But there were more pressing matters. By now, Joanna must have seen the announcement. If she hadn’t seen it herself, someone would have told her. He needed to talk to her. “I am going out,” he said. “I will return later.”
His grandmother frowned. “But it’s going to rain!”
He didn’t care.
The rain sounded like thunder to him as he ran through the manor and burst through the doors. Raindrops fell on his skin, burning him, but all he could think about was Joanna.
He needed to talk to her and make things clear.
Evan considered calling for a carriage, but decided being in a carriage in the rain would trap his mind in that moment of time, just before his parents died, and now was not the time for him to freeze up.
So he ran through the rain.
He ran off his property and onto the streets of London, headed for Clifford Manor. The streets were mostly empty as everyone took shelter from the late afternoon downpour. By the time he arrived, he was out of breath and completely soaked. He pounded his fist on the door urgently.
The door opened after a moment, and Joanna was standing there. Her expression turned from surprise to alarm. “Evan?” She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. “What on earth were you thinking?” she asked. “It’s raining outside.”
“Really? I didn’t notice,” he said dryly.
“But—”
“I needed to see you, Joanna,” he interrupted. “It’s important.”
Her expression shuttered, and she looked away. “You should not be here, Your Grace. Mrs. Lucas has already gone home, so there is no chaperone present. My parents are in their room. But Father told me what you did for him. It was the most wonderful news.” She gave him a shaky smile. “You have given me my father back. For the first time in a long time, all of us have real hope. I don’t know how I could repay you for such kindness.”
“You don’t!” He said quickly. “No one has to repay me. No one is indebted to me. Not your father, and certainly not you.” He threw up his hands, feeling even more agitated now. No. This was the last thing he wanted. He made that deal with her father so shewould notbe in a position where she was obligated to marry him. “I do what I please because I can. It amuses me to ruin theton’s fun on occasion, so I destroyed the caricature that they love to laugh at. The Viscount of Folly is dead. Within a year, everyone will have forgotten that such a person ever existed, and your father will be as uninspiring and unremarkable as any other gentleman of theton.His name will never appear in the scandal sheets again. I deprived society of entertainment, and that gives me pleasure. That’s why I did it.”
Joanna smiled, but was unable to hide the overwhelming sadness in her eyes. “For someone who is feared by all of London, you are terrible at playing the villain. Thank you.” She looked out the window at the rain that showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon. “I suppose I can’t send you out in this weather. I am afraid I don’t know which room is the quietest when it’s raining, but at least the hallway doesn’t have any windows, so you can stay there. I will find you a towel.”
“I am not here to talk about the deal I made with your father. I needed to see you,” he said. “I assume you saw the betrothal announcement.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” she said, turning away from him. He followed her into the hallway, where she gestured for him to wait before she disappeared into a room and came back with a towel for him. “Here. You can dry yourself with this.”
“Thank you,” he said, wiping his face with it. “My grandmother submitted that betrothal announcement. I had nothing to do with it.”
She cast her eyes downward. “You do not need to explain yourself to me. Our courtship ended, and you are free to do as you like. I know you told me that you didn’t want to marry at all, so I was surprised to see you change your mind so soon, but I am glad you are getting your happy ending. Truly.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” he asked. “I am not betrothed to her.”
She sighed. “Do you really expect me to believe your grandmother would go behind your back and betroth you to a woman at random? That does not sound like her at all.”
“I know,” he said. “I am still figuring it out. But you must know?—”
“It doesn’t matter!” she shouted suddenly. She gave him a bitter smile. “It has been announced. You are engaged! Congratulations, Your Grace. I am sure you will be very happy with her.”
“I don’t want to marry her. I want to marryyou!” he said, anger prickling through him. Why could she not listen to him? Why did she have to be so damnstubborn? “I ran through the rain because I needed to talk to you. I need you to know that I am in love with you and I want to marry you, not out of obligation, but because I can’t imagine a future without you.”
“Don’t say this,” she said. “You are betrothed, Your Grace. What will people think of you to be betrothed one day, only to go back to your Lady Harlot the next?”
“I don’t care,” he said. “I will end it. I will take care of everything. Please, Joanna. I know you love me as much as I love you. You have to marry me.”
She frowned. “I don’t have to do anything.”
“Yes, you do,” he said. “People call me heartless, but that has only been true since I met you. You have my heart, and if you tell me no, then you will break it.” Desperation rose up inside of him. How could she not see that his feelings were real? How could she not see that he would not be able to live without her?
A tear fell down Joanna’s cheek, and instinctively, he reached a hand up to wipe it away. But she took a step away from him and swiped her hand over her cheek. “My goodness,” she muttered.“I have cried more these past two days than in the last three years.”
“Please marry me,” he said. “If you tell me you do not love me, then I will leave forever. I swear it. I do not want to trap you in an unwanted marriage. But if that is not the case, then I will ask as many times as I need to until you say yes.”
