His brother choked on his tea and glared at their nana. Daniel chuckled, not surprised they would find a way to twist this nonsense to their advantage. “Stephen is the presumptive heir should any misfortune befall me, Nana.”
“That young fool is only one and twenty and not likely to grant me any time soon the desires of my heart.”
Stephen’s expression grew pained. “Nana…have pity on my vanity. Am I no longer your favorite?”
“Bah,” she said crossly, her hands curving over the head of her cane.
“Your birthday is next week, Nana,” Daniel said, standing to walk over to the windows. There was a restlessness upon him that he did not like.
“I am exhausted with balls and all these society nonsenses. A celebration this year is not needed. I wish…” She sighed, the sound heavy and forlorn. “I have lived for so long, there is little in this world that enchants me. How I long for the days I would travel to Rome and Austria with your grandfather. I am weary of balls and soirees.”
His mother frowned, touching his grandmother’s hand with light concern.
“What do you wish for, Nana?” he asked quietly, recalling that she had mentioned her love for traveling more than once, and how she had missed those adventures his grandfather took her on in her younger days.
Daniel almost withdrew the question at the sharp, probing look of triumph she sent his way.
“I will not select a bride as a birthday present,” he said drily, lifting his drink to take a long, needed swallow.
“It is not every day a lady turns six and seventy,” she retorted. “I might keel over and die tomorrow.”
“Nonsense. The scheming live long.”
His mother choked on the sip of her tea before loosing a peal of laughter. When his nana sent her a chastising glance, she sobered and added her voice to the entire farce.
“Your grandmother is very correct in this regard, son. You are a nobleman of almost thirty years with immense holdings and responsibilities. It is your nana’s fondest wish, and mine, too, to see you with a son…or a daughter before we hie off to our rewards.” His mother gave him a smile that felt almost feral in nature.
“There are rumors about town that you are stepping into the political arena,” his nana said, delicately biting into a scone and awaiting his reply.
“Hmm, it has reached the drawing room, has it?”
Her gaze sharpened. “So it is true?”
“Yes.”
Triumph gleamed in her eyes, and he canted his head. “Nana—”
“Good, we have been waiting for you to get involved in more serious pursuits.”
“I am glad you approve,” he said drily.
“You know to become a successful political orator and a credible influential voice in our society, you need a wife.”
Of course he had neatly walked into her diabolical trap. His mother shot his nana a look of scandalized delight.
“Yes,” his mother breathed, “an eligible lady with a spotless reputation and good connection. Now, son, remove that severe frown from your brows. A wife is an inevitability, and the requirements would have been the same for your illustrious lineage. We are only suggesting moving your marriage alliance ten years forward. We have heard you say it enough that you’ll get married when you are forty. To be a voice of influence in the House of Lords, your dastardly reputation will also need reform, and the perfect way to do that is by procuring a countess…now.”
How badly Daniel wanted to wipe the smugness from their faces with a caustic reply, yet the change within him that he did not fully understand urged him to remain silent. He had not entered into the fray lightly. Working for the country in the House had always been a part of his duty, but he had never been serious about it and had always been very offhand with his arguments made on the floor, arguments written by lawyers and his secretary.
Except for the last few days, Daniel had been reaching and drafting his own motions, where even his damn lawyer had claimed his recent arguments were brilliant and needed no editing. “I will give this serious consideration.”
His nana snapped her spine straight and stared at him as if he were a rarity. Even Stephen’s jaw had slackened.
“My boy, you are entirely serious,” his mother breathed.
His nana pushed to her feet and thumped her cane. “I knew you had it in you to be sensible, I—”
She paled, swayed, then tumbled over. Daniel dashed forward, catching her against his chest. “Nana!” He glanced at his brother. “Summon Dr. Andrews. He is needed immediately.”
