Ashton shook his head. “You only see the visage he presents to society. Will he challenge you, laugh with you, defend you, even at the cost of his own honor?”
She pressed her lips together and looked away. There was a long, deafening silence, then, “I should get back.”
But the moment she moved away, he caught her hand. She drew in a breath and her eyes met his. For a brief, solitary moment, there was nothing else in the world but the sound of her breathing, her sweet scent curling around his senses, the feel of her skin.
“Think about what I said.”
She nodded slightly—almost imperceptibly—then dropped her hand, breaking the connection. “Walk me back, will you? They’ll think we’ve quarreled if you don’t.”
* * *
Daphne took Ashton’s arm and they headed slowly back toward the house. Contentment settled over her as they walked in silence, his boots crunching on the gravel path, his arm strong and firm beneath her hand. She felt safe, protected, in his presence.
And then there was Edward. She thought she’d feel differently when Edward finally proposed—giddy, proud, truly happy. Instead, she felt anxious, doubt gnawing at her from the inside. Edward was pleasant, quiet, but in that brief moment at lunch, he’d revealed a side of himself she’d never known existed. But then, she’d never seen him angry before today. Over the last two years, she’d only ever spoken to him at balls or other gatherings—never in as intimate a setting as a house party.
She glanced up at Ashton. He’d swooped in and saved her, defended her honor when Edward had humiliated her. And he’d never once admonished her for slipping into his bed that night—he’d questioned her motives, as any sane man would, but he hadn’t been angry, though he’d had plenty of cause.
She bit her bottom lip. Perhaps he wasn’t quite the rake she’d assumed he was. And perhaps Edward wasn’t quite the saint she’d assumed he was either.
The moment they were back inside the parlor, Edward gripped her elbow, pulling her away from Ashton, and led her to the pianoforte. Holding up his wineglass, he tapped the side with a spoon. “Attention, everyone,” he said smoothly. “I have an announcement to make.” Of a sudden, all eyes were trained on her and Edward. “It’s my great honor to announce that Miss Hayward has made me the happiest of men and consented to be my wife.” He smiled at her. “We shall marry immediately.”
Shock poured over her, freezing her in place. She hadn’t said yes. Why would he announce an engagement she hadn’t agreed to? But she already knew. He’d done it to force James’s approval. If the engagement was announced, there was little James could do without humiliating her.
Daphne fought off a wave of nausea. Two years of making her wait, and he couldn’t wait five minutes for a proper answer? Nausea and shock slowly bled into anger.
Several guests gathered around them, gushing congratulations, asking for details about the wedding. Daphne smiled tightly and turned to Edward. “May I have a quick word with you?”
“Yes, of course.” He smiled and made excuses to the other guests, then led her to down the hall to a small parlor for privacy. His brows drew together in concern. “What is it?”
“What gives you the right to announce our engagement? I never said yes.”
He chuckled and threaded his arm around her waist. The intimate contact made her jerk back. “You want to say yes, Daphne. You’ve been trailing after me like a lovesick puppy for two years.”
A lovesick puppy!
Her anger ignited and she balled her hands into fists at her sides. “You’re mistaken, Lord Wallingford. I don’t wish to marry you. It was wrong of me to allow you to believe otherwise.” She forced herself to remain calm. “You must tell everyone this was all a horrid mistake.”
His eyes darkened. “It’s far too late for all that. The announcement has been made. To withdraw it now would invite scandal.”
Daphne pressed her lips together. Exactly his plan, she gathered. Marry him or live with the scandal of refusing his hand. “Why are you doing this?”
He smirked. “Come, Daphne, surely you must know. A woman like you couldn’t possibly ensnare a man of my station without the lure of ten thousand pounds.”
Mortification, anger, and heartbreak all swept over her at once. What she’d mistaken for love had actually been affection for her fortune, nothing more. His marked attention had come around the time James had not-so-discreetly leaked news of her dowry into high society. She’d always thought it was the idea of losing her to another man that had spurred Edward’s attentions, or perhaps that’s what she wanted to believe. But Ashton was right: if Edward loved her, he would have claimed her long ago. With the same determination Ashton had to claim her now.