“Not yet. Not completely.” He sauntered over to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of brandy.
She pushed her nose in the air. “Still drinking, I see?”
He didn’t even bother to glance over his shoulder. “Still being far too judgmental about it, I see.”
“You didn’t answer me. Why do you want to stay?”
The bottle clinked against the glass. “You are my wife, aren’t you?”
Blast him. His words sent a little thrill through her, despite her best efforts to quell it. “Legally only.”
“Maybe so, but I need to make certain this Fitzwillow fellow acts like a gentleman toward my wife.”
Daphne growled under her breath. “It’s Fitzwell. And don’t call me your wife.”
“Fitzwhatever. And youaremy wife.”
Daphne continued her foot tapping. No one could make her more angry more quickly than Rafe Cavendish. She felt a scream rise in her throat. No doubt that would bring the entire house running and she definitely didn’t need that. Instead, she took a deep breath and counted three. “I don’t for one moment believe you want to stay to keep an eye on Lord Fitzwell.”
His grin made her knees weak. “That transparent, am I?”
She wished.
“Very well, the truth is I want to keep an eye on you.” Rafe brought the glass to his lips and for a brief moment, Daphne was jealous of the glass.
“Me?” She pointed at her own chest, blinking her eyes wide.
He inclined his head toward her. “That’s right.”
She plunked a hand to her hip. “Do you honestly think I intend to do anything outrageous during this party?”
He took another quick sip. “Not at all. I merely think you might leave before Sunday night. Slip off when I’m not looking.”
She flung her hand in the air. “That’s preposterous. Why, I would never do a thing like that.”
Rafe splashed another bit of brandy into his glass. “Ludicrous, is it? You’re telling me you haven’t done it before? Like, say, last time we went on a mission?”
She turned her back on him and marched toward the door. “Fiddle. I wasn’t hiding from you then. You werewithme, for heaven’s sake.”
“I’m merely making the point that you’ve been known to slip away and do exactly as you like. I can’t take any chances with this mission.”
She turned back toward him, glaring at him. “I would never abandon this cause. It’s for Donald,” she said through clenched teeth.
Another sip of brandy. “Then you shouldn’t mind if I stay.”
Daphne rubbed her fingers against her forehead. There was no winning with him. The man was completely impossible to reason with. She shouldn’t have bothered. “Fine. But I swear, if you doanythingto ruin this engagement party…”
He grinned at her and swallowed the last of his drink. “You mean like informing the potential bridegroom that you’re married?”
Another scream rose in her throat. She bit the inside of her cheek and ground her slipper against the floor. “Yes.”
Rafe shrugged. “As long as he behaves himself, he has nothing to worry about it.”
“It’s not Lord Fitzwell’s behavior I’m concerned about. It’s yours.”
“Ah, yes, the rich and titled are always so well behaved, aren’t they?”
“I never said he was rich.”
