AWAKENING THE SHY MISS

by Scott, Bronwyn

  ‘I haven’t changed.’ Evie smiled. Of course she’d smile. She couldn’t imagine hurting anyone’s feelings. She held up her ink-stained hand. ‘I’m still Evie Milham, still drawing, still sewing.’ Still diddling the Prince behind your back, Andrew thought uncharitably.

  Andrew shook his head, playing the sincere friend-cum-suitor. ‘It’s more than that. This started when you met the Prince.’ He dropped his voice and manoeuvred them into the trees. ‘I hope he has not exerted undue influence over you, Evie. He’s a very charismatic man. He’s been all over the world, he’s seen many things, done many things.’ He imbued a sense of scandal into that word. He hoped the other implications were clear too: that she was a simple country girl who had taken a few turns in London which had been just short of disasters, whose head was easily turned, a girl too naïve for a man like Dimitri.

  ‘You think I could never appeal to a man like him?’ She sounded insulted, but Andrew didn’t care. All of it was true. He was doing her a favour by warning her off.

  ‘That’s not what I said,’ Andrew argued sternly, although it was in part exactly what he’d meant. ‘Women are playthings to men like him. He is powerful. People exist to serve him.’

  ‘I disagree. You have it backwards.’ What? She dared to argue with him? Oh, he wanted to hear this. Dimitri must be phenomenal in bed if he had inspired such gumption in Evie Milham. ‘He serves others. This whole excavation was his service to a community. If you think otherwise, you don’t understand him at all.’

  Andrew pasted on a look of exasperation. ‘Evie, do you want to know how I got this bruise? I got it on the way home last night for defending your honour. I challenged his treatment of you and he swung at me.’ Andrew covered her hand where it lay on his sleeve with his other one. ‘He has not been careful of you and perhaps you’ve been too blinded by his looks, his manners, his attention, to notice. It’s my job, as your friend, to notice on your behalf. He should not be alone with you and he has been on several occasions.’ He could tell she didn’t like him holding her hand. Her fingers were tense, looking for the first opportunity to pull away. He hated that she didn’t like his touch. He would show her. He could touch a woman as well as any prince. In those jealous moments he wanted to ruin Dimitri and he had the power to do it. He wanted to ruin Evie too, wanted her to pay for loving a prince.

  He dropped his voice. ‘Evie, he will leave. He does not care what kind of reputation he leaves behind for you. But you have to live here. He has secrets, Evie. There are things he has not told you.’

  ‘Such as? I believe you’ve indicated as much before, but not with any real evidence. We all have secrets.’ Evie was a cool customer today. ‘Why are you doing this? I thought you were his friend.’

  Andrew rubbed a thumb over her knuckles, his eyes locking on hers. ‘I am your friend and I’d like to be more. Do you really think I stopped by your house to talk history with your father? Have you asked yourself why I was there last night? Why I was willing to take a fist to the jaw for you?’

  Now he had her on the run. There was a look of panic in her eyes. She was starting to notice how far removed they were from anyone else. How alone. ‘I have to get back.’ Evie tried to pull away, but Andrew held her hand tight.

  ‘Not yet, Evie,’ he pleaded. ‘I want my answer. May I court you? Will you come to the gala with me? I would be proud to have you on my arm, to lead you out on the dance floor, to show everyone that the Prince has not corrupted you, that you are still respectable Evie Milham, who knows the value of one good Englishman.’ He did not give her a chance to refuse. Andrew bent his head to capture her mouth, his kiss hard and brutal in its intensity.

  She was shoving at him. He didn’t care. He would have her remember her place. When he drew back, she wiped a hand across her mouth. Rage rocketed through him. ‘It’s true, then, that you’ve been with him,’ he accused. ‘How could you, Evie? You’ve given him everything and he will give you nothing. He won’t marry you, Evie. He can’t.’

  That did not get the shock value he’d hoped for. Instead, Evie said calmly, ‘I know all about his sister and the rules that say he has to return.’ So Dimitri had told her, or rather he’d told her half of the truth.

  Andrew smirked. ‘There’s more than a sister involved. Ask him what his duty is, Evie.’ He pushed past her, leaving her alone. The bitch could walk home for all he cared. She’d thrown her lot in with the Prince and she was going to be disappointed. More than that, she was going to be ruined. He was sure Cecilia Northam would absolutely find the information that Evie Milham had bedded the Prince positively delicious. Even if it wasn’t true. It didn’t matter if she’d actually done the deed. It only mattered if people believed it.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Evie stomped down the long road home, fuelled by the adrenaline of their quarrel. It was hard to believe she’d ever liked Andrew or that she’d ever wanted his attention. Saying the words out loud to his face had felt good, empowering. It had been a chance to own the conclusions she’d reached in her mind, a final purging.

  The infatuation of her girlhood was finished. From the distance of her adoration, Andrew had appeared perfect, but up close he had revealed his flaws. Everyone had flaws, but she could not live with his. Andrew did not wear jealousy well. She wasn’t even convinced he was jealous over her, although he’d certainly tried to justify his behaviour along that line. He was merely jealous of Dimitri, of anything Dimitri had.

  Knowing that made his kiss all the worse. He hadn’t wanted to prove himself to her, he’d wanted to punish Dimitri. She wiped a hand across her mouth again as if this time she could erase those terrible moments, his mouth crashing down on her, hard and unforgiving, his tongue pushing its way into her mouth, Andrew giving no heed to the shove of her hands on his chest. Her attempts to thwart him had been useless. That kiss had been nothing like Dimitri’s. It had been forced upon her and there had been very little she could have done about it. That frightened her. The kiss had been unwanted, but she’d been helpless to prevent it.

  Evie had to stop. She was starting to shake now that the moment and the adrenaline had passed, now that the full import of what Andrew had done sank in. What if he tried something like that again? What if he tried more than that? Evie drew deep breaths and pressed a steadying hand to her stomach. Surely she was exaggerating the situation now. Andrew had been angry. She had provoked him.

  No. She would not make excuses for him any more. She’d not realised until now how often she’d done that in the past. She’d excused his behaviour at the lecture, she’d excused his tendency to overlook her presence on countless occasions. Now, she was excusing his entirely inappropriate behaviour. No more. What he’d done to her in the past, what he’d done to her today, was all of a same piece. She would not allow it any more. It didn’t matter if a girl was plain or pretty, it simply wasn’t appropriate to treat people with the disregard he’d shown her. Dimitri had shown her the utmost courtesy. Always.

  Thinking about that gave her strength. She started walking again, her shaking under control. It did make her wonder what had brought on Andrew’s rather sudden change of heart. Was it solely Dimitri’s interest in her that had sparked Andrew’s competitive nature or something else? Andrew paid attention to people who could do things for him. What could she do for him? She could draw and she had. She had made him a copy of nearly every drawing she’d done for Dimitri’s collection. A cold pit formed in her stomach. Why did he really want her drawings?

  Down the road, coming towards her on foot was a tall figure walking rapidly. Evie stiffened, understanding more completely the danger Andrew’s tirade had put her in. He’d made her a woman alone on a road in the gathering dark. The figure neared and she recognised him. Dimitri! He must have recognised her too! He began to run.

  She was in his arms, his embrace tight, his lips in her hair as he muttered half-sentences. �
�Evie, what are you doing out here? I was so worried.’

  ‘Andrew drove me into town to order the invitations.’ She didn’t want to leave his arms. She held him close too. This was what she wanted to remember: how safe she felt.

  ‘He left you there?’ Incredulity marked Dimitri’s response. He stepped back, looking her in the eye. ‘Evie, what happened?’

  ‘He kissed me. He was angry...’ She barely got the words out before Dimitri swore.

  ‘That bastard! He had no right to take his anger out on you.’ His dark eyes were a mixture of storm and regret. ‘I am sorry, Evie. This is all my fault.’

  ‘I saw the bruise.’ She tried for a smile. She didn’t want Dimitri going after Andrew for this. It would only make things worse.

  ‘He insulted you. I should have known he wouldn’t let this lie.’ He pulled her close again and she breathed in the vanilla of his soap. ‘I don’t think Andrew should drive you home any more.’

  They started walking. She could enjoy the evening now that she was with him. ‘What were you doing out looking for me?’

  Dimitri smiled. ‘I didn’t get to say goodbye, today. I went over to your parents, but they told me you weren’t home yet. I knew you should have been. They’d thought you were working late with me. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right.’

  ‘I’m glad you came.’ The lights of her house came into view, the long walk was suddenly too short. ‘Will you come in?’ They’d be with her parents. She wanted far more than that. She wanted to lie in the dark with him, wanted to find the pleasure again that could erase her earlier troubles. There would be no chance to be alone but it was the best she could do.

  ‘For a short while only.’ Dimitri paused. ‘I have some thinking to do. But, Evie...?’

  ‘Yes?’ She was almost breathless, sensing he was about to say something important.

  ‘Tomorrow. We’ll be together tomorrow. I’ll find a way.’

  * * *

  I’ll find a way. The words became his motto throughout the sleepless night. He’d find a way tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Somehow, he’d find a way. If tonight had shown him one thing, it was that he could not leave her here to be the victim of Andrew’s anger, anger that wasn’t entirely directed at her. But she would be the one who would pay. It had torn his guts out to see Evie on that road tonight, a perfect victim for whoever came along. It didn’t matter this was Little Westbury. There was still crime. His own temper rose to think Andrew had simply left her to find her own way home when the blackguard knew very well what could happen to her. More than that, his determination wasn’t only about protecting Evie. He wasn’t entirely that self-sacrificing. He wanted her with him, wherever that was.

  Dimitri didn’t even bother going to bed. He sat on the divan, feet up on the low table, vodka in one hand. There had to be an answer and after what had happened to Evie, he was more determined than ever to find it.

  He tried out the ‘what ifs’. What if he didn’t have to give up the title? What if there was no peace to risk, what if Anna-Maria didn’t have to marry? There was no help there. The peace was at stake and that meant there had to be a marriage. But did it have to be Anna-Maria’s or his? Perhaps he’d been thinking dichotomously for too long.

  He tried it out: What if another marriage secured the peace? What if someone married Ayfer in his place? Then Anna-Maria would be safe. The nation would be safe. He would be free to make his own choices, to choose Evie. But who? This was the impossible part. There were no other males. His older brother, Grigori, was already married. His father was too old, too devoted to his mother’s memory to marry again and start a second family in his mid-sixties. There was, however, Cousin Yulian—desperately desirous to do his duty for the state.

  Dimitri leaned forward, coming fully upright. Yulian was family, even if only a distant second cousin. Still, Ayfer would be marrying into the house of Petrovich and that was the whole point of the exercise. Kuban would be honouring its agreement with the sultan. It hardly mattered who the groom was, as long as Ayfer’s father was assured his daughter married equal to her station. Her honour would be intact with marriage to Yulian. Dimitri would ensure it. He would turn over his summer palace, his royal apartments at court to Yulian, who would positively drool on himself at such luxury. A wife, wealth, status at court now as a married man. Yulian would be beside himself. If his father could arrange it without harm to himself or Anna-Maria.

  That was the only concern that remained. He didn’t want there to be retribution. He didn’t want his father and Anna-Maria or Grigori and his precious children to pay for his decision. The only way he could ensure that was if they were here, or if they renounced him along with the rest of the royal court.

  Those were serious considerations indeed. Renouncing meant he would no longer be considered part of their family. It would be their only choice if they didn’t renounce their own lives. It was one thing to ask oneself to give up one’s life entirely. It was not something he could ask someone else to do for him or because of him.

  All of this had to be handled with great care. His father would be initially disappointed in him. He’d gone and fallen in love and implicated the family in his romance. If he went forward with his idea, he’d need the help of each of his friends. He could not accomplish this alone. This would be a joint effort. He had to be sure.

  A yawn surprised him and for the first time since he’d taken Evie to bed, Dimitri thought he might sleep. There was peace to be had. Tonight, he had a possible solution. He’d sleep on it and see how it looked in the morning light. Just maybe, he’d found a way to claim the life he wanted, the woman he wanted. It was risky, but it was worth it. Evie was worth it.

  * * *

  Evie Milham wasn’t worth it! Andrew downed another brandy and glared into the fire. It had been chilly enough tonight to light a fireplace after months of summer. But the homey comfort of the flames had done nothing to soothe his temper. She’d scorned him! He didn’t want her, but it did gall that she didn’t want him. Who was she to resist such a handsome man as himself? A man who had his pick of girls. He was done with her. He had enough drawings now to complete his contract with a London publisher who had signed on to put out a book regarding the site. With luck, the book would be ready to unveil at the gala. Wouldn’t she be surprised to see her drawings in a book with his name on the cover? Hopefully, the surprise would render her speechless because there wouldn’t be anything she could do about it.

  He’d submitted all the catalogue entries too as captions to explain the drawings. All he’d written was the introduction that gave a brief history of the site and some background on Lucius Artorious, most of which he’d borrowed from the two-page entry Dimitri had. Andrew preferred to take the most amount of credit for the least amount of work possible. Debuting the book at the gala would make it impossible for Dimitri or Evie to contest its legitimacy. Meanwhile, he would have a tidy sum of money stashed away in his accounts for very little effort. His interest in Evie remained purely financial. She’d been good for business. Now, she’d become a liability, a problem to manage and managed she would be. When this was over, Evie Milham would wonder why she’d ever risked stepping into the light. Wallflowers weren’t meant to blossom. The best part was, it was the Prince who’d dealt her the death blow. Whatever he or Cecilia did would merely be the aftermath.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Finding a way to be together turned out to be easier than finding a way to tell Evie about his plans. At first, it didn’t matter. It only mattered that they spent their precious time together. After all, there was plenty of time to discuss the details of his plan. They’d taken to picnics during the lunch break, going off beyond the rim of trees to find privacy in the crisp, early autumn afternoons. There were afternoon teas that provided a chance to go over artefacts and gala plans in private. He’d become infinitely creative
at getting Evie alone, at loving her furtively in the out of doors on blankets beneath blue autumn skies or covertly in the silken depths of his pavilion.

  But secrecy did not become him. He didn’t want to hide Evie. He wanted to shout to the world that he loved her, that he wanted her. But how could he shout it to the world when he couldn’t find the words to tell her? Soon, he told himself. Soon, he would tell her his plan. Soon, he would put that plan into motion with her approval and yet he put it off. Each day brought a certain joy, a certain pleasure that he didn’t want to destroy with talk of the uncertain future and he put that difficult discussion off until ‘soon’ was ‘now’. The gala was tomorrow. He had run out of time.

  Perhaps Evie sensed it too. He was scheduled to leave the week after the gala. Only he wouldn’t be leaving, not if he had his way. But Evie didn’t know that. Her desperation seeped out in her lovemaking as the gala inched closer. There was a frantic quality to her kisses, a recklessness to her release. Today, she sat him astride, her skirts rucked up, her hair down, sated from their latest bout of outdoor lovemaking, while her blue eyes burned with a pensive breed of satisfaction.

  ‘A penny for your thoughts.’ He reached a hand out to touch her hair. He knew what was on her mind. It was on his mind as well. Perhaps it had been right to wait this long and let her be the one who brought up the subject.

  ‘Save your money. You don’t want to hear these thoughts, not on a beautiful day like this.’

  He levered up on his elbows, careful not to dislodge her from her erotic position. ‘We have to talk about it, Evie.’

  Her eyes sparkled, starting to water. ‘I knew you were going to leave. I knew this wouldn’t last. I knew I was going to fall for you, that I couldn’t stop myself and it was going to hurt when I landed.’ She gave a sad smile that broke his heart. ‘If I knew, why does it still hurt? Why can’t I just accept that all is true and move on? Every time I’m with you I have to learn to lose you all over again.’ She made a fist and pounded it on his chest.