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“He is a very nice gentleman, isn’t he?”
Rafael agreed and the two of them went back to the drawing room to receive congratulations from people who weren’t at all surprised at their announcement.
The marquess was delighted at the prospect of acting Victoria’s parent, and said quietly, “My dear, you appear to be an utter delight. It will be my honor.”
“Delight?” Rafael said, hearing this. “I’m not certain, sir. She does, however, require a strong hand.”
Upon their departure, Frances said softly to Victoria, “You see, Victoria, everything worked out just as it should.”
“I suppose so. I pray so. Rafael is very . . . well . . .”
“Virile, handsome, a devil?”
“Yes, you’re right. I suspect he will be a handful.”
“If ever you find yourself in need of lessons or advice on dealing with such a man, I shall be at your beck and call.”
L
ooking at Hawk from beneath her lashes, Victoria didn’t doubt for a moment that Frances had much experience dealing with gentlemen who were handfuls.
8
More belongs to this marriage than four legs in a bed.
—THOMAS FULLER
Lucia didn’t wonder even once why Rafael was loath to leave her town house. Perhaps those with lesser mental acuity might believe it was because he was playing the ardent lover with his betrothed, but not she.
When Didier appeared at precisely three o’clock the following afternoon in the door of her drawing room, she took one look at his face and said to Rafael, “Well, my boy, I imagine the baron has duly arrived.”
“Yes, my lady,” Didier said, only a single flick of an eyelid to show his surprise.
“Do show the baron in,” Lucia said. “Then inform Miss Victoria that she is to remain in her bedchamber.”
Lucia knew they were twins. However, seeing the two men together was still something of a shock, so alike were they. Mirror images standing there, facing each other.
“Brother,” Rafael said, not moving from his position beside the fireplace.
Damien gave Lucia a curt nod, then said to his twin, “I was rather hoping you would remain with your ship and take your merchandise to China.”
“Unfortunately China was never a port of call. I imagined you would discover Victoria’s whereabouts quickly. You didn’t disappoint me.”
“There is only one Lady Lucia in London,” Damien said, proferring Lucia another nod and an ironic bow. “You, my lady, I must thank for seeing to the comfort of my ward.”
“Baron,” she said only. To Rafael she continued, “I shall leave you alone now. If there is anything you wish, you have but to ask Didier.”
“That stately old fossil who answered my knock?”
“Yes,” Lucia said, “he is the one.” She left the drawing room, wishing she could leave the door open, but of course she didn’t. Sometimes, she thought, it was most provoking to have had manners drummed into one from such an early age.
The two brothers eyed each other in silence. It was like looking in a mirror, Rafael thought. It was as if he could raise his left hand to his jaw and the image facing him would automatically do the same thing. He hadn’t forgotten that another man laid claim to his face, his features, to eyes the identical silver-gray color—no indeed—but to see that man after so long a time, to see himself, it was disconcerting.
Damien said softly, “It has been a long time.”
“More than five years. Yes, a very long time.”
“I had hoped that you would have changed, but you haven’t. If it weren’t for your tanned face, no one would know us apart. I’ve never liked sharing myself, so to speak.”
