Her eyes grew round as sovereigns. “You? Marry? I seem to recall that every time I’ve mentioned a potential match to you over the years, you’ve steadfastly declared yourself a bachelor and refused to even countenance the discussion. I believe you said something about giving up all the brandy in London. Or am I thinking of someone else?”
She had a point. Of course, he’d put off talk of his match over the years. He hadn’t wanted to discuss it until Delilah was ready to marry. Only he’d envisioned the whole thing happening in an entirely different manner. He assumed that one Season, she would announce her readiness to find a husband. Lucy would immediately realize that Delilah should marry Thomas. The duchess would set up an elaborate plot to push them together, all the while having no idea that Thomas was quite ready and willing to oblige. In the course of Lucy’s machinations, Delilah would come to realize how much she truly cared for Thomas, and how right they would be together as a married couple. He would choose a ring that sparklednearly as much as she did, and he’d get down on one knee when the time was right, and that would be that.
It all made perfect sense. Only he hadn’t counted on Delilah picking out a different husband before she’d barely decided to make a match.
“I suppose that sounds like something I may have said,” he allowed, tipping his hat to the back of his head.
“All these years, whenever I’ve asked when you intend to take a bride and offered my services in matchmaking, you’ve refused.”
Thomas folded his arms over his chest. “Just because I haven’t been particularly eager to put the parson’s noose around my neck doesn’t mean I never plan to marry.”
“Yes, well. That day may come sooner than you think,” Delilah said, a sly grin on her pretty face.
Suspicion curled in his middle. “What do you mean?”
“Lucy has got the notion thatyoumight be the best way to distract Lady Emmaline from the Duke of Branville.”
Thomas straightened his spine. “Pardon?”
Delilah shrugged. “She pointed out that you’re a rich, handsome duke too.”
He expelled his breath slowly and painfully. “How did I become involved in this madness?”
“By proximity, of course.” She giggled. “The same way anyone ever becomes involved in Lucy’s plots.”
Thomas wondered for the hundredth time if he should involve Lucy in his own plotting. It was tempting. The duchess would make a strong ally. On the other hand, Lucy was not known for her subtlety. Quite the opposite, actually. He could imagine her marching straight up to Delilah and pointedly asking her if she fancied Thomas. Then the entire plan would be ruined. Lucy Hunt had along and storied history of making messes of people’s lives. True, things tended to work out for the best at the end of her plots, but the last thing Thomas wanted was for his courtship of Delilah to become a mess, even temporarily. It was too important to him.
No, wooing Delilah had to be done with subtlety and patience. Neither of which were qualities the Duchess of Claringdon possessed. Even if he had been tempted to ask for Lucy’s help, Delilah’s claim that Lucy wanted to use him to distract Lady Emmaline from Branville had made the final decision for him. Once Lucy got an elaborate scheme in her head, there was no stopping her. He’d do much better to wait and allow their machinations to play out before he made his move. It was all right. He had time. Delilah hadn’t evenmetBranville yet.
“Yes, well, I’m not convinced you should secure a match with the Duke of Branville,” Thomas said, putting a snobbish, drawn-out emphasis on the man’s title. He didn’t necessarily mean to outwardly disapprove of the man, but he also had no intention of encouraging the match.
Delilah pushed a curl behind her ear. “Why don’t you approve of him?”
Thomas crossed his arms over his chest again, a thunderous scowl on his face. “I never said I don’t approve of him.”
A seemingly helpless smile tugged at Delilah’s pink lips before she pursed them solemnly. “Then why do you say his name in that painful way of yours?”
Thomas clenched his jaw and looked away. “Because dukes are snobs by nature. You’ll be a snob if you marry Branville.”
She laughed. “Need I point out thatyou’rea duke?”
“Yes, but I’m not a snobby one. Quite rare, if you ask me.”
“Derek is a duke and he’s not a snob.”
“As you’ve already said, Derek is a duke because he was a war hero. He wasn’t raised in luxury.”
A breeze blew a curl across Delilah’s cheek, and she turned her head so it would fly away. “You’re ridiculous. Dukes are not snobs, and Branville is a perfectly nice man. I’ve heard as much from several people. I’m not such a ninny that I would seek to engage myself to an awful person merely to please my mother.”
“I’m glad to hear that, at least.” And that was what frightened him. What if Delilah got to know the Duke of Branville and did fall in love with him? What would Thomas do then?
Delilah twirled her bonnet ribbon and nonchalantly added, “All I must do is find out if the Duke of Branville meets the criteria on my list.”
Thomas’s arms dropped away from his chest, and he stared at her aghast. “What list?”
Delilah left off plucking at her sleeve, met his eyes, and winced. “I got the idea from your sister, actually. Alex told me that Owen met every criterion on her list.”
Thomas arched a brow. Oh, this was simply rich. His brows shot up, and he leaned forward over the table, his chin propped on one fist. “Dare I ask what’s on your list?”
