“Er, I am not certain. I believe he may have left.”
“Left? He is always the life of the party, the last to leave.”
She didn’t doubt it. Her mouth twisted in a sneer as she walked out to her carriage.
How dare he? No matter how he meant it, if he’s going to refer to me as a business partner, he should give me the respect of hearing me out.
Her mood vacillated between anger and angst for the carriage ride.
At home, she threw her gloves on the bed and yanked her dress off without waiting for her maid. She tugged pins from her hair with no thought to pain in her scalp.
She stomped in circles for a moment before grabbing her wrapper and stomping across the hall to Beth’s room. Barely stopping herself from pounding on it, she tapped. Leaning her head close to the door, she heard a rustle and turned the door handle to peer in.
“Beth?” she whispered. Then thought to ask, “Are you alone?”
A snort and a muffled response came from the bed in shadows. “Yes. Come in.”
Fumbling ensued before a candle was lit, then another.
Beth sat up, curls in disarray around her, covers at her waist. Uncaring of her nudity, she hopped out and put a wrapper on. “Brr. Stoke the fire a bit, would you, Althea? You look like you need wine.” She wandered over to a decanter and two glasses on a tray, poured them each one, and brought them to the armchairs angled toward the fireplace.
“Sorry to wake you. I can go.” Althea hovered uncertainly.
“I am up now. And you know I don’t mind. After all, ’tis usually me waking you. Or someone reporting my troublemaking.” Beth curled into one of the chairs, tucking her feet under her, and gestured for Althea to take the other.
It was Althea’s turn to snort. “True. Oh, Beth.”
“What is it, cuz? Did the investment soirée not go well?”
“Why could you not have left me in blissful ignorance?”
“What? What did I do?”
Althea shook her head, knowing she wasn’t being fair. “Nothing. I was trying to joke and failing miserably at yet another communication.” She stared into her wine.
“A bit of help here, please? I am lost.”
“Evan introduced me to a number of investors, several of whom were interested.”
“Do you need multiple investors? I thought he was handling it.”
Althea explained the misunderstanding and repeated the vitriol Evan had spewed at her.
“Huh. Not well done of him, at all.” Beth gave a half-smile at the wry look she received for that understatement. She took a gulp of wine and waited for Althea to do the same. “Cuz…”
Althea cocked her head.
“I will support you in everything you do. You know that. And I am forever grateful you took me in.” She sucked in a deep breath, and her next statement rushed out on the exhale. “I sort of see his concern.”
Althea bolted upright. “What?”
“Hear me out.” Beth held her free hand out, palm facing Althea in supplication. “Look at him. Think about being him. You have a sick mother you are trying to protect. You have absolute scads of money. And you’ve a reputation for being the most accomplished sexual maestro available for both ladies and lords.”
“But—but—hepursuedme!”
“He did. And none of what I’m saying makes what he did right or less rude. But you know the Ton and their games. Evan has lived in that environment for years, after inheriting his earldom very early. For many of them, there are ulterior motives behind their ulterior motives. I can understand how he might be somewhat jaded. And might wonder if you’d set the whole thing up, making him pursue you.”
“Bah. He should have been able to distinguish that the first night in his library at Greenborough Park.”
