The Conquest by Edith Layton

Author:Edith Layton
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-03-05T13:18:50+00:00

“You’re entertaining us in style today,” Damon Ryder commented, looking around the seldom used, beautifully appointed salon he’d just entered and seeing the trays of cakes and the number of glasses that had been set up on the sideboard.

“I have to. I’m entertaining more than you today,” Drum said. “My father insists I make myself available to company. I think he won’t go home until I do, so I agreed. He’s been busy putting a word in every socially acceptable ear he could find, telling them it’s all right to come visit me today.”

“Well, what’s wrong with that?” Rafe asked, picking up a lemon snap. “Lots of fellows have been asking after you.”

“It’s not the fellows he’s inviting,” Drum said. “Remember why he dragged me away from the Gascoynes’ cottage? He wants to make me available to the fairer sex. He’s looking for a wife—for me,” he added hastily. There was no sense in telling anyone his deepest fears now. There was nothing anyone could do about them anyway, except possibly make matters worse if they tried to meddle. It was a delicate matter he’d have to handle himself.

“It’s going to be like the ball the king gave for the prince so he could pick a wife!” Gilly cried, clapping her hands.

“Not quite so romantic,” Damon Ryder said, exchanging a glance with Drum.

“He’s going to be like a sitting duck,” Rafe said around the lemon snap he’d popped in his mouth. “Can’t even get up and walk away, can he?”

“Exactly,” Drum said. “So I’d like it if you could stay here when the doors open to the public. You could save me if you see I need saving.”

“Of course,” Gilly said enthusiastically. “Who do you want us to protect you from?”

Drum winced. “I don’t need protection. Just some…interception sometimes, perhaps.”

“But Gilly’s right,” Brenna Dalton said seriously. “If you tell us who you think will annoy you I’m sure we’ll do what we can to keep them away from you, but if you don’t, how are we to know?”

“Who?” Drum asked, frowning. “Anyone who looks like they’re giving me a headache, that’s who. That’s most of them. But not the Lady Annabelle, if you please.”

There was a sudden shocked silence, broken by Rafe. “Sits the wind in that quarter then?” he blurted. “Well, I admit I’m surprised. But she’s a good-looking female and there’s every chance she’s grown up since we last met, I suppose.”

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