Page 68 of Her Ruse with the Rakish Duke
“Love can come with time,” her father continued. “Love is a fantasy. A silly game of flowers and poetry. That is all there is to love for you young people. But once you get married, you’ll see that it takes more than that to keep a marriage going. You may not always like your spouse, and your spouse may not always like you, but love is the choice you make to stay despite it all.”
If Daphne wasn’t so angry at him for signing her off to a man against her wishes, she’d have found his words as romantic as the rest of the family obviously did as they were all staring at him with watery smiles.
“You may be infatuated with the duke’s charm now, but in a few years? You two may not be able to stand being around each other.” He sniffed. “Besides, if he were committed to being with you, it wouldn’t be taking him so long to do what is right. I would have preferred he made it clear what future he wanted for both of you.”
Daphne knew that much to be true. If it were anybody but Percy, she might have considered it. An icy finger of dread still crawled up her spine when she considered their last encounter.
“Couldn’t it have been anyone else?” she asked softly shaking her head.
“There are no other eligible gentlemen in our current party.”
“But Father…” she pleaded, trying to make him see reason.
“Mr. Farton is a good man from good stock,” her father added softly noting her expression. “He will be able to take care of you and secure your future. Love is not the first step to a stable home, darling girl.”
He rose from his seat, obviously finished with breakfast.
“I will leave you to decide whether or not you will be wed willingly to Percy,” he announced. “You will find me in the library once your decision is made.”
The rest of her family filed out leaving her with concerned looks.
She was so frustrated; she was so helpless in controlling her own life. She didn’t even have any tears left to cry.
The man she wanted preferred to live in the darkness of his past rather than brave a future with her. And her only option for marriage was a man who would no doubt continue his skirt-chasing, taking advantage of her non-confrontational nature.
It was true that an unmarried lady was left with very few options. Her father had no sons and had to will his estate to a distant male cousin of theirs that they’d never met.
If anything were to happen to her father, and the heir decided he wouldn’t want to care for them, she and her mother would be tossed out with their trunks.
It was wise she married and, in truth, Percy was the most palatable option she had currently. At least they’d grown up together — perhaps he might respect her enough to keep his affairs outside their home. And preferably secret.
Seeing no sensible forward approach, she rose from her seat and squared her shoulders as though going into battle, her mind set.
“I have made my decision,” she announced once she faced him in the library.
“And what is that decision?” he asked, putting his book down.
“I will marry Percy,” she said, more or less forcing the words out of her mouth.
He smiled brightly at her and rose to kiss her forehead.
“Oh, my darling girl,” he praised. “You really are sensible. I will go and tell Lord and Lady Suffork the news.”
She nodded watching him walk hurriedly to do just as he said with a skip to his step she hadn’t seen in an age.
* * *
Dinner came quickly, and while Daphne ate, she noticed Percy —who had been invited to dinner with his family — trying to meet her eyes from where he was sitting across the table from her, but she kept her eyes downcast, only politely replying to questions thrown her way.
When dinner came to an end and the guests filed into the parlor for games, her heart pounded unsteadily in anticipation of the progression of the night’s events.
Her father planned to announce her engagement that night and as fate would have it, for the first time ever, the duke was in attendance, as Harry’s guest.
Whispers were flitting about in wonder and when she finally heard the chink of a teaspoon on delicate China, she wished she’d locked herself in her room.
“I have a wonderful announcement to make.” Her father said once everyone’s eyes were on him.
Daphne tried to escape through the crowd, but Percy came to her side, his hand on her arm, effectively halting her plans.
