The Viscount's First Love (The King's League)

It had been very strange how that coldness, how that lack of consideration over what they had once shared, had all simply disappeared when they had spoken at length in the alcove. The coldness had gone from his eyes, only to be replaced with a warmth that she could remember from times gone by. Was that what had sparked her memory? Was that what had made her heart begin to yearn for him again?

She had no more time to think, for the door opened, Lord Watt was announced and Daisy was forced to get to her feet, smoothing her skirts and praying that her thoughts would not show in her expression.

Lord Watt beamed at them both, first bowing towards Susanna and then towards Daisy, although Daisy felt quite certain that his gaze lingered on her for just a moment longer than it had on Susanna. She curtsied as best she could, feeling a whirling nervousness run through her that she could not quite explain.

“Lord Watt!” Susanna exclaimed, gesturing for him to come and sit down in a seat adjacent to them both. “How very good to see you again.”

“It has been some time, I know,” Lord Watt said, surprising both Susanna and Daisy by not moving an inch. “But I have been glad to make the acquaintance of Miss Williams again and thought to call upon her today without invitation nor prior arrangement, which I hope, Lady Northgate, you might be able to forgive me for.”

Susanna laughed and waved a hand, darting a glance towards Daisy, who could not quite look either at her sister or at Lord Watt. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she was quite sure that the sound of it would soon start to echo around the room.

“Of course, Lord Watt!” Susanna exclaimed, her voice light and filled with mirth. “You have nothing to seek forgiveness for here.”

Lord Watt grinned, his features suddenly boyish as he swept into another bow. “I am very glad to hear it, Lady Northgate,” he said, turning towards Susanna a little more, “for I hope now that you might find a way to permit me to steal your sister for a short time? The day is very lovely indeed, and I hoped to walk about Hyde Park or St. James’s Park for a while – whichever you might prefer, Miss Williams.”

This was said with such an air of finality about it that it felt to Daisy as though she were being told what to do instead of being asked if she was willing to do so. Much to her surprise, however, she did not mind Lord Watt’s manner, for the truth was, she very much did want to walk with him, so that they could converse in private.

Her sister, however, was shaking her head. “I do not think I could permit such a thing, Lord Watt,” Susanna said firmly. “Not without a chaperone. It would not be—”

“Indeed, indeed!” Lord Watt interrupted, throwing up his hands. “I quite apologize. You are correct to state that Miss Williams should have a chaperone, Lady Northgate. If you wish to attend with us, then I should be delighted.” He swept into another bow, and much to Daisy’s relief, Susanna laughed softly, clearly charmed by Lord Watt.

“You mistake me entirely, Lord Watt,” Susanna replied, making Lord Watt look up from his bow in a hopeful manner. “I did not mean to suggest that I myself attend with Daisy, but rather that if you would be willing to wait for a short while until arrangements are made, then I would be glad for Daisy to walk with you.” She threw a darted glance towards Daisy, who knew full well that Susanna was thrilled with this apparent attention from Lord Watt. “Would you mind terribly waiting here with me until Daisy has prepared both herself and the suitable maid?”

Daisy blinked in surprise, wondering what it was she was expected to do, only to see her sister looking pointedly at Daisy’s gown whilst Lord Watt expressed his willingness to do whatever was required so that he might accompany Daisy to the park. Sighing inwardly and wishing that she might just have pulled on a bonnet and be done with it, Daisy rose to her feet and begged them both to excuse her. The lingering look that Lord Watt sent her way made a flurry of sparks rise up within Daisy’s heart, forcing her to scurry from the room b

efore the fire that had been lit within sent its flames all the way to her cheeks. She could not allow her feelings to take hold at this present moment, not when she was meant to be thinking only of her task to find the man responsible for the death of her father. That was why Lord Watt had come to take her to the park. It was not for any other reason than that they might speak privately, which they could not do when Susanna was present. There was no time for her to consider her renewed, burning, bubbling emotions that seemed to grow in magnitude every time she saw him. Now was a time to think practically, to think clearly and to remain entirely unhindered by emotion, no matter how difficult that would be.

“You have met Lord Stevenson?”

Lord Watt chuckled, and Daisy felt her heart leap in her chest. This was the gentleman she remembered. The one who was always ready with a warm smile, a laugh, and a happiness in his eyes that seemed never to fade away.

“I met him, yes,” he answered, as they walked through St. James’s Park together. “It took some time for him to even consider talking to me, it seemed, but he did so eventually. I think that he is someone with a good deal to hide.”

“Oh?”

Lord Watt nodded, looking down at her. “Lord Fitzherbert was also present in Whites last evening,” he told her, his expression becoming a little dark. “I have very rarely seen a gentleman behave in such a manner as he did.” Shaking his head, his expression grew troubled. “He was ranting and raving, making such a noise and such a commotion that it seemed to fill all of Whites!”

Daisy’s stomach tightened. “And Lord Stevenson saw this?”

“He did,” Lord Watt confirmed. “And he spoke to me of just how poorly he thinks of Lord Fitzherbert and how his prior acquaintance with the fellow is not about to be renewed.” Throwing another glance towards her, Lord Watt cleared his throat abruptly, as though he had seen the similarities between that situation and their own, although this particular acquaintance was being renewed, albeit in a different way from before. “He also mentioned something about being relieved that someone – and he was speaking of me in this – was about to take his advice. I suspect that he was still thinking of Lord Fitzherbert when he made such a remark, but I cannot be sure of it.”

“I see,” Daisy murmured, her thoughts beginning to tumble over each other. “And what advice is it that you are to take?”

Much to her surprise, Lord Watt chuckled and Daisy looked up at him quickly, managing to stumble just a little in her surprise. Lord Watt caught her arm, and before she could say a word, deftly looped her arm through his, before continuing to walk through the path. “Lord Stevenson warned me I would not be a good friend to you if I encouraged you towards Lord Fitzherbert,” he told her, as Daisy battled against her feelings of overwhelming delight at the way Lord Watt now walked with her. “He presumed that I would not want to be introduced to Lord Fitzherbert after what he had told me of him, and I had to think of a reason why I absolutely had to accept an introduction to the man.”

“Of course,” Daisy said quickly, feeling the wind warm her cheeks still further and praying that Lord Watt would not be able to feel or even see just how much his closeness was affecting her. “You have to inform Fitzherbert that I am very wealthy indeed. Is that not so?” She laughed as he grinned at her and she felt that familiarity grow between them again. “You have not yet managed to be introduced?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I would have attempted to do so last night, but the state of the fellow was so that I knew any sort of introduction would be forgotten completely.”

She could not help but smile, thinking that Lord Fitzherbert – who was rather loud and foppish without even a drop of liquor within him – must have been in a very poor state last evening. “Then are you to attend the soiree this evening?” she asked, looking up at Lord Watt and catching her breath at the sight of him watching her closely, his expression warm. “Lord Fitzherbert will be there also.”

Lord Watt nodded. “Lady Mellinger’s soiree?” he asked. “Yes, I am to attend this evening. Lord Stevenson is also meant to be in attendance, and I have one or two other gentlemen from the League who are going to ensure they keep close to him so that I might focus on Lord Fitzherbert.”

“I look forward to seeing you introduced to Lord Fitzherbert then,” Daisy commented, a little wryly. “You will find him as irritating and as pretentious as I, I think.”

“Tell me, do you think he might have had something to do with the death of your father?”

The smile slid from Daisy’s face almost at once at the mention of her father. She had, it seemed, almost forgotten that the reason for her behaving in such a way and making plans such as this was simply to do with the death of Lord Harrogate. “I do not know,” she murmured, dropping her head and feeling as though she were not much use to anyone at all. “I have known Lord Fitzherbert for close to a fortnight now, and whilst he is an arrogant sort and not at all the sort of gentleman I would consider to be a suitable match, he does have a good many young ladies seeking out his company.” She allowed Lord Watt to lead her to a bench and sat down heavily, feeling a trifle weary as she focused all of her thoughts onto Lord Fitzherbert. “I think that he enjoys the attention that is given to him,” she added, as Lord Watt nodded. “And I suspect that, underneath his superciliousness, there may very well be a wise and careful mind.”