Page 16 of The Duke of a Thousand Desires

Grayson lowered the letter opener. “In lieu of his absence, the responsibility of a decision falls on you.”

Rhys looked stricken. “No. I’ll never hear the end of it. She’ll despise me. I won’t be the one to decide.”

“But you will grant your permission if she agrees to a match with Simon,” Grayson said bluntly. “She will be consumed in scandal otherwise.”

“Do we have time to reflect?” Rhys asked.

Grayson rose with restless energy. “I shall have the agreements drawn up tomorrow. We should make the announcement before breakfast, although I daresay Jane will trounce me for trumping her surprise.”

“Announce it before dawn,” Heath said. “That will allow us time to search the gardens again and review our guests.”

“Who is going to tell Ravenna?” Rhys asked after a short hesitation.

“Simon is,” Grayson said succinctly. “We’ll give them time alone together so that he can propose. This is no ordinary engagement, although we must strive to make it appear so. Confer with my wife on how to deceive Society. The ladies of the family will insist on making more infernal wedding plans. This should create a welcome deflection while we find the man who shot my statue.”

“What if Ravenna refuses to play along?” Rhys asked from the door. “She is of age.”

Grayson lifted his large shoulders in a shrug. “Then we wait for Griff to return and drop the mess in his lap.”

Simon looked steadily at Rhys. “I’ll persuade her it’s for the best. I am not a stranger to your family.”

“I wonder about that,” Rhys said, turning his head as if to hide his expression. “Tonight it seems I do not know you at all.”