Chapter 16

"Good morning," Daphne greeted, coming into the small dining room they'd been afforded by the Marquess of Lutton and her sister Amelia's fiancé, to have breakfast as a family since it would be many months till they'd sit together again once the ceremony was over.

"You finally decided to come out of your chambers," her father announced.

He frowned at her and she raised a questioning brow to Amelia and Melanie who shook their heads. It seemed they were all ignorant of the cause of her father's latest temper tantrum.

Her father was never one to hide his feelings on anything so she knew in due time, he would speak about it.

"Yes, Father," she answered, sitting to his left opposite Amelia on the six-person dining table, which mimicked their seating arrangement at their own home.

The familiar action brought a smile to her and then a tear to her eye as she realized that, in only a few more hours, her sister would no longer be sitting across from her at dinner, sharing looks and having silent conversations with their eyes when dinner guests behaved oddly.

She met Amelia's gaze and found her sister's expression mirrored her thoughts. She sent her a small smile which was all she could do to stop herself from crying. God knows she'd done enough of that the past few days since…

No. She scolded herself.

She had promised she wouldn't let the duke into her thoughts anymore, especially since he'd moved on with his life as if he hadn't ripped her heart in two again.

"Tell me, Daphne," he started, alerting her to the fact that she was the cause of his latest tantrum. "Why should I have to spend so much money and time to bring you all the way to an event as prestigious as this, and instead of you getting yourself a husband, you are locking yourself up in your room? I should have simply left you in town to lounge around in your chambers all day had I known you'd behave like this."

"Have I done something to offend you, father?" Daphne asked plainly.

Usually, she would handle her father's passive aggressiveness with ease but now, when mentally, emotionally, and physically she felt wrecked, she found herself irritated.

He spat angrily. "It displeases me greatly that the Duke of Kensington is yet to ask for your hand in marriage. That is offending me."

Oh.

Amelia shook her head at their father. She was always the bolder one of the two sisters, facing down her father when he had a temper tantrum with great fierceness.

She had never really had to handle any difficult matters as her capable sister had always been there to solve them.

Now that she'd be far away building her own home…

"Father, that is in no way Daphne's fault." Amelia defended. "Besides, she only recently started courting the duke."

If only they knew.

"What do you mean it's not her fault?" he asked stubbornly. "In every way it is! Has she broached the subject to him subtly, to see what he has to say?"

Yes. She answered internally. He doesn't want to marry anyone. Ever.

"I am sure he'll ask soon, father. Do not fret so." Amelia added before he could continue.

"So when will he?" Lord Wallace asked, putting a piece of buttered bread in his mouth.

Daphne sighed, placing her knife down. She'd been about to cut into a piece of blueberry pie despite the argument she'd been having with her parents since she came down for the morning meal.

They had chosen this morning of all mornings to remind her of Victor and their courtship, wondering when he would finally make an offer for her, despite her insistence that he would when he was ready.

"In due time, Father," she answered with a sigh.

"I only ask because I care about you and your happiness. You're no longer a little girl of sixteen. The girls who debuted with you are heavy with their second or third children now."

"I know, Father," she agreed.

"Amelia, thank God, is getting married tomorrow and will start building her own family," he continued. "Melanie is still young, and it is up to you to set a good example for her to follow. You have always been the sensible one. That is why I believe you will understand why I have chosen to take matters into my own hands and in the manner I did."

"What do you mean, Father?"

"What do you mean, Howard?" Gertrude, her mother asked.

Her father took a long swallow of his tea, ignoring the fact that his family's eyes were on him with earnest expectation of an answer to their question.

"Howard?" her mother said again.

This time, displeasure oozed from her tone and even her father wasn't fool enough to ignore the threat hidden in her tone.

"I have taken the liberty, as your father, of accepting Percy's offer of marriage on your behalf."

"What?" Cried the four women in the room.

"Father, you can't be serious!" Daphne exclaimed, rising from her seat.

"Oh, but I am," he answered, meeting her eyes with a stubborn look.

"I do not want to marry Percy," she protested. "I have said so several times. I do not love him."

"That is exactly why he's a perfect candidate for you," he answered matter-of-factly. "You do not need love to start a marriage."

"But you need love to keep it," her mother added.

"Love can come with time," her father continued. "Love is a fantasy. A silly game of flowers and poetry. That is all there is to love for you young people. But once you get married, you'll see that it takes more than that to keep a marriage going. You may not always like your spouse, and your spouse may not always like you, but love is the choice you make to stay despite it all."

If Daphne wasn't so angry at him for signing her off to a man against her wishes, she'd have found his words as romantic as the rest of the family obviously did as they were all staring at him with watery smiles.

"You may be infatuated with the duke's charm now, but in a few years? You two may not be able to stand being around each other." He sniffed. "Besides, if he were committed to being with you, it wouldn't be taking him so long to do what is right. I would have preferred he made it clear what future he wanted for both of you."

Daphne knew that much to be true. If it were anybody but Percy, she might have considered it. An icy finger of dread still crawled up her spine when she considered their last encounter.

"Couldn't it have been anyone else?" she asked softly shaking her head.

"There are no other eligible gentlemen in our current party."

"But Father…" she pleaded, trying to make him see reason.

"Mr. Farton is a good man from good stock," her father added softly noting her expression. "He will be able to take care of you and secure your future. Love is not the first step to a stable home, darling girl."

He rose from his seat, obviously finished with breakfast.

"I will leave you to decide whether or not you will be wed willingly to Percy," he announced. "You will find me in the library once your decision is made."

The rest of her family filed out leaving her with concerned looks.

She was so frustrated; she was so helpless in controlling her own life. She didn't even have any tears left to cry.

The man she wanted preferred to live in the darkness of his past rather than brave a future with her. And her only option for marriage was a man who would no doubt continue his skirt-chasing, taking advantage of her non-confrontational nature.

It was true that an unmarried lady was left with very few options. Her father had no sons and had to will his estate to a distant male cousin of theirs that they'd never met.

If anything were to happen to her father, and the heir decided he wouldn't want to care for them, she and her mother would be tossed out with their trunks.

It was wise she married and, in truth, Percy was the most palatable option she had currently. At least they'd grown up together — perhaps he might respect her enough to keep his affairs outside their home. And preferably secret.

Seeing no sensible forward approach, she rose from her seat and squared her shoulders as though going into battle, her mind set.

"I have made my decision," she announced once she faced him in the library.

"And what is that decision?" he asked, putting his book down.

"I will marry Percy," she said, more or less forcing the words out of her mouth.

He smiled brightly at her and rose to kiss her forehead.

"Oh, my darling girl," he praised. "You really are sensible. I will go and tell Lord and Lady Suffork the news."

She nodded watching him walk hurriedly to do just as he said with a skip to his step she hadn't seen in an age.

* * *

Dinner came quickly, and while Daphne ate, she noticed Percy —who had been invited to dinner with his family — trying to meet her eyes from where he was sitting across the table from her, but she kept her eyes downcast, only politely replying to questions thrown her way.

When dinner came to an end and the guests filed into the parlor for games, her heart pounded unsteadily in anticipation of the progression of the night's events.

Her father planned to announce her engagement that night and as fate would have it, for the first time ever, the duke was in attendance, as Harry's guest.

Whispers were flitting about in wonder and when she finally heard the chink of a teaspoon on delicate China, she wished she'd locked herself in her room.

"I have a wonderful announcement to make." Her father said once everyone's eyes were on him.

Daphne tried to escape through the crowd, but Percy came to her side, his hand on her arm, effectively halting her plans.

"My daughter, Daphne, is set to be married to Mr. Percy Farton," he announced.

Cheers filled the room as well-wishers came to congratulate them. She pasted a fake happy smile on her face but when her eyes caught Victor's, her mask slipped.

She looked away from him and wanted to excuse herself, but Percy didn't let go of her hand, pulling her forward to meet Victor just to gloat.

"The best man always wins, doesn't he?" Percy smirked, trying to get a reaction from the duke.

"I congratulate you both on your upcoming nuptials," he said with a bow. "I must take my leave now."

She watched him go without even a glance at her. When Percy finally released her, she took hurried steps down the hallways so she could scream in the privacy of her chambers.

A gasp escaped her when a hand wrapped around her wrist and dragged her into a chamber.

"Calm yourself, Daphne. It is me."

She opened her eyes to see Victor glaring hotly down at her. He was visibly angry.

She couldn't understand why because he'd been the one to call off their relationship so why would he be angry at her?

"What do you want?" she asked, squaring her shoulders.

"What do I want?" he asked incredulously. "What is wrong with you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you marrying that pompous prick?" he snapped. "You leave my chambers in one minute and the next you're jumping into bed with another man."

"At least he wants me there," she said before she could analyze her words. "It was true what you said about us being a mistake. Thank you for freeing me when you did or I'd have had my reputation ruined for nothing."

"Daphne I—" he started, then stopped. "After knowing everything there is to know about him, you still want to go ahead and marry him?"

"He's the safest option I have." She answered calmly because she didn't have anything to feel guilty about.

"The safest?" he asked again with a bitter laugh. "Daphne, there are many gentlemen far more suitable than Farton that would fight for your hand."

But I don't want any of them. She thought. I want you.

"I will be happy with Percy, Your Grace."

"Daphne—"

"If you'll excuse me," she said, turning and moving as fast as she could out of the room.

To think she'd hoped that when he saw her marrying another man, he'd come to realize he couldn't live without her, but he had only tried to stop her from marrying Percy just because he didn't like him.

Tears filled her eyes again at the fact that she'd still harbored hope that something could come of their odd relationship. She shook her head once more, steeling her resolve.

Her father was right.

Love was a stupid thing.

Now it hurt, but soon she'd be completely healed of the duke's charm. So, for now, she'd allow herself to grieve what could have been between them.

* * *

"Are you going to let her go like that?" Harry asked, stepping into Victor's chambers and stopping short when he saw the state of the room. "You are leaving. Before the wedding?"

Victor didn't need to look to see a disappointed look on his friend's face. He had already berated himself for the cowardly move he was about to make, but compared with how angry he'd feel seeing Daphne and Percy together, he knew this disappointment was a better option.

"When are you going to stop being a coward?" Harry said glaring at him.

He turned to his friend with an exasperated look, dropping the shirt he'd been folding.

"I am not being a coward."

"Oh and running away from your problems is a mark of bravery?" he asked incredulously.

"Harry, you do not understand. I?—"

"You are obviously a fool who is so set on his ways he can't see he is walking down a dark and lonely path. Rather than fight to keep the woman you so obviously love, you'd rather run away and stomach the thought of another man being with her, of touching her and having her in his bed? That really is brave of you."

"What will you have me do, then?" he growled. "Trap her in a marriage to me? A marriage where I will not make her happy? Is that better?"

"There's no way you will not make her happy, Victor."

"I am my father. I am his blood. The spitting image of him."

His friend sighed. "Fine. Fine, you are like him. You are selfish like him. So selfish you'd put your own feelings above those of the people who love you."

"Harry—"

"That is why you'd rather she suffer a loveless and passionless marriage to that man."

The thought of Daphne being touched by Percy brought a disgusting taste into his mouth. Still, he didn't let himself be caught by Harry's attempt to get a rise out of him.

"It is what is best," he answered locking his trunk. "If you were in my shoes, you'd do the same."

"No. I really wouldn't."

Resisting the urge to scoff, he turned away from his longtime friend.

"I guess we will never know," he muttered. "I am sorry I will be missing the wedding tomorrow but…"

The sound of Harry slamming the door shut stopped him finishing what he was about to say.