Page 76 of Romancing Daphne

James swallowed back a lump of apprehension.“I came because I have been concerned about Miss Lancaster.”

“No doubt an oddly unfamiliar sensation,” Lieutenant Lancaster observed dryly.

James had anticipated making his statement, enduring some kind of painful punishment, then limping away. The tongue lashing came as a surprise.

Perhaps a fast and detailed recounting of the truth of all that hadoccurred was best. The duke could not possibly think Miss Lancaster complicit if he knew the whole of it. That was James’s first priority.“When my father first told me of your suggestion that I court your sister-in-law, I will admit I was hesitant. However—”

“I would never make such a harebrained suggestion.” The duke’s interruption was more growled than spoken.

For a moment, those words did not sort themselves into any degreeof sense.“Shortly before Miss Lancaster’s first at-home,” James remindedhim.“My father told me you approached him suggesting that I court yoursister-in-law, beginning with calling on her.”

“Calling on her wasallI suggested.”

Could that be true? Had Father lied? James’s heart sank to his stomach. Of course Father had lied. He had done little but lie. “Calling on her was all I agreed to at first, along with offering a friendly greeting should I see her at balls or soirees.”

The duke and lieutenant appeared wholly unimpressed with his original adherence to gentlemanly behavior.

“Under the influence of my father’s threats and machinations, I allowed myself to be manipulated into pursuing a match with Miss Lancaster and didso by giving the impression of an eager and willing suitor and purporting adeeper affection than I felt.”

“You lied to her.” The duke’s words were tight, angry.

“I did.” He swallowed against the lump of regret and apprehension inhis throat. “When your sister-in-law learned of my behavior, she put an endto our association, and rightly so. I am concerned that she will be blamed.”

“She is a young lady who was actively and publicly courted,” the duke said. “Every expectation was raised of a connection, and that courtship has ended. All of Society will blame her, and your perfidy will follow her, perhaps for years. My standing and influence will significantly lessen what she will endure, but even I cannot eliminate it entirely. She will suffer, and forthat, Tilburn, I should run you through right here and now.”

“But you do not blame her? You won’t hold this debacle against her?” He cared too much for Daphne to allow her to be further injured if he could at all prevent it.

The duke pointed his dagger directly at James.“You risked your very life by confronting me in order to save her from mistreatment when youyourself are guilty of doing her an egregious injustice, of taking advantage of her good and kind heart, of subjecting her to the ridicule of an unforgiving Society?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Far from improving the duke’s opinion of him, James’s declaration seemed to annoy his interrogator further.“And what do you hope to gain by this? Do you think I will plead your case to Daphne?”

“No, sir. Not at all.”

The tension in His Grace’s countenance emphasized the massive scarring that marred his face. The web of badly healed skin pulled James’s attention despite himself.

Lieutenant Lancaster stepped around the desk, his gaze uncomfortably scrutinizing.

“I understand, Tilburn,” His Grace said, “that you have arranged foryour mother to have a companion. Your brother’s financial position is relatively sound. Further, your father is withholding your income for the remainder of his pathetic life. Does that accurately sum up your situation?”

Surprised, James nodded once more. How had the duke come by suchdetailed information so quickly? He didn’t think all of those things werecommon knowledge.

“Might I suggest”—more than a hint of condescension colored the duke’s words—“when you are lord of your father’s estate, you consider the possibility of hiring a new steward? The man I sent had only to buy the gum-flapper two pints at the local ale house before he knew everything there was to know about you and your family.”

James sat in stunned silence. The duke’s servant had plied the Techneyman of business with ale in order to ask prying questions? What else was theduke willing to do to accomplish his ends?

His Grace showed no outward signs of a guilty conscience over something that most would consider more than a touch underhanded.“If anymember of my staff so much as discussed my morning meal preferences, I would dismiss him forthwith.” James would feel more at ease if he knew just what the duke’s intentions were towardhim.

“What do you intend to do about your current financial state?”

Likely the duke knew precisely James’s plans, thanks to that drunkard of a servant. Honesty was decidedly the best approach.“I am looking to secure employment, perhaps as a gentleman’s secretary. I do have some experience in the political arena and could likely make myself useful. I mean to give it my very best effort, at least.” Lud, his voice hadn’t cracked so much since his Harrow days.

The duke folded his arms across his chest and leveled James with a lookthat made his heart thud to a stop. He knew instinctively they’d reachedthe point in the interview where his answers would directly impact the duke’s feelings about putting a painful period to James’s existence.“Why not marry a girl with a large dowry like every other pinch-fisted, worthless worm of thetonwould do?” The duke’s scars grew more pronounced as hiseyes narrowed and his mouth tightened. That did not bode well.

“Or better yet,” the lieutenant jumped in again, “simply fall in line once more with your father’s demands and hope he restores your income?”

The idea required no thought, no consideration.“I would rather be a pauper than puppet to a tyrant.”

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