"Because Suzette is going to marry him," Lisa announced with a grin.
Robert sat up straight, amazement on his face and Suzette scowled at Lisa and corrected, "We may marry. He will give me his answer today."
"He will give his answer?" Robert asked with amazement. "You asked him?"
Christiana definitely had not explained the predicament they were in then, Suzette thought and supposed she shouldn't be surprised. They had kept what their father had done quiet the first time as well. Robert was like family, and as such she didn't doubt he probably would have offered to help, but none of them would have felt comfortable with that. It would have changed the balance of their relationship, making them beholden to him, and none of them desired that. Besides, it was just plain humiliating to admit to such a horrible flaw in their father. And she had no intention of confessing it now, so said, "Why shouldn't a lady ask the man if she likes him?"
Robert appeared nonplussed by the question.
Not giving him a chance to recover, she asked, "Are his parents still alive?"
Robert hesitated, but then said, "His mother is, but his father died some years ago. That's why the title and estate went to Daniel rather than his father." He paused briefly to frown, and then added slowly, "I think I heard his mother was ill earlier this year, but I'm sure she recovered."
"Does he drink?" Suzette asked.
Robert seemed surprised, but thought briefly before saying, "I don't recall him drinking overly much when we were younger and I haven't heard that he has taken to drink since."
"What about gambling?" Suzette asked and noted the way Christiana and Lisa both stiffened and leaned forward a little. It was an important question considering what their father's gambling had got them into.
Robert shook his head with certainty. "I'm sure he doesn't. He always eschewed pastimes like that when we were younger. He said he thought anyone who threw money away on games was an idiot."
"Mistresses?" Suzette asked. It wasn't unusual for men to keep mistresses, either before or after marriage, but she found she didn't like the idea of sharing him with another woman.
"I am sure he has had them," Robert said with solemn honesty. "However, if he has, then he's been very discreet about it."
Suzette was about to ask another question when the sound of throat clearing made her pause and glance toward the parlor door. Haversham, the Fairgrave butler stood in the parlor doorway.
"Yes, Haversham?" Christiana asked at once.
"Lord Fairgrave asked that I relay the message that he has returned. He and Lord Woodrow shall be joining you here shortly, my lady."
"Daniel's here?" Suzette asked, sitting up and peering past the butler in hopes of spotting the man who had haunted her dreams last night.
"Yes, my lady. He is assisting his lordship in carrying something to the master bedroom."
"Oh." Suzette drooped a bit with disappointment, but her mind was now buzzing with worries and questions. Was he going to tell her his decision? He was supposed to. What was he helping Dicky carry upstairs? And would he take the opportunity to ask Dicky for her hand in marriage? She supposed, strictly speaking, that he should speak to her father, but Daniel was aware of the situation and probably thought it more appropriate to speak to Dicky.
"Thank you for relaying the message, Haversham."
Christiana's words distracted Suzette from her thoughts and she glanced up as Haversham said, "Of course, my lady."
"There!" Lisa said brightly as the butler turned to move away. "Dicky's going to join us. That will be nice, won't it?"
Suzette grimaced at Lisa's feigned good cheer. The young woman was peering at their older sister almost pleadingly and Suzette knew she was asking Christiana to give Dicky a chance. The young woman obviously believed his claims from the night before that he regretted his behavior and wished to make it up to Christiana. Suzette, however, was on the fence about Dicky. Despite Daniel's comments last night about a brush with death changing a man, she just had trouble believing he could change so much so quickly. Still, she supposed Chrissy was stuck with him as her husband and it would make life easier for her sister if he had experienced something of an epiphany and become a new man.
"Chrissy?" Lisa asked and Suzette glanced to Christiana as the other woman stood up.
"I should have asked Haversham to have a tea tray prepared and brought to us. I shall do it now," she announced as she hurried out of the room.
Suzette watched her go, and then simply sat there staring at the open door, waiting for Daniel to appear and put her out of her misery. Why had he suddenly announced last night that they should leave it until today as originally agreed? He'd followed her home and climbed in her bedroom window to tell her yes, for heaven's sake. At least, she'd thought he had. What if he'd really come to tell her no, but had been forestalled by her assumptions? Suzette hadn't really given him much of a chance to explain his presence, but had assumed that was why he was there and then had thrown herself at him like some loose woman.
Truly, she'd rather attacked the man when she thought on it. She was the one who'd kissed him first in her room and then . . . well, things had got quite heated. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to tell her that he'd come to refuse her offer after indulging in such passionate moments. That would explain why he'd merely put her off in the end, Suzette realized with alarm and suddenly stood up.
"I need to change my slippers," she announced and then hurried from the room before anyone could question her. Really, it was a lame excuse, but was all she could come up with off the top of her head to escape. She simply couldn't wait any longer for Daniel's answer. The not knowing was driving her mad. Suzette intended to hunt down the man and make him tell her whether he was willing to marry her or not at once. There would be no more assumptions or delay. She simply had to know now.
Haversham had said Daniel was helping Richard carry something upstairs, so that was where she headed, hurrying up the stairs and then striding along the hall. She was just passing her room when a door up the hall opened and Daniel stepped out. Suzette paused at once, her heart suddenly racing. This time she was not going to run up and throw herself at the man. She would let him come to her and tell her what his decision was and
that was that.
Chapter Six
Daniel closed the bedroom door behind him, but then paused, a little concerned about what might be taking place in the master bedroom. He and Richard had barely got the carpet-wrapped George in bed and covered him with the bed linens and blankets when Christiana had entered in search of her husband. She hadn't seemed to notice the lumpy presence in the bed destroyed by the melting ice, but she might if Richard did not get her out of there quickly, and if she saw George there would definitely be trouble. Everything would have to be explained to her and he wasn't at all sure how she would respond to finding out that Dicky really was dead, but hadn't really been Dicky at all. Not to mention the fact that Richard was the true Earl of Radnor and was a man she hadn't even met until the day before, just hours before he'd bedded her. She would probably be incredibly upset.
However, Richard had said he should leave and indicated he would handle things. Daniel supposed he would just have to hope for the best and go downstairs to wait and see what happened. There was very little else he could do at the moment. Shaking his head, he turned to start up the hall, but slowed as he spotted Suzette standing by her door in the hall facing him.
She looked beautiful to him in a gown of white muslin, her dark hair falling about her shoulders in soft waves. But her face was a little pale and there were dark smudges under her eyes that suggested she hadn't slept any better than he had last night. It made her look oddly vulnerable and delicate and as he came to a halt before her he couldn't resist reaching out to brush his fingers down her cheek.
"You look beautiful this morning," he said quietly, his gaze settling on her lips. They were slightly swollen and rosy at the moment as if she'd been biting them with worry and he had a strong urge to kiss them better, but made himself resist the urge.
"Thank you," Suzette murmured and managed a smile. She then blurted, "You look beautiful too. I mean handsome."
Daniel chuckled slightly, and let his hand slip back to his side before asking, "How did you sleep?"