Lord Wren extended a hand to Emma with a smile that reached his eyes. “Your Grace, it’s an honor,” he said warmly. “I trust you're enjoying the day?”
“I am, thank you,” Emma replied, her smile polite but reserved.
Evan turned to her, his voice shifting slightly, a touch of pride in it. “We have just returned from the Society for the Promotion of Benevolence. My wife does excellent work at the institution,” he said, his voice full of genuine admiration.
It and the mention of her involvement in the orphanage made her chest tighten with a surprising amount of warmth. She wasn’t used to being praised in such a manner, and Evan’s words, though casual, seemed to carry a weight that she hadn’t anticipated.
Before she could respond to thank him, Mr. Abernathy raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a subtle smirk. “Ah, charity work,” he said dryly, his voice tinged with humor, “I do hope that’s not what we’re here to discuss today, gentlemen. I’m afraid I have a much more pressing matter at hand?—”
Emma immediately picked up on the tone of the conversation and, though she wasn’t one to shy away from a bit of banter, she wasn’t about to stay and entertain such offhand comments about women in business. With a polite smile, she cut him off smoothly.
“Of course not, Lord Wren. Forgive me, gentlemen,” she said, her voice carrying a quiet elegance. “I’ll leave you to your work. I’m sure I’ll find something else to occupy my time.”
Evan looked at her for a moment, his expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—approval, perhaps, or understanding—that made her feel reassured.
“Of course,” he said, giving her a slight nod. “I will find you once we have concluded our business.”
“We will not keep him too long, Your Grace,” Abernathy said with a grin.
With a small laugh, Emma gave a courteous nod and stepped away, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders as she moved farther from the group.
As she walked down the path, the sound of Evan’s deep voice in conversation with his associates faded, and for a moment, she allowed herself to simply enjoy the quiet of the park, her thoughts drifting back to the earlier warmth between them.
CHAPTER 27
Evan
Evan glanced in the direction Emma had gone and found she’d placed herself on a bench near a flock of geese. From her pocket she withdrew bread crumbs and tossed them at the animals who rushed toward her, quaking as they went. He smiled, watching her entertain the animals when Jonathan elbows him and he saw that Abernathy, who’d spread a blanket under a tree, had unrolled a map. Wren was already sitting on the blanket and Jonathan was about to sit down as well.
“Well, what have we here?” he said, earning a glare from Wren.
“The vineyard, were you not listening?” the man asked as Evan sat down.
“I must have missed it,” he said, surveying the document before him. The parchment, worn and slightly creased from repeatedhandling, depicted the vineyard lands in southern France—a potential investment that Evan was eager to secure. His finger traced the various regions, highlighting key areas that would give them the best return.
“Here,” Abernathy said, his voice steady and low, “is where the climate conditions are optimal. The soil quality is ideal for producing the best grapes. We should aim to purchase these parcels before the others get wind of it.”
Lord Wren, who had his arms folded across his chest, nodded thoughtfully, his sharp gaze scanning the map. “Bordeaux, you say?” he mused, tapping the corner of the region Evan had pointed to. “It’s a risky move, but I can see the potential. You’ve done your research.”
“It was His Grace’s idea,” Abernathy said with a shrug. “Always an eye for a good investment.”
Evan’s lips twitched slightly at the compliment, though he masked it with his usual stoic expression.
Mr. Abernathy, standing a bit farther to the side with his hands clasped behind his back, scrutinized the details on the map. He was the quieter of the two men, but no less discerning. “The investment is sizable,” he commented, his tone calculated. “But if we can secure the property now, it will yield considerable returns within five years.”
Evan’s gaze flicked briefly to Jonathan, who had stepped back from the group, his hands in his pockets, watching with abemused expression. A faint smile tugged at Jonathan’s lips, though it wasn’t clear whether it was aimed at the business discussion or something else entirely.
“How soon do we move?” Lord Wren asked, his voice sharp with the urgency of the matter. “If we wait too long, others may outbid us.”
Evan’s eyes met Lord Wren’s, a glint of resolve in his gaze. “Within the next week, if possible. I’m already in talks with a few of the backers.”
Evan nodded, his eyes once more drawn to Emma, who had gotten up and was being chased by three geese, unhappy with the rations Emma had handed out. He chuckled under his breath though stopped when Jonathan gave a small chortle of his own.
“Very, that is splendid, isn’t it? I think Lord Lester and Lord Leight might be interested. We could host them for dinner at Haddington Manor. My wife will ensure dinner is satisfactory and will woo them,” he said, feeling confident though he wasn’t even sure if Emma had much experience hosting dinners. It just seemed that she succeeded in so much, he could not imagine she would fail at this.
“Are you sure you don’t have a soft spot for her, Evan?” Jonathan's voice pulled him back to reality. His friend leaned closer, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “Could it be acrushon your wife?”
“It certainly seems so. Given you married so quickly I must wonder if the stories that you ditched Ophelia for true love are true,” Abernathy said with a wink.
