Romancing Her Rival - Joanna Barker Page 0,15

she does not think you can manage the estate—

That was what Daphne had told her anyway, not wanting to admit that Mother and Father were the true reasons for Aunt Hartwell’s decision.

—but I think it ridiculous. Why should you need to have any expertise? Once you inherit, you will have a steward to oversee those things, and hopefully not the horrible Mr. Everard. In any case, it seems perfectly clear to me that he has Aunt Hartwell completely taken in. I can hardly blame you for your feelings of frustration and hopelessness. But you must not give in, Daphne.

If your aunt cannot see that she is being deceived by that upstart, then you will have to make her see. I have no doubt that Mr. Everard has his flaws just like anyone. You simply need to find them and ensure that Aunt Hartwell finds them as well. Surely he has made some mistake, overreached where he should not. Anything that can prove him unworthy of the misplaced trust your aunt has in him. Then she will have no choice but to reinstate you as her heir.

Daphne swallowed, the ink on the paper swirling together in her mind. She dropped the letter on her vanity and strode to the window, her limbs suddenly restless. Find a flaw in Cole? Exploit it so that she might retake Cheriton? The idea seemed so preposterous at first glance that she gave a nervous chuckle and a shake of her head. No, that was something a jealous and spiteful woman might do. Certainly not Daphne. She had never been one to hold others’ weaknesses against them, not when she knew her own so well.

She parted the curtain, looking down on the garden and the stone bench she and Aunt Hartwell had sat on the other day. After coming inside from her confrontation with Cole, she’d stood at this very window and watched him join Aunt Hartwell. The two had looked much too at ease with one another, which had only hurt Daphne more. She was Aunt Hartwell’s family. She should be the one to make her aunt laugh, the one she confided in. Her aunt had always been there for Daphne, and she treasured their relationship beyond any of her possessions.

But Cole had taken that from her too.

Cheriton was meant to be hers, save for his interference. And now she had no prospects whatsoever. No dowry, no inheritance, not even the good fortune of family connections besides Aunt Hartwell. What man would want her? Not a decent one, with wealth and status. Not when there were heiresses aplenty wandering London just waiting for a proposal. She’d so long hoped for a love match, to keep her promise made to her friends, but how could she hope any longer with prospects such as hers?

That only left her one choice. Daphne bit her lip, then went back to the letter and picked it up again, her eyes flitting over her mother’s words. If she could somehow discredit Cole, show he was not so perfectly suited for a life as master of Cheriton, then perhaps Mother was right. Perhaps Aunt Hartwell would see that she’d made a mistake and that Daphne was the right choice after all.

But the how of it all was a bit trickier. When he was a boy, Cole had been impetuous and daring, but it seemed like he’d outgrown much of that as he’d aged. Was there enough left of those traits to cause him to make a mistake? And even if there was, how could she find anything against him when they were currently at odds with each other?

The answer was right before her. Daphne had to befriend him again—or at least pretend to.

Could she, though? Once, she never might have imagined her easy friendship with Cole to ever be in danger. But everything had changed between them. Was it possible to pretend she did not feel such resentment toward him?

She did not want to. She hated the idea of practicing such deceit, even against Cole. But she had to. Everything depended upon it.

And she needed to begin as soon as possible.

With a determined set to her jaw, she put on her bonnet and gloves and went downstairs.

Last night at dinner, Cole had mentioned he would be visiting the east pastures today. Daphne knew the land well, having run about the estate for most of her childhood before Mother had finally decided she ought to be civilized.

She made good time as she crossed