Glancing at Daisy, he saw that she was not giggling as the other women were. Instead she looked resolute. This was her attempt to be one of the crowd, to behave like the empty-headed women around her. Bloody hell. No wonder she had been a wallflower, if this was what was expected of marriage-minded young women.

“You shall be my partner, Mr. Swift,” cried Miss Leighton.

“A privilege,” Matthew returned politely, and she giggled as if he had said something vastly amusing. Matthew had never met a woman who giggled so incessantly. He was half-afraid she might cause herself seizures if she didn’t stop.

A hat filled with slips of paper was passed around, and Matthew plucked one out and read it.

“Cow,” he informed Miss Leighton stonily, and she tittered.

Feeling like an idiot, Matthew stood aside while Miss Leighton and all the other ladies left the room.

Men positioned themselves strategically, chortling as they anticipated the fun of being bumped into and groped by various blindfolded women.

A few practice calls from around the parlor—

“Squawk!”

“Meow!”

“Ribbit!”

Rumbles of laughter ensued. As the blindfolded ladies paraded into the room, the place erupted in animal cries. It sounded like a rabid zoo. The ladies set out to find their partners, bumping into braying, cheeping, snorting men.

Matthew hoped to God that Westcliff, Hunt, or God forbid, Bowman, wouldn’t chance to come into the room and see him like this. He would never live it down.

His dignity was dealt a mortal blow as he heard Cassandra Leighton’s voice—“Where is Mr. Cow?”

Matthew heaved a sigh. “Moo,” he said grimly. Miss Leighton’s giggle sailed through the air. She gradually came into view, her hands groping every male form in proximity. A few unplanned squeaks and squawks were emitted as she made her way through the crowd.

“Oh, Mr. Co-ow,” Miss Leighton called. “I need more assistance from you!”

Matthew scowled. “Moo.”

“Once more,” she trilled.

It was lucky for Cassandra Leighton that her blindfold shielded her from Matthew’s murderous glare. “Moo.”

Giggle. Giggle. Giggle. Miss Leighton approached, arms outstretched, fingers opening and closing on empty air. She reached him, her hands fumbling at his waist and sliding downward. Matthew seized her wrists and tugged them firmly upward.

“Have I found Mr. Cow?” she asked disingenuously, leaning into him.

He pushed her back with a firm nudge. “Yes.”

“Hurrah for me!” she cried, removing her blindfold.

Other couples had also been reunited, the animals quieting one by one as they were claimed. Finally only one sound was left…an awkward attempt at some kind of insect vibration. A katydid? A cricket?

Matthew craned his neck to see who was making the noise, and whom his unfortunate partner turned out to be. There was an exclamation, and ripples of friendly laughter. The crowd parted to reveal Daisy Bowman removing her blindfold, while Lord Llandrindon shrugged apologetically. “That is not the noise a cricket makes,” Daisy protested, flushed and laughing. “You sound as if you’re clearing your throat!”

“It was the best I could do,” Llandrindon said helplessly.

Oh, God. Matthew closed his eyes briefly. It would be Daisy.

Cassandra Leighton seemed inordinately pleased. “Too bad,” she said.

“No quarreling,” Lady Miranda said gaily, coming to stand between Daisy and Llandrindon. “It befalls you to pay the forfeit, my dear!”

Daisy’s smile faltered. “What is the forfeit?”

“It’s called ‘play the wallflower,’” Lady Miranda explained. “You must stand against the wall and draw one of the gentlemen’s names from a hat. If he refuses to kiss you, you will remain against the wall and continue drawing names until someone consents to your offer.”

Daisy’s smile held fast, although her face turned white, leaving two red flags of color at the crests of her cheeks.

Damn it, Matthew thought savagely.

This was a serious dilemma. The incident would start rumors that could easily produce a scandal. He couldn’t allow it. For her family’s sake, and her own. And his…but that was something he didn’t want to think about.

Automatically he started forward, but Miss Leighton grabbed his arm. Her long nails bit into the fabric of his coat sleeve. “No interfering,” she warned. “Everyone who plays must be willing to accept the forfeit!” She was smiling, but there was a hardness in her eyes that Matthew didn’t like. She intended to relish every second of Daisy’s downfall.

Dangerous creatures, women.

Glancing around the room, Matthew saw the anticipation on the gentlemen’s faces. Not one man there was going to turn away an opportunity to kiss Daisy Bowman. Matthew longed to crash heads together and yank Daisy out of the room. Instead he could only watch as the hat was brought to her and she reached inside with unsteady fingers.

Withdrawing a slip of paper, Daisy read it silently, her fine dark brows knitting together. A hush fell over the room, a few breaths caught in hope…and then Daisy said the name without looking up.

“Mr. Swift.” She thrust the slip back into the hat before it could be confirmed.

Matthew felt his heart catch violently in his chest. He wasn’t certain if the situation had just improved drastically or become exponentially worse.

“That’s impossible,” Miss Leighton hissed. “It couldn’t have been you.”