Chapter 9

"How do you feel?" Daphne asked. "Do you need anything?"

Victor emptied the glass she had handed to him and smiled. His eyes were sad and defeated. This alone alarmed Daphne. All of his arrogance had drained with Percy's accusation. She did not know what to do or say.

"You need not hover. I am perfectly fine," he grumbled.

Tell that to your pale face.

"I have never known Percy to be that uncouth. He was quite horrid."

He scanned her face, then stroked a finger lightly along her jaw. Daphne tried and failed not to feel anything.

"If I had to protect you and fight not to lose you, I would do worse." Another soft flick on her chin, then he dropped the hand.

Daphne inhaled a shuddery breath. "You should not touch me… like that," she rasped.

That evil smile reappeared, "Does it bother you?"

With another shuddery breath, he picked up her left hand and stroked it with his thumb. It was out of sight and did things to her senses. Daphne finished her drink and ached for another.

She removed her hand, "I mean, we are in public. People are watching."

"Should they not? How else should we convince them? A kiss?"

"No!" she exploded. She lowered her voice. "No. Oh, stop it." Judging by that gleam in his eyes, he would do it. Victor cared nothing for people's opinions. At least, not as much as she did. In addition, he was not in his right mind now.

What was it about his father that affected him so?

He leaned against the wall and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, somehow managing not to spill the drink in the glass. "Do you want him to stay away from you?"

"Percy?"

"Yes," he clarified.

"He is harmless, if a little too persistent," she admitted.

"But he did something that made you leave?" he raised his eyebrows.

Daphne did not like the direction of the conversation. A part of her still felt protective over Percy. She supposed it was difficult for her heart to tell apart the little snotty-nosed boy that ran around the house with her, and the rake. "Can you make him stop?"

"If I have your permission."

"You do. Wait," she said quickly because Victor had grinned all of a sudden. The mirth did not touch his eyes and she shivered. He looked like he had on the night he dealt with that pervert for her. "I did not mean you should harm him."

"I would never taint my hands with that idiot's blood."

"Yes, well, you could have another person do it."

"How you see through me… it is truly interesting," he chuckled.

"No, Victor. This is not who you are. This is how you allow yourself to be perceived. That is the problem," Daphne retorted. "I meant that it would be best if he kept his distance from me through the duration of the wedding."

"Done." He drank the rest of the wine in one gulp. "You will not tell me what he did." It was a statement.

"It is in the past, and no, he never touched me."

"Good. Come, dance with me again."

They danced before he was drawn away by Harry for an urgent matter related to the wedding preparations.

He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and led her directly to her mother's side, where Melanie had just returned from a dance. Her cheeks were still positively flushed from it too.

"I will be back soon," he said, greeted her mother, and walked away with Harry.

Daphne looked askance at her mother. "Do you know what happened?"

Her mother shrugged. "This entire day is confusion itself." She gave Daphne a pointed look. "I do want to know what you said to Percy. He stormed out of the hall and has not returned yet. I asked him to get a dance with you."

Oh. Of course.

"You should not have done that, Mother. I told you, I want to court the duke, first."

"And I am very happy for you!" Melanie quipped. She earned a stern glare from her aunt.

"I have to talk to you, before you make any rash decision, Daphne. Marriage should not be taken lightly. Look at his mother."

A beautiful, middle-aged woman was pointed out to her. She had the same eyes and facial definition as Victor. Yet, there was something subdued about the dowager duchess.

She had hoped none of their squabbles had reached her ears. She was surrounded by other women, who followed her every word as though she was holding court.

Her mother continued in hushed tones. "Until a few years ago, she was married to a monster. People looked the other way because he was a duke, but you can still see the effects on her. Her son cannot be that different from that beast. Do you realize no one knows why he disappeared four years ago? No one knows what he has been doing during that time."

"Mama… you cannot possibly judge a person you do not know."

"I know the family; it is enough. His father was once entangled with a friend of mine. They were supposed to have a son together, but in a fit of anger, that child died. My friend has never spoken of it, but I am sure he had something to do with it."

"Victor is… is different. And you gave your approval earlier."

She remembered the torture that had flashed in his face when his father was mentioned. And at the library when he spoke about violence. There was something wrong, but she did not believe it had to do with him.

"I had to, that was in the spur of the moment. You are my child and I will always protect you first," her mother said.

She was starting to abhor that word. Protect.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Go to Percy. He has almost as much value and none of the weighty past."

"I want to hear it from the duke first. I want to know what happened with his family. Then let me decide, Mama."

"Yes, Aunt. He actually sav—" Melanie suddenly interjected but Daphne shook her head at her cousin. She did not want to dredge up that night, four years ago.

"Maybe he will surprise you. I have heard the other ladies talking. They regret avoiding him now. They all think he would make a wonderful husband."

"Then they should speak to him and have him. For now, I have to discuss with Percy how to repair whatever damage you have caused. Unless…"

"What?"

"Is there something about Percy that I should know? In the past, you got along splendidly."

At the moment, she was deceiving everyone by courting Victor. One of the reasons was to avoid Percy, the other was to hide their animosity. An animosity resulting from Victor's rejection. While she did not agree with her mother about his family, there was still no ground to vilify Percy or Victor.

The Viscount of Suffork, Percy's father, was feared as a strict man. He would never condone that kind of immorality, especially under his roof. He would disown his own son before he understood any explanation.

In his rooms, Percy had waited until the other woman was gone before he went on his knees. There was desperation in his tears, "I will make it right," he had said. "Please do not ruin me."

"No, Mama. There is nothing."

* * *

"Drink, you will feel better."

Victor stared at his friend, completely helpless. They stood in Harry's drawing room, and a glass of wine was being handed to him. "I am not a child."

"Even from across the room, I could see you were about to punch him. Drink."

"What was the emergency?"

"That?" he waved a hand. "I had one of the servants handle it. You are more important. I thought I could not get across the room fast enough. What did that fool do that made you lose your temper?"

Victor frowned, "Was it obvious?"

"To me. It was like that night at the den. When you took on three men at once."

Victor snatched the glass from him, "I have heard enough."

"You would have been a dead man. What were you? Fourteen? You owe your life to me."

"I should not have returned to this place. Or perhaps I am dead, and this is hell. I am being punished."

"You had to return. You owe me… and her, it seems."

"I will leave now; have a lovely evening."

"He spoke about your father, did he not? I will retract his invitation."

"Again, I am not a child. Leave the man be."

"But you would never be that affected these days. Unless you are afraid it would give her a twisted impression of you."

"You should quit drinking." Victor strode toward the door. "I was not afraid. I was angry. She has nothing to do with it."

"All right. Then you are truly courting her, and it is not a sham to dissuade Amelia?" Victor faced his friend.

Victor feigned ignorance. It was less pathetic. "I am afraid I do not follow what you are saying."

"You would have been engaged to her, if this were serious. You would sing it from the rooftops and paint it over the walls. Your courtship is a lie, is it not? I just do not understand why it has to be so."

"Nor do I understand the direction of this conversation." Victor almost ran out of the drawing room. He blinked rapidly against the onslaught from the chilly night air.

The lights were still on in the ballroom. He would go there to escort Daphne, then retire for the night.

When he got to the door, he paused and scanned the room. There were still several couples dancing. He saw Daphne's mother speaking animatedly to Percy Farton. He searched for Daphne or Melanie. Neither one was around.

He waited for a few minutes for their return. Occasionally, he would look in her mother's direction. She seemed to be soothing Percy now, patting his shoulder. From the concern on her face, he could guess the topic of the conversation.

Someone cleared his throat behind him.

"Your Grace, do you wish to retire now? Shall I have hot water drawn up for you?"

Victor withdrew his gaze from the ballroom. "Yes."

Tomorrow was another day.

* * *

The morning dawned bright and clear. Although Victor did not see Daphne before he left, he was in high spirits. He skipped down the stairs, taking them two at a time. He looked left and right, and confirmed that there were no lurking servants to see this skipping.

Before he stepped outside, he propped his shotgun on a table. He tugged his flat black hat from side to side, worrying that it was not properly centered.

A moment later, he grabbed the shotgun and strode outside. His friend and a couple of men waited. It was a day bright with sunlight, and the air was fragrant with blooming flowers. Not even Harry's incredulous gaze could put a dent in his steps.

"You are quite early today, and splendidly dressed too, Your Grace. Might I enquire about this sudden change?"

"Good morning to you, too," Victor greeted, tapping his gun on the other men's. "Shall we proceed to the grounds?"

"That is a fine gun, Your Grace," one man commented after they had returned his greetings.

Victor glanced at it. "Yes, it is necessary when you are traveling the high seas with a temperamental crew."

He directed his gaze at Harry, making it clear that he would shoot his stupid head off, should he continue to make fun of him. Harry laughed, shaking his head. The men joined in, with the one who had complimented Victor wondering what he had gotten himself into.

They were all dressed in a similar manner to him. "The gamekeeper should have the pheasants ready by now. Let us go."

Soon, they were joined by appointed servants who would act as the assistants, loading their guns after each round. The men chatted about the weather and the waiting sport. Victor did not contribute much. Each step brought him closer to the Bird Shooting grounds, where the rest of the guests would gather.

Daphne and her family would be there, along with Percy Farton. He was not a petty man nor was he particularly vengeful. If he were, his father would have died a long time ago.

He tried to remind himself of that quality when he spotted the bright red coat. Aside from loathing the man, he was simply fascinated by his ability to fill his wardrobe with such bright clothing.

It brought to mind that the male pheasants they would be shooting today had colorful plumages useful in attracting their mates. He chose to change his name from Peacock to Pheasant. When he shot one down, in his head, it would have Percy's face on it.

Harry sidled up to him. "I should inform you that a murder cannot occur at my wedding."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

He had to know if there was some kind of witchcraft his friend practiced to be so astute when it came to him. But he became a complete idiot when he was around Amelia. It was really not the kind of thing a man enjoyed.

Stymied, he quickened his steps. Harry followed easily.

"It is a mere reminder, old boy. I see the darkness in your eyes when you look in his direction."

"For a man about to be wed, you are awfully inquisitive and concerned about my affairs."

Harry clapped him on the back. "Did you not know? I share in your affairs, too."

"The bloody hell you do."

Harry's lips quirked. A line of shooters had already formed. There was an appropriate space between them, with servants rechecking the equipment. They awaited Harry's signal to release the first batch of birds and servants circulated food and drinks among the guests.

Victor found Daphne and her family easily because Pheasant was beside her, talking and gesturing. Victor's steps quickened with Harry hurrying after him.

There was a hat shadowing her face and he couldn't tell what she was thinking from that distance. That made Victor's gut clench with anxiety. He wondered if the night had changed her mind, if her parents had managed to convince her.

He had to remind himself again, that even if they had convinced her, their courtship was fake.

He raised his hat, greeted her parents, passed a hesitant nod to Farton, and then smiled at Amelia, Melanie, and Daphne. He held a brief conversation with her parents, ignoring their shifty looks. After they repeated a comment about the weather twice, Victor shifted his attention to Daphne.

Each of the women was exquisitely dressed but there was something special about Daphne. She shared a likeness with the fresh dew of the morning.

Under her cream-colored hat, a few curls bounced free, feathering her blushing cheeks. Her eyes brightened on meeting his, her smile widening. She placed another space between her and Percy as if silently declaring her alliance. This warmed Victor's heart. He struggled to remember how to form words as he stared at her.

"Good luck today, Your Grace."

Victor coughed slightly, "You look beautiful today, my lady."

Her light laugh filled his heart to bursting, "Thank you. Are you prepared for today?"

Victor turned the gun in his hand, "It has been a while. But it cannot be that difficult, given the caliber of shooters available."

"Well, prove it," she said. "Or will you only let your ego talk?"

"Confidence, my lady," he corrected with a wink. Her blush rose higher, highlighting her freckles.

"I should warn you that I am extremely and perfectly precise. You will be lucky to match half of my numbers," Percy boasted, eyeing his gun.

"Then I am truly doomed," Victor said.

He wore the flat hat again, then held Daphne's slender right hand, he bowed low and kissed the back of her palm. Once his lips made contact with her creamy skin, he felt her jerk with a low gasp.

He stood erect, thinking he had offended her, but there was heat in her gaze which she tried to extinguish by appearing fierce. Victor hid a smile and tipped his hat, "I shall see you later, my lady. Come along Farton, floor me with your talent."

"Good luck, Your Grace!" Amelia and Melanie called out to him.