“That’s never been the case.” Ever.
“Then what the hellisthe case?”
Dare shrugged, slow and deliberate, his eyes never leaving Heart’s. “Like I said before, her presence brings a bright light to dreary balls. Neither of us has any wish beyond that.”
“How can you claim such a thing with a straight face?” Heart jabbed a finger at the newspaper. “Have youreadthose titles?”
“I have not,” Dare admitted. Knox, however, had taken much joy in reading them to him first thing this morning.
“Then read them,” Heart growled. “And if you don’t stay away from my sister, I won’t hesitate to step in.”
“Like you are stepping in now?”
“Correct, only you won’t like what I do next.”
A throat cleared, and both men turned to the duchess they had forgotten about. “Violence is rarely the answer. That being said, I shall take my leave.”
Heart took a step back and dusted off his jacket. “No. I was the one that interrupted your”—his disapproving gaze flicked over them—“whatever this is.Ishall takemyleave.”
Dare arched a brow.
“You didn’t interrupt anything,” the duchess hissed like a cat that had encountered a big, burly dog.
“It’s none of my business,” Heart said, casting one last warning glance in Dare’s direction before striding from the room. The duchess stared after the man, before she too marched from the room without a by your leave.
Dare had only three words for this damn encounter.
What the hell?
Chapter Seven
The wind sweptthrough Leonora’s hair as she tilted her head back to soak up the soft rays of the sun filtering through the gray clouds overhead. All around the bank of the lake, couples and families had spread blankets and were soaking up the rare rays before the weather turned on them, as it was wont to do this time of the year. A few sweethearts were on boats on the lake.
The duchess sat a few blankets away, one of the reasons why Leonora had gone against her brother’s advice to stay away—or should she say orders. The man had returned from a midmorning outing with all the hallmarks an enraged bear, and all of a sudden, she had been commanded to stay home.
Sorry, Heart. It’s a sister’s duty to rebel against her brother.
The other reason was that she truly did believe that only if she acted ruined, would she actually be ruined.
She’d purposely chosen a spot not so far away from the duchess, and every now and then, she would peek in the woman’s direction. She didn’t know if she was imagining it, but every so often, it seemed that the duchess would look in her direction, too, but Leonora didn’t hold herself in such high esteem to think the duchess was looking ather.
She glanced to where Harriet and her husband were strolling near the tree line over yonder. Leonora shook her head. She wouldn’t be surprised if they disappeared for an hour or two.
A hulking figure plopped down beside her.
“I didn’t think you would join,” Leonora murmured with a smile.
“Your ability to be subtle is truly atrocious,” Dare said. “You might as well have chosen a spot on her blanket.”
Leonora chuckled, shooting him a raised brow. “Yours isn’t much better. You did sit on my blanket.”
He leaned back against his elbow, a lazy grin tugging his lips. “I prefer to be direct, as you know. Although, after the headlines this morning, I’m surprised you are here at all.”
Leonora groaned. “Not you too.”
“Ah, your brother has been breathing down your neck about the newspaper articles, too?”
Her eyes widened. “Too? Don’t tell me he confronted you?”
