Isadora’s face lit up immediately in the presence of her sister. “My apologies for the short notice. We only decided to visit last night, and so the earliest we could inform you was this morning. I hope that did not cause any inconvenience.”
Penelope shot her a look, as if to imply that she had lost her mind, and then shook her head. “Are you being serious, Isadora?You need not worry about informing soon enough at your own home.”
She looked over to Evan then, sharing a look of understanding.
“The Duchess has a proper way to do everything,” Evan joined in on the conversation, smirking.
“Oh, you do not need to tell me that twice. I have grown up around her,” Penelope grinned. “I know exactly what she is like and her high regard for the proper way to do everything.”
“So, you have been a victim to it as well,” Evan joked, but Isadora shot him a glare.
“Victim? Rather you should say that the both of you have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of my lessons,” Isadora defended herself.
Penelope and Evan shared a look again, laughing. It occurred to him then that she could be an excellent resource for understanding his own wife better.Which, of course, was not the case. He reprimanded himself quickly.
He needed to cull his interest in Isadora, which seemed to be growing with each passing day. Even this morning, he had not anticipated he would join her in her visit to her family, but then, something in him motivated him to do so.
He wanted to be by her side.
“Where is Father?” Isadora asked her sister as the trio began to make their way inside.
George.A peculiar man, Evan thought. One who seemed so different from the daughters he had raised but with a personality that he had seen quite often in life. After all, there was no shortage of social climbers in London.
“Oh, he is…” Penelope’s tone wavered for a moment, but she quickly covered it up with a smile, “he is at home. He shall see you both soon.”
Suddenly, Evan found himself feeling doubly grateful that he had not let Isadora visit alone. He realized he did not quite trust the Lord.
Penelope guided them over to the drawing room where she decided to sit next to her sister. Seeing them together like this, Evan could see just how close they were.
A sibling bond—endearing, albeit not familiar to Evan in the slightest.
“I trust that your journey here was pleasant, Your Grace,” Penelope said to him.
“It was well,” he agreed.
But before they could continue further, the loud clack of boots descending down the stairs distracted them. Moments later, George appeared.
“Oh, look who has visited,” he started loudly as he entered the drawing room. “It’s not every day we have nobility gracing our humble home. Duke, Duchess. Welcome.”
His words carried an exaggerated warmth, but anyone could tell that they were the furthest thing from genuine. Evan remained impassive but noticed that Isadora stiffened at his arrival—the carefree ease that had occupied her before fading.
“It is good to see you again, Father.” Isadora stood up to greet him, but he merely waved her off.
“I have to say, I was quite surprised when Penelope told me that the both of you would be visiting this afternoon,” George said as he lowered himself into the armchair beside the Duke, crossing one leg over the other. “But then I reminded myself,Isadora is married to him now. I seem to forget that the wedding ever happened.”
George looked at them as though he had made some incredible jest, and they should laugh. No one did.
What a strange thing to say,Evan thought to himself. Sure, their marriage had been one that was done in haste, but to imply that itslippedthrough his mind entirely seemed like a deliberate effort to undermine it.
“You seem to have a poor memory, Lord Morton.” Evan kept his tone cool. “If you forgot your daughter’s wedding, I shudder to think what else might slip from your mind.”
George’s expression soured immediately. “Penelope,”he yelled out, as if to re-direct his own frustrations. “Why have you not arranged for refreshments for our guests? Do you wish it to appear as though we cannot host them?”
Penelope got to her feet immediately. “Father, they have only just arrived, and I did inform the maid earlier that?—”
“Oh, stop that.” He waved a dismissive hand over to her and instead walked over to the small cabinet in the corner of the room where an array of liquor bottles lay. “I shall have to do it myself.”
The soft sound of glass bottles clinking together filled the room as George rummaged through the cabinet before eventually emerging with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
