He turned back to see his wife, leaning against the seat and watching him carefully. “Iknewit,” she asserted, clapping her hands together. “You did not have any work to attend to the city, did you? In that moment, you just wished to get out of my father’s company?”
“Clever,” Evan muttered, albeit surprised by his wife’s ability to read him so easily.
“I feel even better about my decision in coming along then,” she nodded, seeming rather pleased with herself.
“I did not wish to cut your visit short,” Evan sighed. “I knew you wished to see your sister. It’s just that…”
“It’s hard to tolerate my father’s company for more than a few moments?” she said, reading his mind again. “I do not blame you. He is not the easiest of individuals to get along with.”
“And yet you managed to tolerate him well enough for two decades of your life,” Evan pointed out, curiosity seeping into his tone.
It must not have been an easy task. He knew that much by now.
“You make it sound like as if I had a choice,” Isadora laughed.
Evan nodded. He knew all too well that a person had no choice in the hand that they were dealt in life.
“You are free to invite Penelope to visit you at the estate,” Evan said. “I suppose that might be better than having to deal with George.”
Isadoras lips curved into a smile. “That would be a great idea,” she said delightedly.
Evan didn’t get it. How was it that she was so pleased about having her visit at home cut short?
“You know, usually I am the one being accused of being unpredictable but in situations like this,” he narrowed his eyes slightly, “youare the one who baffles me. How are you so happy? I thought you were rather excited to see Penelope.”
“Oh, I was.” She continued to smile. “But I suspect that I shall get other opportunities to see her. What happened today was far more important.”
“Which iswhatexactly?” he inquired, baffled. “Me getting into a tussle with your father?”
“Oh, no. The two of us taking a united stand and leaving together,” she announced with a smile.
“Oh,” Evan had not looked at the situation like that. If anything, he had just defended his wife.
“You don’t agree?” she probed. “Don’t you think that it sends a clear message to my father now that he must not meddle in my affairs because it means that he is meddling with yours as well?”
“You seem quite eager to give up your independence,” Evan commented a moment after taking in what she had just said.
“Oh, this has nothing to do with my independence,” she laughed in response. “No, we should use another word for you and me. Two people who are completely capable of functioning on their own—coming together todependon one another. A partnership.”
“An arrangement,” he reminded her swiftly.
“Why am I not surprised that you seem to have trouble with my choice of words?” she sighed, rubbing the side of her face.
“Very well then.” He schooled his features back into an expression of neutrality. “An arranged partnership. Does that suit you better?”
“See? We’re meeting each other in the middle already,” she laughed with glee.
Evan ignored her for the remainder of the carriage ride, then, suddenly wanting nothing more than to be rid of her company. Not because there was anything particularly unenjoyable about it but rather because it seemed to be inching too much towards familiarity.
An arranged partnership.
It wasn’t the most affectionate of titles, but it was the furthest thing from calculated practicality that Evan had ever admitted to in regards to Isadora.
That and the way he had stood up for her in front of her father. The memory burned in her mind.
Their progress was moving at a glacial pace, and Isadora was well aware of that, but somehow, she did not mind it much either.
It is better this way.
