Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Icould think of a hundred better ways to spend the night than this.

Daniel narrowed his eyes as he swept his gaze around the ballroom. When it landed on a familiar figure with dark brown hair, her pale, creamy skin seemingly glowing in contrast to the deep midnight of her dress, he could not help but clench his hands into fists at his sides.

And then, he saw the hungry gazes that more than half of the male population in the ballroom was throwing at her, and his anger surged to unparalleled heights.

He had told the Dowager Duchess to keep an eye on her at all times. Why was that infuriating woman standing in the ballroom with no one else but Alice’s younger sister? Where was her grandmother, the esteemed Dowager Countess? She should have known better than to leave her charge alone in a pit of vipers!

He quickly made his way to the pair and glared at Evie, who tried to avoid his gaze.

“Why are the two of you unaccompanied?” he demanded.

He saw her bristle, as if she considered decking him right where he stood, if such a laughable notion were possible.

“There is quite the crush tonight,” Evie retorted. “We are hardly unaccompanied.”

It was true, of course. With a full ballroom, the two young ladies could hardly be considered alone.

That, however, was not enough for Daniel. Not when he was painfully aware of all those men currently eyeing Evie as if she was a buffet set up in the middle of the desert.

“Lady Wellington and the Dowager Duchess left just a few moments ago to get some refreshments,” Phoebe explained softly. “They should be back shortly, Your Grace. You need not be worried.”

If she thinks that makes anything better, then she is sorely mistaken!

Daniel knew all too well the different tactics these so-called gentlemen employed to ensnare innocent young ladies. He’d be damned if he allowed them to attempt such a thing right under his nose!

“Fabulous,” he muttered coldly. “I guess that means I have to take care of you for now.”

Evie returned his glare with a fierce one. “Well, nobody ever told you to do such a thing! You can go over there”—she pointed haughtily to the other side of the ballroom—“and we shall be perfectly fine without your ominous presence hovering over us like a thundercloud.”

“Need I remind you of how your brother practically begged me to keep you out of trouble?” he retorted, an eyebrow raised. “Did he not promise me anything I wanted in return?”

“Well, he never would have made such a request if he had any idea how terrible you are to me!” she shot back.

For a moment, they stood there, glaring at each other, neither one of them feeling the need to give up.

Daniel had never met a more exasperating woman in his entire life. Not only did she insist on challenging him at every turn, but she was also pushing him past his limits. If a woman ever decided to become difficult, she would not have done as spectacularly as Evie at that moment.

“Your Grace, you must forgive Evie,” Phoebe interjected. “She is only vexed because her dance card is empty.”

Really? Is that all there is to it?

He felt a slight tingle of satisfaction that apparently, his earlier threat in the club had reached the rest of the male population of the ton. Sometimes, being the menacing scoundrel that Society made him out to be did have its advantages.

Evie, however, was not one to appreciate a good thing even when it landed on her lap and squawked at her.

He narrowed his eyes at his obstreperous charge, who only glared stubbornly back at him.

“Do you want to dance?” he bit out.

She appeared to be surprised by his question, but recovered rather nicely by scowling and crossing her arms over her chest.

Daniel pressed his lips into a grim line and prayed to the high heavens that his gaze did not stray to her bosom.

Do not look down. Do not look down. Do not look down…

“What does that have anything to do with you?” she scoffed, drawing his attention back to her flushed cheeks and bright eyes. Her chest was heaving slightly, the soft swell of her breasts pressing against the beaded neckline of her dress.

But he had already managed to maneuver her deftly to the dance floor, where several other pairs had gathered. It was a much better move than to allow his gaze to linger longer where it should not.

Almost immediately, he heard the soft whispers breaking out all over the ballroom. Dozens of pairs of eyes swiveled to them—some of them surprised, some curious, but a great many more were envious. Fortunately, Evie was much too incensed with him at that moment that she was oblivious to it all.

“Just because I wanted to dance does not mean I want to dance with you,” she huffed under her breath.

Daniel could only smile mirthlessly at her. “Well, you are stuck with me, sweetheart. Take it or leave it.”

She glared up at him just as the musicians began to pick up their instruments. In the end, Evie was still a well-bred young lady, and well-bred young ladies did not leave their dance partners on the dance floor and storm off in a huff.

Besides, if she refused to dance with him tonight, she would have to refuse everyone else for the rest of the night. The rules of Society made no sense to Daniel, but for once, he was grateful for this one.

“Do not look so pleased with yourself,” she grumbled as she bowed.

He returned her scowl with a brilliant smirk. “I would not dream of it.”

There were much better things to dream of, in his opinion, but none of which were appropriate for polite conversation.

Arrogant jerk! Conceited idiot!

In her mind, Evie called Daniel a thousand and one names—some of which were quite unladylike and could not be uttered in polite company.

Not that she cared to be polite to him.

Phoebe had been right in that she was a little upset that her dance card had remained empty up until he had whisked her off to the dance floor as if that solved anything. In fact, she had a feeling that it would only make things worse.

As soon as they reached the dance floor, she noted the many stunned looks directed their way. As far as she knew, Daniel never danced at these events, and now that he himself had led her to the dance floor, what was everyone going to think?

“With the way you are looking at me, one would think that we are on opposite sides of a duel,” he remarked under his breath.

In spite of the displeasure in his words, he maintained a dashing smile that lent his normally icy features some degree of humanity.

If she did not find him so infuriating, Evie would have admitted that he was rather handsome with his dark hair and piercing green eyes. Most young ladies gravitated towards the likes of the Duke of Sinclair with his dazzling charm, but there was something about Daniel and the way his shuttered green eyes seemed to be holding a thousand secrets that seemed to make her weak in the knees.

Not to mention that she now knew for a fact that he was pure muscle under his exquisitely tailored clothes.

“Tell me how I am supposed to look at you, then?” she croaked.

His lips pressed into a grim line. “You are the debutante. I think you would know better how to go about these things.”

Evie nearly burst into laughter at that. “Well, it is true that you do resemble a fish out of water.”

“I most certainly hope not,” he scoffed. “I would like to think that I am doing a better job at moving to the tune instead of flopping about on the chopping board.”

The thought of him flopping about like a freshly caught halibut was so ridiculous that she could not help the giggle that finally bubbled up her throat.

“I suppose it is not polite for a young lady to laugh at her dance partner,” he surmised. “But it is infinitely better than you looking at me as if you could not decide whether you would like to shoot me or run a rapier through my chest.”

Evie, much to her surprise, found herself smiling up at him. “Not that I know which end of a pistol to point at you,” she told him softly. “But those are rather fine ideas.”

He gave her a strange look, one that made butterflies flutter in her belly. “If you so much as looked at a man like that, I suppose he can be persuaded to accomplish the task for you.”

“Look at him like what?” Evie looked at him in confusion.

“Never mind,” he said quickly, his eyebrows snapping together. “Just stay away from them altogether, and we might be able to last until your brother returns.”

She looked at him as if he had just lost his mind. “But is not the purpose of this Season to find a suitable match?” she asked him, feeling a little irked. “How am I supposed to do that if I am to stay away from every potential suitor?”

His mood seemed to grow even darker at her words. “Do you enjoy the company of these so-called suitors of yours so much?” he snapped.

Evie balked at his harsh tone. “Not really. I was just wondering if I had done something wrong… If I had embarrassed myself somehow and that’s why no one approached me tonight…”

His expression softened slightly, but his next words absolutely floored her.

“Do not be silly,” he told her. “I just forbade them from coming near you.”

“E-excuse me!?” she sputtered, her eyes wide. “You forbade them from coming near me? Just who do you think you are?”

He frowned darkly. “I am the man your brother entrusted with your well-being while he is off gallivanting.”

“Colin is not gallivanting, he is on his honeymoon,” she corrected him, feeling even more vexed by the minute. “And I am quite certain he would never agree to… to… to whatever it is you are doing right now!”

Her voice was rising as her frustration peaked. She had not done anything wrong—it was all due to his machinations! Now, how was she supposed to find a match when nobody was allowed to come near her?

Is he insane?

Even her own brother had not been as overbearing, and Colin was already considered exceedingly overprotective, as far as older brothers went.

“I would advise you to keep your voice down, My Lady,” Daniel told her in an icy tone. “You would not want to attract undue attention, would you?”

Evie pressed her lips into a furious line, but she continued to glare at him. “Oh, so now you are trying to deflect?”

“I am not deflecting,” he replied matter-of-factly.

“Yes, you are,” she hissed back.

There were a great many things she wanted to say to him—choice words, mostly—but the dance had already come to an end. Evie bowed stiffly, flushing slightly when she noted that several eyes were watching them with keen interest.

“This discussion is not over,” she told him under her breath.

Daniel had the gall to smile slightly at her, as if he was amused by her anger.

“We may continue the discussion later,” he agreed. “We live in the same residence now, or have you forgotten?”

How could she forget? Ever since Colin had left her in his “care,” she had longed to return to Blackthorn Estate.

Still, she smiled coldly at him. “Not later. We are going to talk about it now.”

She noted the slight tick in his jaw with some satisfaction.

“I shall be in the garden,” she told him. “I suggest you do not make me wait overlong.”