The Lucky One (Brethren Of The Coast #6)

by Barbara Devlin

  It was with that revelation swirling in his brain that Dalton entered the dining room and discovered his place beside Daphne, and he girded himself for the challenge, as he ached to kiss her. For the umpteenth time, he wondered whatever possessed him to bring her to London.

  The epitome of innocence smiled. “How are you, Dalton?”

  Condemned to hellfire and brimstone for the atrocity he had committed. “Fine, Daphne. And how are you? Are you enjoying your stay with my brother and sister-in-law?”

  “Yes.” Gushing with enthusiasm, she glowed, as she all but bounced in her chair, and it touched him that he had brought such unabashed joy to her face. “I am afraid Becca took you at your word, when you generously offered to finance my new wardrobe, and I have a pair of slippers for each day of the week. But it is too much, and you must allow me to repay you, somehow, for all the beautiful clothes.”

  “My dear Daphne, your captivating expression is sufficient repayment.” Without hesitation, he claimed her hand, brought it to his lips, and just suppressed a groan of delight when she shivered. “And that I count a priceless boon.”

  “You are a bold one, Sir Dalton. But I like that about you.” She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “And I wonder if I might pose a personal question?”

  “Of course.” Something inside him braced, as he revisited the salacious scene in the red room. Then it dawned on him that she could not possibly know of his shame. “Ask away.”

  “Have you a favorite color?” she inquired, as she leaned forward, with unshakeable eagerness.

  “I do, indeed.” He opened his mouth and then closed it, as he guessed at her motives. Given the conversation with Dirk, and Rebecca’s seduction-driven selections, a host of tempting scenarios featuring the sumptuous virgin composed an irresistible visual tapestry of desire. “But I would have thought it obvious.”

  “I do not understand.” For a few seconds, she fumbled with her napkin. And then she flinched. “The sapphire gown you gave me in Portsea—that is your preference?”

  “Correct.” He weaved his fingers through hers and squeezed. “So my gesture was quite selfish.”

  “Nonsense.” She scoffed, as a servant filled Daphne’s glass with wine. “You are the most generous man of my acquaintance. So Thursday night, at the Richmond’s gala, I shall wear the dress just for you, my gallant knight. And I will save all my waltzes for you.”

  “Then I shall endeavor to deserve the honor.” But he reminded himself they were no longer in Portsea. “However, I cannot, in good conscience, permit you to enact an egregious breach of decorum, should we indulge in anything beyond a single dance. To do so would make an unintended declaration that could harm your prospects with aspiring suitors.”

  “Oh.” Crestfallen, she sighed. “And that would displease you?”

  “Yes.” No, as he would sooner lock her away from potential beaus and keep her for himself, but he was unprepared for the commitment she required. “But I should content myself with whatever privilege you bestow upon me.”

  When Dirk cleared his throat, Dalton glanced up and discovered his extended family focused on his exchange with Daphne. He shifted in his chair, just as Blake waggled his brows and Damian whispered something to his partner in nefarious enterprises.

  “My apologies, if we have held up the meal.” Dalton could only pray for mercy. “And the roasted chicken looks delicious.”

  “But it appears you prefer your poultry a little on the tender side.” Damian elbowed Blake in the ribs, and the two chuckled.

  “Damian, behave yourself.” Alex wagged a finger. “Just wait until it is your turn.”

  “His turn for what?” Daphne asked Dalton.

  “Ignore them,” Caroline replied. “They will get theirs.”

  “And why are you so quiet?” Blake queried Trevor. “Is this not your favorite sport? I believe you and Everett claim to be past masters in the sentimental realm.”

  “Now how did I get in the middle of your affairs?” Everett passed the apple loaf to Sabrina. “Darling, you are my witness. I was just sitting here, minding my own business.”

  “Poor bantling.” Sabrina favored Everett with an exaggerated pout. “Shall I soothe your ruffled feathers, when we get home?”

  “Do not upset my wife, Blake.” Trevor leaned to the side and claimed a quick kiss from Caroline. “Else I will box your ears, and you are already a frightful sight.”

  “The widow Grainer did not think so, last night.” Blake winked.

  “I knew it.” Damian pounded a fist to the table. “Kleinfeld owes me, as I wagered ten pounds you would best Lord Sheldon.”

  A collective of feminine gasps brought the puerile celebration to a halt.

  “Blake, while this is an informal family gathering, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from discussing such intimate topics at the table.” Rebecca handed Daphne a bowl of potatoes. “Now, let us eat, as I spent hours composing the menu.”

  “Are they always like this?” Daphne said in a hushed tone.

  “Worse.” Dalton chanced a glimpse of the duly chastised rakes. Blake drew a finger across his throat, Damian smirked, and Dalton had never been more afraid in his life.

  #

  Gowned in pale green, Daphne stood tall and gazed at her reflection in the long mirror. With her hair swept in a cascade of curls, as arranged by Rebecca’s personal lady’s maid, Daphne cut the perfect picture of feminine deportment and respectability. Then she yawned.

  Dinner the previous evening had left her in a state of confusion, as Dalton had whispered sweet compliments at the table and then abandoned her. He had spared not a word or a glance for the remainder of the night, and she knew not what to make of his peculiar behavior, so she had slept little.

  “I beg your pardon, Miss Daphne.” Hughes bowed. “I knocked, but you did not answer, and her ladyship requests your presence in the back parlor, at once.”

  “Oh, I am sorry.” Suppressing a chill of unease, she marched forth, per her ally’s plan. “I shall go to her, posthaste.”

  In the hall, she admired the rich mahogany trim and lush burgundy carpets of Randolph House. The grand home boasted an understated refinement, which bespoke power and privilege without the garish décor that often accompanied such opulence. Had she the funds, she would mimic the sparse but sufficient ornamentation in a much-needed renovation of Courtenay Hall.

  A footman opened the door, as she approached the back parlor, and she dipped her chin, in acknowledgement, as she had limited experience with such formalities. In the chamber, the full compliment of Brethren husbands stood.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Daphne. My wife has explained some of your predicament with us, and we understand your concerns, but I am at a loss as to how I can help.” Just as Rebecca had said he would, Dirk vacated his chair and stepped to the side. “Will you not take my seat?”

  “Thank you.” As Daphne settled her skirts, she bit her tongue against laughter, because her primary conspirator launched the prearranged plot.

  “Darling, come here.” Rebecca rose from the sofa. “There is no reason we cannot share my spot.”

  “What?” The viscount acquiesced, as Becca ushered him to her place. “You cannot mean to—”

  “Posh, as we are all family here.” Before he could protest, the viscountess eased to his lap. “There. Is that not better?”

  “Well, of course.” An endearing flush spread from Dirk’s neck to his cheeks. “But we have—”

  The remaining wives assumed similar positions with their respective spouses, and the room grew as quiet as a tomb. Wrestling with apprehension and a dark sense of foreboding, Daphne clasped her hands to portray a modicum of confidence.

  “Sabrina, just what are you about?” Everett shuffled her in his grasp. “My countess wants something—do not try to deny it.”

  “Now why do you say that?” Brie wrapped an arm about his shoulders and hugged him. “I just love you, that is all.”

  “I know you too well,
my saucy Sabrina.” Everett narrowed his stare. “Have you overspent your allowance?”

  “Well I like that.” Sabrina pouted and humphed. “Can a wife not express adoration of her beloved mate without reservation?”

  “Gentlemen, why do I suspect we have just been ambushed?” Jason arched a brow.

  In an instant, Daphne grew unseasonably hot, and she feared she might swoon, as the men seemed on the verge of discovering the ploy. Just as she considered entering the fray, Rebecca winked, and Daphne rallied patience and reclined.

  “I believe you are correct, brother.” Lance grimaced, and he drew a heavily pregnant Cara closer. “Sugar kisses, you cannot fool me.”

  “We need your assistance.” Cara snuggled up to Lance. “Is that so wrong?”

  “To what purpose?” the marquess inquired.

  “Miss Daphne requires your aid.” Rebecca pressed her lips to Dirk’s forehead. “And I know my chivalrous knight would never refuse a virtuous cause or a damsel in distress.”

  “Oh, no.” Dirk cast an expression of horror. “Rebecca, I am no matchmaker.”

  “Alex, I told you never again to meddle in other people’s affairs.” Jason wagged a finger. “If you were not with child, I would put you over my knee and heat your posterior for the mere suggestion.”

  “Do not rip at her, as she is the reason we confide in you.” Sabrina folded her arms. “Else we would charge the field without you.”

  “I knew it.” Everett rolled his eyes. To Brie, he said, “I will not involve myself in such shenanigans. Furthermore, I forbid you from inserting yourself into Dalton’s private liaisons.”

  “I concur.” Trevor groaned, as he caught Caroline in a lethal glare, and Daphne squirmed. “And if I discover otherwise, you will not sit comfortably for a sennight.”

  “But you conspired with Everett to induce me to betray Sabrina’s location, when she thought Everett sought a divorce, and she journeyed to our beach cottage.” Caroline bowed her head. “How is that different?”

  “I had thought we were never going to mention that scene, outside our home.” Trevor shot a quick glance at Everett. “And she has us there.”

  “So you are practiced in such sappy endeavors?” Lance queried, with a snort of laughter. “Do you negotiate contracts, too?”

  “Oh, shut up.” Everett cupped Brie’s chin. “Darling, I love you. But I am no machinating mama, and I will go to my grave before I allow you to subject me to such humiliation.”

  “But Dalton is our brother, and Daphne is to be our sister, so there is no nobler goal.” Sabrina wound her arms about her husband’s neck. “And I love you, too, my shameless lord.”

  “Captain of my heart, I will obey whatever you command, as I promised I would never to lie to you. But I beg you, do not refuse Daphne’s plea, as it would persist as a painful stain on my conscience, and I only want them to be as happy as we are, my cherished seaman.” With a tear-filled gaze, Alex asked, in a small voice, “Are you not happy, Jason?”

  “Oh, I say.” Lance winced. “If you can dig yourself out of that one, without landing in the proverbial doghouse, you shall have earned my everlasting esteem and gratitude.”

  Tension hung in the air, as the men and the women squared off as two opponents on the battlefield, and neither side blinked. Daphne feared the fairer sex might flinch, as the husbands would not yield. But Rebecca had assured Daphne the wives knew their spouses, and the ladies would win the day, if they worked together to achieve their objective. So she uttered a silent prayer and stayed the course, as she longed to claim Dalton’s heart. And just when Daphne thought she could withstand no more, and she prepared to concede the fight, Caroline emitted a soft sob. Then Sabrina whimpered, and Alex, Cara, and Rebecca followed suit.

  “Bloody hell.”

  “Oh, no. Not that.”

  “Sweet Alex.”

  Sugar kisses.”

  “Darling Becca, please, do not cry.”

  “Belay the blasted tears, and I will assist you.” Jason pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and dried Alex’s cheeks. “While I loathe participating in your scheme, regardless of your benevolent aim, I am fascinated by your pledge to ‘do whatever I command.’ So I will make you a bargain, my blushing bride.”

  “A bargain?” Alex bit her lip and blinked. “But a gentleman would accommodate us for the good of the cause.”

  “Perhaps.” The blonde giant, who intimidated Daphne far and away beyond anyone she had ever known, as he looked more than a little dangerous, scrutinized his wife, and he seemed quite preoccupied with her bosom. “Yet you know I am no gentleman, so let us dispense with the niceties, shall we? For each day you require my cooperation, I shall claim a boon, in payment, the tenure of which ceases when the happy couple weds.”

  “And what would you have of me?” Alex peered over her shoulder and shrugged. “You already have my dowry.”

  “The money is deposited for our babes, and there it will remain. But you know my favorite coin, where you are concerned.” Jason cast her a lazy smile. “And as for your daily remittance, that, my devoted wife, shall depend on my mood. Yet our awkward concordat, of sorts, shall serve both our purposes, as I submit there is no better way to highlight the benefits of marriage for a prospective groom, as even I had not foreseen the unrivaled advantages of matrimony, in that respect. So, do we or do we not have an arrangement?”

  “I agree,” Alex responded without hesitation.

  “You know, you truly are smarter than you look.” Everett snickered. “And I prefer those terms. What say you, my most unlikely lady?”

  “Done.” Brie dipped her chin.

  Before Trevor could broach the question, Caroline pinned him with her stare and said, “I accept.”

  “I suppose you have no objections?” Lance studied Cara’s huge belly. “Excepting your current condition?”

  “None, whatsoever, my hero.” Cara giggled. “We may delay your reimbursements, until I have given birth and healed, as our pact may enable us to conceive a second child.”

  Daphne could have danced a jig, as everything had fallen into place. Then she realized a lone individual had not entered the collective, and she gazed at Dirk and Rebecca. Would Dalton’s elder brother upend Daphne’s plan? Had he deemed her unsuitable?

  “You are awfully quiet, Dirk.” Rebecca nudged him. “Have you any complaints regarding our accord?”

  “No, darling.” Yet something appeared amiss, as Dirk trailed a finger along Becca’s nose. Was it Daphne’s imagination, or did he seem melancholy? “As ever, I am at your service, and I demand no remuneration.”

  “You are so wonderful, and I shall express my appreciation of your efforts, every day, regardless.” Rebecca slid from his lap. “Now then, we need you to emphasize the joys of wedded bliss, whenever Dalton is present.”

  “Tell him how you wake, every morning, thrilled to be married.” Sabrina toyed with Everett’s cravat. “Explain that you could not envision your future without your wife.”

  “In other words, you want us to be ourselves, as I am nothing without my rebellious countess.” Everett, the epitome of a suave rake, excepting his unmasked love of his mate, wound a lock of Brie’s hair about a finger and gave her a gentle tug. “And I wonder if I might persuade you to come home with me, now, and forgo Rebecca’s luncheon?”

  “Scandalous, my naughty lord.” Sabrina’s half-baked attempt at reproach had not fooled Daphne. “But I am hungry, and so is the babe that grows inside me. Would you neglect us?”

  “Oh, I will feed you, sweetheart. With my own hands, I shall indulge you.” At that instant, Everett scooted to the edge of his seat and then stood, with Sabrina ensconced in his arms. “Besides, I am eager to collect my reward.”

  “As am I.” Clutching Alex, Jason mirrored Everett’s stance. “Come away with me, love.”

  “But you have done nothing to merit an exchange.” Alex squealed, as Jason nuzzled her neck and growled. “Captain of my heart, you are insatiabl
e.”

  “Always, where my gorgeous wife is concerned.” Jason followed Everett into the hall, with Caroline, Trevor, Cara, Lance, Rebecca, Dirk, and Daphne in the rear. “And like Markham, I shall guard your health and welfare, with my life. But I submit that, as my participation in your plot begins immediately, then so, too, must my recompense.”

  In the foyer, Hughes set wide the oak panels and then conveyed the appropriate coats and pelisses to their respective owners. Outside, liveried footmen scattered to provide assistance, as Trevor ushered Caroline into their rig. Lance lifted Cara into their sumptuous equipage and waved, as they departed. Everett hugged Sabrina in his lap, as he eased to the squabs, which left a single couple preparing to decamp the unusual assembly.

  “To the park, and make the rotation, until I order otherwise.” Jason directed the driver and then waggled his brows. “Up you go, sweetheart. And draw the shades.”

  Alex obeyed his command but cast Daphne and Rebecca a mischievous grin and sketched a mock salute before lowering the last blind, when Jason slammed shut the door. Just as the driver was about to flick the reins, the coach pitched and rolled, a feminine shriek pierced the calm, and Rebecca laughed.

  “Oh, dear.” Daphne jumped. “Will she be all right?”

  “No worries.” Rebecca elbowed Daphne. “Alex knows well her husband’s appetite, and she imparted prior to our meeting that she wore something provocative beneath her gown, to inspire him for such an occasion. And I believe he will satisfy her.”

  #

  As Dalton strolled into White’s, he shuddered for some odd reason he could not comprehend, which had become an annoying and frequent occurrence, since meeting Daphne. Amid the leather wall coverings, the plush high back chairs, the various décor that bespoke masculine domination, the glasses filled with expensive brandy, and the pungent aroma of cigar smoke, the powerful male elites of London society shared ribald tales of their latest conquests, boasted of their familial connections and fortune, and detailed their most recent financial or military achievements. In short, the elegant establishment had been built for liars.