Page 47 of A Temporary Bride for the Duke

“Your Grace,” they both said in unison before Lady Daisy smiled at Harry. “Lord Harry, how are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Harry said before executing a perfect little bow. “Shall we promenade, my lady?”

Lady Daisy raised her gloved hand to cover a giggle. “You are such a gentleman this morning, Lord Harry.”

“I am,” Harry agreed. He blinked up at Edmund. “Papa, now you should invite Lady Daisy to stroll arm-in-arm with you.”

“Indeed?” Edmund arched an eyebrow teasingly at his child. Harry nodded sharply. His serious demeanor caused Edmund and Lady Daisy both to laugh. Then, he held out his arm to the lady. “Shall we, my dear?”

“Thank you,” Lady Daisy said simply as she accepted him.

They embarked on the promenade. Mr. Oswalt and Harry walked ahead. The tutor pointed out flowers and other plants and asked Harry to name them. Daisy’s father trailed behind them, giving Edmund and Daisy a bit of privacy.

She turned to face him, emerald eyes sparking at him. “I meant to speak with you.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yes… I…Well…The other day at Almack’s…during the reading of our scene…you…I…”

Edmund had never seen Lady Daisy so at a loss for words. She cleared her throat and then dipped her chin. “I am worried that the lines between pretense and truth are blurring.”

He felt something squeezing in his chest at her words.

Why would she say that?

“Do not worry yourself, Lady Daisy. I know well what is real and what we must do to sell our performance.”

But do I?

She took a deep breath. “Then tell me becauseIam not sure.”

He smirked. “Surely you do not think we are falling in love.”

She shook her head. “No. I do not harbor such hubris as to thinkthat.”

“Then what, Lady Daisy? What do you think is happening?”

She avoided his gaze, looking towards Harry and Mr. Oswalt, who were watching the ducks on the pond. Suddenly, Harry turned and ran back to them.

“Lady Daisy, come see these flowers. I’ve seen some daisies as pretty as you!”

She laughed, reaching forward to take his hand. “Show me.”

Harry dragged her away, and she went willingly, laughing all the while. Edmund watched her go, her words echoing in his head as he wondered if it truly was hubris to think that something more might be going on between them. Seeing her with his son, how natural she was with him, Edmund could not lie and say he remained unaffected.

He could not stop thinking about the life in her eyes or how she seemed to broadcast everything she was thinking in those emerald depths. He could not deny how he noticed the swell of her bosom or her too-thin arms that were nevertheless soft to the touch. He openly admired her, and at times, when her eyes would twinkle in his direction, he was certain she held genuinely affectionate feelings towards him and his son as well.

Her openness is refreshing.

But that did not mean there was anything more than a mutually beneficial arrangement growing between them.

Daisy let Harry lead her about, picking up flowers which they then passed to Mr. Oswalt. She was glad to just be here in this moment. When she was with young Harry, it was easy to dismiss all the worries that plagued her.

They circled the pond to look at some lilies when she glanced up and caught sight of Lord Dulforth. Her entire body froze, and Harry let go of her hand to run after the ducklings.

“Lord Harry!” Mr. Oswalt chased after him, calling his name.

Daisy registered all this in some nether region of her brain because all of her attention was on Dulforth as he approached, staring at her with lust in his eyes.