“I am pleased to see you also, Grandmother.” Eva kissed her cheek. “And this is Furban.”
Daniel watched as his grandmother wrapped her arms around Eva and gave her a gentle hug. He heard both of them sniff and then pull away from each other and move to join him at the table.
“That dog is not fit for a duke and duchess,” the dowager declared, looking at the puppy who had followed Eva and was now seated at her feet.
“He is our dog, Grandmother, and someone I am sure you will come to love in time,” Eva said as she reached for the teapot.
“Harrumph,” the elderly woman grumbled. “Shall we postpone the ball, Granddaughter?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Are you sure you will feel up to it, love? It is only four days away,” Daniel added and how the hell was he to protect her at such an event.
“It is only my shoulder that pains me and I will wear my sling if it tires, I promise.”
“I think we should wait.” He looked not at Eva but his grandmother. Just thinking about Eva surrounded by so many people made him sweat.
“Oh, please, Daniel, I want to continue with the preparations.” Eva forced a smile onto her face. She did not want to delay the ball. Just thinking about it made her nerves flutter and if they put if off she would have weeks of anxiety. Not that she wasn’t already anxious. Eva knew that whoever shot at their carriage had to be connected with her father and Lord Huxley, and she had no doubt the bullet had been intended for Daniel. He could have been taken from her and the thought of life without him was not to be borne. Through her own foolishness in trying to protect him, he could have died. Therefore today, when she was feeling stronger, she would tell him everything.#p#分页标题#e#
“All right, the ball will go ahead but you will not leave my side on the night.”
Nodding, Eva snuck a crust under the table. Daniel lifted one eyebrow but remained silent.
“We have had most people reply, my dear. It will be a fabulous crush,” the Dowager Duchess crowed.
“Wonderful,” Eva replied with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.
“And now I must leave you both to plan as I am to fence with Simon this morning and then visit Tattersall’s horse sales.”
“Oh, but Daniel, I need to talk to you.” Eva rose to grip his hand.
“Can it wait, sweetheart?”
Eva nodded when she saw the concern on his face. She didn’t want him to leave without hearing her confessions but they could wait a few more hours.
“You are not to leave this house today, Eva.”
“Of course.”
“Good girl.” He kissed her softly and then he was gone.
…
“Interestingly enough it appears Gilbert Huxley and Spencer Winchcomb have been seen in each others company a lot more of late.” Simon flexed his foil several times as he spoke.
Daniel paused in his own preparations to look at his friend.
“Supposedly, they were seen talking with some rather unsavory characters not four nights ago.”
Cursing soundly, Daniel swiped his foil through the air, venting his rage. He had left Eva and his grandmother and met Simon at their fencing club. He needed the release of physical exercise - anything to relieve the tension inside him.
“Perhaps we should wait until your temper has cooled.” Simon eyed his friend’s furious movements.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The points are tipped and I would never willingly hurt you!” Daniel snapped.
“Not willingly, no,” Simon muttered, pulling on his gloves.
“En garde,” Daniel snarled.
Daniel lunged at Simon, who, in turn, managed to parry the attack by jumping to one side with a rather unmanly yelp.
“Fight, you lily livered bastard!” Daniel roared. His vision was suddenly filled with a red haze as he imagined Eva at the hands of Huxley and her father. His patience had finally fled and he wanted to kill someone or, at the very least, maim them and Simon was in his line of sight.
“Ask me nicely,” Simon taunted.
Lunging, Daniel slashed and swiped with little skill but plenty of enthusiasm.
“Your fencing master would be most displeased with your lack of grace, your Grace,” Simon panted.
“Shut up!”
They fenced until their clothes were drenched with sweat and eventually Daniel struck the winning blow. Simon slumped against the wall while Daniel bent at the waist to suck in several deep breaths.
“How deep is Huxley in debt?” Daniel rasped.
“According to my source - ” Simon wiped his face on a piece of cloth “ - he is in very deep, owes money to everyone and is gambling heavily to try and recoup his losses.”