Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The next morning, Daphne’s maid had no sooner finished pulling up her hair and pinning it in a soft knot on the top of her head than Delilah came strolling into the room. Daphne had chosen a lavender gown with white ribbons at the top and silver cording along the hem. Delilah was wearing a pretty light green day dress with an emerald-green bow on the top of her head. The girl balanced a plate of teacakes in her dainty hand and wore an irrepressible smile on her face.

“ Bonjour, Cousin Daphne.”

“Good morning, Dee. Looks as if you’ve been downstairs already.”

“Indeed I have. The breakfast display is particularly impressive. Though I must admit I had a bit of a tussle with Mrs. Upton to get these teacakes. They were the last on a platter. And j’adore teacakes.”

Daphne turned in her seat to look at her cousin. “You won in a fight over teacakes with Jane?”

“I sniffed a little and allowed my upper lip to quiver. I believe she thought I intended to cry. No one likes to see a little girl cry.”

Daphne shook her head, but couldn’t suppress her smile. “You are an irrepressible scamp, Mademoiselle Montbank.”

Still balancing the plate, Delilah took a bow. “Thank you. I consider that a great compliment. There is something much more interesting downstairs than the teacakes, however,” Delilah added.

Daphne widened her eyes. “What’s that?”

“ Capitaine Cavendish.”

The brush that had been in Daphne’s hand clattered to the carpet. “Captain Cavendish is still here?”

“Yes,” came Delilah’s swift reply. She popped a bit of teacake into her mouth. “Isn’t that interesting?”

Daphne dismissed her maid and quickly bent and retrieved the brush. There was something in her cousin’s demeanor that told her she knew more than she was letting on. She eyed her cousin warily. “Delilah Montbank, what do you know?”

Daphne set her plate of cakes on the nearby writing desk and did a perfect pirouette in front of the looking glass. “Not much. Only that Capitaine Cavendish kissed you last night in the library and then her grace came in and—”

Daphne gasped. “You were hiding in the library, you little elf?”

Delilah sighed. “Hiding and wishing to Hades that I was you.”

Daphne’s mouth dropped open. “Delilah! I cannot believe you said that.”

Delilah fell to her knees in front of the stool upon which Daphne sat. “Oh, tell me, Cousin Daphne, tell me. What did it feel like? Did your legs turn to jam? Did your heart pitter-patter?” She put the back of her hand to her forehead. “Did you nearly swoon?”

Daphne struggled to keep the smile off her face. “I did nothing of the sort. You are being quite ridiculous.” But Delilah had been right. About the legs turning to jam, and the heart pitter-pattering, too. And there may have been a moment where she’d considered swooning.

Delilah’s brow furrowed. “Well, that is très disappointing.”

“Tell me, you little urchin, what do you want in order to keep silent about this? I cannot allow anyone to find out.”

Delilah’s catlike smile returned to her face. “Don’t worry, Cousin Daphne. I have no intention of telling anyone. Well, Aunt Willie suspects something but—”

“You mustn’t tell Aunt Willie!”

“Aunt Willie is quite clever. She may not make an attractive fichu but she certainly knows more than she lets on.” Delilah hopped to her feet and paced back and forth in front of the windows. “Now, I should think you might give me a bit of your pin money for the next month.”

“Done.”

“And allow me to dress up in your prettiest ball gowns at least once a month for the next year.”

“Done.”

“And let me come with you on Sunday night.”

Daphne gasped again. “How do you know about that?”

“I know lots of things.”

“You are a wicked little eavesdropper and if I didn’t like you so well, I’d beat you.”

“I doubt beating would work on me, Cousin Daphne. I’m far too stubborn.”

“Isn’t that true?”

Delilah’s face lit up. “So, you’ll let me come with you on Sunday?”

Daphne slapped the hairbrush to the tabletop. “Absolutely not. You cannot come with me on Sunday. It’s far too dangerous. And you’re not to mention that to anyone, either, do you hear me?”

Delilah shrugged. “Very well. I’ll make do with the pin money and the ball gowns.”

“That’s quite big of you. Now, tell me. Did Captain Cavendish say when he intended to leave?” Surely, if he’d stayed for breakfast, he’d be gone by now.

“No. In fact, I’m certain I heard him tell Julian that he’d be up for a game of piquet with him in the study later.”

“You cannot be serious.”

“I am. Seems Capitaine Cavendish has no intention of leaving here today.”

Daphne plunked her hands on her hips. “We’ll just see about that.”

Delilah picked up her plate of teacakes and made her way to the door. “Well, do come down and see him.”

“I intend to do just that.”

“And don’t worry, Cousin Daphne,” Delilah said as she danced out of the door. “I won’t tell Auntie that you’re married to him.”