“I…I do not know.” A fresh barrage of tears threatened to spill forth.
“Promise to try,” Gran said.
Annie nodded her agreement, then brushed the tears from her cheeks. All she could do was trust in the love between her and Evan. Trust that the rose quartz knew what it was doing when it led her to him. Trust that he would somehow return to her.
“Good,” Gran said. “I will have some warm tea and whisky sent up. Drink it, then go to bed.” She patted Annie’s hand. “I am quite certain everything will look brighter in the morning.”
Annie nodded. “I’ll pray you are right.”
Eva stayed with her until she’d drank the whiskey laced tea and crawled into her bed. Soon after, Annie fell into a deep, yet fitful sleep. She dreamed of her wedding to Evan. She dreamed of Evan’s wedding to Lady Charlotte. A night long cycle of sweet dreams blending into nightmares.
And when she woke—her heart was still broken.
Ten
Evan woke with a pounding head and a desperate need to see Ann. He’d fought the urge to go to her last night, not wanting to cause her any more pain. There was nothing he could say—nothing he could do—not until he found out if Lady Charlotte and Lord Greenford had indeed eloped.
Lady Montgomery had been right about one thing: he was too honorable to ruin Lady Charlotte. She was as innocent as he in the grand scheme of things. If he begged off, thetonwould shun her for years. She would be deemed unmarriageable and excluded from society.
Evan turned to his valet. “Has Sims returned?” He doubted it, as his man would have come straight to him.
“I’m afraid not, Your Grace.”
Evan released a breath of frustration. “Have my breakfast sent up. I am in no mood to join the party.”
“As you wish, Your Grace.” The valet backed toward the door.
“And bring me any news from the house—anything having to do with my situation the moment you discover it.”
The valet nodded. “I will uncover any news that might help, Your Grace.”
Evan turned, his focus drifting to the garden that lay beyond the window. Was is really only two nights ago that he and Annie laid there beneath the stars? It already felt like a lifetime had passed. How would he survive a true lifetime without her when a mere two nights brought him to his knees?
He could not abide it. Come hell or the Montgomerys and his meddling mother, he would not abide it. The devil with it, he would convince Lord Greenford to sweep Lady Charlotte away if he must.
Evan would pay him, bribe him, blackmail him. He would do anything except ruin the chit to be free of her. He scrubbed his hand over his jaw. Greenford was his friend. What the hell was he thinking? He could not bring harm to the man, no matter how badly he needed Ann at his side.
But he would not be harming Greenford if he simply offered his help, now would he? Evan pivoted toward the door. That was it. He would go to Greenford and they would fix this disaster.
Evan strode the length of his chamber and pulled the door open.
“Your Grace.” His valet bowed. “Lady Charlotte left a note. She and Lord Greenford have fled to Scotland.”
In his rush to reach Ann, Evan nearly knocked his valet over. His heart beat a rapid tattoo, his pulse thrumming as he ran down the corridors.
“Your Grace,” His valet called after him, but Evan would not stop. Not until he had Ann back in his arms. He turned a corner and ran faster.
There she was. His beautiful Ann making her way toward him. “Evan, Evan, they’ve eloped,” she called down the corridor.
“Ann.” He caught her in his arms right there in the middle of the hall and covered her mouth with his in a deep, all-consuming kiss. He poured every bit of emotion coursing through him into the kiss. His mouth demanding, his heart crying out for more. And he vowed he would never let her go again.
When their lips parted, his valet said, “Your Grace, Sims has returned. He gave me this?”
Evan reached for the special licenses with one hand as he held Ann firm against his body with the other. He glanced at the license, then said, “Marry me today. Marry me this very minute.”
Ann laughed, her smile lighting her entire face. “Just as soon as we can get the vicar to come.”
“I will send for him at once,” Lady Birchwood said. She strode over to them and placed a hand on Ann’s shoulder. “I think the garden in an hour shall do.”
