“Lord Heart.”
Well, now. He took that back. Thiswas interesting. And deuced surprising.
The duchess’s head whipped to the door, visibly flustered, and Dare’s grin lifted from ear to ear. “Send the good Heart in.” He looked at the duchess, arching a brow. “Seems I am to receive an earful of warnings this morning.”
The duchess rose to her feet. “I shall take me my leave.”
“Why?” Dare asked. “You and the good fellow seem to have something in common—your concern for his sister, Lady Leonora.”
Heart strode into the drawing room and jerked to an abrupt halt when his gaze fell on the female occupant. Dare settled back more comfortably, observing the two. “I gather there is no need to introduce you.”
Heart’s usual scowl didn’t form.
“We’ve met,” the duchess said. “A long time ago. Twenty-one years ago, I believe.”
Heart said nothing, just stared at her.
“Heart.” Dare’s gaze drifted to the newspapers in the man’s hand. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
Heart seemed to break out of his reverie and marched over to slam the papers into the table. “I am here to warn you.”
Dare wanted to laugh. “Away from your sister, I presume?”
“Yes,” Heart grit out. “Who the hell else?”
“Why? It’s not my intention to harm her.”
“No? Every word you engage in with her harms her.”
His thumbs twitched. “Tell me, Heart. Are you sure you aren’t looking at me and seeing everything you loathe in yourself?”
The man’s face drained of color before heat rushed back. He hesitated, his gaze flicking between him and the duchess, his jaw clenching hard. “I see your preferences haven’t changed over the years.”
Dare’s eyes grew wide. Was he talking to the duchess?
“How apt of you to notice,” she returned, unnaturally calm.
Heart’s face darkened before he swung that dark look over to Dare. “Leonora has a bright future ahead. You will do nothing but ruin it for her.” His gaze flicked to the duchess again before reverting. “I don’t have to spell out the reasons why.”
“You don’t.”
“Good, I’m glad you’re not playing the simpleton with me. A man like you should know to stay far away from a girl like her.”
It was a good point. A point Dare had been questioning himself on quite a lot lately, but not one he was willing to dissect with her brother and a woman whose identity was shrouded in mystery. Even so, it rather went against his nature to simply agree, didn’t it?
“Lady Leonora is no longer a girl.” Dare slowly rose to his feet.
“Compared to you, she is.” Heart stepped up to him, his face full of contempt, and uncomfortably close. They were about the same height, so they stood eye to eye, nose to nose. “Stay away from Leonora.”
Dare flashed him a smile. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to demand this from your sister? Tellherto stay away from me?”
At Heart’s contorted face, Dare’s smile turned knowing. “Unless she doesn’t want to stay away, does she?”
“You damn blackguard. Don’t provoke me” Heart’s voice was low, tight with barely controlled rage.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Not doing anything? Is it your intention to ruin my sister?” Heart bit out through clenched teeth.
