Page 18 of No Ordinary Lady

But then Danny appeared, his expression angry as he raced across the marble floor, headed back toward the room where she’d first seen him tonight.

Knowing time was of the essence, she retraced her steps, too, determined to meet up with him there. She would give him the ring back and go on her way immediately.

But when she arrived in the room, her gentleman was bent over a chair, backside facing her, tossing pillows and small knee rugs aside. “Please be here now. Where is it? Damn it.”

Marian admired the unique view of her handsome gent, but then remembered what she was here for. There was no time for gawking. She cleared her throat to get his attention, rather than shout out his name.

“I’ll be right there,” he called, probably mistaking Marian for someone else so she tried again. He turned slightly, “Did you see a ring lying about anywhere about this room? I looked earlier, but no luck then. I was hoping to be wrong.”

“Yes, I have it,” she answered as she slipped the ring from her finger.

“Thank you!” he cried, sagging before he spun about to face Marian at last.

His mouth dropped open though when he spotted her standing across the room.

But before he could close it or even speak, light footsteps rushed along the hall toward them.

Marian darted for the closest hiding place, behind a velvet curtain so she wasn’t seen and made certain her toes were not peeking out too. She made her breathing even and soft, all the while trying to hear what was going on out there.

“Danny, really. Your guests are waiting for you,” a woman chided, her voice aged and weary.

“I know that, Granny. Please distract them for a little longer,” he urged.

“What are you looking for?”

“Nothing. Nothing now.”

“Darling, I must warn you that your mother hinted to Mr. Wilson that you intend to make a match, and they both have assumed it will be to Amy. They are waiting for you to make the grand announcement.”

Marian gaped. Danny was the one getting married. He’d never told her that. Her fingers closed around the precious bauble, and she felt the sting of acute disappointment. So the ring was intended for someone else?

There was a prolonged silence on the other side of the curtain, and then Danny said softly, “Mother should not have shared that bit of news.”

“Well, you should have known better than to confide in your mother at all. It’s her dearest wish that you’d settle down and you know how she feels about Amy,” the other woman said. “She won’t wait another five years for you to get around to the business of actually tying the knot. She’ll force the issue this week, no doubt, and have a date set for the summer. She has always believed you were fated to wed Amy. But I warned you years ago that she’s not the one for you.”

“And I told you to stop sticking your nose into my love life, Granny,” he said, almost growling his response.

“Love?” the old woman crocked. “I think not. Convenience is more like it in Amy’s case.”

Marian winced to hear that Danny did not love the woman he planned to marry. She’d thought better of him, but then again, one night together did not make them more than passing acquaintances.

It also sounded like his mother was a more difficult woman to control than he’d confessed to last night, too.

When the silence out there continued, Marian risked a peek to see if they’d gone. Danny stood with his back to his old granny, blocking Marian’s view of her and most of the room. His attention was locked on Marian and the curtain she hid behind.

She risked a quick smile, and his eyes flared wide for a moment. But then his gaze narrowed, and he turned his back on her abruptly.

“Granny, there will be no proposal tonight,” he said, his voice determined yet muffled as he moved away. “I will make my offer in my own time and not before so many witnesses.”

Marian shrank behind the curtain, fighting a grin at his announcement that he would not be forced into a proposal.

“Well, that is a relief,” Granny gushed.

“You can rejoin the guests,” he ordered, and when Marian risked another peek, she discovered he’d moved to the door, taking the older lady with him. “I’ll be along in a moment.”

“But we must discuss this further. What will you say tonight to put the Wilsons off?”

“Probably something that will upset Mother. She was wrong to allude to any match,” he said. “I will deal with her tomorrow. I trust that is convenient to you, too.”