Page 48 of Romancing Daphne

She smiled up at him.“Thank you.”

He indicated she should take the seat beside her sister. “Has your prodigal brother made an appearance yet?” he asked.

“Sadly, no. Adam paid a call on the admiralty before leaving for Shropshire. We could hear the weeping all the way at Grosvenor Square.”

“Weeping?” James took the empty seat beside Miss Lancaster. “I wouldnever have guessed His Grace was the weeping type.”

Both Miss Lancaster and her sister grinned at that.

James spoke to the duchess next. “I have heard a great deal about your absent lieutenant.”

“If you happen toseea great deal of our lieutenant, or even a mereglimpse, do let me know,” Her Grace answered. “He has me tied in absolute knots.”

“I will keep a weather eye out, Your Grace. It sounds to me as though the duke has enlisted the highest of help.”

The duchess smiled fondly. “Adam does know how to get things done.”

They all looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. James rose to his feet. “Good evening, Mrs. Bower, Miss Bower.”

They offered curtsies and he the expected small bow. “Your Grace, are you acquainted with the Bowers?”

“I am,” she replied. “A pleasure to see you both again.”

James had first made the Bowers’s acquaintance two Seasons earlierwhen the oldest Bower daughter had made her debut. Fortunately forhim, she had set her sights on the younger son of a marquess and he’d not needed to maneuver his way out of the reach of her mother’s ambitions. He didn’t yet know the intentions of the younger Miss Bower.

“Our most sincere apologies, Your Grace,” Mrs. Bower said, “but we have come in an attempt to deprive you of your company.” She turned a bright smile on James. “Many of the other ladies have realized that you, Lord Tilburn, have not yet danced this evening.”

She subtly inched her daughter farther forward. If Miss Bower shared at all her older sister’s selfish nature or her mother’s lack of social discernment, James meant to do all he could to make certain she did not rest hermatrimonial hopes on him. “I have spent the last few sets speaking withmy family and with the duchess and her sister,” James said. “I believe that is time well spent.”

“Well, yes. Yes, of course.” Mrs. Bower gave her daughter another nudge, this one better understood.

Miss Bower smiled at him coyly. “You do mean to dance, though, do you not? This is a ball, after all.”

“I do not wish to be rude.”Good heavens, how do I get out of this?

“Then you will dance?” No one would ever accuse Mrs. Bower of being demure.

“I—There isn’t—I—”

“Lord Tilburn is engaged for this next set,” Miss Lancaster said quite without warning. “His good nature prevents him from refusing your invitation outright, but his integrity prevents him from not keeping his commitment. Can you not see what an impossible situation he finds himselfin?”

The Bowers stared at her in surprise. For his part, James could havehugged her. She’d offered him the escape he’d not thought of on his own. A brilliant bit of counterstrategy.

“With whom are you dancing?” Miss Bower found her voice again quickly enough.

“I am promised to Miss Lancaster.” He did not wish to force her into dancing with him if she chose not to. He had imposed upon her enough. “Whether we will join in the dancing or simply continue our very diverting conversation, I leave for her to decide. In either case, I am unavailable for the next set.”

He held his arm out to Miss Lancaster, and she, sharp as always, slipped her arm through his as if about to take a turn about the room in anticipation of the beginning of a set.

“I do apologize,” James added, not wishing to be rude despite the growing giddiness of having escaped the woman’s very obvious machinations.

“Promise Cynthia the set after next, and all will be forgiven.” Mrs. Bower’s grin turned triumphant.

“Actually,” the duchess spoke across whatever Mrs. Bower meant to add, “before your arrival, I had been on the verge of asking Lord Tilburn if he would be so good as to see that our carriage was called up. I am not feeling particularly well.”

Miss Lancaster’s attention turned immediately to her sister. She slippedher arm free of his to give the duchess a closer examination. Her Grace’scoloring had dropped off noticeably.

“I will have your carriage brought around with all haste.”

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