Chapter 20
“Father?”
They were departing for Lady Lancaster’s, and when they had opened the front door, it was to find Lord Stratford standing there.
“Evelyn, I, ah, thought you were going out,” he said, appearing rather chagrined.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “So what brings you—oh.”
“Lord Stratford,” came a dignified voice behind them. “How good of you to come. At Asher and Evelyn’s surprised glances, the dowager duchess continued, “Lord Stratford was coming to discuss potential family events for future dates.”
“I see,” Asher said before they continued down the stairs. “What do you make of that?” he asked Evelyn as he held his arm out toward her.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But I suppose if anything is to come of it, we shall find out soon.”
Lady Lancaster lived not far, in a quaint townhouse just off Grosvenor Square.
Asher had appeared surprised when Evelyn had asked if they could walk, as it was only a few minutes away, but had agreed.
Before her marriage, Evelyn had preferred to walk from one place to another, but Asher’s mother had told her that it was not particularly fitting for a duchess.
Evelyn was inclined to disagree and had decided it was time she was the one to decide just what was fitting for her life.
Lady Lancaster greeted Evelyn when she walked in before realizing that Asher had accompanied her.
“Your grace! I am so glad to have you join us. Congratulations on your recent marriage. Evelyn — that is, your grace — I was very happily surprised at the news.”
“Thank you, Lady Lancaster,” Evelyn said with a smile. “And between us, Evelyn is just fine. We’ve been friends for quite some time.”
Lady Lancaster only nodded with a smile, her eyes flitting between Evelyn and Asher.
In her mid-forties, Lady Lancaster was clever, observant, and impeccably polite.
She loved to create an atmosphere for intelligent conversation, although Evelyn was well aware that scandal had a way of drifting in regardless of her intentions — one couldn’t help society’s interests.
Lady Lancaster’s front drawing room had been transformed for the evening, the tall windows draped in pale silk, shutters half-closed against the dusk beyond.
Dozens of candles reflected in mirrors, casting warm, flattering light, while chairs were arranged in small conversation clusters rather than rows.
“Do you know many people here?” Asher whispered in Evelyn’s ear, his breath on her skin causing a shiver to run down her back. “I only recognize a handful of matrons who were busy pursuing me for the past couple of seasons.”
“Well, they are harmless to you now,” Evelyn said, not looking at him, for she was still slightly sore that he had ignored her all day.
“I am familiar with many of the young ladies who also often frequent these salons, while a few of the gentlemen here are also known for their intelligence and discretion.”
“Should I be insulted that I have never before been invited?” Asher asked, lifting a brow, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Would you have come?”
“No.”
“Well, there you have it. Ah, there’s Verity. Who is that she’s with?”
It wasn’t common for Evelyn not to know all of Verity’s acquaintances, but she was already glad she had come. This was her world, one of ideas, logic, and observation.
“Verity, how lovely to see you,” she said when they approached.
“You as well,” Verity said, looking as lovely as ever despite the rather drab, plain gown she wore, which she always did to prevent the attention of others. “I’d like to introduce Miss Seraphina Vale. She is Lord Eastclere’s ward.”
A ward. Interesting, for Evelyn had never met her before, but she was striking, her elegantly styled hair nearly black, her eyes an unusually bright green. She couldn’t help but take a quick peek at Asher to see if he had noticed her.
“Miss Vale, it is good to see you again,” he said, surprising Evelyn before leaning in to speak into Evelyn’s ear. “If you’ll excuse me, I see an old friend from school,” he said before inclining his head and leaving the women.
“You must be from the country for us to have never met before,” Evelyn said to Miss Vale. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Yes, something like that, your grace,” Seraphina said with a closed-lipped smile, her eyes dancing between Evelyn and Asher, likely understanding Evelyn’s question. “I am friends with Lady Thalia.”
Evelyn nodded, grateful for the explanation, although not wanting to appear as if she had been jealous, even for a moment.
Verity looked over her shoulder before turning back around and whispering, “Lady Norwood seems particularly interested in our conversation, so we’d best be moving on, although I would love to spend more time with you tonight, Evelyn.”
At that, they moved off, and Lady Lancaster called them all to attention before reading a snippet from a newly translated Greek text, one about how information was spread during the time of the Greeks, particularly the widespread acceptance of Greek mythology.
Afterward, they all broke into small groups to discuss what they had heard. The conversation within Evelyn’s circle soon turned to praise for a recent musicale, and she found herself looking around the room, bored by the change in topic.
Evelyn had felt safe, protected in a way she never would have expected with Asher by her side, but now as she stared around the room, it almost seemed as though more heads were turned her way, more mouths whispering behind hands.
Was she looking too far into things, or was she accurate in her assessment?
She could have sworn the tone shifted as people left their initial conversation groups and the room fractured into smaller pockets of guests, voices lowered and eyes flicking toward her.
Were they talking about her, or was it all in her mind after recent events?
There was one way to find out for certain.
Accepting a drink from a tray offered by one of the footmen in order to appear nonchalant, Evelyn began strolling around the room, her ears alert as she tried to hear snippets of conversation, and she was not at all surprised that Lady Norwood’s voice was the loudest and the most judgmental.
“It’s remarkable how frequently accusations follow ambition,” she was saying. “Why, the lady had no prospects at all, and then suddenly she is thrown into a situation which causes marriage? Ha.”
That wasn’t necessarily about her, but it would certainly fit.
“I am sure we do not know the full story,” said Lady Norwood’s companion, who Evelyn could not yet see. She stepped forward to peer around the gentleman in front of her. Ah. The mysterious Miss Vale Vale. Interesting.
Lady Norwood waved away her partial defense as though it were inconsequential. “And now the accusations against the woman’s father? It is all rather too coincidental, don’t you think?”
Well, that was most definitely about her.
“I actually have no idea about which you speak,” the beautiful Miss Vale said with a polite smile. “Now if you will excuse—”
“You have not yet told me where you are from, dear,” Lady Norwood interrupted, but Miss Vale only said, “No, I did not,” almost causing Evelyn to let out a bark of surprised laughter.
Miss Vale caught Evelyn’s gaze and shot her a mischievous grin before striding away, just as Evelyn heard a gentleman to the right of her murmur, “I do feel for the dowager duchess. One cannot choose one’s relations.
The man should not have raised his daughter as he did.
That’s why it is best to avoid bluestockings. Everyone knows that.”
“You know Ravenscar tried his best, but scandal found him anyway.”
“Well, his best was not enough, then.”
Evelyn closed her eyes and sank back into the shadows against the wall as conversation continued to ebb and flow around her.
It seemed no matter what she did, this scandal would not die, and now she had brought Asher farther into the web than he ever would have been had he not married her.
Why had he insisted on doing so? He would have been far better off, for so many reasons, to have let her be and lived his life.
It was what he had wanted anyway, had he not?
To be free of scandal? Now he was only further embroiled in it.
The only reason she could see for him marrying her was to protect her, which made no sense at all, given his inconsistent demeanor toward her.
The room began to close in, her palms cold, her breath shallow. The humiliation felt worse than anger. She was watching Asher’s future and name be tainted because of her.
Perhaps it would be best if she asked to stay at his country home for a while. She wouldn’t cause him any further damage, and he could still retain his influence. Even her father’s own prestige could return to him if she weren’t visible to society.
For tonight, however, she refused to hide in the shadows as if she had done something wrong. So instead, she straightened her shoulders, found a circle of women she wanted to join, and made her way forward. She was a duchess, for goodness’ sake. It was time she started acting like one.
After his old friend, Lord Rowan Blackthorne, continued on his way, Asher caught sight of his wife rounding the room. She approached a circle of women, her back stiff, although the usual expression of calm on her face remained.
He knew her well enough, however, even after a few short weeks, to know that something was wrong. He started toward her when a conversation from a group of men beside him caught his ear. They were questioning Evelyn’s father. And they were questioning her.
The more he circled the room, the more he heard the same remark repeated twice, then three times, all by different people, which told him one thing — this rumor was being spread deliberately.
Someone planted it here, at a salon like this, where gossip sounded credible, where the audience was more or less respectable, and the damage might be quiet but would be lasting.
He was about to join a conversation and find out for himself when Lady Lancaster called everyone in the room to attention.
“Thank you all for your attendance today! I hope you found the lecture interesting and thought-provoking. Before we move on to the music portion of today’s salon, would anyone else like to have a broader discussion regarding the text we heard?”
No one said anything, and Lady Lancaster cast her eyes over the room as though in search before settling on the far right side.
“Lady Ev— that is to say, your grace? You always have such interesting opinions.”
Either Lady Lancaster wanted to further humiliate Evelyn, or she had not been privy to the discussions regarding her. Likely the latter, based on her excitement upon seeing Evelyn.
Murmurs began around the room, and Asher caught a few comments near him about how she would have rather interesting opinions, given she was a manipulative bluestocking with a criminal father. When someone shouted something of the sort much louder for all to hear, he decided he’d had enough.
He took a step forward.
“I have something to say.”
“Your grace,” Lady Lancaster said, both surprised and relieved. “Of course.”
“The topic today was about the spread of information in Greek times, was it not?”
“It was.”
“I am sure that then, as it is now, rumors abounded.” He cast his gaze about the room, speaking in a calm, authoritative voice, as his father had taught his brother during his ducal training.
Asher had listened in from time to time, though he’d had no thought that he would ever be the one putting the lessons into practice.
“Today, I have heard the same rumors repeated again and again. I would like it to be clear that my wife’s father is an intelligent, highly principled man who raised a daughter of equal intellect.
I am in awe of both of them and have no doubt that they are upright, outstanding citizens whom I am proud to call my family.
Any evidence that has appeared lately is too inconvenient.
Too inconsistent. The work of someone desperate, turning to theatrics.
My wife is honourable, as is her father, and I expect not to hear any ridiculous, baseless rumors that suggest otherwise. ”
With that, he stepped back, leaving a horrified, stunned silence behind him. A few people looked ashamed; others appeared startled that he would be so bold as to say such a thing publicly when they voiced their opinions behind backs and closed doors.
But he was heartily tired of it. He would far prefer to have it all in the open.
Lady Lancaster was one of the few who appeared thrilled at this declaration. Lady Norwood looked like she would like to take him on in a boxing match, if she could.
The only reaction that mattered to him, however, was his wife’s.
He sought her out and caught her eye. Her mouth was open in shock, and when she saw him staring at her, she closed it, bit her lip, and ducked her head as though hiding her pink cheeks.
He heard someone begin to speak back to him, but he turned and silenced the man with a look.
He was a duke. And he would use that power to protect his duchess. What else could be more important?