To Capture a Lady's Heart

Chapter 9

“You look dazzling,” Daisy squeezed her friend’s hand as the carriage was rolling to a stop on the Viscount Samson’s driveway.

“Thank you,” Candice replied shyly.

“This is the most hare-brained scheme that I have ever been a part of,” Jane was muttering to herself as they descended the carriage and Daisy bit her lip to keep from smiling. She did not understand why Jane was so worried. Daisy was positive that Benedict would agree to Candice’s proposal or at least consider it.

As soon as they entered the lavish townhouse, Jane excused herself saying that she had seen a friend and promptly disappeared.

And Daisy got to work, trying to track Lord Benedict and pass him Candice’s note.

She finally spotted him, surrounded by Miss Marjory Louis and her cackle of friends. It irked her, although she did not understand why. She supposed it could be because she only wanted to see him with Candice.

Daisy stood by the group to wait for him to notice her. She did not have to wait long. “Ah Miss Daisy,” he grinned and waded through the crowd to meet her.

“My Lord,” Daisy smiled and curtseyed. “I hope I have not disappointed the ladies overly for taking your attention away from them.”

“They never had it in the first place, so I do not think you have.”

Daisy laughed. Lord Benedict was exceedingly good company and she was glad that he was slowly becoming a part of their motley crew.

“Will you accompany me to the punch stand?”

“I would do just about anything for you,” he said.

Daisy was shocked. Whatever did he mean? She was used to hearing such preposterous things from her suitors but not from Lord Benedict of all people…

“You just rescued me from the rather single-minded ladies, after all,” he clarified, reading her expression correctly. Daisy’s shoulders relaxed immediately.

“I suppose I have,” she said.

Daisy sipped on her punch as her eyes made a quick but thorough sweep of the crowd. She could not risk anyone seeing her passing a note to the Earl.

Satisfied that no one was paying attention to them, Daisy took out the folded piece of paper from her glove and slipped it into the Earl’s coat pocket. He noticed, of course, and turned to look at her. Daisy refused to meet his eye and excused herself.

Benedict rushed past the guests to find a private spot where he could see what the minx had slipped into his pocket. He saw that the library was unoccupied and went it.

Meet me at the garden’s farthest end when the clock strikes 11, the paper read.

Ben’s heart raced. What she up to now? He supposed he would find out in a while.

*****************************

“She is doing what?” Lucas growled. He was in the same library that his friend had inhabited a few minutes ago.

“These were my exact sentiments but you must calm down now,” Jane murmured. She had decided to seek out the marquess and ask him if he had gathered any information about Lord Benedict’s feelings.

“He will most definitely say no,” he said, frowning furiously.

“You spoke with Lord Benedict then?”

“I did not have to. I already knew that he likes Daisy.”

Jane’s face turned red with anger. Why the hell had he kissed her then? What sort of monster-