“It’s not true?” When she didn’t answer, he reached across and took her hands again. This time he didn’t let go because she seemed to need the comfort. “You don’t owe me any answers.”
She stared into his face a moment and then let out her breath in a shaky sigh. “I suppose I don’t. But somehow I want to give them to you, again so you can make the best decision for yourself.”
He watched as she downed the rest of her madeira in one gulp. “Take your time. I’m in no rush.”
She nodded and seemed to gather herself. Her voice was strong as she continued, “He came to London hellbent on harming Arabella, who he blamed for his fall from grace. He kidnapped her. He wanted to kill her. But in his madness, he turned the gun on himself instead. It was a suicide. Silas’s brothers were kind enough to cover it up with the authorities.”
He shook his head and squeezed her hands gently. “Oh, Evelina. That’s terrible. What you three have been through.”
“He knew.”
He blinked in confusion. “He? He who?”
“Harry,” she whispered. “Harry was with me that night when we discovered Arabella had been taken. Silas was mad with fear and I begged Harry to go with us to search. To help me save my sister and he—herefused.” She let loose a humorless laugh. “He told me he wouldn’t involve himself in something that could cause such a scandal to his name.”
Vaughn stared at her, a blind rage lifting in his chest. “That bastard. Fucking hell, that arse.”
She blinked and he realized there were tears in her eyes. “It changed things between us. Obviously it was only a few months ago, I know now that he was already with Lady Blackburn, but it was never the same. I don’t know if that was part of why he decided he would throw me over and put all his energy into her, but if it was then?—”
He realized where she was going with that sentence and shook his head. “If you apologize for the actions of that prick, I will lose my senses. He owed you more. Full stop. And this information only makes me despise him all the more.”
She looked a little confused at that statement. “Oh. Well, thank you. Thank you, Blackburn. At any rate, it isn’t very likely that the truth will come out, but it is ammunition that I suppose Harry could use against me and us, if we’re pretending a relationship. So I thought you should know about it to protect you from any scandal that might follow.”
He found himself laughing, and for the first time in a long time it was real. “Along the scale of scandals currently happening in my life, this would rate very low, I assure you. I would only care he did it because it would hurt you. But I’m guessing he wouldn’t want to tangle with Silas, who seems the kind of man who might rip a man’s arms off if his wife was harmed.”
Evelina’s smile seemed brighter at those words. “He is that. He is the best of men and I’m so happy to have him as my brother-in-law. At least one of sisters is happy and for that I’m grateful.”
There was a light knock at the parlor door and the butler returned. “Supper is served.”
“Thank you, Parsons,” Evelina said, and stood. Vaughn held out his arm and she didn’t hesitate before she took it. The feel of her fingers folding along the inside of his elbow was warm and gentle and he let out a long breath as they started out of the room.
“Thank you again for telling me,” he said. “And now I look forward to the negotiation of terms, Miss Comerford. For I have a guess that you’ll bring a nerve of steel to such things.”
He was happy that she laughed as a response, something musical that lightened the mood between them. And after the last few months, having anything lightened was something miraculous, indeed.
* * *
Evelina observed Blackburn carefully as their food was served. He was an interesting man, of which she had always been aware in their occasional interactions, but it went deeper than she had suspected. Oh, she’d seen him as intelligent and witty. And no one could deny he was handsome.
But there was so much more below that surface. He was kind. Kind to her servants, kind to her. This drive for vengeance seemed to not be in his normal character, but borne from deep pain, betrayal and grief. She understood those things. She’d experienced them not only in the situation with Harry, but in the life she’d led under her father’s thumb.
Somehow she was glad Blackburn knew a little about that now. They understood each other better, so they would be less likely to cause each other pain.
“And now that you’ve been lured in with fine brandy and a fricassee that I promise you is to die for, I think it’s time we discussed those terms,” she teased.
He laughed as he took a bite of said fricassee and then jerked his gaze toward her. “Oh, you are right. That’s delicious. You don’t play fair, Evelina.”
“I’m a courtesan. We seduce the senses,” she said, and then heard the tone of her words. “Oh, obviously I don’t mean seduce as in erotic seduction. Not with us.”
He hesitated, she wasn’t exactly certain of why, but then inclined his head. “Yes, I think we have both agreed to that term already. This is not meant to be a true affair. I won’t have an expectation of being in your bed.”
“Good.” She said it but had an odd sensation of brief disappointment. “Good. Then the terms are more about duration and expectation outside of what a normal protector and courtesan would do together.”
“As well as agreeing to what I’ll provide,” he added.
She blinked. “What you’ll provide?”
“I’m keeping you from the courtesan market,” he said. “And asking you to pretend to be mine. I don’t expect that will come without some financial cost. Your sister owns this house, yes? Does she charge you rent?”
