“Very good, my lady,” the servant said in his baritone voice. He nodded and disappeared.
Andrew saw to replacing the book on the shelf before he offered Danielle his arm. “I believe the parlor is on the first floor,” he said as he led them to the marble stairs.
“Is that a breakfast parlor?” Danielle asked as they were about to pass an open door.
Pausing in mid-step, Andrew glanced in the direction she indicated. “It is,” he replied, wishing he’d had a chance to tour the house before bringing her. At least the floor plan seemed similar to most townhouses in Mayfair. “Would you like to see it?”
Danielle was about to say they could do so later, but he changed direction and took her into the room. A single window faced east, but afternoon light managed to illuminate most of the breakfast parlor.
“Rather nice sideboard,” Andrew remarked, noting the carved doors and decorative shelf that ran the length of the piece.
Her attention on the table, Danielle sighed. “Four chairs,” she remarked.
“You think we’ll require more?” he asked, waggling his brows. He quickly sobered when he noted her quelling glance.
“We should discuss it,” she countered. “How many children, I mean.”
Heartened she seemed to be considering marriage, especially after their time in the study, Andrew offered his arm. “Over tea,” he offered.
They made their way up the stairs and into the parlor. “It’s a bit a small,” Danielle remarked as she made her way to the chair in front of the tea tray. She went about preparing the cups as Andrew studied the fireplace and mantel.
“It is cozy,” he said. “If you think it’s too small, we might knock down that wall,” he said, pointing to the wall opposite the fireplace. He disappeared from the room and returned a moment later. “It looks like a sitting room, and the fireplace is on the opposite wall, so we’d end up with a parlor with two fireplaces,” he added, desperate to make her happy.
“Milk and sugar?” she asked, smirking at his attempts to bribe her into agreeing to marry him.
Andrew lowered himself into the chair opposite hers. “You remembered,” he murmured.
Danielle gave a start. “Yes, I suppose I do,” she said as she offered him his cup of tea on a saucer. “Biscuit? I’m not sure what these are.” She held out a plate of biscuits. “There’s no cake,” she added.
“That’s my fault. I’m afraid I didn’t give the staff much notice that we would be here today.”
“Have you evenmetthe staff?” she countered, lifting a teacup to her lips.
Andrew inhaled to answer and then shook his head. “Truth be told, I only learned about this townhouse yesterday. My father didn’t even know about it. Or didn’t remember it was an Aimsley property.”
Danielle furrowed a brow. “Then how didyoudiscover it?”
Remembering his conversation with the late Earl of Norwick in the park the day before, Andrew scoffed. “Your father told me.”
Blinking, Danielle nearly dropped her teacup. She glanced around the room, expecting to find her father casually leaning against one of the walls with his arms crossed over his chest. When she didn’t see him, she turned her attention back to Andrew. “When?”
“Yesterday. Right after you left me in the park,” Andrew replied.
“Oh, dear,” she whispered. Her eyes rounded. “What else did he tell you?”
Despite not having taken a bite of his biscuit, Andrew swallowed. “Um... well, um...,” he stammered.
Danielle set her teacup and saucer on the table. “Whatdid he tell you?”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Oh, must I say?” he whined. At her scoff, he sighed and said, “He told me to kidnap you.”
Not expecting that particular response—even if she had been warned—Danielle stared at him before she glanced around. “Kidnap me?” she repeated. Her eyes rounded in pretend shock. “Is that what you’ve done?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly,” he replied. “Not yet. You came of your own accord. Didn’t you?”
Danielle couldn’t argue his point. She had come willingly. He hadn’t coerced her. Hadn’t threatened her in any way. “And if I hadn’t?” she asked.
He winced. “Well, I was to bodily remove you from the garden party, I suppose. Bring you here.”
