A DINNER REVEALS MUCH
Meanwhile, at the Comber townhouse in Bruton Street
Seated at opposite ends of the dining room table, Danielle watched as a footman delivered their first course. Andrew’s attention had been on her since he had held her chair and then took the carver at the other end. She waved, her cheeks flushed from what they had been doing.
He waved back. “I have an idea,” he said as he pushed back on his chair. The footman paused in his duties.
“Sir?”
“We’re going to change places. I don’t wish to sit so far from my lady,” he explained, as he moved his place setting halfway down one side of the table.
“Understood, sir.” The servant quickly moved Danielle’s serviette to the seat across from Andrew’s and then held the chair for her.
“Much better,” Andrew said as he settled into his chair.
“You’re going to play footsie with me, aren’t you?” Danielle accused with a grin.
He scoffed. “Were my intentions that apparent?” he teased, after he was sure the footman was out of earshot.
Danielle sipped her soup, her brows rising in appreciation. “This is very good,” she remarked. “Who’s your cook?”
Andrew blinked. “You meanyourcook?” he countered with a grin. “I’ve absolutely no idea,” he said. “Remember, I haven’t yet met the staff.”
“We’ll have to do that, perhaps on the morrow,” she replied.
“I’ll see about a license as well. When would you like to hold the ceremony?”
Danielle’s eyes rounded. Despite his repeated marriage proposals, her thoughts on this day hadn’t been on an actual marriage ceremony. Not with what he’d been doing to her up in the mistress suite. “I suppose that will be up to Mother,” she murmured. “Have you a date in mind?”
“If we marry soon, we can be off to Greece before it grows too hot there.”
Grinning, Danielle leaned forward. “And the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies?”
“We can go there first, if you prefer. Visit Sicily. Go up to Rome. Over to Greece. Whatever you’d like, Danny.” He finished his soup and regarded her a moment.
“What is it? Do I have something on my face?” she asked, lifting a hand to her cheek.
He chuckled. “Only the most beautiful blush I’ve ever seen you display,” he replied. “I do hope I help put it there.”
“Rake,” she accused.
Sobering, he said, “Until a couple of hours ago, I would have argued with you—”
“A couple of hours ago, and I wouldn’t have thought you capable.” The words were delivered without humor, although she managed a teasing grin and an arched brow after a moment.
Straightening in his chair, Andrew frowned. “I suppose I do come off rather like milquetoast.”
Danielle gave a start. “I would not say that,” she countered, just as the footman appeared with the next course. “You’ve always just been... you.”
Andrew waited until the footman had placed the fish course in front of them before he said, “Predictable?”
Blinking, Danielle regarded him with confusion. “Not all the time.”
“Boring?”
She shook her head, glad they were once again alone in the dining room. “Never boring. You’ve always been the fun one,” she said. “Not a care in the world, unless you were having trouble in school.”
“I was always having trouble in school.”
