![]() ![]() It had been rather startling for Daphne the first time as well, and she'd at least had the warning of a month's previous Whistledown columns. She supposed she couldn't really blame him for being so upset that he'd been written about in the paper. “Miss Bridgerton.” There was a wealth of warning in his voice.ĭaphne decided to take pity on him since, after all, he was new to town and hadn't had time to adjust to the new world according to Whistledown. ![]() The two were perfect for each other-madmen, the both of them! The duke looked beyond furious, and she was beginning to think that she should try for a quick escape and just leave him here with Nigel. Any further and she'd be up on her tiptoes. She tried to back up a step, but her heels were already pressing against the wall. “Not very much, ah, precisely,” Daphne hedged. “And what”-his eyes narrowed dangerously-“precisely”-now they turned to ice-“did it say?” He said nothing, just arched one arrogant brow.ĭaphne quickly added, “There was a report of your return in Monday's edition.” It's rather silly, actually, but everyone reads it.” “It's a gossip sheet,” she said, hastily backing up a step. “Miss Bridgerton, I feel I should warn you that I am within an inch of strangling the information out of you.” ![]() The duke took a step forward, his stance positively menacing. “Oh, you must not know about it,” she said softly, a wicked little smile crossing her lips. “In Whistledown,” she replied, as if that explained anything.ĭaphne stared at him blankly for a moment until she remembered that he was newly returned to London. “Believe what you will,” she said blithely, “but it was in the paper today.” She shrugged again, and he had the most irritating sensation that she was enjoying his distress. “My dear Miss Bridgerton,” Simon said, starting anew in a more even and controlled tone, “I find that difficult to believe.” And considering the direction of their conversation, that image could not seem terribly far-fetched. All she would see was a man who looked as if he were trying to keep his temper in check. He'd become a master at this kind of control. “That, my d-” He felt something suspiciously like a stammer coming on, and so he took a deep breath to steady his tongue. She stared at him as if he were an imbecile. “Well,” she said with a rather dainty shrug of her shoulders, “I've been warned about you.” She looked offended that he'd even considered the notion. “Are you?” he demanded, when she said nothing. Anthony had specifically singled out Daphne as the exception to the rule, but still, she looked deucedly pale. “Good God, woman, you're not going to swoon, are you?” He couldn't imagine why she would, but Anthony-her brother, he reminded himself-had spent half the afternoon warning him about the effects of a young, unmarried duke on the young, unmarried female population. Simon watched with growing horror as the blood drained from her face. While he stood there, probably staring at her like a complete idiot, she planted her hands on her hips, and demanded, “And who are you?” There were rules among friends, commandments, really, and the most important one was Thou Shalt Not Lust After Thy Friend's Sister. “Nigel? Nigel? You have to wake up now, Nigel.” “Nigel,” she muttered, desperately trying to force her attention away from the nameless man standing across from her, “I must see to Nigel.” She crouched down and shook him none too gently by the shoulder. Her chest was tingling, her stomach was turning cartwheels, and her knees felt like melted butter. After growing up with four brothers, all of whom had seemed to know how to charm ladies from birth, Daphne had thought she was immune.īut apparently not. It was one of those boyish grins, the kind that melted female hearts within a ten-mile radius.Īnd, much to Daphne's dismay, it was awfully hard to remain thoroughly irritated with a man under the influence of such a smile. Just when she'd decided that her would-be rescuer was irredeemingly arrogant, he had to go and smile at her like that. “I haven't the faintest idea.”įor a moment Daphne forgot to breathe. When I return, we will relocate Nigel here to my carriage.” “As I was saying,” he continued, ignoring her comment completely, “you will remain in the library. ![]()
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