“What are you doing tomorrow?” The lightness was back in his tone.Thiswas a conversation she could have with him.
“I’m taking Mary to find perfume and then I’m helping Lady Daphne plan a ball.”
“Perfume?” His brow furrowed.
“She wants to purchase a small vial of French perfume and I’ve agreed to help her.”
“May I escort you?”
If he’d announced he was Poseidon she couldn’t have been more surprised. “Escort two maids? To purchase perfume? Are you quite serious?”
“Do I look as if I’m jesting?” Cade drained his wineglass.
Danielle eyed him. “Actually, no.”
“Excellent. We’ll take Rafe’s coach. There must be some use for that expensive box of wood.”
Danielle put her hand to her throat. “Oh, no. I could not go shopping in Lord Cavendish’s fine carriage.”
Cade peered at her, a questioning look on his face. “Why not?”
“It wouldn’t be proper. Everyone would see.”
Cade’s laughter filled the room. “You have confused me with someone who cares about being proper or what anyone else thinks.”
Danielle contemplated her options. On one hand, it was ludicrous to have a viscount’s brother escort her and Mary to Bond Street to purchase perfume. On the other hand, perhaps she could find out more about him during the shopping expedition. “Are you quite certain you want to go?”
“Entirely.”
“Very well, then. One o’clock?”
Cade pressed the palm of one hand against an eye. “That’s quite early.”
“Not for normal people.”
“Fine,” he replied, grinning at her. “I’ll make the sacrifice… for you.”
“Thank you.” Their gazes met and Danielle had to swallow the lump in her throat. “I should go now.”
“I’m sorry for bringing up your father.” His voice was kind. Gone was the usual teasing tone.
She bit her lip. “You told me you didn’t grow up like this? Well, I… I was supposed to.”
He searched her face. “What do you mean?”
“My father is French and I was raised in France. But my mother, she’s English, and has ties to the aristocracy. She used to tell me when I was young that I’d travel here, have a coming-out party, wear fancy gowns, and find a proper gentleman to marry.”
His brow was furrowed. “Who is your mother?”
The hint of a smile passed over Danielle’s lips. “It doesn’t matter. That was a lifetime ago. Everything’s changed. My father is dead. My mother is dying, disowned by her family. And I… I’m a… lady’s maid.”
“What happened, Danielle?” This time his voice was too kind. Too serious.
“I…” She couldn’t tell him. She wanted to. A part of her really wanted to. She just… couldn’t. “It’s a long story. And I’m quite tired tonight.” She stifled a yawn. Her eyes were heavy-lidded. She stood and he stood, too.
She turned toward the door but his voice stopped her.
“I came back to settle a score.”
