Giving a start, Andrew stepped back. “What if she says yes?” he asked in alarm. “She’ll expect me to kiss her,” he claimed.
Anthony considered this a moment. “So, kiss her,” he said, even as he displayed a grimace. “But not too passionately. Not like you would Lady Danielle.”
“What willyoube doing?”
A shrug lifting his shoulders, Anthony said, “Watching from behind a hedgerow.”
“Coward,” Andrew accused.
“Mayhap.”
“I have plans,” Andrew murmured. “To ask Danielle if she’s made up her mind.”
“I’ll do it,” Anthony stated.
Shaking his head, Andrew said, “You cannot.”
“Why not?” He furrowed his brows before his eyes widened. “Oh, because you’re supposed to kidnap her if she turns you down?” The query came out in a teasing tone, but Anthony quickly sobered when he heard his brother’s response.
“Exactly,” Andrew replied.
“Where... where were you planning to take her?”
“I’m not telling.”
Anthony rolled his eyes. “Oh, all right. If she turns me down, I’ll find you and let you know of her decision, and then you can kidnap her.”
“I’m going to require the town coach.”
Scoffing, Anthony asked, “How am I supposed to get home?”
“Ask Lady Dahlia for a ride,” Andrew answered, waggling his eyebrows. “Lady Norwick can act as her chaperone.”
About to scoff again, Anthony seemed to think on this suggestion a moment before his face lightened in understanding. “That’s a brilliant plan. If Dahlia turns you down, I can mention to Lady Norwick how sorry I am that her daughter rebuffed my marriage proposal.”
“Oh, Dahlia will not be happy if you say that in front of her mother,” Andrew warned.
Anthony considered the comment for a moment. “No, she won’t. But her mother will side with me, which means I’ll have both her fatherandher mother in my court,” he reasoned.
“Whatever happens, you cannot tell them that I’ve kidnapped Lady Danielle,” Andrew stated. “I mean, if she hasn’t made up her mind.”
“I won’t,” Anthony agreed. He reached into his waistcoat pocket and pulled out his chronometer. “If we don’t leave right now, we may miss our chances,” he warned. “Some other young bucks may already have their minds set on kissing our girls behind the hedgerows.”
Andrew dared a glance in Anthony’s looking glass, wincing at the sight of the waistcoat. “I look like a popinjay,” he murmured.
“A handsome popinjay,” Anthony countered, giving him a grin. “Come. Let’s go.”
“What about Mother?”
“She and Father and Daphne left on his phaeton a few minutes ago. Whilst you were in the library,” he said as they headed down the stairs. “Mother and Father were acting like they used to when we were younger,” he added, rolling his eyes much like his father did when he heard something unbelievable.
“You mean, like they’re in love?”
Anthony gave his twin a quelling glance. “Exactly.”
Wincing at his brother’s callous comment, Andrew paused at the bottom of the stairs, even as his brother was making his way to the front door. “If you were in love with Lady Dahlia, you would act that way with her,” he stated.
Turning on his heel, Anthony regarded his brother with a look of shock. “I rather doubt that,” he replied, even though his expression faltered. “I certainly wouldn’t do it so others could pay witness,” he added, lifting his chin defiantly.
