“Gigi is right.” Mama knitted her brows. “But what if the blackguard reveals Evie’s secret? Once he is captured, he will have nothing to lose.”
“There is no proof that Evie did anything wrong,” James said. “The physician ruled that Wilmington died of apoplexy. It is just the blackmailer’s word against Evie’s—the word of a criminal against that of a countess. She will deny the accusation, and that will be the end of it.”
“Will it? The smallest spark can give rise to a scandal.” Evie’s eyes turned bleak. “What if my past harms your future?”
“Our future,” he corrected. “Nothing between us, remember? Whatever happens, we will face it together.”
Exhaling, she smiled tremulously before turning back to the family.
“There is something else I must share,” she said. “It has to do with Thomas Mulligan and Rosalinda.”
She told them about her dreams, including the most recent one.
“Dear heavens, Rosalinda was with child?” Xenia breathed. “And she was taken…by some villain? Do you know who he was?”
Evie shook her head. “I only saw flashes of him, and they were filtered by her fear and rage. I do know he was powerful, respected, and married with children.”
“Did he drink the poisoned tea?” Gigi’s eyes were rounded.
“I don’t know. I woke up before I could find out what happened.”
Remembering her terror, James put his arm around her.
“Don’t think of it now, love,” he murmured.
“On the contrary, I think Evie should contemplate what the dreams mean.” Xenia nibbled on her lip. “These visions that she, Gigi, and I have had…I think they’re meant to help us. To guide us in some way. When Ethan and I were courting?—”
“Is that what we were doing, sweeting?” Ethan drawled. “I thought I was being grumpy and you were giving me indigestion with your cooking.”
Xenia aimed her gaze heavenward. “As I was saying, Rose’s memories uncovered not just her secrets but also my own. Her experiences helped me to overcome my insecurities where Ethan was concerned. She led me to a hiding place when I was being pursued by my enemy. The travails she endured showed me how to survive my own.”
“I concur.” Gigi’s raven ringlets bounced with her vigorous nod. “If it weren’t for my dreams of Rose, I might not have trusted my heart. I might not have married Conrad?—”
“You would have, duchess,” Godwin said with lazy certainty.
“I might not have married you as quickly as I did. And, if you’ll recall, it was through Rose’s memories that we discovered the caldarium, which in turn aided the revival of Miss Letty’s spa and the village.”
“As a matter of fact, I recall the discovery of the caldarium with great fondness.”
When his sister turned red as an apple, James narrowed his gaze at his brother-in-law. The cove had grown on him. It would be a shame if he had to beat the other to a pulp for debauching his sister before marriage.
“I, too, owe a great debt to the tragic Rosalinda,” Godwin went on. “For through her, I found my own everlasting love.”
Godwin kissed Gigi’s hand with tender devotion.
The females in the room sighed; the males snorted.
“To return to Xenia’s point,” Ethan said. “You believe Evie’s dreams might be useful in some way?”
“I do,” Xenia replied. “They might contain a clue about how to deal with the blackmailer when the time comes. Or they might help with, um, concerns of a personal nature.”
James had to give her credit for her delicate reference to his marital problems. Not long ago, the idea that his family sensed the troubles between him and Evie had felt, well, humiliating. Now he realized that his pride had gotten in the way. Evie’s courageous disclosures had inspired him…and made him realize that it was strength, not weakness, that led one to ask for help when needed.
“On a personal level, Evie’s dreams have already helped,” he said. “I admire her strength more than I can say. There is no one with whom I would rather follow the family tradition.”
Seeing his wife’s stunned pleasure, he did not fight the urge to kiss her. Her sweetness infused his senses, and for a mad instant, he was tempted to take more. To try to appease the insatiable appetite she roused in him. Thankfully, his restraint returned and he ended the kiss a moment later, seeing with satisfaction her flushed cheeks and dreamy-eyed gaze.
“As you were saying?” he inquired of his sister-in-law.
