“No, to both questions,” he replied in an amiable tone. “But I did have some dreams of the more...sensual kind.” He took a bite of his eggs and chewed slowly. Daniel kept his gaze on her. “There’s a woman that I can’t quite forget no matter how hard I try.”
“How unfortunate for the woman.” She picked up the knife on her side and spread butter over her toast in a ferocious manner.
“That poor toast,” he replied. “What did it do to you?”
Lady Iris opened her mouth, then closed it. She stared down at her toast and frowned. “I like it this way.” She took a bite and chewed it. After she swallowed it, she grinned at him. All teeth, and a meanness in her gaze that would make a lesser man wince. Daniel was too determined to run now that he had decided upon her.
He laughed. “I think I like you,” he told her. Then he turned to the other two ladies. “Do you two have any quirks like her?”
Lady Winchester shrugged. “I must admit before today I have never witnessed Iris deface toast in such a manner.”
“It must be a new habit.” The duchess’s lips twitched as she fought a smile. “Of course it could have been brought on by frustrations of another kind.”
“I do not know what you mean.” Iris turned to glare at the duchess. “I’m the epitome of calm and serenity.”
He adored her. “Of course you are,” he said in a neutral tone. “You’re definitely the epitome of something.”
Lady Iris curled her fingers around the hilt of her knife. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Daniel finished his eggs instead of answering her. She was seething and it might be best not to poke her anger any more. He drank his tea and the more he sat there, his mood improved. The duchess and the countess both left. They had smiles on their faces and he couldn’t help wondering if they could read the underlying tension between him and Iris.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Iris demanded.
“You’re beautiful,” he said in a soft tone. “I am in awe of you.”
“Well, stop it.” She slammed her knife down. “I don’t like it and I don’t like you.”
“We’ll see about that.” He wasn’t giving up.
“No, we will not.” She stood and placed her hands on the table. “You’re the last man I would ever consider being with. So whatever has put that gleam in your eyes, ignore it. Whatever chance you had blew away with your cruelty.”
“I’m sorry,” he said in a husky tone. “I was an arse.”
“Agreed,” she said. “With one caveat.”
He was almost afraid to ask. “And that is?”
“You’re still an arse,” she said in a bitter tone. “But I would have to add that you’re also an arrogant arse. You think that saying you're sorry and kissing me will make me fall at your feet. As if my capitulation is a given.” Her gaze went from all heat to ice in the blink of an eye. “But I won’t surrender my heart to you ever again. You do not deserve me.”
With those words, she left him alone. She had given him a lot to consider. Daniel wasn’t even certain where to begin to make this right, but somehow he would.
Six
Iris had dressed carefully for the evening meal. It was the last night before the rest of the guests were scheduled to arrive. With Daniel, his sister, Iris and the Viscount of Goodland, they had even numbers of females to go along with the already married couples. Everyone was expected at the meal. Violet had pulled Iris aside and ordered her to attend. Francesca had been planning it for a while and she would be hurt if anyone made an excuse to stay away.
Not that Iris had planned to do anything of the sort, but she kept Francesca’s feelings in mind as she prepared for the evening. She also thought about how Daniel would react. He had given her permission to use his given name and she couldn’t think of him as Lord Hampstead any longer. That was far too formal, and while she would not give in to his demand to say his name, she felt justified thinking it. He didn’t need to know about her little rebellion. It would only serve to make his ego grow larger than it already had.
He had inferred he dreamt about her. Perhaps he had. She certainly had dreams of him. He had haunted her far longer than she had him. She would wager her entire dowry on that. He hadn’t truly noticed her before that day on Scandal Lane, and he had done a fine job of pretending she didn’t exist for the past year. Nothing he said would convince her that she’d always been on his mind. Proximity had brought her to his attention, nothing more.
Tonight she wore a blue dress that matched the color of her eyes. Mary had dressed her hair so her curls were draping down her back enticingly, and sapphire pins had been added to hold them in place. Her necklace was a simple sapphire pendant shaped like a teardrop that stopped just above her chest. The overall effect was one that should appear inviting, but only with permission. Iris didn’t intend to give anyone the right to touch.
She walked down the stairs slowly. Almost everyone was in the sitting room waiting until each member of the dinner party arrived before going in to dinner. Francesca walked up beside her. “I hope you don’t mind, but Lord Hampstead is leading you into dinner.”
Iris frowned. That would mean she’d be required to hold a conversation with him during the meal. She gritted her teeth, but she didn’t take her frustration out on her friend. “It will be all right. I promise.”
“Lord Goodland will be on your other side,” she said. “If it becomes too unbearable, talk to him instead.”
That was not a socially acceptable move, but she might do that. Francesca had given her permission to, and this was her house and her party. “I will if I need to,” she promised
