Page 80 of Romancing Daphne

The praise touched her, likely more than he realized.“It is not often I compare favorably to those two.”

He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.“I think you’d be surprised.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. The ever-teasing, often-neglectful Linus seemed to disappear a little more every time she saw him. He wasgrowing into a fine man, one she often felt she did not know at all.“I willcherish this,” she said, meaning more than just the comb.“Thank you.”

“You can thank me by wearing it and thinking of me when you do.”

“I will think of you even when I am not wearing it. And I will miss you.” Even if he resigned his commission and went to live in Shropshire, he would still be away, and she would be left behind. Loneliness had ever been her greatest struggle. She began to suspect it always would be.

She had pleaded with her father once, promising to be good and not disturb him if only he would allow her to sit with him in her office as he had once done. She had explained that she wished only to spend the day with him because she loved him. The sadness that had clouded his eyes hadn’t lifted as he’d told her to go make herself useful to her sister. She had been only nine years old that last time she’d asked to be granted his company. Years of being told to go had finally convinced her she wasn’t wanted. It was a feeling she continued to battle even now.

Persephone came in the room in the next moment. She’d been out making morning calls. Though she generally returned from her visits serene andrejuvenated, she looked just a touch harried. Her sweeping gaze took in theroom and its occupants quickly and assessingly, a skill she’d perfected in heryears as sole caregiver for her siblings.“That is a very fetching bonnet, Artemis,” she said.

Artemis dropped into a chair, a look of utter despondency cast at them.

Linus grinned. To Persephone, he explained.“She had hoped the bonnet would be ‘devastating.’”

Persephone looked her sister over once more before returning her attention to their brother.“She looks devastated, so I suppose that is a success.”

“Not exactly how I’d envisioned my gift being received, but I’ll take what I can.”

“Have any of you seen Adam?”

Persephone’s urgent tone fully captured Daphne’s attention.“Last I sawhim he was in his book room,” she answered.“He was awaiting an importantmeeting with a tradesman.”

Persephone crossed directly to the bell pull and tugged. Locating her husband seemed no unimportant thing.

“Is something the matter?” Daphne asked.

“Quite possibly.”

Daphne felt the blood drain from her face. Had something happened? Had a complication arisen with Persephone’s condition? Linus’s thoughts must have traveled along the same path. He crossed directly to their oldestsister and took her arm in his, leading her to a nearby chair.

Persephone actually rolled her eyes.“There is nothing the matter withme.”

But the entire family had known her too long and too well to feel at all confident in that declaration. She had always put herself and her own needs last.

A footman stepped inside.

“Will you please take a message to His Grace in the book room and ask him to step in here a moment?” Persephone asked.

She received a deep bow of agreement.

An awkward and heavy silence descended on the room. Persephone was clearly lost in her own thoughts. Daphne kept a close eye on her, evaluating everything she saw. Her color seemed fine, if a touch high. The warmth of the day could account for that. Persephone had thinned some in the last fewweeks, owing, no doubt, to her lost appetite. That, Daphne’s readings hadassured her, would resolve itself in the weeks and months to come.

She exchanged looks with Linus. He appeared as confused and unsure of what to do as she was.

Several long minutes passed before Adam stepped into the room. His eyes fell on his wife, and the unmistakable look of love he always wore when first they found each other in a room slid across his face once more. But with it was a great deal of concern.

“What has happened?” he asked, sitting on the sofa beside her.“Are you unwell?”

Persephone shook her head.“Is everyone going to assume that for the next months?”

“Absolutely.” How very unrepentant Adam sounded.

“Lovely,” Persephone answered, her tone as dry as Adam’s often was.“This has nothing to do withme.”

“Then what is it?” Hopefully Adam would succeed in getting that question answered when no one else in the room had managed.

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