by Wilde, Tanya
“What did Wes say?” Evelyn asked grabbing Jo’s arm. “Tell me, please.”
Jo gave a single reluctant nod toward Belle.
“Apparently,” Belle whispered in a hushed voice, as if the impact would be any less damaging, “a certain woman was seen leaving the Earl’s residence. A woman he apparently had an affair with six years ago.”
Evelyn’s heart turned over in her chest.
Charlotte.
Evelyn wanted to be sick. Whatever was wrong with her? She did not want to marry him, so why she did she feel as though someone had punched her in the stomach.
“That’s not all,” Josephine whispered, taking her hand.
“What?” Evelyn asked with a remarkably calm voice.
“They were also seen at Drury Lane, attending the opera.”
The blood in Evelyn’s veins turn to ice. A thousand images assailed her mind. He called here today, but yesterday… This was the reason she’d refused his advances, wasn’t it? Did he mean to keep Charlotte as a mistress after he forced Evelyn into marriage?
“Are you certain?”
They glanced at each other.
“They were seen together Evelyn, but it doesn’t mean they attended together,” Jo murmured for reassurance.
“Yes of course,” Evelyn said, the tremble in her voice belying her words. “It might not mean anything, but it doesn’t matter. He can attend the opera with whomever he pleases.”
The words sounded odd even to her own ears.
“Perhaps he has good reason,” Belle suggested.
“No. There is no reason good enough,” Evelyn said slowly. “May this serve as a reminder why I made the decision to remain unmarried and explore the world.”
“Perhaps you should discuss this with him before you decide,” Jo suggested.
The concern in her friend’s voice pinched her heart.
Evelyn shook her head. “This might be just the distraction we need to keep the men off our scent,” she murmured, causing her friends to stare at her worriedly.
Evelyn tried to reassure them. “Truly, I am fine. It took me off guard, that’s all. It was something I’ve anticipated since I learned of their history, which was never really resolved.”
Belle touched her hand in an affectionate gesture. “Are you certain you want to use these particular rumors as a distraction?”
“Of course,” Evelyn replied with a smile. “I can do this.”
When her friends said nothing Evelyn sighed.
“It will be fine!” she exclaimed exasperated.
Belle joined them on the bed.
“The decisions we made for our futures were never going to easy. Society frowns on a debutante who doesn’t aspire to snare a duke or any husband for that matter, but who instead desires to travel or become a bona fide criminal or the world’s most infamous fashion designer.”
They laughed at those truths. Neither of them wanted men to rule their lives or be considered just another piece of property, or a brood mare for heirs. They desired the same opportunities afforded to men. So they made their own dreams, each different from the other. It wasn’t until Evelyn met Matthew that she was forced to second guess hers. In fact, she had secretly begun to hope he might be different, but he’d dashed those foolish hopes now.
“Well, at least we haven’t changed,” Jo said with a laugh. “We still want to become social outcasts.”
“Actually, we already are social outcasts,” Belle reminded them. “Only no one has realized it yet.”
They chuckled at that. Secret activities aside, if felt good to laugh again.
“We have a week to prepare for the Madeleine Loveday project,” Jo reminded them suddenly. “Everything will go down at the Carrington Ball, so we need to prepare and get a plan of action ready, along with a distraction.”
“I have a way to keep everyone’s attention from you,” Evelyn commented, not believing what she was about to suggest.
Belle and Jo glanced at each other before urging her to continue.
“We need to ensure Charlotte attends the Ball. Everything will depend on her attendance,” Evelyn said calmly.
“Who is Charlotte?” Jo asked.
“Is she who I think she is?” Belle asked and Jo’s eyes widened as understanding dawned.
“Evelyn no, you can’t think that to be a good idea.”
“It’s brilliant actually,” Belle chimed in.
“No,” Jo said shaking her head. “It will be a mistake.”
“I’ll be fine Jo, really. Besides it was bound to happen eventually and I would rather have the upper hand than be surprised. And we need the distraction. No one will be able to take their eyes off us, giving us the perfect opportunity to leave the ball under a veil of scandal. It will also be the perfect opportunity to cut Matthew off once and for all.”
Jo frowned, concern etched into her features.
“Are you sure that is what you want?” she asked worriedly.
“Do not worry about me Jo. I’m tougher that I look.” Evelyn made a face. It sounded right. It felt horrid. But she refused to dwell on it this point in time.
“So we have the distraction, now all we need is the plan.”
They turned to Belle.
“Well,” Jo said with a clap of her hand. “I believe we have some planning to do.”
Chapter 15
One week. That was how long Evelyn managed to avoid Matthew and an easy endeavor, it was not. But after she’d learned of the rumors, determination set in and proved helpful to such a daunting task. She refused every call he made and even refused to attend any event where she was certain he would appear, and she had it on good authority that he wouldn’t be attending tonight. So when Evelyn saw Matthew heading in her direction she braced herself for trouble. Devil take it, she wasn’t ready to face him yet. She had wanted to leave this confrontation for the Carrington’s Ball, but it seemed Matthew had grown tired of being ignored.
Now for all her trouble of avoiding him, Evelyn had a hornet on her tail, one who also happened to look in an exceedingly foul mood. She watched him approach with growing unease. It wasn’t hard to figure out why the scales of his mood had shifted to foul, determined to seek her out, instead of his unusual brooding self. He never possessed the uncanny ability to keep his true feelings buried and under control, like St. Aldwyn, but that he wasn’t hiding his displeasure was telling enough. If she had any sense at all, she’d run.
“Your guard dog seems determined to catch up with you, my dear,” Wes drawled from her side, nodding his head in her pursuer’s direction. “I suggest you hide.”
“Well, aren’t you a fountain of good advice. Will you distract him while I make my escape?” Evelyn asked, her unease swelling even more. No doubt the scoundrel would enjoy witnessing her cowardice.
“And miss the chance to watch this drama unfold? Not a chance.”
He laughed when Evelyn shot him a heated glare, because hell, she wished she possessed the courage to create a scene like that. It would be far better than any confrontation. But she must conserve all her bravery for the Carrington Ball.
Then Matthew was upon them, sporting a smile so radiant her jaw dropped. Gone was any trace of a foul mood. He gave a curt not in Wesley’s direction before he bowed, rather exaggerated, before her.
“Lady Evelyn, would you do me the honor of this dance?”
No. She should say no. But dare she refuse him after avoiding him for a week? She got the faintest notion he wouldn’t allow it. The rotter. He practically dared her to refuse him in front of all the onlookers with his antics. It would serve him right if she refused him. However, at the moment she held the upper hand with her knowledge of his little meetings with his former lover, so avoiding him for a week had been long enough. In all likelihood he assumed their last confrontation in her brother’s study was the reason for her avoidance. He wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
“It would be my pleasure,” she murmured, extending her hand.
He pulled her closer as he led her onto the dance floor, then settled one hand on the curve of her waist while the other closed tightly around her gloved fingers, his eyes never leaving hers.
Evelyn almost groaned. Saints preserve her, she wasn’t going to survive this. His unmistakably male scent assailed her senses and the intensity of his gaze threatened her skin to burst into flames. He is a beast, Evelyn! She reminded herself, a rotten beast uncaring of her feelings, no different from any man in this room.
“Lord Grey—” she began, meaning to warn him off. But he’d already whirled her onto the floor and she had to catch her breath as he held her slightly closer before putting the proper distance between them again.
“You are avoiding me, Evelyn.”
“I have been busy,” she muttered, casting an envious glance at the door.
“Indeed.”
“You do not believe me? I can assure you, reading the new novel of JS Ross I simply could not put it down, a real page turner, that novel.”
He stared at her incredulous. “You must be jesting?”
She gave him a dazzling smile. “It’s quite good. You should consider obtaining a copy for you collection.”
“So you ignored me, each time I came to call on you this week, to read a damn book?”
“Oh dear, I thought you were calling on Simon. My apologies,” she replied sweetly.
At his narrowed regard she continued, “Although in my defense I was ordered to rest after my exhausting ordeal, as you will recall.”
She tightened her grip a fraction as he spun them about. He had large shoulders. When he didn’t answer, she glanced up into his face. Their gaze locked.
“Ah yes, I forgot your little tryst in White Chapel.”
“I would have thought you would be more concerned about me.”
His condescending tone and obvious indifference irritated her.
“You lied about a garden tryst and being blackmailed for it.” Bending his head until his lips touched her ear, he whispered, “Then you avoid me for a week, you don’t deserve my concern, sweetheart.”
She stumbled, and he caught her, saving her from any embarrassment although it took her a moment to regain her composure.
“Regardless, I will still not marry you, or any man for that matter.”
“Yes, you said as much.”
“So there really is no reason for you to call on me, or seek me out,” Evelyn pointed out.
“Oh but there is, sweetheart, since you’ve been such a little liar, it is my duty so see that you are not, in truth, lying about being blackmailed.”
“Perhaps the blackmail was a bit too farfetched,” she admitted.
“You still lied.”
“As I already admitted, my lord.”
A long silence ensued. His breath tickled her skin and she swore she could hear the steady beat of his heart through the loud music and chatter of guests as he regarded her with stern features. Her gaze lowered to his broad masculine chest, the scent of tobacco clinging to him, his muscled arms holding her a trifle closer than was proper. The music of the orchestra faded away as the smell of his scent and the feel of his arms at the small of her back took over her senses. Wait a minute. When had his hand moved to the small of her back?
She tried to ease back from him but his arm tightened. When she met his gaze, she found him watching her, his eyes filled with amusement, almost as if he knew exactly how his proximity affected her.
“I do not believe any other man will make you feel the way I do,” he murmured in a hoarse voice.
“You cannot know that,” Evelyn replied softly.
He chose to ignore her reply. “I do however believe you’re up to no good and that you would do and say anything to hide the truth.”
“And what would that be? The truth you speak of?” she asked, desperate to change the topic.
“I don’t know what you are hiding Evelyn,” he paused, “but I will find out and if there is any truth to your little story, there will be hell to pay.”
Evelyn averted her gaze, knowing where this conversation was leading. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Her brother’s calm over the matter clearly indicated his confidence. Alliances between the men must have been formed. Well, let them form their rapscallion band of rogues.
She perceived them not to be a problem for her plan. However, it did present a problem for her. It pinched that her beloved brother chose the side of her adversary, but other than a stab of betrayal, she maintained her good spirits. Besides, Evelyn was confident she could out-smart both her brother and Matthew.
“Really my lord, I much prefer to hear about your secrets than talk about mine.”
“Matthew,” he bit out with a scowl. “Unlike you my dear, I don’t have any secrets.”
Ha! So it had finally come down to this. He would not part with the truth about his former lover’s reappearance. She mustn’t loose her temper, but it proved impossible. His double standards bordered on the outrageous and, quite frankly, intolerable. Her jaw set in determination. She wanted this done with, for good.
A feeling of desolation came at her as the finality of her decision hit her. Tilting her head down to avoid his gaze, she stared at his expertly tied cravat to gather her wits. He would see her momentary lapse as a victory. Once her wits were back in their rightful place she lifted her head.
“Everyone has secrets my lord, and everyone has their reasons for keeping them.”
“That is not reason enough to spout nonsense and then avoid me for a week.”
“I’ll concede to my exaggeration, but I have chosen not to confide in you or my brother. In regard to my avoiding you, I haven’t been avoiding you for just a week, if you’ve failed to notice, I have been avoiding you all Season and I am still avoiding you.”
“Believe me, sweetheart, nothing you do is beneath my notice. As for meeting a man in the gardens for a tryst, that is beneath you. You should have chosen a better lie.”
“True,” Evelyn admitted, eyes dropping to his cravat once more.
“Tell me what you are up to, Evelyn.”
Evelyn shook her head. He was so smug, so confident is his belief that she would surrender to him. Would he ever give up?
“Perhaps I told the truth in the form of lie so that you cannot see it for the truth it actually is.”
“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” He tugged her closer, much closer than was appropriate. “You shouldn’t poke a lion, Evelyn. He might devour you.”
She tried to shove him back, but failed. “Release me at once,” she hissed. “This isn’t proper.”
“No, it is not. But that never bothered you before.”
Evelyn wanted to kick the arrogant beast. When he didn’t allow an inch of distance between them she hissed again, “Release me. You will cause a scene.”
“I don’t care.”
It dawned on her that he was being deliberate. “You’re doing this on purpose.”
“Your powers of deduction are astonishing,” he said sarcastically, his mocking smile turning so wicked her heart skipped three beats.
“My lord—” she began.
“You never had a problem calling me by name before.” An edge entered his voice. “I see no reason for you to stop now.”
“That was before I knew what a beast you were.”
Matthew gave a throaty laugh, causing people to stare and take notice of their closeness.
“I’ve never hidden that fact while you, my dear, don’t even have the decency to feel guilty for your little lies.”
“Because I did not do anything wrong!”
Well not entirely.
“Really? You don’t think lying about being blackmailed was wrong?”
“I said do, not say and my intentions weren’t at all bad.”
He bent his head close enough for his lips to brush her ear. “Tell me of these intentions then, Evelyn?”
She shivered in his arms. Good Lord. Why hadn’t she realized it before?
He was trying to seduce the information from her! He’d distracted her, quite effectively, while Simon and Damien were probably off spying on Jo and Belle. Then Evelyn noticed the whispers and looks of interest from the dancers closest to them. The beast. He was deliberately drawing attention to her. She would be the talk of the town if he did not cease this absurdity. Everyone would be keeping their eyes on them out of curiosity.
“Utterly devious till the end.”
“Careful sweetheart,” he whispered smugly. “Someone might overhear you. And what might they think then?”
“That you’re truly the beast everyone thinks you are!”
“Or that you’re hopelessly in love with me and can’t bear the thought to be apart.”
Drat him for being the most brilliant, devious creature in existence.
“So this is how you mean to find out what I am supposedly hiding,” she observed after they’d taken another turn.
“Oh no sweetheart, I haven’t even begun. This is how I mean to keep all eyes on you so that you stay out of trouble,” he murmured in a voice as silky as it was menacing.
She would have loved nothing more than to walk out of their dance but his grip tightened around her as he read her intentions. He had, for all intents and purposes, trapped her as nothing else could. Society would be abuzz to witness how their courtship would play out. But what he was unaware of, and while he believed she had fallen perfectly into his trap, he had in fact, fallen perfectly into hers. After the Carrington Ball no one would blame her for walking away from him, they would expect it, but more importantly, no one would notice the disappearance of Madeleine Loveday.
With sudden force the grip on her waist tightened and panic gripped her as she saw the French doors leading onto the balcony and registered his intent. His earlier determination still clear in her mind, it occurred to Evelyn that he’d attended the ball with this particular purpose in mind, and nothing would to deter him.
“My lord, I must ask you to stop this at once,” she whispered desperately, failing to slow them down. It was like trying to shove a mountain aside. He would have his way whether she liked it or not. Damn his arrogant hide! Two more turns brought them at the doors and he only released her long enough to open one, preventing her from making a run for it.
