“I cannot wait to be an adult. You get to hear all the best gossip.”
Daphne stared at her reflection in the looking glass. “As I said, Delilah, don’t be too quick to want to grow up.”
“But I want to grow up. I want to have adventures like Calliope Cauldwell. I want to have handsome gentlemen send me gifts even if they are odd ones like tiny wooden ships. Though I am certain I would prefer jewelry.” Delilah fell back onto the bed with her hand on her forehead again. “Oh, I wish something would happen. Nothing ever possibly in the least ever happens around here.”
Daphne turned to her cousin and put both fists to her hips. “Don’t be so dramatic, Delilah. Adventures can be quite dangerous. In more ways than one. And as for something happening around here, you don’t find an engagement party to be exciting?”
Delilah sat back up and braced both hands behind her on the quilt. “I suppose an engagement party is a start, but I’d like there to be somethingtrulyexciting.”
“Like what?”
“Like a plot, or amésalliance,or a scandal!”
“Fiddle. Think what you’re saying. We don’t live in the middle ofThe Adventures of Miss Calliope Cauldwell. True life is much less exciting, I assure you. I am going to marry Lord Fitzwell and that is far from amésalliance.”
Another sigh from Delilah. “More’s the pity.”
“Delilah Montbank, think about yourself.”
“I shall endeavor to, Cousin Daphne. But I don’t hold out much hope for reforming myself. I believe I’m quite a lost cause.” The gamine smile popped back to Delilah’s lips. “Now, are you going to go downstairs and see Captain Cavendish? Thank him for his gift?” The girl’s dark eyebrows waggled.
Daphne twisted her finger and pointedly ignored the eyebrow waggling. “I suppose I must.”
“I suggest you take your time making your way down to the green drawing room,” Delilah said.
“Why?” Daphne furrowed her brow.
“You should keep a man waiting. They positivelyj’adoreit. Though they’d never admit it.”
“Delilah Montbank! Who told you that nonsense?”
Delilah fluttered a small hand in the air with practiced nonchalance. “Oh, Cousin Daphne, everyone knows you should keep a man waiting.”
“Everyone, you say?” Daphne eyed the girl warily. Just how much did her scamp of a cousin know about Daphne’s love life?
Delilah cleared her throat. “Next, you should peer into the looking glass and ensure you have color in your cheeks.”
Daphne narrowed her eyes on her cousin. “I don’t even want to know how you know about such things.”
“Do it,” Delilah ordered, pointing toward the looking glass.
Daphne reluctantly turned toward the glass and did as she was told. Her cheeks pinkened immediately.
“I’m told a stiff bit of liquor helps if you can’t manage enough pink with the pinching. But it looks as if you’ve succeeded.” Delilah clapped her hands.
“Good heavens, Delilah. How do you know anything about drinking?”
Delilah shrugged. “I heard the vicar talking about it.”
“Why, the very idea…”
“It’s quite all right,” Delilah said with a sigh. “Just the pinching will do.”
Daphne took a deep breath and looked in the mirror, studying her reflection. “Captain Cavendish told me I was beautiful once.”
Delilah’s smile widened. Daphne could see the girl’s face behind her in the mirror. “What I wouldn’t give for someone as handsome as Captain Cavendish to tell me I am beautiful.”
“You are lovely, Delilah. You’ll have a string of suitors after you when you come of age. I have never thought of myself that way, though. I suppose I am passably pretty.”
