She hesitated.
“Here, Papa,” she called. Quietly.
For the first time in her life, she was conscious of a profound reluctance to see him. Around her heart there settled a coolness composed of sadness and resignation.
She’d been given new eyes with which to see her father. She did not think things could ever be the same.
Charles seized her portmanteau for her and they filed through the door. He lowered his voice. “We’re so relieved to see you, actually. Father has offered his own already unnerving explanation about funds, but I want to hear from you why we’re in thecaretaker’s cottage.”
“You’re not going to like it,” she said frankly. But sympathetically. She was relieved to know that someone else was taking an interest. “When did the two of you get here?Howdid you get here?” she asked him.
“Just two days ago. The channel crossing was one I’ll never forget,” Monty said.
“He was green the entire time,” Charles said. “It was a bad one. I must say, however, it was tremendously odd how your friend was able to track us down.”
“My friend?” She was puzzled.
“We were given a message from him saying our sister urgently needs us to come home at once,” Montague said. “Who the devil is this Lorcan St. Leger and what the devil does he mean by—”
“I am Lorcan St. Leger.”
Daphne spun.
She froze.
She made a sound of stifled, wild joy. Of almost pain. Her hand flew to her mouth.
Lorcan filled the doorway.
There fell an absolute silence.
Daphne didn’t think she would ever tire of witnessing people experience Lorcan for the first time.
Her brothers and her father had gone absolutely still and mute. A bit the way little furry animals in the forest might when the wolf strolls into view. But their expressions were very nearly comical. They could not quite reconcile the presence of such a man in their house.
They slid sidelong glances at her.
And then back at him.
Lorcan bowed. Low and beautifully.
They watched this warily, too.
Monty’s hand went up to absently finger his earlobe. Probably imagining howhewould look with an earring.
“The Honorables Montague and Charles Worth, I presume?” Lorcan said pleasantly.
“Ah, yes,” Charles said. They bowed, because they had good manners.
He turned toward Daphne’s father. “And Lord Worth, I presume,” Lorcan said neutrally. He bowed to him, too. Lorcan was generally polite. Until he wasn’t.
Her father said nothing. Nor did he bow, and this rudeness embarrassed Daphne. His face was, in fact, nearly scarlet with anger.
Which was really about not liking at all that his will was countermanded. Things had gone his way for most of his life, after all.
Charles cleared his throat. “Mr. St. Leger... I’m a trifle confused about what connection you might have to our family... and to my sister.”
“Your sister and I were introduced when your father saw fit to allow her to take a paying job. Shewas fleeing for her virtue from one of the people with whom she was employed.”
