Chapter Three #2
Evan glowered as they entered the townhouse. “I thought you were supposed to support me on the journey.”
“My attention span wanders.” Thorton grinned while Evan’s gaze narrowed as he glanced over his shoulder at him. “What can I say? I’m missing being at home with my wife merely to keep you from doing something stupid.”
“I’m now wondering if coming back to London was the something stupid. I should have stayed away.”
Thornton chuckled. “Yet you didn’t, so at least some part of you wishes to be here. Gain your title, marry a woman, start a nursery like the rest of us.”
“No, thank you.” He couldn’t help but grunt. “Women are a weakness.”
“Or a strength. It’s all how you look at it,” the duke said as they climbed the grand staircase to the second level of the townhouse.
“Gammon.” Well, he could use a woman in his bed right about now, but that was beside the point. He didn’t need one on a permanent basis. And he still hadn’t called upon Hannah as he’d talked about to Eggleton a couple of days ago.
“I suspect you’ll discover this truth for yourself more sooner rather than later, my friend,” Thornton added as they entered the crowded drawing room. “And I’ll be there to tell you that I’d told you so.”
“I look forward to that day, because it will never happen.” He frowned at the crush of people.
Was James that popular within society, or did these guests merely wish to ingratiate themselves to him for favors when—or if—he became the duke?
“Look at him, Thornton. Such a prick.” Unfortunately, he resembled Evan—or rather their father—in many ways, but he comforted himself to know that he had better, thicker hair, and that his time in the navy had given him a lean body and broad shoulders.
“What will you do?” Thornton wanted to know. “There is a fair amount of people here, so anything you do, it will be fodder for the gossip mills in the morning.”
“I don’t know.” Another glance ‘round the space didn’t reveal his stepmother.
That was probably a blessing, for she was quite the viper behind this whole charade; she’d always been a social climber, and now that his father was dead, she thought she wielded vast amounts of power.
Then he accepted a glass of champagne from a passing footman, downed the contents in two gulps.
No doubt a bad idea, for his head felt a touch buzzy. “I’m going over to speak with him.”
“Go cautiously, my friend. Now is not the time to mount a war.”
“Don’t talk to me about battles. I survived them; James hasn’t done a blessed thing for anyone but himself.
” Quite frankly, Evan didn’t care who else was in that room.
Everything faded except confronting his half-brother.
After shoving his empty champagne flute into Thornton’s hand, he strode across the room, not so subtly moving people out of his path in order to accomplish that. “A word, if you please, Sunderingham.”
The earl turned about to regard him. His eyes widened ever so slightly at seeing Evan, and there was a trace of panic deep down in the depths. “I beg your pardon, but who let you in? You’re naught but a drunken fool who has wandered into my house by mistake.”
The audacity of him! “Don’t act the dolt. You know who I am!”
One of James’ eyebrows rose in question. “Do I?”
“Yes, of course.” As his tone turned accusatory, the conversation in the room dimmed, but he ignored the weight of the stares on him. “I am Captain Evan Buckthorne, and I’m your half-brother, the first-born son of the Duke of Bettington—his true heir.”
Several gasps circulated about the room.
With a nervous glance around at the closest guests, James shook his head. “I rather doubt that. My brother died at sea years ago.”
Hot anger filled Evan’s chest. “Do I look like a damned corpse to you?” Then annoyance got the better of him.
He lashed out with a fist, which clipped the earl on the chin, causing him to stumble backward a few steps.
Another round of gasps went through the room.
“Did that feel like the brush of a ghostly hand?”
“Someone escort this imposter out!” Of course James would take refuge in deflection instead of acknowledging the truth. He straightened and stared Evan down. “I am Bettington’s heir, so you must be mistaken.”
“Like hell I am!” Perhaps he’d temporarily lost his mind, but Evan sprang at his brother, and when they fell hard to the floor, they exchanged blows.
Screams and shouts erupted in the drawing room.
A few men closest to him tried to pry him from James’ person, but Evan continued to fight back, for the rage he felt wouldn’t be denied.
This man was attempting to take away his birthright, his destiny, and apparently, he had the charisma to charm the damned ton.
By the time Thornton stepped in and took hold of his arm, Evan’s head swam, either from the drink he’d already imbibed in or the rush of emotions assaulting him at seeing his brother again in this house. Also, he hadn’t anticipated that his brother would prove so strong with the ability to fight.