Page 61 of A Temporary Bride for the Duke

Edmund turned and found Winston approaching.

“What do you want? Have the debutantes not fawned at your feet enough today?” he asked his friend.

Winston laughed and took the space that Daisy had vacated minutes ago. “No, I have no interest in getting tangled up in a marriage.” He shuddered. “I still have a lot of wild oats to sow.”

Edmund smirked. “Ah, the joys of being a bachelor.”

Winston stared keenly at him. “Is something bothering you, Edmund?”

He sighed. “I apologize. I am… tense, I suppose.”

“Care to share why?”

Edmund could not think of any situation where he might share with Winston the confusion he was feeling about a kiss.

Edmund shook his head. “I would rather not.”

Winston nodded sagely. “I saw Lady Daisy practically running from this spot. Did something happen between the two of you?”

Edmund slid him a sidelong glare. “Did I not just say I do not wish to speak on it?

“You did. And as usual, I chose to ignore you. Must be my bachelor tendencies.”

Edmund just gave him a look that was laced with annoyance. “You see why I refrain from confiding in you?”

Winston snorted. “What nonsense. You confide in me all the time.”

Edmund groaned. “More evidence of my bad judgement.” Winston chuckled gamely, but now, Edmund could not find the levity at the moment.

Later that day, Lady Archworth called all those gathered in the garden to attention.

“I do hope you were not imagining that the games would be suspended for the weekend,” she said, eyes bright with satisfaction. “I have arranged another to occupy you all.”

A ripple went through the congregation.

Daisy let out a quiet breath. “I had hoped for a little time to recover from—” She stopped herself, glancing away.

“From your encounter with the Duke?” Lydia supplied, too promptly.

Daisy shot her a look. “From the general exhaustion of it all.”

Lydia’s expression softened, though her tone remained teasing. “You are not managing it very well.”

“I am handling it perfectly well,” Daisy refuted at once, then regretted the speed of her response.

Lydia gave her arm a small squeeze. “Come. Let us hear what fresh mischief the Dowager Marchioness has devised before you decide you are in need of rescue.”

Daisy huffed a reluctant laugh despite herself and turned back toward the house, where Lady Archworth was still speaking.

“Today’s game will involve Graces. I’m sure you’re all familiar with it, though, I’m not sure you’ve all played it. So here is my lady’s maid, Antoinette, who is going to give an explanation and a demonstration.”

Daisy watched keenly as Antoinette took two sticks and a footman took another two. They moved ten paces apart, with Antoinette holding the sticks and also a hoop.

She turned to the crowd. “This is not an easy game to master. One of you throws the hoop, like this.”

She took the hoop and one rod in each hand and placed the hoop over both rods, so they were inside the hoop.

She then let the hoop slide slightly down the rod, before crossing the rod in the shape of an X.