Evan nodded slowly as if something he had been pondering had finally become clear. “A rake?”
“I would call him a traitor, but yes,” she replied, clenching her jaw. “Still, let us not speak of unpleasant things, for I am enjoying myself too much.”
“I will not hurt you,” he said as they circled one another. “I am falling in love with you, Olivia. There will be a church and vows, yes, but this is my solemn pledge to you now—I will not betray you, I will be loyal to you, and you will never have to fear unhappiness in your life, as long as we are together.”
Olivia’s breath caught as she whirled around. “Those are weighty promises, my darling.”
“That is the weight of truth,” he urged as they halted in front of each other, breathless from the dance, gazing into one another’s eyes. “I mean it, Olivia. Faithfully.”
She believed him, and as the music began to fade, she stepped as close to him as propriety allowed, grazing his chest with her hand as she whispered, “I promise you the same, my darling. As long as you protect my heart, it will be yours.”
“Even if you trampled on mine, it is already yours,” he replied with a smile, taking hold of her hand and kissing it gently to end the dance.
“But, thereissomething I must tell you first, before we continue,” Olivia said. She did not want to ruin the moment, but she desperately wanted to explain herself, explain why she had shunned him at first, and why she might have difficulties in the future in terms of trust.
Evan arched an eyebrow as the music finally came to a halt. “What is it, my darling?”
“It is… a delicate matter, pertaining to my father and, I suppose, yours,” she replied clumsily, meaning that they had both suffered troubles with their fathers. “I feel I must explain before we go any further.”
Evan’s expression clouded over. He seemed about to respond when his gaze darted to something across the room. In the blink of an eye, the warmth and affection that radiated from him cooled to an icy anger that made Olivia shiver, his eyes flaring with contempt.
“If you will excuse me,” he said gruffly. “I will return to you in due course, and we may continue our conversation, but I have just seen something that must be dealt with first.”
Olivia turned to follow Evan’s line of sight, but his sudden ire became no clearer as she searched the small crowd. All Olivia could see in that direction was her father, standing by the entrance of the ballroom, talking to another gentleman. Nevertheless, Evan seemed to be marching straight toward them.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
What the devil are you doing here? Who invited you? Remove yourself from this house at once, before I have you removed myself,Evan practiced what he might say as he stormed across the ballroom, oblivious to the stares that pursued his warpath. In all the world, only one person could raze what should have been the happiest evening of his life to the ground, and they were standing right there, as if they were welcome.
As he walked, Olivia’s words turned over in his head, strange and unsettling:“It is… a delicate matter, pertaining to my father and, I suppose, yours. I feel I must explain before we go any further.”It was a bitter coincidence that she had mentioned the wretch just as he had appeared in Evan’s line of sight.
Halfway to the man and father who made Evan’s blood boil, robbing his mind of reason and calm, he realized who his father was talking to. He halted briefly, his legs locking. His father was speaking with Olivia’s father and, judging by their hearty laughs and easy smiles, and the way one patted the other on the arm like old friends, they were not strangers to one another.
What is the meaning of this?A terrifying thought crossed his mind, Olivia’s words repeating even louder, but as his legs allowed him to press on, he refused to believe it was possible.
No more than ten paces from the father he reviled, his mind racing through every awful, brutal memory, Evan suddenly felt his body jolt. A veined hand was on his wrist, dragging him away to the right, away from the confrontation he craved. It took him a moment to realize it was his AuntAmelia intervening.
He did not resist as she pulled him into a nearby passageway, leading him into a small parlor that was never used for anything other than storing furniture.
Among the upturned tables and chairs that needed fixing or burning, Amelia stopped and turned, pressing a hand to her chest as she caught her breath. “Leave him be, Evan. Do not cause a scene in front of Olivia and her family, with everyone watching so intently.”
“Leave him be?” Evan snarled in disbelief. “What is he doing here, Aunt? Why has he been permitted to even set one foot through the main gates?”
Amelia dropped her chin to her chest, fidgeting with the cuff of her chemise. “He was invited by… another gentleman,” she replied stiffly. “I did not know he would be attending until the moment he arrived, and… I could not send him away. If I had asked, he would have pushed past me. That being said, he is your father, and whether we like it or not, he does have a right to be here.”
“Balderdash!” Evan hissed, striding to the windows so he could rest his fevered brow on the cool glass. “He has no more right to be here than a thief seeking to steal valuables.”
Indeed, the wretch had already stolen away precious moments with Olivia. But what had she been about to say? Why had she mentioned such a despicable man? The possibility swelled like a monster in a nightmare.
“If you cannot calm your anger for yourself, calm it for her,” Amelia urged. “Damn him with kindness, curse him in silence, but do not begin something out there that might upend your progress with Olivia. I have seen you together. I know this is something true and rare and wondrous, so do not ruin it because of him. Do not lethimruin it. You deserve this happiness, Evan.”
There was something in the hurried, strained tone of Amelia’s voice and the unease in her demeanor that Evan did not like. He had known his aunt and cherished her for long enough to know when she was not being honest with him, and as he turned back to stare at her, she had guilt etched across every fine line of her beloved face.
“What are you not telling me?” he demanded to know. “There is something amiss, and I will be informed, or I shall ask my father directly.”
Amelia grimaced, wringing her hands. “It is… I… It is nothing, my dear boy. Return to your revels and your beautiful future bride.”
“Is he here for the wedding?” Evan replied, undeterred.
