David jerked back. “Well, now there’s a topic I know a good deal about,” he claimed. “I used to own theElegant Courtesan.” One of his brows arched seductively. “Surely you’ve heard of it?”
They shook their heads in unison.
“You closed it over twenty-five years ago, David,” Clarinda reminded him. “And even if you didn’t, they would have no knowledge of it,” she said. “They are proper young ladies,” she added, even if she didn’t believe the claim. She’d been dealing with their antics for over twenty years.
“Hmph,” he responded, sounding ever so disappointed. “We employed some well regarded young ladies,” he murmured, “although as the proprietor, I did not avail myself of their talents.”
“David!” Clarinda scolded.
Ignoring his widow’s complaint, David continued his conversation with the twins. “What would you like to know?”
Dahlia and Danielle exchanged quick glances. “Does it hurt?” Danielle asked.
“Never. The opposite, in fact, if you have a considerate lover.”
“Even the first time?” Dahlia queried.
Apparently not rememberinghisfirst time with Clarinda, David turned to regard her a moment. “Sweeting?”
Clarinda rolled her eyes. “The actual act of it was... uncomfortable, although the rest was...” She sighed, aiming an apologetic glance in Daniel’s direction.
“Oh!” Danielle said, mimicking what she heard from the mistress suite.
David shook his head. “Not like that,” he admonished her. “As I recall, she used the word ‘yes’ to good effect.”
“David!” Clarinda scolded.
“You never say ‘yes’ with me,” Daniel muttered.
“That’s because I can’t form a coherent word when I’m with you,” Clarinda murmured, aiming an elegantly arched brow in his direction.
“Oh,” he replied proudly, managing to avoid a quelling glance from one of the twins. They were both staring at the ghost of their real father.
“Why should I be expected to bend over a table?”
David recoiled a bit at hearing the censure in Danielle’s voice. “Why, you shouldn’t. Unless you find yourself short of time, or you’d like to conceive a baby boy—”
“David!” Clarinda admonished him. “She’s not yetmarried.”
The ghost blinked. “This is a most improper conversation for a young lady to be having prior to matrimony,” he remarked.
“Are you really our father?” Danielle asked meekly. She reached out, but pulled her hand back before it could touch his topcoat sleeve.
“I am. I was. Am still?” He turned to Daniel as if for help in how to respond.
“You’redead, David. Which means you have no claim here. On them or on Clare.”
“Well, aren’t you the killjoy?” David responded.
“In fact, whatareyou doing here?” Daniel asked.
“You tell me. I’m not here because I had any say in the matter,” the ghost claimed.
David turned to Clarinda, whose eyes rounded. “I didn’t conjure him into existence,” she said before he could accuse her of anything. “The girls and I were having a conversation about...” She stopped and inhaled softly. “Perhaps he sensed he should be here to answer their concerns,” she whispered. “Heistheir father in the truest sense.”
For a moment, Daniel looked as hurt as she’d ever seen him. The poor man had always come second in life, and only because he had emerged from the womb as the second of identical twins.
“I’m so sorry,” Clarinda whispered. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
