Page 17 of Dare it all for Love

The proprietor was a Mr Moon, who was clearly delighted to have such exalted company as the Marquess and Marchioness of Montagu, the Earl and Countess St Clair, Lady Helena Knight, and even a glamorous French comte in his pub. Mr Moon greeted them eagerly and showed them to a large, private parlour where they were waited on promptly and their orders taken.

“Whatever is the matter?” Vivien asked once everyone was settled. “You look positively murderous.”

Florence tried to rearrange her face, but her mouth felt too stiff to smile, so she doubted it had done much good. She glanced at Ash, who just shrugged.

Vivien looked between them, her dark eyebrows drawing together. She gave her twin a hard stare. “What do you know that I don’t?”

“N-Nothing,” Ash stammered, doing his best to appear innocent and looking as guilty as hell.

Florence sighed.

“Oh, you may as well tell her, Ash,” she said, resting her head on her hand and glowering at the far side of the room.

Henry was laughing with the earl, the two men chuckling over something amusing. Probably her idiocy, she thought gloomily. Was he telling the earl all about the silly chit who was in love with him?

Vivien followed her gaze and let out a squeak of triumph. “You are in love with Mr Stanhope.”

“Good Lord,” Ash exclaimed. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” Vivien asked, swivelling back to look at Ash.

He had folded his arms, his expression fierce. “I never even got the chance to tell you!”

Vivien shrugged. “There’s hardly any need when she’s gazing at the man like a lovesick puppy.”

“I do not look like a lovesick puppy,” Florence objected, sitting up straight again.

“You do a bit,” Ash murmured, a touch apologetically.

“I do not!”

“Well, a kitten, then,” Vivien allowed, patting her hand. “It’s rather nauseating, whichever you choose, love.”

“Oh!” Florence wailed and put her head in her hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

Vivien considered her with interest. “What do you want to do?”

Florence snorted, muttering under her breath. “I don’t want to do anything. I want Henry Stanhope to admit he’s madly in love with me and carry me off into the sunset, but he’s far too maddening to do anything of the sort. I think he thinks he’s too old for me.”

“Well, he is a friend of your father’s, Flo, and your papa is known for being, er… somewhat protective of his girls,” Ash observed, tracing the scarred top of the well-polished table with a finger.

Florence glowered at him. “Not helping.”

Vivien considered her with a frown of concentration, which was a little unnerving as she was always so intense. Being the centre of her attention was a bit like standing in the heart of a storm, just waiting for the chaos to begin around you.

“What was your dare?” she asked, her tone thoughtful.

Florence regarded Viv warily, her senses prickling. “Tell a lie for love.”

Vivien grinned.

“Oh, God,” muttered Ash.

“I don’t like it,” Florence admitted. “The idea of telling a lie to someone I care for is… it’s just not right.”

Ash nodded sympathetically. “It does sound rather unpleasant.”

Vivien gave an impatient tsk and shook her head. “You’re both missing the point. You must remember the spirit of the dares, what our mothers did it for. They were written in the spirit of hope and expectation. It’s not that you must tell a lie to cause hurt or to cover a secret. It’s more a lie that you know will be found out, a little deception to get what you want.”