“Evelyn,” Charlotte called. “You’re miles away. What are you thinking about? Don’t tell me—it’s dancing with Nathaniel later.” She winked.
“I don’t think that’s what she was thinking about,” Marianne said, far more composed and pragmatic than her flighty sister.
“I most certainly was not thinking about dancing with Nathaniel. In fact, if I can avoid him all night, I would prefer it.”
“Oh goodness,” Aunt Eugenia said. “What has he done now?”
“Done?” Evelyn echoed. “What he has done is push me for months andmonthsto find a husband. Or rather, for him to find me one. I finally found someone—Lord Halston—only for Nathaniel to tell me he was a bad man. Granted, after everythingNathaniel told me about him, I can see he might be right,” she conceded, “but then he…” she shook her head. “It does not matter at all.”
“I dare say it matters quite a lot,” Eugenia said. “For you to be in such high dudgeon over it, it must matter.”
“He implied that Lord Halston could not possibly have been interested in me for anything other than the prestige of marrying me or getting back at him.”
“Getting back at him?” Marianne asked. “What are you talking about?”
“They didn’t get along in school. Halston was rather cruel to Nathaniel,” she said, and as she recounted what she’d learned, her heart ached for Nathaniel all over again, as it had the day he’d first told her the truth. Of course, he’d followed it up with the implication that she couldn’t possibly have attracted Lord Halston for any reason other than her connection to him.
Since then, they had barely spoken. Whatever companionship they’d once had had crumbled. She had moved her belongings—or at least some of them—to the dower house and remained there. They communicated only through notes, passed back and forth by the servants.
She’d had half a mind not to come to the stupid ball at all.
But she had promised. Not just to Nathaniel, but to her sisters as well. And her aunt.
“I do wish the two of you would stop dancing around each other,” Charlotte said. “It’s clear you care for him. And it’s clear he cares?—”
“He does not,” Evelyn said flatly. “If he did, why would he insist on having this ball? On finding me a?—”
“To protect you from Father,” Marianne said. “He wants you to have a husband, so your fortune will be safe. If not for Nathaniel, I dare say Charlotte would already have a husband thrust upon her.”
It was true. Evelyn had heard that Nathaniel had visited their father for a ‘calm’ conversation. It had ended in shouting—but the fact that he had gone at all touched her.
“So you are not to continue with Lord Halston, I hope?” Aunt Eugenia asked, grateful for the change of subject.
“Yes, I spoke to him. He was not pleased. In fact, his reaction made me think Nathaniel was probably right to warn me away from him. There was a glimmer in his eye—I can’t quite explain it—but something about him was not right.”
She shuddered, remembering the way Halston had glared at her when she’d explained she wouldn’t be attending the opera with him. The air had gone cold. She’d felt it deep inside.
She was grateful to Nathaniel for telling her the truth—grateful, yet conflicted.
Then there was the matter of her father.
“How is Father?” she asked.
“Determined that you should come home,” Aunt Eugenia said. “But I think some of the things Nathaniel said to him have taken root. He apologized for asking me for money.”
It was the first time Eugenia had openly acknowledged that her brother had been draining her finances.
“He asked if I would be interested in making a match. Having my coming out early,” Charlotte said.
“Lottie, no,” Marianne said. “You can’t do that.”
“I told him I’m not interested,” Charlotte said. “I can’t believe I said that. I’ve wanted my coming-out ball for so long—and now that he’s offered, I said no.”
“But you understand why you can’t,” Evelyn said quickly.
“I know. I know. He’d marry me off to the first rich man who smiled at him—at least until you’re married and Nathaniel’s out of the picture,” Marianne said. “He’ll still try.”
“Not if I can help it,” Evelyn said. “Not if I can find someone good. Someone brave. Someone who’ll protect us.”
