helping me to the top of the steps, Mr. —” Daphne waved her gloved hand around in a wide circle.
“Lentz,” the man supplied, giving her arm a gentle squeeze that sent hot sparks shooting through her entire midsection. “Aaron Lentz.”
“You have my deepest gratitude for escorting my sister-in-law over such a most treacherous terrain, Mr. Lentz,” Gareth said in what could only be described as his most authoritative voice—which was a rarity, to be sure. “Will we be seeing more of you for the holiday?”
Daphne went rigid. Had Gareth been serious about trying to foist her off on the first gentleman he could find who'd be willing to take her as his wife? Would it truly be so bad if that turned out to be this one? The very thought turned her blood to ice. Not fifteen minutes ago she was nearly certain she’d likely never find someone she'd want to marry and now she was practically betrothing herself to a stranger—albeit a handsome one, but the fact remained, he was still a stranger.
“Are you coming inside with us, Daphne? Or are you waiting for something under the mistletoe?” Jane asked.
“Yes,” she chirped, then coughed; heat flooding her face yet again. She didn't even dare to look above her to see if there was indeed a sprig of mistletoe hanging above her head.
Beside her, Gareth muttered something that sounded oddly like damn .
Daphne pursed her lips. “Is something amiss, Gareth?”
“No, I’m sure there’ll be other chaps here for you to set your cap on.”
She forced a laugh, what a ridiculous notion that she’d have ‘set her cap’ on that gentleman after only just meeting him!
Chapter Two
Aaron Lentz stood motionless as the most beautiful young lady he’d ever had the pleasure of speaking to walked inside Danby Castle.
“Not staying, did you say?” came the familiar voice of the Duke of Danby, his question punctuated by an echoing tap of the older man’s cane on the stone.
“Yes, that’s what I said,” Aaron confirmed. Since when did Lord Danby take to eavesdropping? He almost laughed at himself. What was he thinking? Though he’d only met the man last summer when he’d first moved to the local village to take over the post of Mr. Frisk who’d proceeded Mr. Beaumont as the local vicar, he knew one thing about Danby: he was a meddler of the worst sort. But not in a bad way exactly...he was trying to be helpful. The important word being: trying .
“Well, m’boy, as it would happen we have an extra chamber...”
Aaron’s heart slammed in his chest. He’d like to stay. He really would. But at what cost? It was rumored that in 1812 the duke had had a large gathering over Michaelmas and several of his unsuspecting grandchildren were married off during their stay. Would Danby try to marry him off to that young lady who he hardly knew before Michaelmas? She was beautiful, to be sure; and he wouldn’t deny it, it was nice to see her a little befuddled, but to be his wife ? The bitter taste that usually filled his mouth when the very thought of matrimony entered his mind didn't flood his mouth—
“Gads, boy, I just need you to be around should any of my grandchildren decide, on their own accord, of course—” cough, cough — “to suddenly marry over the holiday.” He thumped his cane again and said, “I’m just asking you to marry one of them, not marry one of them.”
Aaron eyed the man askance. “That’s it? You’re not going to try to play matchmaker?”
Danby’s shrewd eyes widened and he threw his free hand up in the air. “Who would ever accuse me of such a thing?”
“I can think of a few.”
“No, I just merely helped them see what was already there.”
Aaron didn’t believe that for a minute, but his concern wasn’t so much what had already happened, he couldn’t change that. But what he wouldn’t stand for is if the duke tried to play matchmaker with him. “Do I have your word you won’t be doing that with
“Lentz,” the man supplied, giving her arm a gentle squeeze that sent hot sparks shooting through her entire midsection. “Aaron Lentz.”
“You have my deepest gratitude for escorting my sister-in-law over such a most treacherous terrain, Mr. Lentz,” Gareth said in what could only be described as his most authoritative voice—which was a rarity, to be sure. “Will we be seeing more of you for the holiday?”
Daphne went rigid. Had Gareth been serious about trying to foist her off on the first gentleman he could find who'd be willing to take her as his wife? Would it truly be so bad if that turned out to be this one? The very thought turned her blood to ice. Not fifteen minutes ago she was nearly certain she’d likely never find someone she'd want to marry and now she was practically betrothing herself to a stranger—albeit a handsome one, but the fact remained, he was still a stranger.
“Are you coming inside with us, Daphne? Or are you waiting for something under the mistletoe?” Jane asked.
“Yes,” she chirped, then coughed; heat flooding her face yet again. She didn't even dare to look above her to see if there was indeed a sprig of mistletoe hanging above her head.
Beside her, Gareth muttered something that sounded oddly like damn .
Daphne pursed her lips. “Is something amiss, Gareth?”
“No, I’m sure there’ll be other chaps here for you to set your cap on.”
She forced a laugh, what a ridiculous notion that she’d have ‘set her cap’ on that gentleman after only just meeting him!
Chapter Two
Aaron Lentz stood motionless as the most beautiful young lady he’d ever had the pleasure of speaking to walked inside Danby Castle.
“Not staying, did you say?” came the familiar voice of the Duke of Danby, his question punctuated by an echoing tap of the older man’s cane on the stone.
“Yes, that’s what I said,” Aaron confirmed. Since when did Lord Danby take to eavesdropping? He almost laughed at himself. What was he thinking? Though he’d only met the man last summer when he’d first moved to the local village to take over the post of Mr. Frisk who’d proceeded Mr. Beaumont as the local vicar, he knew one thing about Danby: he was a meddler of the worst sort. But not in a bad way exactly...he was trying to be helpful. The important word being: trying .
“Well, m’boy, as it would happen we have an extra chamber...”
Aaron’s heart slammed in his chest. He’d like to stay. He really would. But at what cost? It was rumored that in 1812 the duke had had a large gathering over Michaelmas and several of his unsuspecting grandchildren were married off during their stay. Would Danby try to marry him off to that young lady who he hardly knew before Michaelmas? She was beautiful, to be sure; and he wouldn’t deny it, it was nice to see her a little befuddled, but to be his wife ? The bitter taste that usually filled his mouth when the very thought of matrimony entered his mind didn't flood his mouth—
“Gads, boy, I just need you to be around should any of my grandchildren decide, on their own accord, of course—” cough, cough — “to suddenly marry over the holiday.” He thumped his cane again and said, “I’m just asking you to marry one of them, not marry one of them.”
Aaron eyed the man askance. “That’s it? You’re not going to try to play matchmaker?”
Danby’s shrewd eyes widened and he threw his free hand up in the air. “Who would ever accuse me of such a thing?”
“I can think of a few.”
“No, I just merely helped them see what was already there.”
Aaron didn’t believe that for a minute, but his concern wasn’t so much what had already happened, he couldn’t change that. But what he wouldn’t stand for is if the duke tried to play matchmaker with him. “Do I have your word you won’t be doing that with
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