The Lucky One (Brethren Of The Coast #6) (22 page)

“Define ‘good,’ my gallant knight.” With a flirty titter, she licked her lips. “And I shall do whatever you wish.”

“Careful, my dear Miss Harcourt.” He bit back a groan, as everything inside him came alert at her innocent but inspiring proclamation. “I would not compromise you until the vows have been spoken, but you test my fortitude.”

“Am I so special?” The initial notes of the first waltz signaled the crowd, and he escorted her to the dance floor. “Given your extensive experience?”

“Would it shock you were I to admit I have wanted you since you bent over the tea stores in the
Siren’s
hold?” He arched a brow and hugged her tight about the waist. “Have I scandalized you?”

“Hardly, as I am well acquainted with your comedic nature, Sir Dalton.” Daphne squealed, as he twirled her in the rotation. “If you recall, I wore a hood, so my face was shrouded. How could you know anything of me?”

“I knew more than enough that night.” As always, he could not contain his laughter, when her arresting naïveté charged the fore. “Especially with you sporting those tight breeches, and I look forward to our honeymoon and a lengthy survey of your delectable derriere. Never let anyone tell you to be ashamed of your figure, angel.”

“
Dalton
.” Her attempt at reproach failed when she grinned. “So that is where your interest lies? And I had thought you partial to my mind.”

“Oh, I want that, too.” He reversed course. “I want to possess every part of you, my angel.”

When the dance ended, he led his lady to the edge of the throng. As the sea of bejeweled revelers parted, he noted a familiar visage and steered for the entrance.

“Where are we going?” Daphne inquired. “Your family is gathered in the back.”

“There is someone I want you to meet.” Standing before the grandest dame of the
ton
, Dalton drew up short, clicked his heels, and pulled Daphne to his side. “Miss Daphne Harcourt, may I present Lady Elizabeth, dowager viscountess of Wainsbrough and my mother.”

#

“Oh, my.” Daphne jerked, half-bowed, and then sketched a proper curtsey. Why had Dalton given her no warning? “Lady Elizabeth, I am so honored to make your acquaintance.”

“Are you not a delightful little thing. Please, you must call me Beth, as my son tells me we are to be family.” The poised noblewoman inclined her head and smiled. “And I wager I am far more excited to meet you than you are to meet me. Perhaps we can get to know each other, over tea, tomorrow.”

“I would love that.” In an instant, Daphne decided she liked her future mother-in-law.

“Wonderful.” The dowager extended a hand and flicked her fingers. “But now I would ask my youngest to favor me with a dance.”

“Of course, Mama.” Just as fast, Dalton jerked and glanced at Daphne. “If you will permit me to return Miss Daphne to—”

“Stuff and nonsense.” Daphne shooed her overly protective one true knight. “Indulge your mother. I know where to find Elaine and Celia, so I will be fine. And we are in the middle of a crowded ballroom. What could possibly happen?”

With that thought swirling in her brain, Daphne turned on a heel and weaved through the crush. After admiring a massive spring arrangement, which boasted a mix of roses, daisies, and snapdragons, she ventured into the shadows, where she located the youngest and quietest member of the odd extended family.

“Lucien claimed Celia for the quadrille.” Elaine drew Daphne behind a large bust perched atop a pedestal. “Do you see them? I feared Celia might burst, she was so excited.”

“How marvelous.” Daphne glimpsed the happy couple, and Celia emanated unutterable elation, as she gazed at the young sea captain. “Oh, no. She tripped.”

“She refuses to admit it, but she is smitten with him.” Elaine scooted lower. “And he is interested in her.”

“How do you know?” She craned her neck to gain a better vantage. “Have you heard something?”

“That is the benefit of blending into the background, as people do not hide what they believe others neither perceive nor detect. Watch and learn, my pretty friend.” With a muffled chortle, Elaine tugged Daphne to the other side of the column. “Men are not so difficult to read, as the clues are in their conduct. See how his fingers linger with hers, he licks his lips, when he meets her stare, and look how he admires her, when he thinks her unaware. She has caught his special attention, though he may not yet know it.”

“Does Dalton act in similar fashion, with me?” Daphne searched her memories for any relevant hints. “Have you noted any singular habits?”

“Indeed.” And then Elaine remained silent.

“Well?” Daphne shook Elaine. “What have you noticed?”

“Check his bearing.” The serene noblewoman pointed. “He searches for you, even in the company of Lady Elizabeth. When in deep conversation with the boys, Dalton adores you with his eyes. And when you stand within arm’s reach, he can’t stop himself from touching you, however brief the contact. I have witnessed such behavior, before, with my married brothers.”

“He cares for me.” It was a statement, not a question, and her knees buckled. Crouched in the Eddington’s ballroom with Elaine, Daphne realized Dalton had spoken the truth, when he claimed an emotional attachment. No, his had not been an attestation of undying love, but her one true knight harbored
something
for her, and that was better than nothing. In that moment, her heart sang.

“There is Sir Ross.” Elaine lurched upright and grabbed Daphne’s hand. “I would speak with him, but I promised Dalton I would not leave you alone.”

“Go to him.” Daphne grasped Elaine by the shoulders and gave her a gentle push. “As I can manage on my own.”

As the orchestra segued into an allemande, Lady Elizabeth patted Dalton’s cheek and then exited the grand hall. The gallant knight peered left, then right, and started in Daphne’s direction. So when Lady Moreton threw herself into his path, Daphne came alert. The nettlesome woman gestured with wild and frantic movements, while Dalton attempted to evade his nemesis, but she yanked hard on his coat sleeve. Conscious of the multitude of witnesses, her beau rested fists on hips and thrust his chin. Just as Daphne considered intervening on Dalton’s behalf, someone covered her mouth with a palm, slipped what seemed as an iron band about her waist, pinning her arms, and lifted her feet from the floor.

In the dark, she struggled in vain, as her unknown assailant carried her along the back wall and navigated a small passage. At last, they slipped into a dimly lit chamber, which Daphne surmised was the study, because of the furnishings and the faint smell of cigar smoke.

“Now I am going to put you down, and if you raise the alarm, I will quiet you in a manner you may or may not enjoy, Miss Daphne.” In a flash, she recognized the voice and calmed. “Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“My but you look rather fetching tonight, in your cream ensemble.” Her kidnapper set her on terra firma, then trailed a finger along the curve of her breast, and she stomped his booted foot and wrenched free. “What a spitfire. No wonder Randolph favors you.”

“Lord Sheldon, why have you brought me here?” Daphne retreated a step and inhaled a shaky breath. “What do you want with me?”

“Can you not guess?” He studied her from top to toe. “Or are you that naïve?”

“Pray, I comprehend nothing in your outrageous manners.” Hugging herself, she withdrew and added more distance between them. “Why am I the unfortunate benefactor of your unwelcome flattery, sir?”

“Lady Moreton has a score to settle with you.” As if guessing her thoughts, the scoundrel positioned himself in the path to the door. “She asked for my assistance.”

“And you champion her spurious cause?” To her frustration, she could identify no other exit. “Have you no sense of decency?”

“No, I am not so encumbered.” He laughed, as he moved in her direction. “I am in it for the sport.”

“Is that what I am to you?” And then his heinous purpose dawned, and she shuddered. “You intend to compromise me.”

“My dear, I am many things, but I am no rapist. Almira merely requires me to give the impression that I have ruined you, and I am more than adequate to the task.” The devastatingly handsome but unscrupulous rogue cast a lazy smile, and she feared she might vomit. “But I caution you not to reject the meal, when you have yet to sample the main dish.”

“And what does she hope to achieve, aside from my embarrassment?” In a swift maneuver, Daphne skittered behind the massive desk, achieving a modicum of security. “As I am a provincial, I do not value society’s good opinion.”

“She suspects Dalton wishes to marry you.” He lunged, but she avoided him. “I am to ensure that never happens.”

“No matter what you try, you will fail.” In that second, Daphne’s confidence soared, as the reprobate could never succeed. “Because I love Dalton, and he cares for me. So do your worst, sir. You cannot hurt us.”

Lord Sheldon opened his mouth and then closed it. For a few seconds, he simply gawked at her. Then, to her surprise, he sat in the leather chair near the hearth. “Has Dalton told you of the time he cuckolded Lord Walton?”

“At Lady Darrow’s, after a visit to the theatre?” Daphne sank into the plush seat at her left and rested her elbows atop the blotter, as she fretted she might swoon. “Yes, I know the whole of it.”

“And what of the Heath affair?” Lord Sheldon fixed his stare on the ceiling. “When we got foxed and—”

“You seduced the Howard twins and then traded partners.” Daphne sighed. “I have heard the story, as Dalton shared the entirety of his history with me.”

“And it does not bother you?” The wicked man met her gaze and furrowed his brow, as his astonishment was evident in his tone. “You forgive him?”

“In the grand scheme, it does not signify.” Emboldened anew, she soared on a wave of unshakeable conviction, as she recalled her conversation with Lady Amanda. “As the events occurred prior to our meeting, they matter not to me, so there is nothing to forgive. And as I apprised you, I love Dalton.”

“How very old-fashioned of you, Miss Daphne.” Lord Sheldon scrutinized the shine of his boots. “I had thought to stun you into submission, to incite your anger and then use revenge as a catalyst for a pleasurable tryst.”

“It will not work.” And then she fretted for her knight. Had Lady Moreton lured him to an equally remote location? Regardless of the outcome, Daphne vowed to support her future husband. “Dalton is the only man I have any interest in touching—or having touch me.”

“And do you think such a creature exists for me?” He frowned. “Is it possible for someone who has wreaked so much havoc in this world, and destroyed untold marriages, to find love?”

“Of course, it is possible.” Unafraid, Daphne stood, walked to the center of the chamber, and claimed the chair beside his. “You need only earn the lady of your dreams with honesty and a true heart.”

“What of you?” He shifted to face her. “My fortune is greater than Randolph’s, and although I, too, am a second son, my father is an earl, so you would be Lady Sheldon, if we wed.”

“Thank you, for the gracious offer, but I do not set store in such trivial titles, sir.” She studied the flames in the fireplace. “And I have found my mate.”

“Indeed, you have, and I should return you to him, as you have made a dolt of me.” Lord Sheldon checked his timepiece and shot forth. “Bloody hell, Almira will be here, at any second.”

“Oh, no.” She leaped to her feet. “What shall I do?”

Just then, the door flew open, and Dalton loomed in the entrance. He glanced at Daphne, glared at Lord Sheldon, and kicked shut the oak panel. Before she could utter a word, her knight stormed across the room, clutched the lapels of Lord Sheldon’s coat, and slammed him against the wall.

“If you put your hands on her, I will kill you.” Dalton bared his teeth. “I will see you at dawn on Paddington Green.”

“Dalton—no.” Fearing for her knight, Daphne framed his face and forced him to look at her. “Nothing happened. In fact, Lord Sheldon intervened on our behalf, after Lady Moreton hatched a plot to compromise me. But he could not go through with it.”

“Oh, come now.” Dalton scowled. “Do you really expect me to believe this leopard has changed his spots?”

“Yes.” Daphne leaned against him. “Will you hold me? Lady Moreton planned a horrible scheme, but Lord Sheldon confessed the entire stratagem.”

“Darling.” A sudden shift in Dalton’s demeanor coincided with a growl, as he thrust aside Lord Sheldon and then enfolded her in a gentle embrace. “Are you all right? I feared the most awful things, when I could not find you.”

“I am fine.” She lifted her chin, and he bestowed upon her a tender kiss. “And I am better, now.”

“Uh, I hate to break up this sickeningly sweet reunion, but Almira should have already found us, so I would not delay.” Lord Sheldon paused at the portal, which he eased ajar. Without ceremony, he retreated. “Hell and the Reaper, she comes down the hall, with Lady Howard and Lady Eddington as witnesses.”

“What can we do?” Daphne gulped.

Lord Sheldon sprinted behind the desk and said, “Randolph, you owe me for this.” Then he pushed the chair aside and dove beneath the piece of furniture.

“Follow my lead, sweetheart.” To her infinite amazement, Dalton dropped to one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket. When he lifted the lid, he revealed a diamond ring nestled in a bed of cotton. “I have been carrying this with me, waiting for the perfect moment to gift your betrothal band, since the jeweler delivered it. When Lady Moreton opens the door, shout, ‘yes.’”

As if on cue, the nasty woman thrust the oak panel, and Daphne cried, “
Yes
.”

“Oh, my.” Lady Howard blinked and sputtered. “It appears we have intruded on a romantic interlude.”

“And what a momentous occasion.” Lady Eddington pressed her clasped hands to her bodice. “While I must apologize for the interruption, may I extend my deepest congratulations, my dears?”

Dalton slipped the understated bauble onto Daphne’s finger and then kissed her knuckles, before he stood. “I beg your pardon, Lady Eddington. Given our close familial ties, I thought your venue the perfect opportunity to surprise Miss Harcourt with a proposal. I hope you are not angry that I commandeered the study for the private ceremony.”