The Earl and His Virgin Countess(26)

“She wouldn’t dare.” Daniel took a menacing step toward her.

Standing, Andrew made a move toward her brother, but stopped at Miranda’s touch. “It is completely within her right to reject my suit.” He enunciated each word clearly. “Do I make myself clear?”

Daniel stumbled into the nearest chair. “Yes, milord.”

“If that should happen, which I hope it does not, Miranda will keep the monthly allowance my father left for her. She will owe me not one penny. You, on the other hand, will owe your sister every cent you took from her, because it was her money to use, not yours. If she decides to forgive the grievance you’ve committed, that it her choice, as it has nothing to do with me.”

Sarah spoke then. “I believe my niece has quite a lot to think about. It’s late, Daniel, and I have a bed made up for you so you won’t have to awaken a household ill-prepared for your late appearance. When it’s a decent hour, I will have a footman take a message informing your staff that you are here.”

Miranda bit her lip to prevent her saying something that would get her into more trouble with her brother, like yelling hurrah at her aunt’s comeuppance of her brother. He might have come in thinking he had the upper hand, but it had become quite evident he walked on thin ice.

“Perhaps, since he awakened your household.” Andrew looked Daniel square in the eye, as if daring him to counter his commands, “A maid or two from his house can be sent over to assist in the packing for Miranda? And you, Sarah, of course.”

Wondering if she had somehow missed the part of the conversation where anyone had announced they were traveling anywhere, Miranda braced herself and asked, “And where are we going?”

“I talked with the Duke of Foxhaven this evening.” He looked at her in surprise, as if thinking she should know his every move. Then grinned at both her and her aunt. “He would be honored to have you both stay with him until his wedding at the ducal estates.”

“We have invitations to the duke’s nuptials.” Sarah, rarely impressed with anything, actually appeared to fight the need to squeal in glee. Invitations to the year’s most-talked-about wedding was one thing. Being asked to stay at the ducal estates would be a true feather in her aunt’s turban.

Andrew looked at Sarah as if she were daft. “But of course.” He turned back to Miranda “I thought from there, we will travel to Windenshire and you can start planning for the wedding, if that is what you choose. There are three modistes willing to start on your gown tomorrow. You have your choice of which one.”

“So, in one breath, you have said I may still choose, yet there are three woman I must choose from to get my gown started tomorrow. Is it really still my choice?” Miranda rose what she hoped was a haughty eyebrow.

“It still is, up until the moment we say I do.” He lowered his voice making the comment more intimate and just for her ears. She could only stare up at him unable to make any word form let alone pass her lips.

“Daniel, you may stay in the room at the end of this hall. I am taking to my bed. Andrew, if you would be so kind as to make sure Miranda is comfortable and secure in her bed. I assume I will see everyone for breakfast. I will have the table set for four.” Sarah waved them off with a yawn.

Andrew didn’t wait for Daniel to leave before lifting Miranda into his arms and asking her the direction to her room. He took the stairs with no effort, as though she weighed nothing. After helping her into bed, he hung her dressing gown on the hook by her changing screen, before proceeding to take off his overcoat. She had failed to notice earlier he hadn’t been wearing a vest or a jabot. For him to have run out of his residence without being immaculately dressed meant he had rushed to her side and let nothing delay him. Bare-chested, wearing only pants, he leaned over to blow out the single candle.

She finally got her head and mouth to work together. “What are you doing?”

“Making sure you are comfortable and secure. Just following Aunt Sarah’s orders.”

“I don’t think she meant for you to sleep here.” Lifting the blanket to her chin, she knew the action was silly even as she did it, but, somehow, last night, when they had been in a strange bed in a strange room, it had been different than being in her bedroom under her aunt’s roof.

“Oh, I am quite certain she did. Besides, people will talk if they see me leaving your house now. They will think Sarah and I are meeting, and we can’t have that.”

“And I suppose no one will have noticed you storming into the house.”

“I didn’t storm.” He folded the covers down and arranged a pillow under her ankle, before starting to slip in beside her.