The Duke and I (Bridgertons, #1)(36)

"Yes, but I was there for the half that was deserved, and while I don't mind your occasionally socializing with Daphne, I don't want you courting her."

Simon stared at his friend—or at least the man he thought was his friend—in disbelief. "Do you really think I'd seduce your sister?"

"I don't know what to think. I know you plan never to marry. I know that Daphne does."

Anthony shrugged. "Frankly, that's enough for me to keep you two on opposite sides of the dance floor."

Simon let out a long breath. While Anthony's attitude was irritating as hell, he supposed it was understandable, and in fact even laudable. After all, the man was only acting in the best interests of his sister. Simon had difficulty imagining being responsible for anyone save himself, but he supposed that if he had a sister, he'd be damned picky about who courted her as well.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter!" Anthony called out.

Instead of the maid with tea, Daphne slipped into the room. "Mother told me that the two of you are in beastly moods, and I should leave you alone, but I thought I ought to make certain neither of you had killed the other."

"No," Anthony said with a grim smile, "just a light strangle."

To Daphne's credit, she didn't bat an eyelash. "Who strangled whom?"

"I strangled him," her brother replied, "then he returned the favor."

"I see," she said slowly. "I'm sorry to have missed the entertainment."

Simon couldn't suppress a smile at her remark. "Daff," he began.

Anthony whirled around. "You call her Daff?" His head snapped back to Daphne. "Did you give him permission to use your given name?"





"Of course."

"But—"

"I think," Simon interrupted, "that we are going to have to come clean."

Daphne nodded somberly. "I think you're right. If you recall, I told you so."

"How genteel of you to mention it," Simon murmured.

She smiled gamely. "I could not resist. With four brothers, after all, one must always seize the moment when one may say, 'I told you so.' "

Simon looked from sibling to sibling. "I don't know which one of you I pity more."

"What the devil is going on?" Anthony demanded, and then added as an aside, "And as for your remark, pity me. I am a far more amiable brother than she is a sister."

"Not true!"

Simon ignored the squabble and focused his attention on Anthony. "You want to know what the devil is going on? It's like this..."





Chapter 7


Men are sheep. Where one goes, the rest will soon follow.

Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, 30 April 1813



All in all, Daphne thought, Anthony was taking this rather well. By the time Simon had finished explaining their little plan (with, she had to admit, frequent interruptions on her part), Anthony had raised his voice only seven times. That was about seven fewer than Daphne would have predicted.

Finally, after Daphne begged him to hold his tongue until she and Simon were done with their story, Anthony gave a curt nod, crossed his arms, and clamped his mouth shut for the duration of the explanation. His frown was enough to shake the plaster off the walls, but true to his word, he remained utterly silent.

Until Simon finished with, "And that's that."

There was silence. Dead silence. For a full ten seconds, nothing but silence, although Daphne would have sworn she could hear her eyes moving in their sockets as they darted back from Anthony to Simon.

And then finally, from Anthony: "Are you mad? '"

"I thought this might be his reaction," Daphne murmured.

"Are you both completely, irrevocably, abominably insane?" Anthony's voice rose to a roar. "I don't know which of you is more clearly the idiot."

"Will you hush!" Daphne hissed. "Mother will hear you."

"Mother would perish of heart failure if she knew what you were about," Anthony retorted, but he did use a softer tone.

"But Mother is not going to hear of it, is she?" Daphne shot back.

"No, she's not," Anthony replied, his chin jutting forward, "because your little scheme is finished as of this very moment."

Daphne crossed her arms. "You can't do anything to stop me."

Anthony jerked his head toward Simon. "I can kill him. "





"Don't be ridiculous."

"Duels have been fought for less."

"By idiots!"

"I'm not disputing the title as regards to him. "

"If I might interrupt," Simon said quietly.

"He's your best friend!" Daphne protested.

"Not," Anthony said, the single syllable brimming with barely contained violence, "anymore."

Daphne turned to Simon with a huff. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

His lips quirked into an amused half-smile. "And when would I have had the chance?"

Anthony turned to Simon. "I want you out of this house."

"Before I may defend myself?"