The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides #4)(39)

Daphne sat up again and searched her sister-in-law’s face. “You’re not?”

“Admittedly, I didn’t know him well, but I don’t believe Lord Fitzwell ever had your heart, Daphne. Believe me when I tell you how important that is.”

Daphne reached out and patted Cass’s hand. “Cass, you’re so sweet. You’ve loved Julian since you were a girl. But for most of us, it doesn’t happen that way. We must be methodical about finding a proper husband.”

“Forgive me for disagreeing, but I don’t think ‘methodical’ and ‘husband’ should be in the same sentence.”

Daphne gave her sister-in-law a resigned smile. “Then we shall agree to disagree. I must consult my list again. I put it up in the cabinet. Do you mind fetching it for me?”

“What list?” Cass asked, her brow furrowed.

“My list of eligible gentlemen.”

Cass’s eyes went wide. “You made a list?”

“Of course I did.”

“See, even that? It’s not like you to be so … planned. So…” Shaking her head, Cass stood and made her way over to the cabinet.

“Methodical?” Daphne offered with a small laugh.

“Yes. You’ve always been so free-spirited and fun, Daphne. Finding the right man, your true love, shouldn’t be the equivalent of a business proposition.”

“It’s just up on the top shelf,” Daphne said, completely ignoring her sister-in-law’s entreaties.

Cass, being several inches taller than Daphne, was able to reach it without a chair. She put a hand on the shelf and felt about. She pulled out the stationery and the box with the ship replica came tumbling down. Cass caught the box but not before the lid flew off.

“What’s this?” she asked, staring at the little ship.

Daphne covered her face with her hands and groaned again. “That is my engagement present from Captain Cavendish.”

“Your what?”

“Rafe sent me an engagement present when he heard that I was soon to become engaged to Lord Fitzwell.”

“A tiny ship?” Cass’s brow remained furrowed.

“It’s a replica of the ship we were on for a fortnight together.”

Cass brought the stationery and the ship and came back to sit next to Daphne again. “Daphne, dear. I do believe there is a story or two you haven’t told me. Start from the beginning, if you please.”

Daphne closed her eyes, allowing the memories to come flooding back. “Captain Cavendish and I—Rafe—we spent two weeks on the True Love at the docks last spring.”

“I had heard a rumor that you were missing for two weeks, dear, but I never credited it.”

Daphne sighed. “I wasn’t missing. I knew exactly where I was the entire time. So did Donald. The story Mama and Donald told everyone was that I was visiting Aunt Willie, but obviously rumors spread regardless.”

Cass patted her hand. “Go on.”

“Donald wanted me to help Rafe. He allowed me to go with him, pose as his cabin boy. Interpret Russian.”

“Did anything happen between you, dear? You and Captain Cavendish, I mean?”

Daphne closed her eyes again. “Not for a lack of trying on my part.”

“Oh, dear. You must tell me what that means.”

Daphne shook her head. It was too embarrassing to tell. But she had to tell someone. She had to rid herself of it somehow. Perhaps Cass, kind, sweet, loving Cass, could help her sort all of this out.

“I hired a hack and met Rafe at the docks. Donald knew about it, of course, but I wanted to be independent. We spent nearly two weeks on the ship. Two nights before we were to leave, I—” She covered her face again. She just couldn’t look at Cass while she said it.

“Go, on, dear,” Cass prompted.

“I … I … Oh, Cass, I tried to kiss him.”

Cass’s eyes rounded even further if that were possible. “You did?”

“Yes. I thought we’d been getting closer. I thought he had … developed feelings for me. And, after all, we were married and I … I made a complete fool of myself.”

“Captain Cavendish didn’t kiss you back, I take it?” Cass asked.

“No. He not only didn’t kiss me back, he told me he thought of me as a sister.”

Cass grimaced. “No!”

“Yes!”

Cass shook her head softly. “Well, that is unfortunate.”

“Two days later, I found a blond doxy in his bed at the inn and— Oh, that’s an entirely different story, but suffice it to say that Rafe never once acted inappropriately toward me during that entire fortnight.”

“You can hardly blame the man for being a gentleman, darling. Though the sister comment is disturbing. I think I need to hear the story about this blond woman.”

Daphne told her. The whole awful thing. When she was finished Cass gave her a sympathetic smile. “That doesn’t sound good, does it?”

“No, it doesn’t. It wasn’t and I—” Daphne slapped her palm to her forehead and groaned in pain. “Oh, fiddle! Fiddle! Fiddle!”

“What?” Cass touched a hand to her throat.

Daphne squeezed her eyes shut and scowled. “I just remembered. I tried to kiss him again last night in the garden. He stepped away from me. That’s why I fell on top of him.”