Page 41 of A Perfect Engagement
Charlotte came to Brooksdale to see him. Daniel ran a hand over his face. She had come, seen him with Phoebe and Josie, and come to the wrong conclusion that he was married and had a family. Of course, she had, that’s just what this looked like. Shit.
“Who is Miss Grisham?” Phoebe asked.
“She is Miles’s intended,” he replied.
Phoebe’s eyes widened. “And why was she here to see you, Daniel? Weren’t you supposed to be pretending to be Miles?”
“She figured it out the first afternoon. Charlotte is very observant.” She had seen him almost from the start. After spending his entire childhood as one of a pair, he’d spent much of his adult life trying to be seen as his own person. When he traveled abroad, no one knew he was a twin. That freedom had been heady. But Charlotte, she had seen him and liked him for himself. She was a rare creature indeed.
“So, you two have been pretending to be an engaged couple all week?” Phoebe asked with a wry smile.
“I hate to interrupt this charming interrogation, but Mr. Wiltshire is waiting for you inside,” Mr. Henry interjected.
“Thank you, Mr. Henry. I’ll take Phoebe up to the house. Do you mind staying with Josie? We won’t be long.”
The foreman smiled at the little girl. “Do you mind playing with me for a bit, Josie?”
“Yay!” exclaimed Josie. “I can show you the new bandalore Papa brought me.”
Daniel grasped the handles of Phoebe’s wheelchair, turning it toward the house.
*
“Thank you, Mr.Wiltshire. I appreciate you coming out so soon.” Daniel shook the apothecary’s hand.
“You’re welcome, Lord Weston.” He lowered his voice. “There is quite a bit of fluid built up. I don’t know how her lungs will continue to hold up. Keep applying those mustard plasters three times daily and have her drink the tonic; it will ease the coughing. Good day to you, sir.”
Daniel closed the door behind the man. He walked back over to where Phoebe sat by an open window. The library rug had been removed as had the dusty window hangings. The silk covering on the settee and chairs had long ago faded from a cheerful yellow to a bland beige tone. This room was one of the main level rooms cleaned thoroughly to accommodate their little family. He stopped behind her and gazed out to the garden.
“I don’t know why he thinks he needs to whisper. I know the status of my condition. He needn’t protect me from the truth,” Phoebe muttered. Daniel laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.
“Drink up. He said it would help calm the coughing.”
“It tastes like sewer water.” She dutifully took a sip. “Distract me. Tell me what’s happening with you and Miss Grisham.”
Daniel pulled his hand off her shoulder and ran it through his hair. “Nothing.”
Phoebe snorted.
“Fine.” He sat down on the windowsill to face her. “Pretending to be her intended this week has been more complicated than I thought it would be. It doesn’t help that Miles has been missing. A couple of days, he said.” Daniel rolled his eyes.
“What’s she like?” Phoebe took another sip of her tonic with a grimace.
“She’s marvelous.” He frowned. “And Miles is a fool to leave her unattended for even a minute. He won’t appreciate her. He’ll set her up in that big house of his on the square and bring her out for social gatherings to show off his domestic side. He won’t have time to get to know her, to care for her.”
“That’s a rather harsh assessment of your brother.”
“You haven’t seen him recently. Ever since he gained the title, he hasn’t done anything but work and mingle with the right people.” Daniel could feel the bitterness on his tongue. He missed the old Miles; he didn’t care for the grown-up version.
“You’re in love with her.”
Daniel met her gaze. Phoebe always did have a way of getting straight to the heart of matters.
“Yes, I think I am.” Damn it. How could he have gone and fallen in love with his brother’s bride?
“Do you think she feels the same?”
“Yesterday I would have said yes…maybe. We get along famously. She and I enjoy the same hobbies. But she is very practical. I don’t think she would allow herself to love someone other than her intended.” He shook his head. “I kissed her last night.”
