The feel of his fingers on her cheek made tears sting behind her eyes. He deserved the truth from her, yet she was too much of a coward to tell him.
Eva looked at the stage while she listened to her friends discussing and dismissing various varieties of fruit. What had she done to deserve so much happiness? And how would she cope if Daniel was taken from her? Never had she cared for another person like she did her husband and it terrified her to realize that without him she would be lost.
“Don’t frown, Eva. Wrinkles will come in their own time - there is no need to aid them.”
“Sorry, Claire,” Eva ignored the snort of humor from her husband. However, she could not ignore his hand as his fingers lightly brushed the back of her neck. Giving herself a mental shake, she once again refocused on the stage.
“What have you called the puppy?” Claire asked.
“Furban.”
Simon laughed and everyone demanded to know the reason, and thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Mrs. Potter and her ferret turban.
“I have it. He could be a selection of fruit!” Claire cried, then clapped a hand over her mouth as all eyes looked at the Stratton box.
Simon groaned but everyone else laughed.
“His head and neck could be the pear,” Claire said.
“The body of a peach,” Eva added.
“Good Lord! Is that Lady Bethelhume who just threw her drink over the ghastly Mr Priestly?” Lady Dunbar demanded, cutting through their silly conversation.
In seconds, the entire Stratton party was pressed against the edge of the theatre box and peering down at the melee below.
“Nice shot, Lady Bethelhume!” Daniel called as the lady in question swung her fist into the face of a young man.
“Why is she hitting Mr Preistly, Daniel?” Eva queried.
“Priestly took her son gambling and he lost a considerable amount of money. It appears Lady Bethelhume took exception.”
On the stage, the actors had stopped and were now also watching the antics below, some even calling encouragement as the argument escalated.
“Look left - I believe another player is about to enter.” Simon pointed to an elegantly dressed man walking through the crowd below.
“Good Lord! It’s Lord Bethelhume. Now that is interesting.He rarely comes to the theatre. Told me last year he’d sooner have a tooth pulled.” Daniel placed his arms on either side of his wife to stop her falling over the edge. “Do you know he’s one man I would not be keen to come up against. He’s always struck me as someone who means business, even if he is in his fifty-ninth year.”
All eyes watched the gentleman in question gently remove his wife’s hands from the neck of Mr Priestley and push her behind him.
“I wish I could hear what he was saying.” Eva leaned further over the edge.
“Nicely done.” Simon applauded as Lord Bethelhume drew back his fist and planted it in the face of Mr Priestley. He then bent down and dragged the man to his feet, shook him like a rag doll, said a few more words and released him. Turning, he placed an arm around his wife before leading her from the room.
“Ohhhhh,” sighed the ladies.
“You will go to your club tomorrow, Daniel, and find out exactly what was said down there.”
“Nosey little thing, aren’t you?” Daniel laughed, placing a kiss on Eva’s cheek.
The actors filled off the stage, signaling the end of the first act, and Claire and Lady Dunbar stood.
“Come, Eva, Lady Dunbar wishes to stretch her legs and we shall accompany her.”
“How about you, Grandmother?”
“I shall stay here, child, and annoy the men.”
Giving her grandmother’s cheek a kiss for no other reason than she could, Eva then left with Claire and Lady Dunbar.
