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snapped up. "Colin!"
     
     Yet another Bridgerton brother joined the crowd.
     
     "Oh, Colin!" Daphne exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "It's so good to see you."
     
     "Note that we didn't receive similarly enthusiastic greetings," Anthony said to Benedict.
     
     "You I see all the time," Daphne retorted. "Colin's been away a full year." After giving him one last squeeze, she stepped back, and scolded, "We didn't expect you until next week."
     
     Colin's one-shoulder shrug matched his lopsided smile to perfection. "Paris grew dull."
     
     "Ah," Daphne said with a shrewd look in her eye. "Then you ran out of money."
     
     Colin laughed and held up his hands in surrender. "Guilty as charged."
     
     Anthony hugged his brother, and said gruffly, "It's damned fine to have you home, brother. Although the funds I sent you should have lasted you at least until—"
     
     "Stop," Colin said helplessly, laughter still tingeing his voice. "I promise you may scold me all you want tomorrow. Tonight I merely wish to enjoy the company of my beloved family."
     
     Benedict let out a snort. "You must be completely broke if you're calling us 'beloved.' " But he leaned forward to give his brother a hearty hug all the same. "Welcome home."
     
     Colin, always the most devil-may-care of the family, grinned, his green eyes twinkling. "Good to be back. Although I must say the weather is not nearly so fine as on the Continent, and as for the women, well, England would be hard pressed to compete with the signorina I—"
     
     Daphne punched him in the arm. "Kindly recall that there is a lady present, churl." But there was little ire in her voice. Of all her siblings, Colin was the closest to her in age—only eighteen months her elder. As children, they had been inseparable—and always in trouble. Colin was a natural prankster, and Daphne had never needed much convincing to go along with his schemes. "Does Mother know you're home?" she asked.
     
     Colin shook his head. "I arrived to an empty house, and—"
     
     "Yes, Mother put the younger ones to bed early tonight," Daphne interrupted.
     
     "I didn't want to wait about and twiddle my thumbs, so Humboldt gave me your direction and I came here."
     
     Daphne beamed, her wide smile lending warmth to her dark eyes. "I'm glad you did."
     
     "Where is Mother?" Colin asked, craning his neck to peer over the crowd. Like all Bridgerton males, he was tall, so he
    didn't have to stretch very far.
     
     "Over in the corner with Lady Jersey," Daphne replied.
     
     Colin shuddered. "I'll wait until she's extricated herself. I have no wish to be flayed alive by that dragon."
     
     "Speaking of dragons," Benedict said pointedly. His head didn't move, but his eyes flicked off to the left.
     
     Daphne followed his line of vision to see Lady Danbury marching slowly toward them. She carried a cane, but Daphne swallowed nervously and steeled her shoulders. Lady Danbury's often cutting wit was legendary among the ton. Daphne had always suspected that a sentimental heart beat under her acerbic exterior, but still, it was always terrifying when Lady Danbury pressed one into conversation.
     
     "No escape," Daphne heard one of her brothers groan.
     
     Daphne shushed him and offered the old lady a hesitant smile.
     
     Lady Danbury's brows rose, and when she was but four feet away from the group of Bridgertons, she stopped, and barked, "Don't pretend you don't see me!"
     
     This was followed by a thump of the cane so loud that Daphne jumped back just enough to trample Benedict's toe.
     
     "Euf," said Benedict.
     
     Since her brothers appeared to have gone temporarily mute (except for Benedict, of course, but Daphne didn't think that
    grunts of pain counted as intelligible speech) Daphne swallowed, and said, "I hope I did not give that impression, Lady Danbury, for—"
     
     "Not you," Lady Danbury said imperiously. She jabbed her cane into the air, making a perfectly horizontal