Dangerous in Diamonds - Madeline Hunter [29]
“My cups are only half-filled at best. I am regretting my restraint more with each passing minute.”
“You just ignored the proprieties of this house and intruded on my bedchamber. I would say that you are well beyond good sense. You would never do such a thing on Tuesday.”
“I am a boring and hellishly bad company on Tuesdays. Also cruel. Remember?”
“And you are drunk other days. I do not receive men who are inebriated. I cannot receive your social calls if you are incapable of normal restraints with spirits.”
She absolutely refused to back down and apologize. Unbelievable.
“I never said this was a social call. It is presumptuous for you to assume it is.”
She sighed in a way that reminded him of Hawkeswell, when Hawkeswell was his most irritating. “I will not receive you for any sort of call when you are inebriated. When there is business to discuss, when you require information from me that influences your decision on that property, we will meet for that purpose, but not here.” She squared her shoulders, lifted her damned invisible shield, and gazed over with her coolest regard. “Now, I must ask that you leave.”
Damnation, she was throwing him out.
She was fortunate he was in such a pleasant mood. Her manner only prickled instead of inflamed. All the same, her hauteur goaded him. He’d go to hell before he stood down without goading a bit himself.
She held her poise so severely she might be one of those porcelain figurines. He looked right back, capturing her full attention, and he did not make any efforts to ignore the bed mere inches from her side.
He did not insinuate, he merely allowed his gaze to expand until the bed was in view along with the lady. He forced their mutual stare to acknowledge the intimacy of where they held this little contest and the possibilities of this privacy and the fact that he already had more familiarity with her than her manner today implied.
Her expression altered not at all. Her gaze did not waver. The slightest flush tinted her cheeks, however. He held her gaze until that tint darkened noticeably.
Finally, she looked away.
“We will do it the way you wish,” he said. “I thought to spare you the inconvenience of formal meetings, but if they are your preference, far be it from me to inconvenience myself instead. Tomorrow at nine o’clock, call on me, and we will discuss the matter that brought me here today.”
“Nine o’clock! That is uncivilized. As for where we meet—the park is preferable, I think.”
“As I said, I thought to spare you, but I have only received your dreary scold for my generous efforts. Therefore, we will meet next time at my leisure, at an hour and place when this business will not interfere with my day and habits. That is nine o’clock tomorrow morning, at my house.” He strolled to the door and bowed. “Until then, Mrs. Joyes.”
Chapter Seven
It would be inaccurate to say that the servants on Park Lane considered Daphne’s unexpected presence a nuisance. She suspected that she had disrupted their plans for an informal few weeks with no demands, however.
The best of them had traveled with Audrianna and Sebastian, and the ones who remained tended to be young and inexperienced. She was sure that Castleford would have never dared come up to the private chambers uninvited when the whole household was in residence, for example.
He had dared it, however, and now she found herself cornered again. There was nothing for it but to attend this business meeting in his house. She rose before dawn to prepare. Her maid yawned in her face when she arrived to help.
While washing and dressing, Daphne considered the plans she had made yesterday for her week here, before Castleford intruded. She would, of course, see to influencing his decision on the property and hoped she acquitted herself better in the future than she had thus far. However, she had also seized on her inspired impulse during her conversation with Verity. It made sense to use her time to further her business. It might all come to naught within days, but if things went her