Page 88 of Road Trip With a Rogue

Daisy tried not to groan. The parallels to her own situation were all too obvious, and the irony that Violet’s marriage should have remained a secret, while gossip about her ownnon-marriage to Vaughan was apparently all over town, thanks to Letty Richardson, was hard to swallow.

She and Vaughan needed to do something similarly overt and announce either their engagement, or their supposed wedding, but the thought of it made Daisy feel oddly despondent. She’d played hundreds of different roles while undercover for King & Co.: an exhausted servant, a belligerent fishwife, an expensive courtesan. But pretending to be engaged or secretly married to Lucien might just be the hardest of all.

The thought of him gazing into her eyes and pretending to be in love with her, knowing it was only for show, would hurt. She would have to keep reminding herself that he was acting—however convincing he might appear.

“Miss Hamilton.”

Daisy blinked as the pressure of Vaughan’s knee against her own and Brand’s voice jolted her out of her dismal thoughts.

“Yes?”

“I have very little experience in organizing any sort of large party, especially at short notice, and I have no wife to act as hostess. You and your colleagues at King andCompany, however, are accustomed to both hosting and attending such social events. Especially your friend, the Duchess of Wansford.”

Brand’s expression was decidedly calculating. “Considering your failure to stop the wedding is partly the reason I’m having to host—”

Daisy hid her wince, even as she silently congratulated Brand on his excellent use of both logic and guilt to pressure her into agreeing.

“—perhaps you and your colleagues could organize the ball to announce Violet and Perry’s marriage? It will give you, Miss Hamilton, another chance to earn that five hundred pounds, and put King and Company back in my good graces.”

“It’s not that easy to—”

Brand’s mouth pursed as he sensed her hesitation. “Like you, poor Violet doesn’t have a mother to help her with such things.”

Daisy ground her teeth. Oh, Brand was a master at manipulation. He and Vaughan should compare notes.

“I’ll pay for everything, of course,” Brand continued. “No expense spared. Whatever you ladies think would be appropriate.”

Damn it all.She couldn’t refuse an offer like that.

Daisy forced a smile. “Of course we’d be delighted to help. Did you have any preference for the day?”

“As soon as can be arranged,” he said, smiling now that he’d got his way. “Would a week from today be possible?”

“It will be a rush, certainly, but anything is possible if you throw enough money at it.”

“I want everyone who’s anyone to be there,” he cautioned. “The wholeton. Three dukes, at least. Royal ones, if you can.” He glanced over at Vaughan. “We can count on your attendance, Your Grace, of course?”

Lucien sent him a cynical smile, fully aware of the other man’s desperate desire to climb the social ladder. “Of course.”

“I hear you and your friends are also great favorites of the queen,” Brand said silkily, turning back to Daisy. “Didn’t she make an appearance at the recent marriage of the Earl and Countess of Cobham?”

It was all Daisy could do not to roll her eyes at his shameless maneuvering. “Indeed, she did, but I couldn’t possibly guarantee her attendance atthisball, even if she were sent an invitation.”

“Nevertheless, an invitation should be sent. Just the chance that Her Majesty might grace us with her presence will add a cachet to the proceedings. I don’t suppose the prince regent could be persuaded to come?”

Daisy pressed her knee sharply against Lucien’s, silently commanding him to help. This situation was as much his fault as it was hers.

“Unlikely,” he said coolly. “His Royal Highness can rarely be prevailed upon to attend social functions due to the precarious state of his health.”

Daisy bit back a derisive snort. The entire country knew the prince regent’s health would be greatly improved if he didn’t spend his days drinking, eating, and whoring himself into a torpid state of dissolution, but that wasn’t something one could say in polite company.

Brand grunted, but seemed to recognize the truth of Lucien’s words. “Very well. The queen will have to do.”

Daisy turned to Violet. “Violet, can you draw up a list of people you want to invite and send it to me by the end of the day?”

“Absolutely. Oh, I can’t wait! Can the party have a theme?”

Daisy did her best to hide her dismay. “Of course. What did you have in mind?”