“And what has the Parliamentary vote on the navy’s budget to do with her happiness? You have a moral duty to king and country to protect our fighting men and honor them to your utmost. How can you be so venal as to willingly destroy the Royal Navy because you are peeved at your daughter’s choice in men? If anything, she has shown far better sense than you in this matter.”
“My dear girl, I asked for an honest answer, not a public spanking.” His eyes were gray embers, dark and stormy.
Crumpets.
She wouldn’t blame Ronan if he throttled her.
If the duke were a dragon, he’d have flames snorting through his nose.
Had she just ruined Ronan’s chances on this vote?
CHAPTER TEN
Ronan’s heart sank as he watched Dahlia being escorted back to his side by the Duke of Stoke. Dear heaven, what had she said to him? The man was grinding his teeth, and she looked to be in a panic.
He happened to be chatting with the Lord Admiral while Dahlia and the duke had been dancing. “Hellfire, Brayden. This looks bad.”
“I know, my lord. I’ll take full responsibility, of course. Miss Farthingale isn’t to blame. I tossed an innocent lamb into the jaws of that wolf.”
“No, son. It is my fault for forcing you into this bad idea. I hope your knees are in better shape than mine. I think we’re going to be doing a lot of groveling before Stoke in the coming days.”
The duke turned his angry gaze on Ronan. “I’ll have a word with you, Brayden. Now.” He spoke more politely to Dahlia, bowing over her hand. “Miss Farthingale, our time together has been...enlightening. Would you mind if I stole your captain away for a few minutes? I’m sure the Lord Admiral won’t mind entertaining you until his return.”
She nodded.
Ronan strode off with the duke. They stepped outdoors onto the balcony for privacy. Despite the cold, neither of them felt chilled. Ronan was certain they were both too hot and angry, and the temperature between them was about to rise even further.
He waited for the duke to speak first. “Miss Farthingale insulted me.”
Ronan arched an eyebrow, trying to stifle his amusement, which would only take matters from bad to not-a-chance-in-hell-the-vote-will-pass. “She did?”
“I asked her to speak honestly, and she unloaded her full artillery. She’s quite a girl.”
“I think so. Your Grace, what did she say to you?”
Stoke leaned against the balustrade and stared out into the darkened garden. “She called me venal and manipulative.”
“Lord, have mercy.” Ronan knew he should not be laughing, but he was about to spend the rest of his days swabbing the deck of the ugliest, most sea-unworthy vessel in the navy. He no longer cared what the duke thought of him. The punishment could not be any worse.
He tossed his head back and laughed.
To his utter shock, the duke burst out laughing as well. “She is right, Brayden. I have been a monumental arse. I want you to know that you will have my vote. Not only that, I will actively support your appropriations and encourage others in the House of Lords to do the same.”
Ronan was stunned. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“No, thank your young lady. Sometimes we are so caught up in ourselves that we lose sight of what’s important. Are you in love with Miss Farthingale?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Utterly infatuated. From the moment I set eyes on her.”
He grunted. “I’m not surprised. Do not let her slip away.”
“I don’t intend to.” But neither would he push her before she was ready to commit her heart to him.
He thought the conversation would now end and expected the duke to walk back into the house, but he didn’t. “Who is this fellow, Wainscott?”
Ronan’s humor immediately fled. “A bounder.”
“I saw him menacing Miss Farthingale earlier this evening. They were standing about where we are standing now. Then you came along, and he fled. What is his business with her?”
“He has none, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Yes, yes. I know you wish to protect her. But I wish to know more about this man and what passed between them. Tell me all you know.”
Ronan found the request odd but saw no harm in telling him. The news was already circulating in ton circles. He preferred the duke to learn the truth, not some distorted secondhand gossip encouraged by Wainscott to embarrass Dahlia. “He had made certain promises to her, led her to believe a betrothal was forthcoming. In the meanwhile, he was secretly courting the Earl of Balliwick’s daughter, Lady Alexandra.”
He nodded. “She’s a nice girl. No brains, though. Her father’s fairly dim, too.”
Ronan figured they would have to be in order to align themselves with Wainscott. “He revealed the news of his betrothal to Balliwick’s daughter in a most heinous manner, purposely designed to impose maximum hurt and humiliation on Miss Farthingale. She did nothing to deserve such ill-treatment.”
“Yet, he does not take his eyes off Miss Farthingale. Why is that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t care. If he comes near her, I will kill him.”
“Don’t speak such utter nonsense, Brayden. You are far more clever than that.”
Ronan raked a hand through his hair. “The man is lower than the slime beneath my boots. I am not at all clever when it comes to dealing with him. I just want to rip him apart with my bare hands. Dahlia...that is, Miss Farthingale, won’t let me.”
“She is right. You would only hurt yourself.”
“Perhaps, but I still want to do it. I won’t, of course. Unless he attempts to harm her. Then I will do it with a smile on my face.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” He sighed and shook his head. “Despite her forthright manner...a little too forthright for my taste...I like your Miss Farthingale. Do you think she would help my daughter?”
“Do you mean help with Lady Melinda’s elusive marquess?”
He snorted. “If the man even exists, which I am beginning to doubt. She won’t name him. No one knows who he is. I am sorry now that I gave her such a hard time over you. Miss Farthingale, while sternly berating me over my treatment of you, told me that my own daughter had better sense when it came to choosing a husband for herself.”
Ronan winced. “Blessed saints, she said that?”
Lord, she’d taken Stoke to the woodshed and whipped him soundly.
“I don’t suppose your courtship of Miss Farthingale is merely a ruse, and you’d be willing to court my daughter? I would not forbid it this time around.”
Ronan shook his head. “I am in love with Miss Farthingale. No ruse, Your Grace. I’d marry her tomorrow if she’d let me.”
“She said as much. I’d like to introduce her to my daughter. I’m truly worried about Melinda. Do you think she would agree to help me? Can I offer her anything in return?”
“She might agree to help you, but don’t bribe her to do it. She’ll take offense. These Farthingales do things from the kindness of their heart. Just ask her straight out.”
“I will. Not tonight. I think she’s boxed my ears enough for one evening.” He turned to walk back inside. “Will she be at Lord Fielding’s dinner party?”