Free If You Give a Girl a Viscount by Kieran Kramer Page A

you,” Mona said.
    He hesitated the barest fraction of a moment. “That would involve your spending money on my behalf, and I’d rather not.”
    “Really, Viscount, it’s no trouble,” Mona insisted. “It’s only a few pennies.”
    He smiled that glorious smile he had. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ll decline your generous offer.”
    Daisy thought his behavior a little odd. But she supposed he was being polite.
    “Thank you for a delightful evening.” He swept them a low bow. “I shall see all of you in the morning.”
    Try as he might to appear jaunty, his eyes were rimmed with fatigue, and Daisy found herself feeling sorry for him. He was to sleep in the byre, after all. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like that poultice?” she asked before he left the room.
    He turned to her readily. “I’ll be fine, thank you. Although I intend to have a glass of whisky before bed. Your housekeeper brought me some today, and it’s truly the best I’ve ever had.”
    “Joe makes it,” said Cassandra. “Though God knows how. He can’t even do sums.”
    “Well, those sorts of skills obviously don’t matter when it comes to making whisky,” Lord Lumley said with spirit. “The Prince Regent himself can get no finer elixir than what’s to be found here at Castle Vandemere.”
    “I’ll be sure to tell Joe you like it,” Daisy said.
    “Please do.” The viscount inclined his head. “Meanwhile, tomorrow morning … shall we attempt to gauge which hook the fish prefer—yours or mine?”
    “Certainly.” Daisy couldn’t help feeling a bit warm every time he spoke to her.
    So when she retired to the drawing room a moment later, she did her best to appear nonchalant. Reaching for her sewing basket, she began to thread a needle—to show everyone that she was completely unaffected by Lord Lumley’s presence at the castle.
    Just as she’d gotten the thread through the eye, Cassandra tossed aside her own needlework. “Stay away from him,” she said to Daisy, her eyes narrowed.
    Daisy’s heart sank. She’d been dreading such a showdown. “How can I? We’re engaged to be married.” Her voice was firm, and she finished threading her needle with steady hands.
    “You know exactly what she means.” Mona dangled a glass of whisky from her hand. “It’s not as if we get any eligible men up here. He’s destined for Cassandra. You must show a disgust of him immediately, so he’s free to pursue her .”
    Perdita lowered her bushy brows at Daisy. “I like his legs,” she said in warning tones.
    Daisy felt their united threat but refused to be cowed, especially as outside the great mullioned window, even at this late hour, in the eerie light of the Scottish summer night, she could see Joe checking on the mother pig who’d had her litter of piglets two days ago.
    She must stay firm for Joe. And Hester.
    “I refuse to act unengaged,” she said.
    Cassandra gave a huff. “Very well. Prepare to compete with me for his affections.”
    “Engaged doesn’t mean married,” Mona reassured Cassandra.
    Daisy wasn’t a bit surprised at their selfishness.
    “He won’t stay long enough for you to win him,” she told Cassandra. “He’ll probably leave in the next several days.”
    She knew very well he’d hang about longer than that, but it was a good opportunity to convince the Furies that they were responsible for his staying.
    “We can’t let him leave.” Mona’s brow furrowed.
    “No, we can’t.” Cassandra bit her plump lower lip.
    “How do you plan on getting him to stay longer?” Daisy asked them.
    Perdita chuckled. “I’ll tie him to his bed.”
    “ I make those decisions,” said Mona, pinching Perdita’s arm.
    Perdita winced.
    Daisy sent her awkward stepsister a sympathetic glance, which she returned with a glower.
    “Cassandra will lure him,” Mona said.
    “How so?” replied Daisy.
    Cassandra shrugged. “I’ll tell him we haven’t had a healthy young man around the house for so long, we