Page 68 of Romancing Daphne

“You are happy, then?” she asked from within the circle of his arms.

“Oh, Persephone.” The two words emerged on a shaking, quiet breath.

Daphne slipped quietly from the room. She had intended only to provide a distraction by bringing up Persephone’s illness. Instead, she had forced upon them a conversation her sister had likely hoped to undertake with more privacy.

They were to be parents. Though neither had told Daphne as much, she felt certain their hearts had broken over the past years worrying andwondering and wishing over the possibility of children. She was deeplyhappy for them both. Fate meant to be kind to at least some of the members of this family, and for that she was truly grateful.

She walked down the corridor to the drawing room, knowing it would be empty and therefore quiet. She took one step inside and realized she was wrong.

A young naval officer with golden curls and familiar green eyes stood near the window, smiling at her as she walked in. Her heart flipped about in her chest. Linus had arrived at last.

“I had hoped Adam wouldn’t entirely monopolize your time,” he said with a grin. “He is only a brother-in-law, after all. My claim on your attention is certainly greater.”

“Good afternoon, Linus.”

“Good afternoon, Linus? I have been away at sea for half a year, and all I am to expect is a halfheartedGood afternoon, Linus?” He tsked and shook his head, his trademark smile never slipping.“No doubt you would have had an embrace for Evander.”

“Evander would not have teased me.” Indeed, Evander would have embracedher.

“Guilty.”Linus sighed.“Could you not spare me the slightest bit of sisterly affection—I am quite starved for it, I assure you.”

“If you are in need of overt displays of adoration, I am certain Artemis would oblige you. Such things are far more her forte than mine.”

Linus crossed closer to her. He had grown since she had last seen him, and not just in height. The navy, it seemed, did not produce scrawny men. She was absolutely dwarfed by him. “You have been crying,” he said, histone changing quickly to one of concern. “What has happened?”

“Nothing that an afternoon nap won’t address.” How easily the lie slipped off her tongue. She had no intention of telling all the world the true state of her heart.

“After all Adam’s grumblings about you being ‘so blasted cheerful’ and having some lordling courting you, I fully expected to see you bouncing about the place, humming and dropping flower petals in your wake,”Linus said.

“You expected to see me acting like an imbecile?”

He chucked her under the chin.“Are you feeling grumpy today, Little Daphne?”

She turned away.“Don’t talk to me as though I were a child, Linus. I am eighteen years old. Just because I am small—”

He nimbly stepped around her, stopping directly in front of her. With an apologetic smile, he said,“I hadn’t meant to hurt your feelings. And bear in mind, I have only seen you a handful of times since you were eight. I forget sometimes that you have quite grown up over the past decade.”

She nodded. The mistake was understandable when looked at logically.“I am always surprised at how very much you change between visits.”

“I grow handsomer each time, is that it?” He chuckled even as he tucked foppishly at his cuffs. Linus always did enjoy making others laugh. She likedthat about him, though she acutely missed Evander’s tender constancy.

“How long before you must return to sea?” she asked.“I daresay yourleave will be cut short considering the situation with the former colonies.”

“Actually, that is why I had hoped to intercept you.”His jovial expression soberedonce more.

“Has something happened?”

“Come sit with me a moment,” Linus said, indicating the nearby sofa. When she obeyed, he followed and sat beside her.“I need your opinion on a matter of great importance.”

His uncharacteristic gravity made her uneasy.

“You have always had a very good head on your shoulders and, even as a child, showed remarkably good judgment. I have found myself in a difficult situation and could use some advice.”

“Of course.” She would do anything to help her family. In that moment,she welcomed the distraction as much as the opportunity to be of assistance.

“Father’s health has taken a decided turn for the worse,” Linus said.

“Adam hinted at that. How bad is he?”

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