility was none other than Thomas Salsbury, the Earl of Sidmouth. Talland charming with warm brown eyes and golden hair, he was a favorite of ambitious mamas and their daughters. Their adoring gazes would follow him even when he walked into the most crowded ballrooms.

A pity, really, that he did not have much to stand on.

Daniel gazed idly at him, his eyes frosty with disdain. For a moment, he saw the Earl’s smile falter slightly, which only made him smile even more.

Truly a wolf in sheepskin, nothing more.

Lord Sidmouth’s lips curled into a wider grin, arrogance oozing from his every pore, as if it would make up for the silent blow that Daniel dealt him.

“In fact, I wager that I shall secure Lady Evelyn Fitzroy’s hand in marriage!” he announced confidently. He glanced slyly at Daniel. “What do you say to that, Your Grace?”

The rest of the club fell silent, and all gazes swiveled back to the silent man sitting at the corner table.

His words had the very effect of taking a bludgeon to Daniel’s skull. In his eyes, the Earl of Sidmouth had suddenly changed from merely an annoying blight upon God’s creation to a man who appeared to have grown tired of living.

It was no secret that Evie was under Daniel’s protection, entrusted to his care by Colin himself before his departure. To declare such a thing was not merely throwing the gauntlet at his feet—the fool was slapping him with it.

“I would say that some men indeed still fail to comprehend the enormity of the earth and their insignificance in the greater scheme of things,” Daniel replied scathingly.

He stood up and glared at Lord Sidmouth, who subconsciously took a step back when he so much as looked at him.

He has nothing but this false bravado to show, and he dares to challenge me?

Daniel put his hat on and eyed every single one of them. Some of them visibly shrank back, but he found no joy in their obvious defeat. These idiots would only rise again the moment he turned his back to them.

“I suggest you put an end to this nonsense,” he warned them. “You would all do well to keep your distance from Lady Evelyn Fitzroy, or you will have me to deal with, and believe me”—he smiled coldly—“it will not go well for you.”

For a moment, he saw fear flash in the Earl’s eyes. Some of the younger, weaker men in attendance gulped visibly.

These were men who grew up in the lap of luxury, living privileged lives. What did they know of pain?

Only enough to fear it.

The Earl of Sidmouth pressed his lips into a grim line and stood up. “I find the company in this establishment lacking,” he announced stiffly, his hands clenched into fists.

He promptly picked up his hat and whirled around, heading for the door with large, angry strides. Seeing as their ringleader had left, the rest of the circus immediately scrambled for their hats and sticks as well and headed out en masse.

Beside Daniel, the poor waiter heaved a sigh of relief.

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