She hoped it was not solely due to the Dukes’ Pact. It was true that the whole idea of the old dukes pushing their heirs into penury to get them married was ludicrous. But it would be somehow boyish to vow he would cross his father and never produce an heir, only in an effort to thwart him. It would not be a worthy reason for Lord Dalton. There must be something else. Something she did not understand.
“Then why?” she asked softly.
She was not certain he heard her, as he did not answer for some moments. Finally he said, “I am not at all sure I should tell you the story. Sometimes it is not right to put a burden on someone else and create a memory that is unpleasant and was never their own to carry.”
“I do not mind,” Daisy said. “I have enough of my own, I will not be overcome by one more.”
Daisy saw his dark head nod in the gloom. He said, “When I fought at Quatre Bras, there was a French fellow I came upon. He really looked too young to be there, but I suppose he was not. We came at one another with swords and he fought like the devil though he was not nearly skilled enough to have been sent into the fray.
“I wounded him, but I did not kill him. I thought to leave him there and he might make his way out to live another day. As I turned away, I heard something behind me. The fool had risen and had his sword raised. I was taken by surprise and did not react quick enough.”
Lord Dalton paused and ran his hand down the scar on his face. “That is how I got this embellishment on my cheek—he sliced me before I knew what was happening. In my anger, I dealt him a deadly blow. He died at my feet.”
“But what choice did you have?” Daisy asked, hardly daring to breathe.
“None, I suppose. But the last thing he said wasMa pauvre femme, elle est enceinte.”
“My poor wife, she is with child,” Daisy said softly.
“Yes, and so you see I decided I would not bring any boys like him into the world only so they might go out like that. I saw plenty of men die, but none with the look of fear that he had.”
Daisy felt as if her heart skipped beats in her chest. She’d known all along it would come to this. She’d find out why he would never marry and that would be the end of it. He might have gotten over a parents’ unhappy union, but he would never get over what he had just described. Whether or not he was right in it would not matter. It had not just left a scar on his face, it had left a scar on his soul.
“I have given it up, though. Funnily enough,” Lord Dalton said.
Daisy clutched the blanket to her chest. “Given it up?” she said. “Given up what?”
“My vow to never marry,” Lord Dalton said.
“Why?” Daisy asked, her own voice sounding as if she were choking.
“I think you know.”
She did know. Only a moment ago, she had been certain he’d never give it up. Just as quickly, he’d said hehadgiven it up.
He had given it up for her.
All her life Daisy had looked for a way to be happy. A chance to be happy. Here it was. She knew chances did not come raining down from the sky. If one were to spy a chance, one had better reach for it before it disappeared from view.
“Do not move!” she cried. She threw off the blanket and fled toward the door and down the stairs. She made her way down the dark corridor that led to the servants’ entrance and ran outside.
Lord Dalton stood under the lights from the kitchens. She threw herself into his arms.
“Daisy,” he said softly.
“Daisy?” she said, burying her face in his coat. “You have never called me that.”
“I have,” he whispered in her ear. “Often, in my thoughts.” He used his index finger to lift her chin and kissed her softly.
It was not like anything she had ever experienced. She had, until recently, recoiled from the idea of a man touching her, of a man getting so close to her that she could feel his breath. But this man could not come close enough.
“Do not ever stop kissing me,” she said.
He smiled, one of his rare smiles, and said, “I am happy to comply, Daisy Danworth.” He kissed her again.
Daisy could not have said how much time passed, only that eventually she was wrapped inside his coat and against his shirt and could feel his heartbeat and it was very cold outside and she was very warm.
“You will have to ask permission from my guardian, you know,” Daisy whispered.
