Patrica Rice (23 page)

To his further surprise, a slender man with broad shoulders and chestnut hair descended first. A feeling much like that of the one before battle gripped Evan’s stomach, but he halted beside the carriage door and engaged in a bout of eye-to-eye combat with the stranger as Daphne started to step out.

Both men held out their hands, but Daphne could only see Evan. She reached for him gratefully, taking solace from the strength of his clasp as he helped her to the ground. He did not release her immediately as she turned to wait for me third passenger to descend, and they waited in silence as Lord Thomas clung to the carriage door, cursed the coachman, and descended with an angry thump, glaring at Evan all the while.

“I suppose you’re the bumptious wretch who means to ruin my daughter,” were the first words he spoke.

Daphne hid a resigned smile at Evan’s jerk of shock. She pressed his fingers reassuringly and made the introductions.

“Papa was with Michael when he received my letter,” she explained hurriedly. “They’ve already spoken with your uncle.”

Evan’s jaw locked in a tight knot at this news, but he managed a grim bow of greeting. “Your haste is to be commended, my lord. Do come in. I’m certain my grandfather will be pleased to meet you.”

Evan longed to pull Daphne aside and question her privately, but the time for that was past. Her father’s arrival actually made things easier. He could ask for her hand and arrange to have her spirited to Bath all in one day. The only difficulty might be that Lord Thomas had come expecting his daughter’s betrothal to a wealthy viscount, not a near-to penniless ex-soldier.

“Grandfather?” the irascible old man grumped. “What the deuce do I want with your grandfather? It’s you I’ve come to see. There’s something havey-cavey here and I mean to get to the bottom of it. Where’s that sister of mine? Fine idea she has of acting the chaperone while her niece is all about the countryside endangering life and limb in that ramshackle vehicle.”

Amusement began to dance about Evan’s lips as he listened to the older man’s complaints and watched the exasperation on Daphne’s mobile features. If only he could take her in his arms and tell her everything would be all right... But he had not yet earned the right for that. He contented himself with keeping her hand on his arm as he directed the Templetons toward the drawing room, where his brother and the earl waited.

Chapter Seventeen

Gordon swung around in surprise as his brother re-entered the room after so recently leaving it. His eyes widened at the sight of an unhappy Daphne on Evan’s arm, trailed by two men whose family resemblance marked their names even before introductions were made. As he realized their purpose here, his resolve firmed, and he greeted both men.

The Templeton men stared in some dismay and bewilderment as a duplicate of the man they had just accosted took their hands and stood beside Daphne. She stood between twin giants, her hands resting familiarly on both their arms much as if she were perched between the arms of a comforting chair.

Despite the concealment of her bonnet and pelisse, she appeared quite natural and proud there, not at all the diffident invalid they thought her. And the looks the twins gave her delicate beauty were not that of pity or sympathy.

“Which one of you is the viscount?” Daphne’s father demanded.

“What’s it to you?” The earl strolled from his corner, brandishing his walking stick as if it were a riding crop.

The sturdy Lord Thomas swung around fearlessly. “She’s my daughter and I’ve a right to know!”

Gordon stepped into the breach, clasping Daphne’s hand and tugging her gently toward their elders, away from Evan. She had no choice but to follow without making a scene, and he seized the advantage. “I’m Gordon Griffin, sir. Your arrival is a timely one. I have just been discussing with my grandfather my desire to marry your daughter.”

Daphne felt her knees give way, and she clutched Gordon’s arm desperately for support. She sent his serious mien an aghast look, but he never turned to notice it. Why was he doing this? She had enjoyed their flirtation, toyed with the idea of being a viscountess, but she had known it was only a fancy. Did he really think that one silly letter had placed him in this position?

Lord Thomas harrumphed and gave the young viscount a considering look. He was a handsome devil, but then so was the man behind him, glowering like an evil genie. He hadn’t missed his daughter’s expression, either. A woman didn’t look at the man she wanted to marry as if she had been poleaxed when he asked for her hand. His nose for the suspicious twitched.

“Is that so? And have you discussed it with my daughter?”

Gordon’s lips tightened. “I have tried, but it was not seemly to ask too much when I was not in a position to ask your permission first. We have known each other but a short while. I thought it wisest to give Daphne time to consider the idea.”

The other young man seemed prepared to explode, Lord Thomas noted with satisfaction. He turned to acknowledge the earl standing beside him. “You know aught of this? The girl’s my daughter and one of a kind, but as much as I love her, I can’t fancy you’re happy with the idea of your heir marrying into a country family like ours.”

The earl’s mouth opened and clamped closed. He looked from one twin to the other and shook his head. Evan had just overridden all his brother’s objections a moment ago to insist that he was obliged to offer his name to the girl. But Gordon’s suit had first brought the earl here and his heir seemed most vehement now. This was one fracas where he wouldn’t intervene, as much as he was tempted to.

“My grandsons are old enough to know their minds,” Shelce announced, praying fervently that was so. He looked to Agatha for confirmation, and she nodded smilingly.

Taking up her needlework, Agatha leaned back into her chair. “I’m happy to hear you believe your brother’s story about last night, Gordon. I knew Daphne could do nothing improper. And Evan is a gentleman, after all. He would never harm a lady, particularly his brother’s intended.”

She could not more successfully have exploded the waters had she shot a cannonball into their midst. Lord Thomas turned a wrathful gaze on the darker twin, and Michael stepped forward as if to demand immediate satisfaction.

Thinking he had neatly rescued the situation without Daphne’s impropriety being revealed, Gordon appeared resigned. Only Evan showed nothing of his thoughts as attention swung to him.

His gaze met and held Daphne’s as he spoke. “I would never do anything intentionally to harm Miss Templeton. I should hope that I would only act in her best interests. Daphne, perhaps you and your aunt would join Melanie to prepare for your journey to Bath. I think it time that Gordon be apprised of the news you have brought.”

For once, Daphne felt only relief at thus being dismissed, and she gave Evan a grateful, if somewhat weary smile. He looked as tired as she, and she felt a small measure of alarm at the thought. What if Robert were somewhere outside now, looking to cause harm? Evan was the only one with any training to deal with such a situation.

“I can leave with my father. Do you think Captain Rollings might escort Lord Shelce and Melanie as far as the toll road? You must rest and have someone tend your shoulder.”

“Wait just one moment, young lady!” Lord Thomas roared. “You’ll not be going anywhere until I have the meaning of this. What have you and this damned upstart got to say to anything? I’ll hear this whole tale before I move myself an inch further!”

Evan sent his twin a speaking look, and gauging the urgency of the situation, Gordon acted. “Explanations will come, but with all due respect you must bear with us a moment. Daphne has made a very good point. If you will excuse me, I shall be back directly.”

Daphne breathed easier as he left, no doubt to summon Captain Rollings. This foolish argument over her betrothal had delayed their departure to inordinate lengths. It might even be dangerous to leave now. Surely there was safety in numbers.

Her gaze returned briefly to Evan, but he had turned his back to stare out the windows overlooking the park. Recognizing the wisdom of that, Daphne took a seat beside her aunt. She didn’t know why Agatha had done what she did, but she supposed her misbehavior had to come out sometime.

While Gordon was gone, Evan began a very expurgated version of the events leading up to last night for the benefit of Lord Thomas and Michael. It was evident that his grandfather had already heard it. There would have been no other way of explaining how she had come to be in Evan’s room all night.

Daphne wished she could read the earl’s expression, but it was as closed as Evan’s. Her brother’s honest visage expressed surprise and alarm as the story unfolded. Her father’s face she did not need to read however. He was quite capable of making his thoughts heard even as Evan spoke. His mutters and curses filled every pause in the story.

Gordon returned to the room just as Lord Thomas rose to his feet with a shaking fist and a loud curse in reference to Evan’s origins, and a demand for immediate reparations to his daughter’s honor. With Gordon returned to the line of fire, he set his artillery on the viscount, too, until all the room filled with the shouts of men demanding to be heard.

Michael tried to press his father to silence. The earl vehemently protested the insult to his grandsons. And the twins rose to the defense of each other and the protection of Daphne. The cacophony was tremendous and pointless, for none heard a word of the other.

Agatha sat smiling into her embroidery. Daphne gave her an amazed look and started to rise to lend her pleas to Michael’s, but her aunt held her arm.

“Let them bluster and let it out of their systems. Then we’ll have some sense. Have you decided which of them you prefer? I should think you would have your choice when the fur stops flying.”

Daphne shook her head. Choice? She had come here a month ago prepared to be a spinster. She was not at all certain that she was prepared to give up that decision in favor of men who thought her incapable of directing her own life.

Her gaze fell thoughtfully on the weathered twin, who had retreated to watching the window again. It was evident he had already resigned her to his brother without a protest. She didn’t see much choice in that.

“I don’t give a devil for your reasons!” Lord Thomas shouted above Gordon’s protest. “My daughter’s been compromised and I mean to see her wed. Dashed if I care which of you does it, but it will be pistols at dawn if one of you don’t step forward. My Daphne’s a good girl. I’ll not see her ruined by your frippery notions. Murderin’ bounders and highwaymen! The devil take the lot of you. I ain’t certain there’s a one of you deserves her.”

Evan smiled at that, though only his reflection in the window noted it. The blustery old man might just be right. He and Gordon had played a fool’s game from the first, and Daphne had been the innocent victim. She made a lovely victim, he had to admit, with her delicate beauty and wounded eyes and defiant spirit that had turned both him and his brother head over heels.

He turned and placed his back to the draperies so he could better observe her reaction to the scene swirling around them.

She seemed quite confused and bewildered by all the shouting. There were shadows under her eyes from the late hours they had kept with their foolish talk of nonexistent futures. He noted again how frail she was, the thin skin pulled tight over cheekbones of the most delicate grace. Her fine, long-fingered hands clasped and unclasped in her lap, forbidden the outlet of needlework that her aunt used.

She needed the comfort and security of a home where she could be protected and treated gently as she deserved. And he could not offer it. He had meant to try, but Gordon was making it all too obvious that he was the better choice. Even now, he was pacifying their growling elders, bringing order out of chaos, and restoring peace to Daphne’s drawn features.

Evan’s only inclination had been to spirit Daphne off to Gretna and put an end to the argument once and for all. He could see already that that was not a satisfactory solution.

“My heir is right.” The earl spoke into a sudden lull in the roar. ‘The choice should be Miss Templeton’s since both my grandsons have shown their desire for this marriage. I cannot but think there ought to be more time before making such a momentous decision, but if you insist upon it, Templeton, I’ll not stand in the way.”

Daphne felt the sudden silence and realized she had become the center of attention. She had not been seriously attending to the conversation, having already made up her own mind. To be set abruptly in the midst of it left her even more bewildered.

Gordon resolved her confusion by kneeling beside her chair. His coat of blue superfine fit superbly over strong shoulders and fell gracefully over narrow hips. The white linen at his throat was still immaculate despite the day’s activities. A gold watch fob was the only adornment on his discreetly striped buff vest. He was every inch the nobleman from the crown of his golden head to the tips of his polished Hessians. And he lifted Daphne’s hand with great respect and gentleness as he spoke.

“I realize we have been arguing your fate with all the selfishness of our natures, but it’s time that you make your desires known, my love. I’ve tried to tell you of how I feel. I think you are not unaware of it. Could you possibly find it in your heart to forgive my slowness in speaking my mind and accept my suit?”

Gordon was all that a lady could want in a husband. He was kind, generous, intelligent, respectful—she had run over the list in her mind a dozen times. And now he was opening himself to public rejection for her sake, to give her a choice. She did not know if he did it out of sympathy or honor or a misplaced sense of gratitude, but none of these were enough to base a marriage on. Yet she could not bring herself to reject him in front of all these people. She owed him that much for his consideration.

Daphne clasped his hand between hers and tried to express with her touch what she could not say with words. “I am more than honored, my lord. I am overwhelmed. But I do not think this is the time or the place to decide. You must see to the care of your family first. You, of all people, know that any harm that has come to me has been of my own doing. I would not have your suit from fear of the consequences I must face. I am quite content to face them on my own.”