“Father,” Danielle said in a scold. “I rather appreciate Lord Breckinridge taking me into his confidence.” She had a brief thought that perhaps Andrew was doing the same with her sister. If so, what was Dahlia saying about her?
“You have always been a true friend, my lady,” Anthony murmured, his gaze settling on her for perhaps a moment too long.
“Well, don’t be long,” David said suddenly.
Anthony tore his attention from Danielle to look in the direction of the late earl, but discovered he was no longer leaning against the end of the shelf. A quick glance around the library showed the ghost had disappeared. When Anthony turned his look of shock onto Danielle, she merely shrugged. “He does that,” she said. “Just pops in and out.”
Blinking a few times, Anthony finally relaxed into the sofa. “How long has he been... popping in and out?”
Danielle remembered what her mother and Daniel had said in the parlor when David had shown up a few days ago. “He’s just returned after having stayed gone for more than two decades,” she replied. “Apparently, something Dahlia said regarding the fact that she didn’t wish to marry had him appearing again.”
“You don’t seem bothered,” Anthony remarked, still unsettled by the sudden appearance—and disappearance—of the late earl’s ghost.
“Oh, I was a few days ago,” she assured him. “When he first appeared. But when Mother and Uncle Daniel spoke with him... or scolded him, rather, I decided I had nothing to fear from him. He is my real father. He merely wishes to see to it we’re suitably settled, I suppose.”
Anthony regarded her for a moment, as if he were seeing her in an entirely new light. “For many years, I thought of you as merely a friend. Almost a younger sister.” At seeing her arched brow, he quickly added, “I know you’re a bit older than I am, but hear me out.”
“All right,” she agreed, intrigued.
“I admit, I do not really wish to marry. At least, not yet.”
Danielle regarded him a moment before she nodded. “I cannot blame you,” she responded. “So... why did you ask for my sister’s hand?”
Anthony inhaled to reply and then scoffed. “I actually proposed, but seeing as how angry I made Dahlia with my attempt to rescue her from what I thought was a runaway horse—”
“It was rather thoughtful of you,” Danielle interrupted. “Rather brave, in my opinion.”
“Thank you,” he acknowledged, once again giving her an assessing glance. “But my father’s edict—that I marry in order so he will resume my allowance—leaves me little choice.”
Danielle gave a start at hearing this last bit. “Requiring marriage doesn’t seem like an appropriate punishment for being expelled from university,” she murmured. “Is that why...?” Her mouth dropped open. “Is that why Andrew proposed tome? Because his allowance has been cut off? And he needs to be married for it to resume?” A look of astonishment coupled with disgust passed over her face.
Anthony winced. “He didn’t tell you?” Danielle’s face fell, and he watched as she visibly swallowed.
“He was so excited about the prospect of us going to Greece and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies on a wedding trip, he didn’t mentionthatparticular tidbit,” she explained. Her eyes rounded. “Was Dahlia the first girlyouthought to ask? When you learned you had to marry?”
He furrowed a brow and allowed a one-shouldered shrug. “Who else would I wed?” he asked.
“You mean, because Angelica and Anne are already married?” she countered.
He winced. “I was never going to have the opportunity to wed either one of them,” he claimed, referring to Angelica Grandby and Anne Wellingham, now Lady Fulton and Lady Hexham. “They have both been good friends, of course, and I hope they will continue to be so for the rest of our lives, but even I knew that neither would still be available when it was finally time for me to wed.”
Danielle nodded. Girls always seem to wed at ages far younger than their male counterparts.
“So your next thought was Dahlia?”
He shook his head. “She was myfirstthought, actually. She always has been.”
Danielle’s gaze softened, her opinion of Anthony having risen a notch. “And now? If we cannot change her mind? Who will you pursue?”
It was his turn to swallow. “I suppose that depends on the answer you give my brother.”
Staring at the viscount for a moment, Danielle struggled to reconcile his comment. Her eyes rounded. “Do you mean to say that you intend to courtmeif my sister doesn’t accept your suit?”
Anthony rolled his eyes. “Must you make it sound so... so awful?”
Danielle opened her mouth to respond and quickly shut it. She sighed. “I apologize. That’s not what I meant,” she stammered. “It would not be. Awful, I mean.”
Anthony arched a brow. “So... you would not turn me down outright?”
