“You raised the subject,” he pointed out.
She chewed her lip and looked around, then closed her eyes with a long-suffering expression and whispered, “She’s had several lovers since.”
Richard paused. That was not surprising, but he had not known. She hadn’t told him. Of course, he himself had been one of those lovers, and he had hardly been disgusted by that. Well, there was much she did not know about him, too, and he planned to have plenty of time to learn everything about her. “I can only care about the future,” he said. “I have not been chaste, either?—”
“Oh, good heavens, I don’t want to know aboutthat!”His sister’s face was scarlet. “Just—do be careful with her. I would hate for you to be entangled in scandal...”
“Scandal!” He grinned, relieved that that was her main worry. “My dear sister, I don’t care what gossips say. Nor can I control it. I can only live my life as best suits me.”
Clemency looked at him in mingled reproach and astonishment. “And she suits you?”
He couldn’t stop smiling. “She does, Clem. Very much so.” Impulsively he added, “Will you meet her?”
She blinked at him. “Meet her? Ihavemet her...”
He shook his head, already planning the evening. “Become acquainted. At dinner. Here. I shall have a dinner party, and you must be my hostess.” He rang the bell for the housekeeper. “Do you think three days is enough time to plan it?”
“Three days!” Clemency goggled at him. “A dinner party? Here? You’ve only just taken up residence!”
“But you specifically promised me I could have dinner parties if I took this house. You have furnished it splendidly and found an excellent chef. What else am I supposed to do?” He smiled at his sister’s thunderstruck expression. “Ah, come in, Frau Loretz. Would it be possible to have... shall we say eight for dinner in three days’ time?”
The housekeeper’s eyes darted to Clemency, but she nodded. “Ja.”
He nodded. “Very good. Clemency, will you be my hostess and plan the menu?”
“Well—yes, if you are really determined to do this?—”
“I am. I shall write the invitations.”
And he walked out, whistling faintly, as his sister and his housekeeper stared after him.
Chapter 13
Evangeline fussed over her clothing as if she were a young lady about to attend her very first party.
“What is it, madam?” Solly finally asked in mild exasperation, after the second change of gown.
She put down the necklace in her hands—one of four spread across her dressing table—and sighed. “It’s been so long since I went out.”
Solly gave her a look. That was not true. She’d gone to the theater a week earlier with Fanny, and before that the opera.
“I don’t know who else will be there,” she defended herself. “I may not know anyone! In that sense, it’s been a long time.”
In fact, never had she been invited to dine at the home of a lover. Even thinking of it felt incredible. Did he not know that such things weren’t done in England? Perhaps theyweredone in Switzerland.
“Lady Woodville will be there,” Solly reminded her.
That was true. Fanny had sent her a note, somewhat startled to receive an invitation to dine with a man she’d only met once, in passing, several years ago. Since Fanny was perishing of curiosity about him, obviously she had accepted, and she wouldspend the night at Wyndham House afterward to save her the long drive back into London.
Of course, the invitation had come from Mrs. Clemency Murray, a respectable widow and Campion’s sister. Her husband had been a viscount’s younger son. Evangeline had seen her at the theater a few times; she was dark-haired and pretty, with the sort of delicate features and figure Evangeline had always envied. And Richard loved her.
But as a respectable widow, she’d not been in Evangeline’s limited circle of free-spirited and scandalous people, with a few genuine radicals and even a true scoundrel or two thrown in for good measure. Evangeline supposed Mr. Rieger would be there, as he appeared to be a guest of Sir Richard’s, but other than that, she was in the dark. Whom would Mrs. Murray invite? Dignified, respectable people like herself? Fashionable people like Lord and Lady Allen? She shuddered. Was it too late to send her regrets?
“It would be rude to send your regrets so late,” remarked Solly, reading her thoughts. “Mrs. Murray will have planned the table already.”
“I know,” said Evangeline reluctantly.
“On the other hand,” Solly went on, “if you wish to rebuff the man, there is no clearer way than staying home this evening. No doubt Lady Woodville would understand completely.”
