Page 30

W here was he?

As the afternoon sun gave way to evening, Daphne found herself growing increasingly restless.

She hadn't seen him all day. At first, it had seemed like a blessing. She told herself that avoiding him would help her regain control of her thoughts, keep her emotions from spiraling further out of control. But as the hours passed, curiosity began to gnaw at her.

It had grown to the point that it was skating along the edge of a much more dangerous emotion: obsession.

She couldn't help but wonder. What was he doing? And more importantly... who was he with?

Seated with the other ladies, Daphne tried to focus on the conversation around her. They were discussing fabrics and colors, idle chatter. It was all in the background for her anyway. Instead, her mind was conjuring up scenarios of its own.

Her hand tightened around the delicate fan she held, fingers digging into the smooth handle.

That's when Lady Eugenia entered the room.

Daphne's stomach clenched painfully at the sight of her.

Lady Eugenia, graceful and poised, seemed to glide into the room.

She had a perfect smile on her face, as though she had spent her day in quiet luxury.

Daphne's gaze flicked to her face, scanning for any signs, any clue to where she might have been.

Had she been at breakfast?

Daphne hadn't noticed her, but then again, her thoughts had been too preoccupied with Richard.

Now, though, Daphne couldn't shake the sudden suspicion that Lady Eugenia had been with Ambrose this entire time. The idea hit her like a punch to the gut, sending a wave of jealousy through her.

No... it couldn't be.

But the longer Daphne stared at Lady Eugenia, the more the irrational thought took root.

Oh. What if she had spent the day with Ambrose? What if they had been together all this time, somewhere secluded and quiet, enjoying each other's company? The idea made Daphne's blood boil.

Her mind whirled with questions and jealousy so intense it made her chest ache. Before she knew it, she was rising from her seat. She had to find out for herself. Otherwise, she ran the risk of going entirely mad.

"Excuse me, ladies," Daphne murmured, offering a polite smile as she made her way across the room toward Lady Eugenia.

Eugenia noticed her approach and turned, her expression pleasant but a little surprised. "Lady Daphne," she greeted warmly, "how lovely to see you."

Daphne returned the greeting with a smile and tried to keep her voice as light as possible. "And you, Lady Eugenia. I hope you've been enjoying your time here."

Eugenia's smile widened. "Oh, absolutely. The Dowager is a gracious hostess."

Daphne nodded, considering her words. She needed to tread carefully. "I'm glad to hear it. It's been quite a lively day, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Eugenia agreed, "Though I've spent most of the day enjoying some quiet time."

Daphne's heart thudded in her chest. *Quiet time?* That could mean anything. She forced herself to keep her voice steady. "I imagine you've had plenty of company. There are so many interesting people here."

That was the perfect question, Daphne felt almost proud of herself for coming up with it. It was neither too specific as to give her intentions away, nor too general that it could make Lady Eugenia go off on an entirely unrelated tangent.

"Yes, I've had the pleasure of speaking with a few guests, but nothing too extravagant today." she nodded and then, almost too casually, she added, "I haven't seen much of His Grace, though. I assume he's been occupied?"

Daphne's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ambrose, but she masked her reaction, nodding in a bid to appear nonchalant. "Yes, I've noticed his absence as well. I imagine he's been busy."

"Well, I suppose it is not a surprise. I imagine the Dukedom keeps him plenty busy."

"Indeed, it must," Daphne smiled sweetly. "Well, I do hope you've had a pleasant day regardless."

"Oh, absolutely," Lady Eugenia replied with a graceful nod. "I enjoy a bit of solitude from time to time."

The subtle implication sent a pang of uncertainty through Daphne. Was Lady Eugenia trying to imply something more? Was this her way of hinting that she had spent the day with Ambrose, but was too discreet to say it outright?

The thought made Daphne's jealousy flare up again, but she bit back her retort.. She couldn't risk letting her emotions show.

"Well," Daphne said after a beat, "I suppose I'll see you at dinner."

Eugenia smiled pleasantly. "Indeed. I look forward to it."

Daphne excused herself and quickly retreated, her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way out of the room. Her mind was spinning with jealousy.

She hadn't learned anything concrete from Lady Eugenia's words, but the suspicion gnawed at her, relentless. The idea that Ambrose had spent the day with someone else—even if it was unfounded—made her feel an anger she hadn't expected.

Joyce pulled Daphne to the side, her eyes narrowed with concern. "What is going on with you?" she asked, her voice low but firm, as she pressed a glass of water into Daphne's hand.

"I'm fine," the latter replied, not in the mood to discuss anything.

"No, you are clearly not." Joyce wasn't buying it for a second. "You are almost foaming at the mouth. Did something happen with Lady Eugenia?"

At the mention of Eugenia's name, Daphne's grip tightened on the glass, her knuckles turning white. For a moment, she looked as though she might crush it in her hand. "No," she said, her voice sharp. "Nothing did."

Joyce raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Really? Because you seem ready to shatter that glass with your bare hands. If it's not Lady Eugenia, then what is it? Is it Richard? Did something happen between you two?"

"Nothing's happened, Joyce. Please, just drop it."

But Joyce wasn't convinced. She folded her arms, studying her sister with growing suspicion. "Then where were you last night?" she asked, her tone careful but probing. "I didn't see you retire with a book as you claimed. You seemed rather... occupied."

Panic shot through Daphne, her mind racing. Did she know about the kiss? Could she possibly know?

Her pulse quickened, and she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could formulate an excuse, a voice cut through the air.

"Lady Daphne! Lady Riverton."

Both sisters turned to see the Dowager approaching, her presence impossible to ignore. They exchanged greetings.

The Dowager offered a nod in return but didn't waste any time getting to the point. "Lady Riverton, if you don't mind, might I borrow your sister for a few moments?"

Joyce's brows lifted ever so slightly in surprise, but quickly masked it with a polite smile. "Of course, Your Grace." She glanced at Daphne, her expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "I'll be just over there if you need me."

Daphne's heart thudded loudly in her chest. Her mind scrambled for reasons why the Dowager would want to speak to her alone, especially after the conversation they'd had earlier.

Did she know? Surely, she did not.

She swallowed nervously as Joyce gave her a quick, reassuring nod before moving away, leaving her standing alone with the Dowager.

Edith gestured toward the balcony. "Perhaps outside? The weather is quite pleasant tonight."

"Of course," Daphne swallowed hard. The two ladies made their way over, surpassing the crowd of guests until they finally had a moment of privacy.

"I've been meaning to speak with you for some time now. You've been here for several days, and yet I feel I haven't had the chance to properly get to know you."

Daphne blinked, surprised by the Dowager's words. "Get to know me?" she echoed.

"Yes," the Dowager confirmed, her smile widening slightly. "I've been observing you, my dear, and I must say, I find you quite fascinating. You have a certain... presence about you. A charm that isn't always so easily found among young ladies these days."

Daphne felt warmth rise to her cheeks at the unexpected compliment. "I... thank you. That's very kind of you to say."

Edith chuckled lightly, "It's the truth. And I've always been one to speak my mind. That's something I appreciate in you as well, Daphne. You don't strike me as the type to hide behind politeness or pretend to be something you're not."

Daphne found herself relaxing slightly in her company, almost feeling foolish at her earlier assumption.

"I've always believed that honesty is the best policy," Daphne replied, allowing herself to smile more easily. "Even if it's not always what people want to hear."

"Ah, exactly," Edith agreed, her laughter warm and unrestrained. "I've found that to be true more times than I can count. It's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't simply say what's expected of them."

The Dowager's kindness felt genuine, but there was a deeper curiosity behind her words that made Daphne wonder what she was leading toward.

"I must admit, I've been curious about your relationship with Richard," she said, "You've certainly captured his attention."

Daphne felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of Richard's name.

This was the conversation she had been dreading—the one where everyone assumed that her future was already decided.

That Richard's attentions automatically meant marriage, and that it was only a matter of time before the proposal came.

Is that what the Dowager had come to speak to her about?

She chose her words carefully. "Richard... has been very kind," she said, "He's a gentleman in every sense of the word, and I'm grateful for his attentions."

The Dowager raised an eyebrow, picking up on the vagueness of Daphne's response. "Yes, Richard is very much the gentleman. But I'm more interested in how you feel about him. Is he everything you've imagined in a husband?"