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CHAPTER 1
“I shouldn’t tell you about it,” Daisy railed, pacing back and forth in the Marsden parlor later that evening “In your condition you shouldn’t be distressed But I can’t keep it to myself or I will explode, which you would probably find infinitely ”
Her older sister lifted her head from Lord Westcliff’s supportive shoulder “Tell ainst another wave of nausea “I’s fro settee, settled in the crook of Westcliff’s arm as he spooned some lemon ice into her mouth She closed her eyes as she sed, her dark lashes resting in spiky crescents against her pale cheeks
“Better?” Westcliff asked gently, swabbing a stray drop near the corner of her lips
Lillian nodded, her face ghastly white “Yes, I think it’s helping Ugh You had better pray for a boy, Westcliff, because this is your only chance at an heir I’ain—”
“Open your mouth,” he said, and fed her more flavored ice
Ordinarily Daisy would have been touched by the glimpse into the Westcliffs’ private life…it was rare that anyone saw Lillian so vulnerable, or Marcus so gentle and concerned But Daisy was so distracted by her own problems that she barely noticed their interaction as she blurted out, “Father has given ht he—”
“Wait,” Westcliff said quietly, adjusting his hold on Lillian As he eased his wife to her side, she leanedto rest on the curve of her belly Heindecipherable into her ruh
Anyone itnessed Westcliff’s tender care of his young wife could not help but take note of the outward changes in the earl, who had always been known as a cold-natured hed more—and his standards for proper behavior had beco if one wished to have Lillian for a wife and Daisy for a sister-in-law
Westcliff’s eyes, so deep a shade of brown they appeared black, narrowed slightly as he focused on Daisy Although he didn’t say a word, Daisy read in his gaze the desire to shield Lillian froht disturb her peace
Suddenly Daisy felt asha rushed over here to recount the injustices dealt by her father She should have kept her problems to herself and instead she had run to her older sister like a tattling child But then Lillian’s brown eyes opened, and they ar, and a thousand childhood memories danced in the air between them like jubilant fireflies The inti not even the most protective husband could disrupt
“Tell ainst Westcliff’s shoulder, “what did the ogre say?”
“That if I don’t find someone to marry by the end of May he would choose a husband for uess!”
“I can’t iine,” Lillian said “Father doesn’t approve of anyone”
“Oh, yes he does,” Daisy replied ominously “There is one person in the world Father approves of one hundred percent”
Now even Westcliff was beginning to look interested “It is someone hom I am acquainted?”
“You will be soon,” Daisy said “Father sent for hi at the Ha-and-hind hunt”
Westcliff riffled through his memory for the nauest list for the spring hunt “The American?” he asked “Mr Swift?”
“Yes”
Lillian stared at Daisy blankly Then she turned her face into Westcliff’s shoulder with a squeaky gasp At first Daisy feared she , but it quickly beca helplessly “No…not really…how absurd…you could never…”
“You wouldn’t find it so a if you were supposed to marry him,” Daisy said with a scowl
Westcliff glanced fro with Mr Swift? Froh fellow”
“Everything is wrong with hihter
“But your father esteems him,” Westcliff said
“Oh,” Lillian scoffed, “Father’s vanity is flattered by the way Mr Swift strives to es onto his every word”
The earl considered her words while he spooned up more lemon ice and pressed it to Lillian’s lips She made a sound of pleasure as the frosty liquid trickled down her throat
“Is your father incorrect in his claient?” Westcliff asked Daisy
“He is intelligent,” she admitted “But one can’t have a conversation with hi one says but gives nothing back”
“Perhaps Swift is shy,” Westcliff said
Now Daisy couldn’t help laughing “I assure you,it difficult to put her thoughts into words
Mattheift’s bred-in-the-bone coldness was accompanied by an insufferable air of superiority One could never tell hirown up in a fa natures, she’d had little use for yet one umentative person in her life
In her opinion it didn’t speak well for Swift that he blended in so ith the Bowmans
Perhaps Sould have beenor attractive about hirace of character or form No sense of humor, no visible displays of kindness He ardly formed to boot: tall and disproportionate, and so wiry that his arbeans She re fro inside it
“Rather than list all the things I don’t like about him,” Daisy said finally, “it’s far easier to say there is no reason why I should like him”
“He’s not even attractive,” Lillian added “He’s a bag of bones” She patted Westcliff’s muscular chest in silent praise of his powerful physique