Chapter 3 #5
She held her breath and straightened her back immediately. Meanwhile, the Reverend and Mrs. Nicholson merely smiled, as if visitors were always welcome at their home.
Mrs. Nicholson rose from her seat and headed for the door immediately. She opened the door, and there stood a hooded figure.
For half a second, Daphne’s mind flashed through all the possibilities.
Is it Briarwood? Has he found me?
Her heart clip-clopped rapidly.
Is it the Duke—the man I met last night? Did he come to introduce himself?
She clambered out of her chair and stood on unsteady legs. Her knees wobbled as she fought the urge to dart from the room and seek shelter elsewhere.
But then, the cloaked figure removed his hood, and she saw a face she knew almost as well as her own.
“Daniel!” Daphne cried, rushing to meet her brother.
She was torn between two emotions: joy at seeing him and fear that something must have gone wrong.
Why was he here?
She had only been with the Nicholsons for a few days. Surely, Briarwood would require more than a week to fix his sights on another young lady of the ton.
“Pack your things,” he urged, his eyes wild. His hair seemed to stick in different directions, not quite the suave young man he had grown up to be. His tone was anxious. Sharp.
“What is it, my lord?” Reverend Nicholson inquired, frowning.
“Why are you taking her so soon?” Mrs. Nicholson sounded distressed and disappointed.
Before Daniel could provide a response, the door swung open.
In came the man who had been plaguing Daphne’s nightmares.
Briarwood.
In the flesh. Right in the village.
How had he known? How had he figured out her location? Had he researched her family so thoroughly that he’d discovered Wilhelmina’s secret? Even if he had managed that feat, how had he come to trace her connection to the Nicholson family?
Daphne shook her head frantically, seeking to clear the jumbled thoughts from her brain.
Dwelling on details is unnecessary—Briarwood has found me and is now here.
Daphne gasped, feeling cold all over. It was like someone had taken a whole pail of ice water and doused it on her.
“We need to leave now, sister,” Daniel said, immediately shielding his sister from the Earl.
“You know that you can’t escape from me no matter where you go. I am here for my future bride,” Briarwood declared, sneering.
“I am not your future bride!” Daphne protested, even as her voice shook.
“I have told you several times that I want nothing to do with you. I have even fled London to escape you. Do you want an unwilling wife? A wife who leaves her home just to avoid you? Certainly, you can see that I don’t want to be your bride. ”
“I can forgive a mistake or two from my betrothed,” the Earl said, with a cruel smirk. “Which proves the generosity of my spirit, my lady.”
Frustration simmered inside her. Rage mingled with it, potent and spinning. What kind of man was the Earl? She knew that no matter what she said, this man would be deaf to her words.
Her shoulders slumped, even as she hid behind her brother.
What can I do now?
The Nicholsons’ home had already felt like the final place to hide.
Daniel stepped in front of her and said, “She is going nowhere with you, Briarwood. She has refused you multiple times now. You coming here… tracking her… that changes nothing. Go back to London and find yourself another bride. There are several young ladies would who be honored to be your countess.”
The Earl’s eyes darkened. “I am not leaving, Grisham. You’d best get it into your head. I am not a man to be refused.”
Daphne felt a shiver down her spine as he uttered the last words. His tone clearly indicated that if it came to it, he’d drag her back to London with him.
And if he tried, Daniel would intervene. Which would inevitably lead to violence. Even though Daniel was much younger than the Earl, if Daniel had to subdue him to get her out of the cottage, the Earl would be humiliated.
And he wouldn’t like that. He would return to London and use his influence to spread rumors, to poison her family’s name, and possibly corrupt her virtue.
He’d do anything to claim her.
No. She couldn’t bear this anymore. She couldn’t let her family suffer like this. Not when they fought so hard for her.
She’d have to fight back for them, too.
“My lord,” she began to say.
“Daphne. Do not,” Daniel hissed, his eyes wide—he knew how to read her.
She gave her brother a pleading look.
Please, let us put an end to this, her eyes begged.
“No,” Daniel whispered, shaking his head.
Daphne took a step forward, “Lord Briarwood, I’ll—”
But she never finished her sentence.
Just at that moment Daphne heard the approach of another visitor.
She knew the Nicholsons had not been expecting anyone today, so seeing another person enter the household was quite a shock.
But this third man who joined them set himself apart from the rest.
Not only was he looking around at the others with a confused expression on his face, but he also carried a small bouquet of pink, purple, and cornflower blue posies.
The scent of wildflowers filled the air as he strode further forward and Daphne looked up at him, daring to meet his eyes.
This man was tall. He loomed over both Daniel and Briarwood. As his gaze fell upon her, Daphne breathed a sigh.
She immediately recognized him.
This was the stranger from the night before. And, if she had guessed correctly…
He was the Duke of Wolfcrest, their neighbor.
“Good day, Reverend. Mrs. Nicholson,” he greeted, his voice deep.
Daphne could not detect the playfulness he displayed the night before.
His tone now reflected the gravity of their situation.
Despite having no knowledge of what was unfolding around him, he was serious.
Gruff. “Pardon me for my unannounced visit. I heard the Reverend was unwell, so I thought to inquire after him myself.”
Even as he said those words, his amber eyes were on Daphne. There was an unspoken question there, but she didn’t dare say a word. It was almost like if she made the wrong move, her whole world would shatter into pieces.
“I am feeling much better, Your Grace,” the Reverend replied. He self-consciously fiddled with the buttons on his black waistcoat. “Thank you for thinking of me.”
“I am glad you have recovered from your ailment,” the Duke responded.
Then, without giving either Daniel or Briarwood a sidelong glance, the man marched toward her. He covered the distance between them in two quick and easy strides. To her surprise, he took her bare hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles.
The shiver that she felt was not from revulsion. She also didn’t have the urge to pull her hand away.
He glanced up at her and then she saw a wealth of understanding in his eyes.
She had wrongly interrupted his countenance before.
An instant ago, she thought that he had heard nothing of Daniel and Briarwood’s arguments, but now she knew better.
The Duke comprehended the situation entirely.
“And how are you this morning,” he murmured, eyes locked on hers as if no one else existed in the room, “my betrothed?”