Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
T he fire in the drawing room crackled softly, casting a warm, golden glow over the gathered family and friends. Laughter rang through the air, carefree and generous, filling the space with an undeniable sense of joy and ease.
Daniel sat near the hearth, his glass of port untouched in his hand, watching as the evening unfolded around him. The children had long since been tucked into bed, exhausted from a day of skating on the frozen lake. The adults, however, had transformed the drawing room into a lively parlor, where they engaged in charades, riddles, and all manner of games.
Not everyone had stayed for the evening’s entertainment.
Phoebe, heavy with child, had retired early with her husband, Gabriel, his protective hand resting against her lower back as he guided her upstairs. Sarah, though not yet showing, had also left for bed, James following after her with a rather salacious wink. Sarah had only laughed, slipping her hand into her husband’s as they disappeared down the hallway.
Daniel exhaled slowly, his grip tightening ever so slightly around his glass. Why did everything feel so … different? Five days had passed since he had arrived in Penporth. Five days of witnessing a world he had never allowed himself to consider.
Happiness. Love. A family’s warmth.
He had spent years believing that to have such things meant inviting agony—that the deeper one loved, the greater the suffering when fate inevitably tore it away.
But now …
Now, whenever he looked at these people, at their joy, laughter, and their devotion to one another, he felt something unfamiliar settle in his chest.
Envy.
It was strange, to feel this particular ache for the life he observed. Sometimes it felt as if he had fallen beneath deep waters and entered an enchanted world, one filled with possibilities he had never dared to imagine.
His gaze drifted toward Ravenswood and his duchess, seated across the room in a picture of effortless intimacy. Lizzy was laughing at something her husband murmured, her hand resting lightly on his knee. There was no distance between them, no hesitation. The love in Ravenswood’s expression—the tender amusement, the possessive warmth—was a thing of wonder.
And Daniel did not understand it.
Because for the first time, he wanted to.
A ripple of feminine laughter drew his attention, and he turned his head, dragging his gaze away from Ravenswood and his duchess.
His breath caught.
Caroline .
She sat near the center of the room, her eyes bright with triumph, her mouth curved in a delighted smile as she solved the latest charade puzzle with sharp wit and confidence.
By God, she is so damn lovely .
Daniel had always known she was beautiful. But tonight, something about her held him captive—the way her golden curls gleamed in the candlelight, the way her green eyes danced with mirth, the way her laughter wrapped around him, unbidden and inescapable.
A voice drawled behind him, low and amused.
“You are looking at Caroline as if you wish to cart her over your shoulders and take her to your room.”
Daniel smoothed his expression before turning to find Viscount Barlow standing behind his armchair, a smirk playing at his lips as he swirled the dark amber liquid in his glass.
Daniel arched a brow. “I hardly feel anything of the sort,” he replied dryly.
A lie . And his inner voice scoffed at him for it.
Barlow chuckled, clearly unconvinced. “You will soon get used to it,” the viscount murmured, taking a measured sip of his port. “When I fell in love with my darling Emma, I never thought I could end the loneliness that haunted my soul.”
Daniel stiffened, the words striking something deep within him. Was he so transparent that Barlow could see the emptiness inside him?
He glanced away, his gaze falling once more on Caroline, who was now blushing at something Ester had whispered in her ear.
Loneliness.
Daniel had worn it like a second skin for so long that he had never once considered the possibility of anything else.
Not until now.
Not until he had seen how content, powerful, and influential men—men he had long respected—had allowed themselves to love freely, without fear. None of them bore the haunted look of a man who dreaded loss. None seemed burdened by the thought that loving deeply meant inviting inevitable pain and grief.
Colin, James, Richard, Rannulf, Lucien, Edmond, Shrewsbury, David and Nicholas—all the men in this room, men who had once been rakes, rogues, and hardened bachelors, now gazed at their wives with something close to reverence.
As if they worshiped the ground they walked upon.
As if they knew, without hesitation or doubt, that their love was worth every risk.
They did not hold themselves rigid with restraint. They did not glance over their shoulders, haunted by what-ifs or maybes.
They lived. Fully. Fearlessly. In the present.
He dragged his thoughts to present times when Penny clapped her hands, her smile mischievous and bright. “Attention, everyone! The treasure hunt will officially begin!”
Daniel lifted a brow, glancing around the room. Treasure hunt?
“We are to have a treasure hunt?” Poppy gasped, glancing up at Richard Fairbanks with a wide smile.
“Oh yes,” Ester chimed in, grinning as she walked over to her sister. “We have written a series of clues in the form of poetry. Every poem is different, but they will all lead to the same place—if one is clever enough to figure them out.”
“Since Penny, Emma, and I devised the riddles,” Ester continued, “we shall act as hostesses to ensure no one cheats.”
“Oh, I love treasure hunts!”
Caroline’s delighted exclamation drew Daniel’s attention at once. She was practically vibrating with excitement, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. Daniel smiled despite himself. There was something utterly endearing about her enthusiasm, the sheer unapologetic joy she exuded.
“You mean you love presents,” Hermina teased, laughing.
Caroline arched a brow, undeterred. “Please say there is a present at the end of the hunt. If not, I shall retire to my bedchamber with a book.”
Laughter rang through the room, rippling with amusement.
“Can we help each other?” Poppy asked, her voice conspiratorial. “Because I would gladly form a team with Caroline and Richard.”
“No,” Emma and Ester said firmly, speaking in perfect unison.
Daniel’s frown deepened. The sisters had shared a look, one so conspiratorial that it immediately roused his suspicion. He wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Rannulf, standing near the fireplace, snorted softly, shaking his head as he leaned into Lizzy’s ear. Penny looked far too pleased with herself, and Ester had the audacity to smirk at Caroline before winking.
They were up to something.
And Daniel had a very strong suspicion that it involved Miss Caroline Fairbanks.
Had they all schemed to ensure she won the prize? Or worse … Did the prize involve him? He did not miss the considering look Emma turned his way before she looked away. An icy sensation wormed its way through his chest.
“Come up and pluck a piece of paper from the hat,” Emma invited, holding out a black silk hat filled with neatly folded slips.
Caroline rushed forward, selecting a slip with eager fingers.
Daniel waited, watching as the others picked their riddles one by one. When the line thinned, he started toward the hat—only to pause mid-step. Penny had discreetly dropped another piece of paper inside.
His eyes narrowed.
Had she planned for him to get that particular one? When he reached inside, there was only one slip left.
Of course.
With a slow exhale, he unfolded the paper, his gaze dropping to the elegant script.
The Riddle:
When daylight fades and moonlight gleams,
A secret stirs where warmth still beams.
Among the blooms both bright and rare,
A treasure waits in fragrant air.
Seek the hush where petals sigh,
Beneath the stars and winter sky.
Daniel’s brow lifted. He glanced toward Penny, Ester, and Emma, who were huddled together in whispered amusement. Then he looked toward Caroline, who was grinning as she read her own clue, completely unaware of the intrigue surrounding her.
Slowly, a smile tugged at his lips.
Very well.
If the ladies of Fairbanks Manor wanted a game, they would have one.
And Daniel intended to win.