“The servants are going to talk, you know, as many nights as we spend in here together,” Daphne said, dragging a brush through her hair.
“Good. Let them talk,” Rafe replied. “I refuse to leave your bed, my lady. Not after having to wait for so long to get back into it after we were married.”
Daphne giggled. “Shh. We’re not supposed to discuss that.”
Rafe glanced around, grinning. “You may not have noticed but we’re quite alone at the moment.”
“That reminds me. We won’t be alone for long. Delilah is coming to visit tomorrow. She insists she is coming to see the new house, but I have my suspicions she wants to sneak down to the ball.” Delilah was Daphne’s irascible thirteen-year-old cousin who had a penchant for matchmaking, speaking deplorable French, and causing mischief.
“Why don’t you tell her she can’t come until the week after?” Rafe asked, pulling on his breeches.
Daphne stared at him through the looking glass and shook her head. “You’ve met Delilah. One simply doesn’t tell that girl no.”
Rafe threw back his head and laughed. “Yes, well, let her sneak down to the ball then. What’s the harm?”
“The harm is she’ll get a reputation for being a heathen at the ripe old age of thirteen.”
“Lord help the young men of the marriage mart five years from now.”
Daphne nodded. “You’re perfectly right. I’m already preparing myself for her debut.”
Rafe sat on the edge of the bed to pull on his boots. He sighed loud and long.
“You look tired, darling. Is something the matter?” Daphne set the brush down and turned to face him.
Rafe left off with his boot and shrugged. His shoulders fell. “It’s Cade.”
Daphne pulled her dressing gown up higher. “What about Cade?”
“I want to know why he’s come back.”
“He said it’s high time he paid a visit.”
“It’s never that simple with Cade. He’s up to something. He’s been going out until all hours. Meeting with people. And that fight the night of the theater.”
“You said yourself that your brother’s always been a bit of… trouble.”
“This is more than trouble. He may be in something over his head.”
“I know you’re worried, darling, but try not to assume the worst.”
“That’s a difficult thing to do when Cade is involved.”
Daphne stood, walked over to her husband, and bent down to kiss him. “Just try, darling. By the by, Cass tells me Lucy Hunt has her sights set on figuring out Cade’s secrets. Perhaps she can inform you of them once she’s done.”
Rafe laughed. “Best of luck to her. I can’t figure him out andI’ma spy.”
Daphne rested a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t suspect anything truly serious, do you?”
Cade scrubbed a hand across his forehead. “Have you heard of the Black Fox?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“The flowers will go there and the refreshments over there.” Lady Daphne twirled around in the middle of the empty ballroom. “Oh, and we must remember to purchase more candles for the chandeliers.”
Mr. Ayers, Lord Cavendish’s personal secretary, busily scribbled notes in his ledger while following Lady Daphne as she flitted around the room like a butterfly. Danielle stood near the doors watching the proceedings. “Yes, my lady,” Mr. Ayers said after every one of Lady Daphne’s requests.
“The musicians will go over there, of course, and I want the dancing to be centered around this area here.”
