Page 20 of Romancing Daphne

“Lord Tilburn?” Persephone asked the question in a hinting manner,having apparently found significance in Daphne’s words. Daphne was actually surprised her sister hadn’t already discovered her preference for James. Adam, it seemed, had pieced that secret together ages ago. Why else would he have issued an invitation to call upon her to James and only to James?

“I imagine he would,” Persephone said after a moment. “Perhaps we could stay a bit longer and see for ourselves.”

Adam had already taken a step toward the door, clearly intent on making his usual early exit. “Tilburn isn’t here.”

“He might yet come,” Persephone said.

“I do not stand about in ballrooms waiting for someone to afflict me with their company.” Adam held his arm out for Persephone, clearly confident his declaration would not be met with any objections.

Persephone’s expression softened as she slipped her arm through his. “I believe we have pushed our duke to the edge of his endurance, Daphne. We had best go before he decides to utilize his sword for more thanvisualintimidation.”

She didn’t argue. She never did. But as they made their way through the pressing crowd, offered farewells to their host and hostess, and finally stepped out of the ballroom, she kept her eyes open, searching for James.

She didn’t know what to make of his absence. He had shown herrather particular attention. Had she been wrong to hope he did so because he enjoyed her company?

Whatever the reason he’d stayed away, she’d missed seeing him there. She did her utmost not to worry that he’d deserted the field after having only barely stepped foot there.

Chapter Eight

Father summoned James to hislibrary for the third time in a week.James was not generally a superstitious person, but he couldn’t help a feeling of foreboding. Father sat at his desk spinning that blasted signet ring.His eyes shone with anticipation. What was he plotting this time?

“Good afternoon, Father,” James said, hoping he sounded more self-assured than he felt.“I received your missive. What was your pressingmatter of discussion?”

“You did not attend theDebenhams’ ball last evening.” It was a demandfor an explanation. James knew there was no point ignoring it.

“No, I did not.” He had spent the night with a gathering of gentlemen at his club debating matters of Parliament, a far preferable pursuit than a ball.

“Kielder’s sister-in-law was there.” Father made the announcement asthough James had neglected a direct summons from the Prince Regent ratherthan simply forgoing one in an unending line of balls.

Father took a deliberate breath. He slowly spread his fingers out on his desktop. “You agreed to pay her particular attention.”

“And so I have. I called during an at-home. I took her for a ride inHyde Park. After I spent a few moments in their box at the theater, she hadany number of others do the same.” He hadn’t broken his word to any ofthem.

“All of Town is quaking over Kielder’s mood last evening. He apparently insisted one of the young gentlemen there feign a loss of hearing or risk being run through.” Why did Father sound so pleased by the reports? “He ordered Devereaux’s heir presumptive to take himself off. He glared poor Mrs. Bower into a very unflattering bout of weeping. The social casualties last evening were staggering.”

And Father was scolding him for not attending the figurative beheading of the upper classes?

“You were supposed to be there, Tilburn, making your case.”

“Making my case?” That was exactly the sort of entanglement he’dbeen trying to avoid. “It seems you and I have very different ideas of what I—”

“Fortunately, I have already taken pains to make recompense on your behalf.”

James’s entire frame froze on the spot.“What did you do?”

“I sent her flowers along with your apology for not being present at the ball.” If the spinning signet ring was any indication, Father was quite satisfied with his efforts.

Flowers. And a missive.“She will think I am courting her.”

“Aren’t you?” The question was offered in too self-satisfied a tone to be anything but rhetorical.

“Of course not.” James jumped to his feet. “I befriended Miss Lancaster as a favor to you because you made an ill-conceived promise to the most dangerous man in the kingdom.Onlybefriended her. We were quite specific on that matter.”

“You agreed,” Father replied.

“But not tothis.” Panic was quickly setting in. “I said I would standup with the young lady on a few occasions, call at her home once or twice.You are speaking of courtship.”

“We have always been speaking of courtship, Tilburn.”

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