“Westcott’s requires membership. I doubt your father even has a membership.”
Evelyn looked down. She remembered that his membership at his previous club had been canceled. So how lucky was it that he had signed up for a new membership, especially at a more obscure club? Wouldn’t he have tried to get into one of the better-known ones?
“I… I shouldn’t have believed him. Either one of them. Well, I did not believe Halston—that’s why I asked my father. And I thought, because we had made our peace, because he helped me with the climbing boys, that he was genuine about wanting us to have a good relationship again.”
“I shouldn’t have?—”
They were interrupted, then, when her father came around the corner.
“What is this, then? I did not know I was having a conference in my study.” He looked at Nathaniel through narrowed eyes and then at his daughter.
“We are here to resolve a misunderstanding,” Nathaniel said. “It has come to my attention that you told your daughter you frequent Westcott’s and saw me go into the back rooms there. Which is peculiar, since I have never seen you there.”
Evelyn frowned, but he shook his head. “Well, I suppose I must go on days when you do not.”
He added, “Strange, because I don’t know anyone who has ever seen you there. Nor does your name appear on the membership placard in the drawing room.”
“I… I am not a member. I was there as a guest,” her father said.
“A guest?” Nathaniel said, keeping his voice steady. “And of whom? I know most of the members there. I can easily ask who it was.”
If he had struggled earlier to keep a few beads of sweat at bay, her father was now fighting off an armada. His entire face glistened and turned red.
“I… do not recall. A gentleman I know. From Parliament.”
“You must have some idea. It is unlikely that a perfect stranger would have invited you to Westcott’s.”
“Father,” Evelyn said, “did you lie to me? Have you ever actually been to Westcott’s?”
Her father cracked like a dropped egg.
“No. I have never been to Westcott’s.”
“So you have never seen Nathaniel with a lady of ill repute?”
“No. I have not,” he admitted, looking down at his leather shoes.
“Why did you say it then?” Evelyn cried. “I almost left him for good because of that! I almost became a fallen woman—because you lied!”
“I know,” her father said. “Because Nathaniel would not indulge my… my proposal.” He looked down but continued. “It is not frivolous. It is a sound investment,” he said, raising one hand for emphasis. “If you had listened—if only you had let me show you the plan?—”
“I cannot believe you,” Evelyn shouted. “You almost let me ruin my marriage because I trusted you. You lied to your child because you were petty.”
The man crumbled into himself. He stood there, looking as though his clothes were too large for him.
“I know. I know. And I do apologize. No, I have never seen him in any club of ill repute or heard that he attended any.”
She stared at her father, her voice cold. “You are a liar. How can I ever trust you again?”
Her father bowed his head. “I do not know. These things… the things that come out of my mouth… I cannot help them.”
“You will help them,” Evelyn said. “In fact, you will have to make some severe changes, unless you want to lose me from your life completely. And Marianne. And Charlotte. And Aunt Eugenia.”
“I didn’t mean it,” he said, panicked. “I didn’t mean it. You know I didn’t mean it. I say these things… Tell Nathaniel to forgive me. I didn’t mean it.”
“I think you did,” Nathaniel said, anger still roaring in his stomach. But he understood this was not his to resolve. “If Evelyn wishes for you to no longer be in her life, or the lives of her sisters, then I will find a way to make it so.”
“No—no, I don’t want to lose my family. Please don’t do that to me.”
