“Well, he is a ghost,” Anthony remarked.
Her eyes once again rounded. “Youknowthat?”
Wincing, Anthony nodded. “I probably should be petrified with fear, but I find the old coot rather interesting.”
“Old coot?” she repeated in disbelief. “Aren’t you worried that he’ll... he’ll—?”
“Haunt me?” Anthony finished for her. “What do you think he’s beendoingthese past few days?”
It was Dahlia’s turn to wince. “I’m so sorry.” When she noted his furrowed brows, she added, “This is all my fault.” She couldn’t help the sob that accompanied her words. She’d been attempting to swallow it since stepping into the coach.
“May I join you?” he asked as he nodded to the bench upon which she sat.
She nodded and scooted over to give him room to sit next to her.
“Why do you think that?” he asked, his arm resting on the squabs behind her shoulders so he could sit closer to her.
“I should never have looked at thatdamnedbook,” she whispered.
He leaned over and kissed her on her temple. “Now I know you’re upset,” he whispered. “You so rarely curse,” he added when she gave him a quelling glance. “I take it you are referring to the book about sexual congress?”
Dahlia gasped. “Did my father tell you aboutthat, too?” she whined as her face bloomed with color.
Chuckling, Anthony said, “Actually, your sister did.” When he saw anger in her eyes, he added, “Don’t be cross with her. I’m glad she did. Otherwise, how would I know about your fear of the marriage bed?Youcertainly weren’t going to inform me.”
“I’m not supposed to know about such things,” Dahlia countered.
“But now that you do know a thing or two, is that therealreason you don’t wish to marry me?”
“Inever said I don’t wish to marry you,” Dahlia countered. When she saw his look of confusion, she added, “I just didn’t wish for us to have tonegotiate.”
Anthony straightened, deciding it best he not respond to the comment about negotiating, at least not yet. “Well, you’ve certainly vexed your father,” he accused.
“Good, because he’s done nothing but make matters worse,” she complained on a huff.
“Careful what you say, or he might hauntyoufor the rest of your life,” Anthony warned.
“You say that as if you do expect he’ll haunt you,” she countered. She gave a start when David Fitzwilliam appeared on the seat opposite.
“Never have truer words been spoken,” the ghost announced.
“I punched him in the jaw,” Anthony reminded her in a whisper.
“Oh, he doesn’t hold it against you,” Dahlia replied before she turned an expression of frustration on the ghost. “Father,” she scolded. “You really must stop this... thismeddling.”
“Not until you two agree to wed,” David replied, his chin thrust out in determination. “I’ll have you know, your sister is at this very moment ensconced in the mistress suite of her new home, happily engaged in marital—”
“Sir!” Anthony scolded. “Have a care,” he added. When he noted how Dahlia stared up at him in surprise, he added, “You’re besmirching my brother’s honor, if I’m to understand what you were about to say,” he added in warning.
“At least your brother knows how to follow directions,” the ghost countered. “Youcertainly don’t.”
Dahlia inhaled. “What’s he talking about?” she asked in a whisper.
Anthony winced. Struggling to decide if he should share what he knew, he finally relented when she pressed him to speak. “Andrew kidnapped your sister and took her to his townhouse. He wasn’t to let her go until she agreed to wed him, and if she didn’t, he was to ruin her.”
Blinking, Dahlia gasped. After giving her father a look of disgust, she turned her gaze back on Anthony as her eyes rounded. “Andrew has atownhouse?” she asked, her manner suggesting she was impressed.
It was Anthony’s turn to blink. “That’syour response to learning your sister is being thoroughly ruined?”
