Page 30 of A Temporary Bride for the Duke

He gestured towards the sofas, and everyone took a seat. Just then, Harry came streaking into the room and headed straight for Lady Daisy, skidding to a stop just half an inch short of slamming right into her.

“Lady Daisy, you came.” His cheeks were flushed with pleasure, and in his haste, his shirt had come untucked.

Edmund frowned.

Harry has better manners than that.

Lady Daisy bent over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I did.” She grinned. “I take it you’re happy to see me.”

“I am.” Harry did a little skip without releasing her. “I cannot wait to show you my new toy! Uncle Winston got it for me.”

“Oh.” Lady Daisy’s face lit up.

“Harry, let the lady go,” Edmund said, unable to contain himself any longer.

Harry turned to look at him, a frown on his face. “Lady Daisy doesn’t mind if I embrace her.”

“Yes, well, there are other people in the room, Harry, and you should not ignore them. That is not the right way to behave, is it?”

Harry’s mouth turned down, and he shook his head.

Lady Daisy put a hand on his shoulder. “He didn’t mean to be rude, did you, Lord Harry?” she said.

Harry shook his head. Lady Daisy raised her head to look at Edmund. “You see. He was simply glad to see me, as I was to see him.”

Edmund took a deep breath and refrained from debating the matter. He could see that Harry was excited, and it pained him to play the scold.

So, he swallowed all his further comments and said softly, “Harry is not the only one who is pleased to see you this afternoon, Lady Daisy.”

She gave a small, startled laugh, then retorted, “Shall I expect you to embrace me too, Your Grace?”

“Oh, yes,” Aunt Regina interrupted, rather gleefully. “I should like to see my nephew get a bit carried away with his emotions for once.”

Edmund smiled at his aunt, then turned his gaze upon Lady Daisy. “One show of affection is enough for this afternoon.”

“I suppose it is,” Lady Daisy mused.

She patted the plump sofa cushion and motioned for Harry to sit beside her. In a most obliging manner, Harry plopped comfortably onto the spot and instantly began telling her all about the new carriage toy he’d just received from Winston. Lady Daisy listened attentively and once, for a lingering second, Edmund caught her sneaking a secretive look in his direction.

What is she thinking?

Edmund was on the verge of interrupting the conversation so he might speak to Lady Daisy himself when Mr. Alberts brought in trays of sandwiches and cakes as well as two kettles: one full of tea, the other brimming with coffee.

Once everyone was served, Lady Archworth looked around the group and said, “Harry darling, why don’t you go in the kitchen and ask Cook to give you some of the chocolate I brought you?”

Harry jumped up at once and sprinted right out of the room, abandoning his conversation with Lady Daisy in favor of finding a cup of rich hot chocolate. Edmund watched him go before turning his attention back to his aunt, eyebrows raised.

Why did she send Harry from the room? What is she about to say that she didn’t want him to hear?

Edmund did not have to wait long to hear his aunt express what was on her mind.

“So, Lady Daisy, do you have much interest in child rearing?” she asked.

Edmund almost snorted the tea out of his nose.

Lady Daisy blushed. “Well, Iwouldlike to have children of my own one day.”

“Is that so? What if the man you chose already had a child? Would you raise the child as your own?”