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“Indeed,” he bit out. “We are all looking forward to dear Colin’s return.”

He was staring at her so intensely that Evie could not trust herself to reply to that particular remark. Instead, she chose to simply let his comment roll over her as she nodded slightly and sipped her tea.

I should have added more sugar to it.

She was extremely proud of herself, as she did not deign to reply, choosing to merely smile and nod slightly as if to acknowledge that hehadsaid something.

“Ladies, excuse me,” she heard him say in a low growl. “If anyone has need of me, I shall be in my study.”

Evie nearly laughed when the Dowager Duchess simply looked at him and, with a serene smile, said, “Oh, we would not think of disturbing you, my dear. You can leave us ladies to our own devices…”

As Daniel walked out of the breakfast hall, Evie could not help but gain a new level of admiration for the older woman.

Truly, it must take such great strength to be able to live with Daniel Stanton under one roof and not lose her sanity in the process.

In Society, if such a thing was never mentioned, then it could be considered as never having happened. After all, everyone lovedto talk dearly, especially about other people’s business, so for a matter to not even merit a mention, then it was as good as having been efficiently swept under a rug.

Or so Evie had supposed as she sat in the parlor with an almost dazed expression on her face.

Across from her, Phoebe peered at her over her cup with a worried look on her pretty features.

“Dear Evie, have I called on you at an inopportune time?” she asked in concern. “Perhaps I was too early…”

Evie shook her head and reached out to clasp her friend’s hand in reassurance. “No, no, no.” She smiled. “I… was simply lost in my thoughts for a moment.”

Phoebe was probably much too polite to mention that she looked as if she had not had a wink of sleep the entire night—which was true, though.

Evie had spent the better part of her time in bed, tossing and turning. Torn between demanding more answers to an endless array of questions and doing as Daniel had suggested—to regard it as an unfortunate andunspeakableaccident.

In the end, she had decided that if he was going to act like the entire thing did not matter, then she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing how his kiss left her so unsettled.

If only it was that simple.

She did, however, derive some sort of pleasure from seeing him in a bad mood that morning—well, worse than his usual, it would seem. At least to her, it looked likeshewas not the only one so affected by what had transpired between them.

A kiss, Evie, she reminded herself.It was a kiss, and you would do better to call it by its proper name.

A searing, toe-curling kiss that left her breathless even now, sitting in a sunlit parlor, sipping tea with her closest friend in all of London.

Phoebe let out a soft sigh and smiled slightly. “I had thought… well, I had thought that perhaps His Grace was cross with you. That he might have…”

She pursed her lips and did not finish her sentence.

“Not at all.” Evie shook her head. “He might be… a little difficult to get along with, but nothing so grave as what you are possibly thinking.”

Phoebe blushed slightly and looked down, although she looked slightly mollified by the reassurance that Evie was doing well, considering the circumstances.

Inwardly, Evie could only blame Daniel for her friend’s concern. He certainly did not have a reputation for being warm andcongenial. In fact, he was mostly cold and hostile to anyone who dared to approach him. Even the most ambitious mamas steered clear of the Duke of Ashton and his forbidding presence.

Only the foolish ones dared approach him.I suppose I must be more foolish than most…

“I must say, I never thought I would see the interior of Ashton Hall,” Phoebe said softly. “His Grace normally does not welcome callers.”

Evie paused in the act of pouring herself more tea. “He does not? But certainly, the Dowager Duchess must have callers.”

Phoebe shook her head gently. “Her Grace receives visitors at a different residence. It is indeed an astounding concession that His Grace has allowed you to accept visitors here.”

And I am supposed to be grateful for his bountiful grace?