Page 27

E vie had returned home after saving Miss Little, exhausted.

She’d brought a woman back to life, and that was both a terrifying and exhilarating thought.

All she’d wanted to do in that moment was get far away from that crowd of people.

Her hands had been shaking, and she’d been close to tears, so she’d urged Prue to get her away from there.

Prue had then helped Evie shed her wet clothes and change, then Evie had fallen onto her bed and slept the entire rest of the day, not waking until morning. When she did, her head was stuffy, and her chest burned.

What followed was an illness that laid her low for nearly two weeks, which considering the visitors who had called at the Spencer house, was both a blessing and a curse. The curse was her throat was raw, and her entire body felt like she’d been stomped on and then rolled over by a herd of cows.

Today was the first day she felt more like herself. She’d risen, bathed, and was now sitting in the small chair beside the bed watching Prue pack for the Hampton house party, which she did not want to attend, but had no choice in the matter. Preparations, it seemed, had been made while she was ill.

“There are a great many flowers in this room and downstairs when I ventured there earlier,” Evie said.

“Lord Hamilton brought some, and others also. He has called often for news of you. I’m quite sure he didn’t believe me when I said you were recovering, and he wanted to check for himself,” Prue said as she pulled a box out from under the bed.

“Tell me you didn’t let him in here to see me?” He’d brought her flowers. Why did that make her feel warm, when for days she’d been ice cold?

Prue dropped the box on the bed and looked at Evie. “You looked all pale and interesting, with your lank hair stuck to your head. Of course I did.”

Evie grabbed a pillow off the bed and threw it at her.

“Prue?”

“Hmm?” Her sister was lifting the lid off the box.

“I’m sorry that you feel I am controlling, and I promise to ask for your help and opinion in the future.”

“Apology accepted. But we both know that’s a lie, Evie.”

She laughed, because her sister was right. She liked to be in control, but then she wasn’t the only one. Control was important to Anthony too.

She’d missed him. It was as simple as that.

Missed their debates and the way he challenged her.

She’d thought about him endlessly as she lay in her bed for days.

He was becoming a problem for Evie because she was beginning to feel a great deal more for the man than she should, and that would never do.

Your arrangement with him is only temporary.

“Lord Hamilton said he was displeased you had left that day without telling him,” Prue said.

“What? Why? I was cold and my dress was stuck to me exposing…well, everything,” Evie said, waving her hand about.

“You should have told him. He was worried, and you’re engaged.” Prue pulled a dress out of the box that Evie had never seen.

“Fake engaged, but you’re right. I should have at least told him I was going. I’ll concede to that.” But she’d needed to get out of there because she couldn’t completely discount that she may have been ill, and there was no way she would do that in front of at least a dozen members of society.

“It’s a miracle,” Prue muttered, shaking out the dress.

“What is that?” Evie asked, getting to her feet to inspect the dress.

“Has your illness addled your mind? Clearly, it’s a dress.” Prue held it up with a smile.

“I can see that, but it’s not one of ours.”

“Well, when you were sick Lady Petunia and her sisters arrived and took me shopping. I argued, of course,” Prue said, “but they were insistent. We have four new dresses each, and several bonnets.”

“Dear Lord,” Evie whispered. “Tell me that isn’t true.” He’d done this. Lord Hamilton, after she’d told him they did not have enough dresses for the Hampton house party.

“Very well, it’s not true, Evie,” Prue said, gently folding the dress and lowering it into the open trunk.

“No. This can’t be happening. We can’t accept this kind of charity from him. It’s humiliating. How will I ever face Lord Hamilton again?”

“They are beautiful dresses,” Prue said removing a cream one from the box. “I knew your sizes so was able to have them made.”

“Can you not see this makes us beholden to him? After the season is over, we are leaving and will likely never return. How will I…we repay him for this?”

Prue dropped the dress and grabbed her shoulders. She then gave them a little shake. “He is a wealthy man, and you are engaged to him—”

“I’m not!”

“Very well, fake engaged, but the point is, he cannot have you turning up at a house party looking like the poor cousin of your great aunt, who is now living on the charity of her family because her husband stole all her money and—”

“I get the point. There is no need for one of your stories,” Evie snapped.

“Excellent. So, you understand why he did this?”

“I don’t like it, but I understand it.” Society valued appearances above all else, and even the infamous Lord Hamilton could not be seen with a fiancée dressed in ill-fitting, worn clothing.

“It was a very kind thing he did also, Evie. To spend money on you when he did not have to.”

She nodded, knowing that he was capable of that too. She’d seen him dive into the water to rescue Miss Little and Mr. Benjamin, who would have drowned had he not. Those were not the actions of the callous man he portrayed himself to be.

“So now you need to get ready as a carriage will be arriving soon,” Prue said slamming the lid shut. “Make haste, sister. We are about to go on an adventure neither of us foresaw before the season started.”

“Now? Today?”

“Now, today. A bath is coming. You will wash, and we will leave in two hours. The drive will be taxing, but you can sleep the entire way if you wish to.”

“How can we afford a carriage to Lord Hampton’s estate?” Evie demanded.

Prue ignored her and flung open the door. “Humphrey!” she then bellowed.

“Don’t yell at the staff, sister. How are we affording a carriage, and who ordered it?” Evie said.

“You called, Miss Prudence.” Humphrey appeared in the doorway.

“Yes, Humphrey, I want to take this downstairs for when the carriage arrives. Grab that end, and we shall do so now.”

“You will not bloody do so!” Evie roared. “You’ll answer the question.”

“Do you think a future countess should curse like a sailor, Humphrey?” Prue asked as she lifted her end. “Because I’m sure I don’t.”

“It’s not seemly,” he said, and then they were gone, hefting the luggage out the door. Evie followed.

“Answer the question, Prue, and you know well and fine I am not going to be a countess.”

Her sister made a great show of panting and making noises that suggested she was putting a great deal of effort into what she was doing. Evie knew better; she was avoiding answering her.

The chest was deposited by the front door.

“In the parlor, now, Prue.”

“Oh, very well,” her sister said stomping past Evie into the room. “Bring tea if you please, Humphrey. We will need our strength for the journey, and then there is the fact my sister has been unwell. Do you remember how quiet it was for those few blissful days when she couldn’t speak?”

Humphrey thought better of answering that question and walked away.

“The carriage, Prue. How is it we can afford one, when to the best of my knowledge you never once mentioned it to me, and I did not tell you how to pay for it?” Suddenly exhausted, Evie sat after asking the question.

“Lord Hamilton is providing the carriage.”

Evie stared at her sister like she had developed an eye in her forehead.

“He asked if we had a carriage, Evie, and I said no, and that we would hire one, as I know you would have wished me to do,” Prue said, now seated beside her on the sofa. “He then said, I have two, you can use one of them.”

“Who has two carriages when you are only one person?” Evie asked.

“A wealthy earl is my guess. Who perhaps drives his aunts about the place?”

“I thought they had their own carriage. We saw them in it one day in the park.” Evie pinched the bridge of her nose hard to find some clarity in her foggy head. “We cannot allow him to pay for our clothing and a carriage, Prue. It is just not right.”

“At the time Father was here, and we were taking tea with Lord Hamilton and his aunts, and one of them said, I can’t remember which one, what a capital notion and I’m sure the Spencers will be a great deal more comfortable in your carriage, Anthony. Especially considering your illness.”

“Lord Hamilton and his aunts came here to take tea with you and Father while I was upstairs on my deathbed?”

“We checked on you,” Prue rushed to add. “You slept the entire time. Lord Hamilton was very worried and asked if he should call a doctor as you had been ill for so long. So he did and—”

“Tell me you are joking,” Evie said feeling faint for perhaps the first time in her life. How would she ever repay that man what her family now owed him?

“No, I would never joke about this. The doctor came and declared you had a chest inflammation and were extremely unwell. Lord Hamilton then made him return daily to check on you, until the doctor finally said you were improving,” Prue said.

“Do you know that fierce reputation he has in society is completely unjustified? He can be a bit brisk, and occasionally gruff, but he is very kind, Evie.”

She had no idea what to say to that. Why had he done all these things? Was he worried about her holding up her end of the bargain?

“What did Father say with all of this going on?” Evie asked, instead of “tell me more about Lord Hamilton.”

“Naturally, he was worried about you and relieved when the doctor called. Father then said capital, and we would love to travel in comfort. Thank you, Lord Hamilton. He also loves parties and anything that involves him lolling about the place with people and eating a lot of food. So, the idea of a house party appealed to him.”

“Of course it did,” Evie said feeling nauseous.

Looking at her sister’s face she saw only happiness.

“You’re excited about the house party, aren’t you?”

“I am.” Prue clapped her hands. “Christian is coming.”

“Christian?”

“Mr. Landon.”

“Ah, right. I remember that was his name now. He seems a nice man.”

“He is, and was worried about you also, Evie.”

“I should have asked, is Miss Little all right?”

“She has recovered and called to see you along with Miss Beasley, but as you were still unwell, they left again.”

“Good Lord, Miss Beasley was here?”

Prue nodded. “We’ve been quite busy with people knocking on our door to ask after you since you saved Miss Little.”

“Well then, let’s hope with my return to health my popularity wanes quickly,” Evie said.

“I love being popular,” Prue said regaining her feet. “Now, you are all caught up, and it is time for you to get up those stairs, wash, and put on the dress I have set aside for you to travel in.”

“I feel like while I slept my life has slipped from my control,” Evie muttered.

“Excellent. It will do you good to feel that way. Now move.”

She did as her sister asked because she was too tired to argue. Besides, a long carriage ride would give Evie time to work out how long it would take to repay their debt to Lord Hamilton. She feared it would be many years.