Page 24 of Her Ruse with the Rakish Duke
Harry hurried to stand. “No! No! Victor has had a very hard life. Yes, he might have dealt with it in bad ways that aren’t exactly legal, but that was in the past. And I can assure you that Daphne will not find a more reliable person in the world.”
“You would say that. He is your dearest friend!”
Harry came to her side, “And you know me, sweetheart, I would never endorse him, if he were dangerous.”
Amelia smiled up at him. He had never given her a reason to doubt his love. She trusted Harry, which meant she had to trust Victor.
“How did they meet? When?”
“I can only answer one of your questions. Four years ago. There was a kiss and a promise. But Victor probably feels he is not good enough for her. The idiot.”
Amelia released a restrained squeal. “A kiss?”
“Like this,” Harry leaned down and kissed her deeply. Amelia melted into her fiancé’s arms, as she had the first time it happened. When he stopped, she wanted to pull him back. “Let’s bring them together,” he said softly. “They would make each other happy. I know it.”
“My sister said she was stung by a bee, but I am sure she kissed him, that little sneak. Fine! What should we do? Before our wedding is ruined by their behavior too.”
Harry laughed and pecked her forehead, “It cannot go that far. But I know just the thing. Come with me.”
Amelia pulled on his neck and pressed her lips to his again. “In a moment.”
* * *
Victor filled his pockets with his hands and strolled down the corridor. There was a remarkable spring in his steps. He kept his face perfectly free of expression but his voice boomed through the house as he acknowledged and returned greetings from servants.
“Your Grace,” Dan said by his side. “You may want to lower your voice, you are scaring people.”
Victor cleared his throat and removed his hands from his pockets, “My voice is perfectly low.”
Then he started to swing his arms by his side. “Find Harry for me. He wanted us to speak with his parents this evening.”
“I did find him, Your Grace. I told you twenty minutes ago. In his study, waiting for you. Please do not take offense, Your Grace, but did you fall from your horse?”
“Go, now. Before you lose your job.”
Dan gave a clipped nod. Victor was almost sure he saw Dan repress a smile. The man had been with his family forever. Some of those times Victor had to gamble at night, Dan would either come with him or stay awake at the house until Victor returned. The man turned into another corridor and disappeared. Victor sighed and turned in the corner, toward his friend’s study.
Dinner was in a few hours, and he would see Daphne again as soon as he completed this thing with Harry. It had been a mistake, he knew that. He was a fallible man, especially in front of her.
Victor…
He heard her moan in his head and stumbled across his own feet. He looked around, confirmed that no one had seen him, and righted himself. That night, he would stay far away from her.
He arrived at Harry’s door and made to push the door open.
“She loves him; it’s the truth!” he heard Amelia’s high voice as clear as day. He paused with his hand on the slightly open door.
“She does?” Harry replied in an even higher voice.
“She told me herself, yesterday after he kissed her.”
Victor bumped his fist into the wall and winced quietly. He pressed closer to listen.
Amelia gave a very loud sigh, “After that night, she has never forgotten him. Why do you think she never married? She was waiting for him.”
“Dear God! And the man seems to hate her.”
Victor almost burst through the door to correct them.
