She nodded, grateful for the quiet peace of the garden, and allowed herself to fall into step beside him.
For a few moments, they walked in comfortable silence, the gravel crunching under their feet.
"I dare say, my lady, you appear to be quite distracted again," Richard noted, "Was this perhaps not the right time to take a stroll?"
Daphne's eyes widened. "No, no, no. This is the right time," she assured him.
"You can tell me if something is gnawing at your mind...."
Daphne bit her lip, searching for the right words. "Well... there is something that I am curious about," she admitted.
She felt safe in Richard's company. She knew that he would not snap at her, or chide her for saying the wrong thing. It was the exact same kind of comfort that she felt in the company of Violet, or Isadora.
Those that she considered to be...a friend.
"It is about your brother, the Duke..."
Richard seemed to perk up, amused. "What about him, then?"
"Has he always been..." She paused, struggling to phrase her question without sounding accusatory. "Has he always had such a... formidable nature?"
Richard chuckled softly, "Formidable is one way to put it," he conceded. "My brother Ambrose has always been... intense, even as a boy. He's always had strong opinions and a strong will."
They stopped walking, and Richard guided her to sit beside him on a wrought-iron bench nestled among the bushes.
Strong opinions.That was something that her sisters often told her about herself. Could it be that she had more in common with the Duke than she thought?
No.Of course not. He is insufferable to the core, and we share just about the same similarities as a crow to a horse.
"Does he ever... relax?" Daphne asked, her curiosity piqued.
Richard's expression softened into a wistful smile. "Rarely," he admitted. "But yes, there are moments, though they're seldom seen by anyone outside our immediate family. Ambrose can be quite different when he feels secure, when he's away from the pressures of his title."
Daphne nodded, absorbing Richard's words. She hadn't expected to hear that side of Ambrose—the one that wasn't consumed by his duties or masked by arrogance. It intrigued her, though she quickly realized that her curiosity about Ambrose had led her down a path she hadn't intended to tread.
Why was she spending so much time thinking about Ambrose when she was here, walking beside Richard? This was her opportunity to deepen her connection with him, not his brother.
She straightened, willing herself to shift the focus of the conversation. "I didn't mean to ask so many questions about Ambrose," Daphne said, offering Richard a gentle smile. "I suppose I'm just trying to understand the dynamics between the two of you."
Richard gave a soft chuckle, his brow lifting slightly in amusement. "Don't worry about it, Daphne. Ambrose has a way of dominating conversations—even when he's not here."
Daphne smiled at his understanding but felt a pang of guilt. Richard had been nothing but attentive and kind, and here she was, dragging the conversation into complicated territory. She owed it to him—and to herself—to redirect the evening back to where it belonged.
"Let's talk about something else," she said brightly. "I feel like I've hardly gotten to know you outside of these social settings. What do you enjoy when you're not busy with formal dinners and family obligations?"
"Well, when I'm not attending to the usual social affairs, I spend a fair amount of time reading. Art history, literature... I find solace in books."
Daphne nodded, appreciative of his intellectual pursuits but still feeling an invisible distance between them. "That sounds lovely," she said, though her voice lacked the enthusiasm she hoped to convey. "Books are always a good escape."
"Indeed," Richard replied, though his tone seemed to mirror hers—polite but lacking any real spark. "I've also been trying my hand at painting lately."
"Painting?" Daphne raised an eyebrow. "That's unexpected. What do you paint?"
"Oh, landscapes mostly," Richard said, his voice modest but somewhat flat. "Though I wouldn't call it art. It's more of a hobby, really."
Daphne smiled, but it felt strained. "I'd love to see your work someday. I imagine you're much better than you give yourself credit for."
Richard returned her smile, but it didn't stir anything within her. "Perhaps."
