Page 106 of Romancing Daphne

“Rumor has it you have told anyone who will listen that your son is a profligate, worthless, and irresponsible young man. Yet I have placed my confidence in him this past week or more while my secretary is on holiday. Tell me”—the duke’s tone had turned decidedly cold—“which of us is mistaken in his character? You?” His Grace pinned Father with a look so black James shuddered despite not being its recipient.“Or I?”

“I . . . uh . . .” Father’s eyes darted between the pistol held so confidently in the duke’s hand and a deadly looking dagger at the ready near the duke’s side.

“It is also widely discussed that you claim your son is an inveterate gambler, without morals or self-control, that he has no regard for your fortuneor good name. Lord Tilburn has been a guest in this house in the companyof members of my family, and we have seen not a hint of what you claim.Again I ask you: Who is the idiot? You? Or every member of this family?”

Father paled noticeably.“I may have exaggerated a little.”

“And that in itself is another falsehood,” the duke said.“If there is one thing I cannot abide it is a jackanapes with the gall to lie to me while he is sitting at my table.”

Not an ounce of color remained in Father’s face. James could hardly fault him for his fear. The Dangerous Dukewas so called for good reason.

“Your son has found a place in this family, not because of your effortsbut because of his character. If you malign him, you malign this family,and that I will not tolerate. Lest it has slipped your notice, I am the Dukeof Kielder.”

His Grace set his pistol on the table but kept one hand on it. The duke, the lieutenant, even the butler glared at the quivering Earl of Techney. James very much feared his father would suffer the swoon Miss Artemis had offered to feign.

“I hold greater sway than the Royal Family,” the duke said firmly. “Society dares not contradict me in anything. A single word from me, a look, andyou would find yourself irrevocably and universally shunned.”

The duke, then, understood Father’s only weakness—his desire for prestige and importance. James never could threaten him in that way, so everyattempt he made to undermine his father’s bullying proved fruitless.

“You would ruin me?” Father’s voice actually broke.

“Ruining people is for the unimaginative,” the duke said.

Father’s belabored attempt to swallow was likely heard as far afield as Ireland.“I believe I understand your message.”

“How surprisingly astute,” the duke drawled. Without a word, he roseand left the room, obviously intending to join the ladies in the drawing room. His companions did the same.

“I cannot imagine what you have done to earn yourself such fiercedefenders,” Father said under his breath, walking at James’s side. The remarkcarried less censure than his comments usually did.

“I chose to be honest with them,” James replied.“In return, I learned to put the feelings of others above my own—a lesson, I assure you, I was not taught at home.”

“I have had quite enough set downs for one day, Tilburn.” Father kepthis voice low, but his tone snapped. “You humiliated our family and now have chosen to see me threatened for attempting to pick up the pieces ofour reputation.”

They stepped into the drawing room on the heels of the duke andLieutenant Lancaster. Father’s expression immediately became one of meekacceptance, all the fight James had heard in his tone but a split second before evaporating.

James did not dwell overly long on the change. As always, when he knew Daphne to be nearby, his eyes immediately sought her out. She sat near the fireplace, watching him with a questioning look and a concern he found infinitely touching.

She rose as he reached her side.“Adam would not tell me what he and Linus planned to do,” she said.“I hope he has not caused you difficulties.”

“Not at all.” He hoped his smile was reassuring.“They may have done the impossible and convinced my father to, for lack of a better expression, stop talking so much.”

“I hope you are right.” Her eyes focused over his shoulder, and an unmistakable aura of uncertainty settled around her.

James turned in the direction of her gaze and watched his fatherapproach them. A surge of protectiveness swept over him. He would notallow Father to injure Daphne’s tender feelings any further. He moved closer to her, knowing he likely appeared very proprietary but hoping the stancewould prove a warning.

“Miss Lancaster,” Father said.

James resisted the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders. The lieutenant might very well have him keelhauled were he to step so far out of the bounds of propriety. Still, he kept close to her side, prepared to resort to fisticuffs with his own father in a drawing room if necessary to protect Daphne from the man’s vitriol.

“Yes, Lord Techney?” Daphne trembled slightly as she spoke, yet her voice held an admirable note of determination.

Hang propriety, he inwardly declared. He took gentle hold of her arm and stepped the slightest bit in front of her, conveying without words that Father was not to mistreat her.

Father’s eyes darted quickly in the direction of the duke and lieutenant. His countenance paled a little.“My wife has spoken of little beyond the efficacy of your throat tonics. I felt to express her . . .ourgratitude.”

Daphnedipped her head ever so slightly.“I was pleased to be of assistance, something she seemed to receive little enough of.”

James saw his father’s jaw tighten in response to that well-placed verbal thrust.

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