Chapter 9 #2
She gave him a nod just in case he was asking for permission from her. He nodded back and made his way to the podium, where his aunt was talking to various women. He bent down and whispered something to her, and she bobbed her head agreeably.
The next thing Daisy knew, the Duke was climbing onto the stage. Her eyes went wide as the Duke cleared his throat and called the crowd to attention.
The Earl grabbed onto her wrist, squeezing tightly. “I think he’s making the announcement that will concern us,” he whispered. “Come.”
He pulled her until she was standing right below the podium.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the Duke began, “I have an announcement; one I’m sure many of you have not been anticipating.”
He looked around the room as the murmurs died down and everyone turned to face him. Daisy expelled a nervous breath.
“I would like to announce my engagement.”
A shocked yet muted roar went through the crowd. Daisy looked around nervously, fidgeting with the emerald she wore around her neck.
“I would like to inform you all that Lady Daisy Murray and I are engaged to be married and, if all goes according to plan, we shall enter and win Lady Archworth’s Games.”
The muted roar became much louder as people expressed their shocked opinions. It did not surprise Daisy that so many people were astonished by their supposed union. She could not help but feel slightly embarrassed about it all.
Lady Archworth began to clap, her face beaming, and the Duke stepped down from the stage. He took her hand and offered her a gentle smile. Daisy searched his face, looking for any hint of inauthenticity, but he seemed sincere.
I really must speak to him candidly soon.
People came up to them, starting with his aunt, to convey their congratulations. Then, to Daisy’s surprise, she noticed her oldest sister approaching with a wide smile on her face.
“Daisy! This is a huge surprise. I never imagined you’d find yourself a Duke.” Abigail was accompanied by her husband, Lucien, the Earl of Frostford. Both were dressed immaculately, and they looked ever so pleased.
Lucien also smiled at Daisy. “Congratulations, Sister. This is great news.”
He seemed to be quite serious about it. Daisy had not had much interaction with him after the wedding since they lived on the other side of the country, but she liked him well enough.
Her sister was much older than she, and they barely grew up together, but Daisy still loved Abigail with all her heart and was well-satisfied with her choice of husband.
“Thank you for your good wishes,” Daisy said shyly.
Abigail reached out and squeezed her hand, looking fond. “Emily is here too.” She turned and pointed at their third-born sister, who was speaking excitedly to their father. Her husband, Victor, hovered in the background.
Daisy remembered that her father had tried to borrow some money from Victor during one of his gambling binges, and the Baron had turned him down quite firmly. Relations had been strained ever since.
Will he try to ask the Duke of Blackvale for money now?
The Duke, as if he could feel her apprehensions through the hand he was holding, gave Daisy’s hand a tiny squeeze. Renewed by his efforts, Daisy waved to Emily when her sister glanced her way, and Emily beamed at her.
“I’m surprised,” Daisy said to Abigail. “I did not expect to see you all.”
“Well, if you must know, Papa invited us.”
“He did?” Daisy asked in surprise.
“Yes. He said he had some happy news to share. I suppose the happy news is your engagement to the Duke,” Abigail said.
“No, the happy news is that she bagged herself a rich duke.”
Daisy whirled around to see Annabella, her second-oldest sister, smirking at her. She had always been Daisy’s favorite, maybe because she made an effort to include Daisy in her activities even after she left home.
“Annabella!” she cried before letting go of the Duke’s hand and throwing herself in her sister’s arms.
Annabella chuckled. “I suppose you’re pleased to see me.”
Daisy stepped back. “Always.” She looked around. “Did you come with your Viscount, or did he beg to be left behind?” she asked.
Annabella laughed again. “Oh, he’s here somewhere.” Annabella glanced over her shoulder. “Eli?” she called.
A tall blonde man appeared as if by magic. “Yes, my love?”
Daisy gave a squeal of surprise, jumping a little. “Oh!”
“Apologies.” Eli bowed. “I did not mean to startle you.”
Annabella gave him a fond glance. “I’ve been wanting to put a cowbell on him for some time.”
“You should,” Daisy jested.
“I’ll make an effort to be noisier,” Eli said. He was grinning as he placed a hand on the small of Annabella’s back.
Daisy watched their casual touches and unthinking affection and felt a bite of envy in her belly.
I want a love like that.
She was most appreciative of the Duke for asking her to be his partner.
And she would never be able to thank him enough for playing his role to the hilt, but Daisy knew that the Duke of Blackvale did not love her.
In a few short weeks, once the Season ended and the games were over, their engagement would be dissolved, and she would have to find a way to move forward without a strong, protective, doting man by her side.
Daisy turned to look at the Duke, so that she might seek some comfort in his proximity, while it lasted, but as she did, her mouth dropped.
The Duke was already speaking to someone else, and she recognized his companion as her brother-in-law, Kingsley Scott, the Marquess of Harmstead.
He was married to Robin, her older sister.
Daisy looked around, seeing her sister hovering a few steps behind Kingsley, just watching him.
“Robin’s here, too?” she whispered to Annabella.
“Yes. Of course she is.”
“But…she barely tolerates me,” Daisy said.
Annabella huffed in amusement. “Well, she could hardly give that as a reason to Kingsley, as to why she didn’t want to attend.”
Daisy chuckled meekly. “I suppose…should I…go and greet her?”
“No. Let her come to you if she will. Of course, they haven’t lost the chance to ingratiate themselves with the Duke.”
“He’s not very good with brownnosing,” Daisy whispered.
Emily laughed. “Are you two gossiping about Robin again?”
“What do you mean, again?” Daisy asked. “We were just noting that she’s present.”
“And marveling that she is?” Emily asked.
Daisy shrugged, looking around the room. “I don’t suppose Merry is here?”
Annabella shook her head. “No, it was too far to come from Scotland and Lochlan was busy with sheep shearing the last time she wrote.”
“She writes to you?” Emily asked in disbelief.
“Of course. Why would she not?”
Emily gave her a wounded look. “Well, she doesn’t write to me.”
“I also get the occasional note,” Abigail said.
Emily gasped. “So, I’m the odd one out?”
“No,” Daisy said, before reaching out and giving her sister’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “She doesn’t write to me either.”
“Yes, well you live with Father, so of course she doesn’t write to you.”
They all gave each other understanding looks.
Eli clapped his hands together. “Come, Victor. Let’s get the ladies some drinks.”
The men walked away from them, and Daisy looked around the room to find that she was getting glares from quite a number of women.
“Oh look, they’re jealous of you,” Annabella murmured in her ear.
Daisy could only shake her head in wonder.
If only they knew the truth.