“Drew,” Anthony said quietly, a hint of rebuke in the simple word. He scoffed. “I cannot believeyouwould do such a thing.”
“Why ever not? We spoke of it earlier. Before the garden party. Her father insisted I ruin her.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I believed you were going todoit,” Anthony argued.
“Did you ruin Davy?”
Anthony gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I might have kissed her quite thoroughly. Spent some time alone with her without benefit of a chaperone,” he admitted.
“But you had Lord Norwick’s permission,” Andrew hinted.
“I had aghost’spermission,” Anthony countered. “Hardly the authority in this matter.”
“He certainly thought so, though,” Andrew murmured. “I know I cursed him—”
“I punched him in the face,” Anthony interrupted.
“—but I truly think he knows what’s best for his daughters. Thatweare best for his daughters,” Andrew went on.
“I suppose you’re right,” Anthony finally replied.
“Didyouhave to agree to conditions with Davy?”
Anthony’s expression conveyed confusion for a moment. Despite thinking they would have to agree to a number of conditions before she would give her answer, she had proposed. Negotiations hadn’t really been necessary. “I did not. In fact, she’s...” He paused and shook his head. “She’s acting as if she feelsaffectionfor me.”
Andrew chuckled. “Well, of course she is. Because she does,” he stated. “Any fool could see that.” He gave a start when he saw how his brother stared at him. “What?”
Shaking his head, Anthony said, “I suppose I am a fool then, for I did not realize it until dinner this evening.”
Furrowing a brow, Andrew asked, “What happened?”
Anthony rubbed his face with his palms. “She was dressed in peach, and she was positivelyperfect,” he whispered. “Behaved as if she was already a countess. Endeared herself to Mother and Father—,”
“They’ve always held her in high regard.”
“—and was so good to engage Daphne in conversation.”
“Oh, dear. That must have been interesting,” Andrew remarked, not sure ifhecould hold his own in a conversation with his female cousin.
“For a moment, I was afraid Daphne was going to be welcome to come along on our wedding trip to Greece,” Anthony continued, his eyes rolling.
Andrew’s chuckle burbled forth before he sobered. “Is that why you wish for me to wait to marry Danny? Because you’re going to Greece, too?”
“Something like that,” Anthony agreed. “Actually, I wanted you to stand with me at my wedding, and you can’t do that if you’re fifteen-hundred miles away and already atop the Acropolis.”
Andrew regarded his brother with new-found respect. After what had happened at university, he had thought they might end up estranged—merely acknowledging one another’s existence when social engagements required it and otherwise avoiding one another’s company. “Will you stand with me?” he countered.
“Well, of course.”
“I’ll speak with Danny about it at the ball Tuesday night,” Andrew said. “Perhaps she’s having a similar conversation with her sister on this night.”
Anthony’s eyes rounded in alarm. “Oh, dear. I suppose they’re going to tell each other every detail of what happened today.”
His face paling at the thought of Danielle telling her sister what she’d done in the mistress suite at the townhouse, Andrew let out a groan. Upon further reflection, he thought Danielle would keep the details to herself. Know that if she shared too much, word might get to her mother or the earl.
“Good thing you had Norwick’s advice to kidnap Lady Danielle,” Anthony commented.
“I’m not sure how good it is if the advice came from a ghost, though, brother,” Andrew replied.
It was Anthony’s turn to chuckle. “Point taken.”
