The brothers were close, you could see it in the gestures and words.
“If we didn’t bring you back down to earth occasionally, you’d be unbearably pompous, Finn,” Ben said.
“You do know who my wife is, don’t you?” Lord Levermarch drawled.
“There is that,” Alex agreed. “Phoebe would never allow you to be lofty. And now we shall fence, and you and Daniel can admire us before it’s your turn.”
“I’m leaving,” Daniel said. Ben responded by making clucking noises.
“I cannot believe you are behaving in such a juvenile manner in such a place,” Daniel said, looking around him. No one seemed to be paying them any attention.
“He has this preconceived notion that all noblemen are superior and thereby exhibit exemplary behavior,” Ben said. “Straighten him out, will you, Finn.”
“Come along, Dillinger.” Lord Levermarch gripped his shoulder. “Trust me, this will be the best entertainment you’ve had in days.”
He found himself seated beside the man, and soon others were joining them.
“Hagsworth, this is Mr. Dillinger,” the marquess said.
No one seemed to mind that he was there, but then he also knew there were plenty of people who wore the title Mr. but had noble fathers. The twins, for one… or two, as the case may be. He was not one of them. They would likely feel different if they knew who his father was.
“My name is Finn.”
“Pardon?” Daniel dragged his eyes from the twins, who were doing a series of stretching movements.
“If I may call you Daniel?”
“Of course.”
“Well then, I am Finn.”
Daniel nodded.
“Your brother used to have a problem with nobility too.”
“I don’t have a problem with you,” Daniel denied.
“But you are as comfortable in here as a man in any women’s fashion establishments. Like my wife’s, for instance.”
“Pardon?”
“My wife, Alex, and his wife, Hannah, own Madame Alexander’s.”
Daniel wasn’t sure what to reply to that. He knew what Madame Alexander’s was, as Thea frequented the fashion boutique and often Oliver would mention when she was there. What he hadn’t known was that Alex and Lady Levermarch were co-owners along with Hannah.
“I have shocked you, Daniel. That was not my intention. I merely wished to point out that not all nobility is made equal; some are vastly less pompous.”
He mulled that over as Ben and Alex finished their warmup.
“So what put you in a dark mood today, Daniel?”
“I’m not in a dark mood, my lord… Finn.”
“Just Finn will do, and Ben may be bloody annoying the majority of the time, but he is an astute man. If he says you’re in a dark mood, then it’s likely you are.”
Daniel exhaled.
“I believe you have a large family?”
“There were nine of us.”
“Were?”
“My sister, Beth, passed away when she was just a babe.”
“You have my condolences.”
“It was many years ago.” And still burned like an open wound inside his chest. He’d never felt so helpless in his life as he had that day.
“The years don’t make a difference; they just make the pain more manageable.”
“Yes.”
“Brothers and brothers-in-law,” Finn said softly, “are the best part of a man, other than sisters and wives, that is. I am not acquainted with your family, only Ace, and he is one of the best men I know.”
Daniel stayed silent. He loved his brother and always would, even though sometimes he disliked him intently.
“The thing about holding dark thoughts inside us, Daniel, is that they tend to fester, or so my wife tells me, and if you know anything about the woman I’m married to, it is that she rarely holds anything inside.”
That forced a laugh from Daniel.
“She has taught me a great deal. I was once a man who didn’t say much and liked to brood. Phoebe would not allow that.”
“I don’t brood,” he said, thinking that yet again a woman was behind what a man was saying. First Oliver, and then Ben. Now Finn was stating he’d changed because of Phoebe.
“For God’s sake, Ben, riposte!” Finn roared. “You are not using a club; bend your wrist!”
“Ouch!” Ben yelped as Alex jabbed him.
“Ben could pummel him in a boxing match, but there is no equal for Alex with a foil—except me, that is.”
Daniel turned in time to see the quick smile on Finn’s face.
“Move your feet, Ben!”
Turning back, Daniel saw William Ryder walk in. Men nodded as he passed, at ease with the title he carried, comfortable being here. Daniel had never really been at ease with the man he was. Strange how he’d not acknowledged that until now.
He’d been raised for many years to believe he’d enter the mines like his father, and then that changed. Yes, he’d been young enough to adapt, but he sometimes still felt like he straddled two worlds, not fully comfortable in either.
“Young Dillinger.” Will acknowledged him as if it was entirely natural he be here, then took the seat beside him, which pinned Daniel between the lords.
“I hope there have been no more encounters with the Deville brothers?”
“No.”
“You had an encounter with the Deville brothers and are still walking?” Finn whistled.
“Do you think Ace would allow anything to happen to him?” Will added.
“I can look after myself.”
“Of course,” Will said calmly. “And quite well, from what I hear.”
“What happened to have you encountering the Deville brothers?” Finn kept an eye on the twins as he spoke. Ben was being soundly beaten.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Daniel said.
“About their sister,” Will added, and Daniel wished he’d shut his mouth.
“Lady Abigail. She is a lovely lady, or so my wife tells me. But the brothers watch her every move, and any man who comes close is usually frightened away.”
“How did you get close to her?” Will asked Daniel.
“I didn’t. I met her with Thea while driving in the park. She said hello to me at the Smitherton floral display, and the brothers did not take kindly to the fact we
