To Capture a Lady's Heart

Chapter 10

“I knew it!” Daisy squealed her excitement when Candice told her that Lord Benedict had agreed to give their courtship a chance.

“I must thank you, my dear. If not for you, I never would have had the courage to follow my heart.”

Daisy squeezed her friend’s hands, not knowing what to say. She was beyond happy for her friend. Right then, it felt like their lives were perfect. She had met a man whose company she really enjoyed and Candice was courting a good man. The only person she was worried about was Jane. Her friend had told her that she had to marry someone by the end of the season but she was nowhere close to finding a suitable husband. In fact, Daisy had noticed that Jane was spending an increasing amount of time in her brother’s company.

She would have suspected a romance brewing but none of the interactions she had witnessed between the two were of the romantic nature. They either looked like they were arguing or downright fighting. Then again, if any of the romance novels Daisy had read were anything to go by, their mutual hatred would soon blossom into mutual attraction and finally love. And nothing would make her happier.

“Are you meeting Mr. Davidson today?” Candice enquired, interrupting her reverie.

“I am, actually.” Daisy replied with a smile. Mr. Davidson was wonderful company. He was a scholar of astronomy and always had fascinating things to say to her. Daisy had never been one for empty-headed men and inane conversations, she preferred men with substance and their own pursuits. Mr. Davidson had expressed his interest in marrying her but she had told him that she was not looking to marry in the near future. And to her surprise and utter delight, that had not put out the man. He had said that he understood and wished to get to know her better as he enjoyed her company. It was rare to find men who were not pushy and realized that not all women wanted marriage.

Daisy did want marriage and love and all of the things in between. But just not then.

“He seems like a pleasant man,” Candice commented. “He is. I shall introduce you to him, you shall enjoy conversing with him,” Daisy grinned.

“Yes, do that. For now, I would like you and Jane to accompany Lord Grant and I on a picnic.”

“Why would you want us there?” Daisy laughed.

“Because I will be more at ease and more myself,” her friend said, looking adorably shy.

“Alright then. I suppose I shall drag Lucas along too,” Daisy shrugged. “And maybe Mr. Davidson too.”

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Luke was staring at Jane’s mouth. She had just taken a bite of the blueberry muffin that his cook had packed for them and was chewing it with delight. Her tongue darted out to lick a crumb of the muffin sticking to the edge of her lip.

Fascinating stuff.

Her lips were unbelievably pink and Luke wanted to kiss them quite desperately. He knew they would taste like blueberry and her. Lucas was a man of hearty sexual appetites. He engaged in sexual congress regularly and enjoyed it quite a bit. His tastes had grown more depraved over the years and he had not thought about simply kissing a woman in ages. Not since he had been seventeen, to be precise. So, why this woman’s lips seemed so tempting, he did not know. And he could not decide if kissing her had made his need stronger or tempered it. No, it had definitely made it stronger.

Damn her.

He shifted on the blanket, changing his position so the direction of his thoughts was not obvious. He was still staring at her when she looked up and caught him in the act. Her eyes widened and her tongue darted out again to wet her lip. Luke knew that it was gesture of nervousness but his body saw it as an invitation. He looked away immediately, wincing internally at his lack of finesse.