“Youwant to go out?” The disbelief was evident in his voice.
“I am not staying here,” Evan said. “Not with her.”
“Ah. So you were threatening to kick our dear grandmother out of the manor then. I thought I had misheard that.”
Evan grimaced. “I will tell you. But first, I need a drink.”
Peter’s favorite gentlemen’s club was called the Three Stags. It was a fine establishment, featuring gambling, good food andmusic. However, the only services offered by the club that Evan cared about were the private rooms available, where they could talk in peace, and the extensive collection of quality alcohol.
The two brothers settled into comfortable chairs in a private room. A server brought them a whiskey bottle and two glasses before leaving quietly.
Evan quickly poured himself a drink and swallowed it down while barely tasting it.
“If you are going to drink that fast, then we should order some food,” Peter said.
The duke shook his head. “I am not hungry.” He sighed. “I don’t know what has gotten into Grandmother. I have never seen her this angry before.”
“Well, you did get her hopes up about her dream of grandchildren, and then you dashed them away,” Peter said.
“No,” Evan said. “There is something else going on. I just don’t know what. She wants me to marry Lady Katherine Preston.” He vaguely remembered having tea with Lady Katherine. It was overall unremarkable. The only impression Lady Katherine had made was her clear discomfort at being in his presence.
It was such a contrast to Joanna’s treatment of him. Even when she was trying to actively dissuade him from her in thebeginning, it was clear she enjoyed spending time with him. Or at least, she wasn’t afraid of him.
He shook his head with a humorless snort as he remembered that line from the gossip rag.Perhaps all it took to thaw him out was for someone to approach him and flirt with him instead of reasonably shying away in fear.
Maybe there was some truth to that. But it wasn’t just her lack of fear that drew him to her. She was interesting and kind. And now he could not imagine marrying anyone else. Even the thought of life as an eternal bachelor paled in comparison to the thought of a life married to her.
Peter looked at him. “I have been thinking. Perhaps we don’t need to find Jimmy to find whoever wrote the article. We can find the owner of the gossip rag.”
Evan smiled. “That’s a good point. Why stop with a single writer? We could just shut down the paper.” Dangerous pleasure filled him at the thought of that. At least it gave him something to focus on that wasn’t his grandmother’s current lack of sanity and Joanna’s rejection. His smile faded as he thought of her.
His brother studied his reaction. “Are you thinking of Miss Thorne?”
He nodded and sighed. “You were right. It was reckless of me to spend time with her without a chaperone. Not only did she get hurt, but she wants nothing to do with me now.”
“Do you want my opinion?”
Evan shrugged and raised his glass to his lips. “I am sure you will give it whether I want it or not.”
Peter’s expression was uncharacteristically serious. “If it’s marriage you are after, then she will marry you as long as you make it clear you are open to it. Just give it time.”
“She was quite adamant about her decision, Peter. She doesn’t want to ruin my reputation.”
“That was this morning,” he said. “But her family is descending into poverty. Even though you are sponsoring her sister and providing her with a dowry, the young lady will be very disadvantaged when it comes to finding a suitable match. Miss Thorne herself will have very few prospects, and her situation will only get worse with time. Perhaps her pride will continue for the rest of this Season, but by early next Season, she will be begging you to marry her.”
Evan suddenly felt nauseous at the thought and put down his glass. “That’s a very chilling assessment.”
Peter shrugged. “Perhaps. It’s not a pleasant thought. Of course, the situation might not be that dire. She could find a merchant or barrister who wants ties to nobility. Or she could find work as a lady’s companion or governess. But we both know that marrying you is by far the best outcome.”
“I will not coerce her into marriage,” Evan said. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“I had hoped as much,” Peter said.
“I am in love with her, but I am not selfish enough to trap her like that,” Evan said. “I just wish I could show her that I don’t want to marry her out of obligation. Perhaps if I could convince her of the sincerity of my feelings, then she would change her mind.”
Peter smiled softly. “I never thought I would see the day you would admit to being in love.”
Evan grimaced and finished the rest of his whiskey before pouring himself another glass. “Of course you did. I am just cursed enough to fall in love in the worst possible circumstances.”
