Page 13 of Her Ruse with the Rakish Duke

“Does that mean you will miss dinner?”

And miss seeing her?

“I cannot.”

“Short of stealing off the back of the other gentlemen, there is nothing else I can do, Your Grace.”

Victor stalked to the pile. “Hand me the damned thing.”

Dan walked over with a white shirt. The cool material slid over Victor’s skin, reminding him of Daphne’s cool scathing tone earlier.

“If a woman…” Victor started then broke off.

“Your Grace?”

“Nothing, get the coat,” Victor bit off.If a woman sees a man she kissed years ago, is it normal for her to completely despise him?

He wasnotabout to whine about Daphne to Dan. That would be preposterous. He had, at least, expected her to be civil. He understood that she was entangled with the peacock, but did she have to make it that obvious?

At some point, he would have apologized for staying silent all those years. When he knew nothing could come of it, he would have approached her. Her outright venom both wounded and excited him. Something about the way her eyes flashed and her lips curled.

He found that he could hardly wait to join the group for dinner, for the sole purpose of arousing her anger once more.

Daphne said she would not acknowledge his presence. She had no idea how stubborn he could be.

“Your Grace?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you humming a tune?”

Victor stilled, “No.”

Not to mention the years had been extremely kind to her. He could not imagine why that oaf had waited so long without marrying her. Any man could see she was a fire waiting to be kindled.

Once dressed, Victor strode from his room and met up with Harry. His friend had waited outside for him. Together, they strolled to the dining room. Victor came to the understanding that Harry was in the process of hiding from Amelia.

He was afraid she would ask him about colors again and he just could not tell apart shades of red and blue, one more time. Victor laughed at him all the way to the hall. Once they entered, the sweet aroma of salts and grease pervaded his nostrils, causing his stomach to rumble.

He found his mother laughing with a group of other mothers — including Daphne’s — and he deftly avoided them. He was not about to endure another tale from the palace.

The two men headed to the drinks table and grabbed two glasses each.

“A good best man would find a way to make me happy,” a disgruntled Harry complained.

“Sure. If he was good. I never promised good. My presence was all you required.”

“I shall forever regret this decision.”

“What do you know about Percy Farton?” Victor asked as the other man entered the hall.

“They are very close with the Parsons, if that is what you want to know. Matter of fact, Daphne and Percy have shared a close relationship since childhood. I believe he wants to marry her.”

Close relationship indeed. Where was he when Daphne was attacked by Weatherton?

Victor took a sip of his drink to conceal the displeasure on his face, “I thought so. Why has he not proposed?”

Harry shrugged, “Do you want me to find out?”