Chapter Five
Evan
From a highbacked chair at White’s, Evan pondered over a healthy pour of brandy.
The burden thrust upon him after his father’s passing put more stress on him than he had realized.
No longer did he wake up eager for adventure.
He missed happiness, an emotion that had become foreign to him, at least with any regularity.
Instead, he woke with the awareness that he always had more work ahead of him to secure his future.
And hope that he might one day cease mourning over the future that he lost forever with Marina.
He downed the rest of this glass and slammed it on the table, motioning for the attendant to bring him another.
“Easy there. Might I join you?”
Evan looked up to see Jude standing next to him, and he nodded to the chair across from his. Jude asked the attendant to bring him a drink, and they sat in silence until they had each received their tumbler of brandy.
“Being a member of the peerage isn’t always as glamorous as it seems, is it?” Jude asked, shrugging before taking a gulp from his glass.
Evan released a burst of air. “No, it sure isn’t.”
“I have always found that a woman helps.” Jude arched his eyebrows and smirked.
“I think a wife would only make matters more complicated.” Evan noted Jude’s change in expression and added, “But you aren’t referring to a wife.”
“I was definitely not referring to a wife,” Jude retorted.
Evan laughed. “Well, all my responsibilities would still be there, even if I took a woman to bed. She’d probably just make demands of me, too.”
Jude narrowed his eyes and assessed Evan. “You already have a woman on your mind, I think.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not.” Evan hid behind a drink of his brandy.
“Hmm. Interesting.” A devilish grin alighted Jude’s face. “I think I’m right, but you don’t need to admit it. For what it’s worth, sometimes I envy those who can give their hearts to another. So, I wish you good fortune in your endeavor.”
“I assure you, I have given my heart to no one,” Evan said with a bit more intensity than he needed to.
Laughing and shaking his head, Jude said, “Perhaps you shall believe it if you keep speaking the words.”
“What about you? Are you telling me the ton’s most notorious rake is secretly wishing for love? The scandal sheets would love that tidbit of information.”
Jude shook from the resulting laughter. “Don’t be ridiculous. That is the furthest thing from my mind. I will visit one of my mistresses tonight and then sleep alone in my bed, satisfied and content.”
Evan wasn’t certain Jude believed his own words. Perhaps Jude was the one who held the need to encourage his words to become truth.
“A lady in your company has not tempted you?” Evan asked. “You seem to hang around the same group of young ladies at all the events.”
Perhaps Evan could at least confirm if Jude had any intentions with Marina.
She said he didn’t, but she wasn’t wise to the ways of gentlemen.
Other than what Evan had exposed her to, which he attempted to push out of his mind.
He had an obligation to ensure she wasn’t taken in by a rake if he could prevent it.
“Not in the slightest,” Jude said. “They are beautiful, intelligent ladies, to be certain, but I don’t intend to wed. Ever. And when a gentleman is set against marriage, he mustn’t dally with innocents.”
Evan laughed. “So, the rake has a code?”
“Absolutely. And it hasn’t failed me yet.”
From the man’s tone, Evan was inclined to believe him. Despite his reputation, Jude was even more an upstanding gentleman than he’d realized. Unlike himself, who had thoroughly enjoyed giving pleasure to an innocent and allowed her to do the same for him.
He should have married her and damned his pride. He was the cad with no honor, while the rake across from him maintained his gentlemanly principles. Evan downed the rest of his drink.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Jude spoke again. “If your lady is half as bothered as you, I think things will work out for you.”
“Doubt it,” Evan muttered.
“What was that?” Jude smirked.
“I told you. There isn’t a lady.”
It seemed in Evan’s case, the more he spoke the words, the worse the torture became.
*
A couple of days later, Evan entered the ballroom of the Trowbridge townhouse, unable to stop himself from searching the room to look for Marina. He spotted Jude and knew the rest of the group would be nearby.
Even though it irritated him that Jude recognized that a woman had vexed him, he enjoyed the conversation with him. They remained at White’s for a few hours, chatting about their school days and their estates over a few more snifters of brandy.
Evan was in a fine mood that evening. Excellent, in fact. It was a vast improvement compared to his usual mood. His mother had even commented on it and didn’t flee from his presence.
Making his way through the crowd, he observed Marina standing with her friends and approached as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
Marina, Tabitha, and Hannah all let him sign their dance cards, then he left for the card room with Jude.
He had no desire to dance with any of the other ladies present and remaining in the ballroom only put him at risk of being subjected to Lady Theodosia and her relentless pursuit.
He won a game of Piquet, which earned him a bit of blunt. Jude chatted about some of his estate business, and Evan asked a few questions. It couldn’t hurt to get a few more ideas to incorporate in his plans.
Overall, not a terrible evening thus far, and he was about to enjoy a waltz with Marina. Enjoy might be too strong of a word. It would vex him to no end, but he’d get satisfaction in knowing he left her just as vexed, if not more so.
Even when she verbally sparred with him, it was still among the most thrilling entertainment he had to enjoy as of late. What did that say about the state of his life? Finishing his drink, he removed himself from the table to seek Marina for their dance.
When he returned to the ballroom, he didn’t see her anywhere. He glanced at where her friends were chatting, and she wasn’t among the set. The strains of the waltz started, and soon the dance began. That vixen stood him up for their dance.
He wondered if she was watching him from behind a plant somewhere, laughing at him. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Starting back toward the card room, a footman stopped him.
“A young lady asked me to give this to you, my lord.” The man handed him a small, folded missive.
“Thank you.” He moved to the side of the room and unfolded the parchment.
Come to the first room on the right in the main corridor. Hurry!
Evan’s curiosity piqued as he wondered what Marina wanted to discuss with him privately instead of joining him for their dance. She was talented at stepping on his toes or sparring with him where only he could hear. What was she up to?
He did as she asked and found the room that the note indicated. He looked around and noted no one in the corridor, before approaching.
Opening the door, he entered and then closed it behind him. When he turned, he gasped. “What do you think you are playing at?” he demanded.
Lady Theodosia stood before him and smiled. “I just hoped we might get to know each other better, my lord.”
Glaring at her and his face turning a dark red, he ground out his words. “I don’t think so.”
He darted out of the room with haste before anyone should find them there. As he swept through the corridor, Lady Rebecca, who happened to be Lady Theodosia’s closest friend, headed toward the room he left.
“Hell and damnation,” he muttered.
The chit had staged an entrapment. If he’d left even a minute later, he would have had to marry the viper.
He shuddered, thinking about how close he had been to being stuck with Lady Theodosia for the rest of his life.
His hands trembled, and he fought to control his anger.
The woman deserved a firm set down, or perhaps worse, for what she had attempted.
But he would be better off never crossing her path again if he could help it.
Suddenly, the ball held little appeal to him.
The entire season, in fact. Evan found his hostess to thank her for the evening and took his leave.
He would return to the country for at least a few days.
At least in the country, he wouldn’t be at risk of ambitious chits or the crushing blows of his fiery, beautiful Marina.
When did he start thinking of Marina as his again?
He hadn’t. She wasn’t for him. Getting away was the best course of action.
Perhaps he might be able to think straight again.
More importantly, he could focus on his true responsibilities, which was to ensure that his estates prospered and uncover what it seemed like his father had noted in the ledgers.
And leave Marina to focus on hers. Finding some husband to take her away so he no longer had to wonder what might have been.
Because if she didn’t kill him herself, allowing himself to long for her would be what did him in.