Page 62 of Romancing Daphne

“And I will personally make all the arrangements, so you need do nothing but attend and enjoy yourself.”

“You are certain?” she asked.

James took her hand once more, raising it to his lips and brushing the lightest kiss on her fingers.“It will be my very real pleasure.”

Long after she and Fanny returned to their carriage to make the drive back to Falstone House, Daphne held the back of her hand to her cheek, closing her eyes, shutting out every sensation but the memory of his kiss.

* * *

James discovered that doing a kindness for Daphne was both a privilege and a joy. He’d spent an enjoyable afternoon and morning planning the impromptu picnic. By means of a quicktête-à-têtewith Her Grace at the Bowers’ musicale the evening before, he’d discovered Daphne liked water-chestnut sandwiches, lemonade, and apple tarts. He’d also learned that the Lancasters had enjoyed only the most basic of accommodations when picnicking: a blanket, a basket of food, plates, and utensils. He meant to recreate those excursions.

Ben crossed his path as he made a circuit of the front entryway, awaitingDaphne’s arrival. Inexplicably, his brother laughed almost on the instant.

“You find something entertaining?” James glanced out the windows at the sky, wanting further reassurance that the weather would cooperate.

“I findyouentertaining. I haven’t seen you this giddy since we were boys.”

“I am not giddy.”

Ben only laughed again.“Enthusiastic, then.”

James shrugged.“I like picnics.”

Ben motioned for James to walk with him toward the back terrace.“I have a feeling what you have come to like is Miss Lancaster.”

“How could I not like her? She is intelligent and witty and a genuinely good person.”

Ben raised an eyebrow even as he lowered his voice.“Am I to assume you are not so disgusted with your courtship of her as you were a few weeks ago?”

The reminder was a bit sobering.“I still cannot like how all this began. But I’ve had time to come to know Daphne better, and I have found reason to be optimistic.”

“She’s not the dragon you expected her to be?”

He had made a great many assumptions about her, none of which had proven accurate.“Better than that, even. The more I know of her, the more I believe we could make a good match of it.”

Ben shook his head. “‘A good match’ is not the same as ‘a love match.’”

Leave it to Ben to dampen the enthusiasm James had managed to find.“No. But it is better than what our parents have.”

“You have resigned yourself to it?”

Resignedwas far too harsh a word.“I like Miss Lancaster. Quite a lot, in fact.”

Ben studied him a moment.“I’ve come to like her as well,” he eventually said.“I don’t care for the idea of her spending her life with a husband who regrets marrying her.”

James pushed out a breath. The guilt he’d tried to assuage all week flooded over him again. He had spent far too much of the past weeks deceiving a good-hearted lady. He did like Daphne. She was a wonder and a pleasant surprise. He missed her when she was away and thought of her while they were apart. He might not have chosen her on his own, but he could be agood husband to her.“I didn’t say I regretted courting her,” he said.

“If you cannot go forward with this honestly,” Ben said,“you really shouldn’t go forward at all.”

James shook his head.“It isn’t that simple. This arrangement may have begun by force, but it does not feel that way any longer. Should I befortunate enough to win her regard, I will do everything I can to make herhappy.”

“Everything except tell her the truth.”

“The truth would only hurt her, Ben.”

For the first time, his brother seemed to empathize with him.“An impossible situation, isn’t it? Being honest means she would never trust you again,but withholding the truth is not the proper thing either.”

“At times it feels completely impossible.”

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