The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides #4)(9)
Fiddle. Why was Daphne thinking about Calliope Cauldwell? She was made-up. Purely imaginary. A heroine in a silly novel. This proposal of Rafe’s was far from imaginary. It was real and it was dangerous. Donald was dead, wasn’t he? Killed by the Frenchmen whom the Russians worked for. This was far from a game and she refused to be bullied into it. Hadn’t she spent the last year trying to forget about it? To forget about Rafe? To come to terms with the fact that she needed to stop longing for adventures and to save her country and focus on settling down to marriage and a family? “I cannot go with you. That’s all there is to it.”
Rafe walked around her in a slow circle while Daphne tried to ignore his nearness and calm her pounding heart. “I’m sorry, love, but you’re forcing me to play my trump.”
“Don’t call me love.” She tugged at the pearls around her throat and lifted her chin again. But she couldn’t help her curiosity. “What exactly do you think is your trump?”
“Seeking out Lord Fitzwell, of course. He intends to propose to you, does he not? I doubt that will happen if he discovers you’re dragging him into bigamy.” Rafe sauntered back over to the other side of the table, putting a safe distance between them again.
Daphne’s head snapped to the side to glare at him. Her temper had sparked. Anger welled in her chest. There was no stopping it now. She advanced, coming around the table toward him. “I am not dragging him into bigamy. I have every intention of seeing our marriage ended before I marry Lord Fitzwell, of course, and if you think I’m going to gallivant off with you down to the docks … I’m getting married and settling down. How dare you threaten me? How dare—”
Rafe backed up and splayed both hands in the air. “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Wait, you little spitfire.”
She didn’t stop. She continued to advance on him, her eyes boring holes into his chest. “Why should I wait?”
Rafe’s eyes turned to blue ice. “What if I told you I intend to use the Russians to hunt down the men who killed your brother?”
CHAPTER FIVE
“And I need your help,” Rafe finished.
He watched as Daphne’s wide gray eyes grew even wider. Her pink mouth formed an O as well. Her chest was heaving with her effort to breathe and— No, no. Better not to think about things like Daphne Swift’s heaving chest. Though the way she was tugging on that necklace kept drawing attention to her décolletage and that was hardly helping matters. Nevertheless, Rafe had told himself a hundred times on his way here this morning … he must treat Daphne like a sister. Sister. Sister. Sister.
Very well. A sister he was married to. Temporarily. But that was for a very good reason and—
“How?” Daphne’s single word jolted him from his thoughts.
Yes. Very good. Concentrate upon the mission. That’s exactly why he’d come. “They’re bringing information I need. Letters. And I must be there to intercept them.”
“And what do I have to do with it?” She was eyeing him carefully but he could tell she was intrigued. Of course she was intrigued. She might pretend to be more interested in engagement parties and marriages, but Daphne Swift was the kind of female who wouldn’t pass up a challenge. He’d learned that about her last spring during their mission. And this would be the greatest challenge of them all. It was like dangling a bit of salmon in front of a cat. That’s why he’d come.
“For one reason, you must be there for consistency’s sake. The last time they saw me, you were with me, as my cabin boy. They only know me as the captain of the True Love.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You can’t tell them your ‘cabin boy’ is gone? Fell overboard perhaps?”
“Of course I can, but these are the type of people who will be suspicious of anything out of the ordinary. Any change. I need to keep as many things the same as I possibly can.”
She pressed her small pink lips together. Lips that he’d had indecent dreams about. “And the other reason?”
“I thought it would be obvious, but I need you. To interpret their language, of course.”
Daphne cupped a hand behind her ear. “Say that part again, Captain. What was it? I find I quite enjoy hearing that you need me.”
He grinned and stepped closer to her, allowing her to see the true plea in his eyes. “It’s true, Grey. I need you.”
She tapped an obviously impatient foot against the floor. “My name’s not Grey.”
“Not now it isn’t.”
She wrinkled her nose in her adorable fashion. “You need me?” she echoed.
Rafe had doffed his gloves and slapped them against his thigh. “Blast it, Daphne. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. It’s extremely dangerous. Trust me. I wouldn’t put you at risk again if it wasn’t the only choice. I know I’ll have to convince Julian also, but leave that to me.”
Daphne considered him down the length of her button nose. “Fine. Grant me my annulment, and I’ll consider it.”
The smile he flashed her was meant to inform her that there was no chance of that happening. Of course he gave her credit for trying. Some. She had pluck. He’d give her that. But then again, she’d always had pluck. For a Society lady.
“I’m afraid that won’t work,” he replied.