Had he said that aloud? All of it? Hell of a thing. He had not spoken this much since…
Cora.
Double fuck.
A dark wave of memories hit him in the gut like a fist. It was time to extract himself from this cursed chair and go. He would find his brother and tell Dom this particular assignment was not for him. Loyalty and brotherly devotion had a limit. This was it. Lady Evangeline Saltisford could take her airs and her golden beauty and marry her silly fop and have his heir and spare and then cry into her embroidered handkerchief when she discovered he had a mistress.
He stood, narrowly hauling himself from betwixt the polished arms of the mahogany chair of death, and bowed. Devil knew he ought to say something. Likely an apology. But in the end, he couldn’t be bothered. He stalked from the drawing room with Lady Evangeline Saltisford’s indignation trailing after him.
Along with her scent.
She smelled like a damned fruit, sweet and ripe.
Curse her.
Chapter Two
“Iknow youare hopelessly in love with your husband, Addy, but this farce cannot continue.”
Evie paused in practicing the delivery of her speech to the cheval glass in her chamber, studying her reflection. Did she look angry? That would never do. She knew her twin. Addy did not like strife. Evie would need to be calm. Cool. Soft, even.
She took a deep breath and then made another attempt.
“After the improper manner in which he referred to Lord Denton yesterday, you cannot possibly expect me to suffer Mr. Winter’s presence.”
No.
That would not do either. Addy was quite protective of her new husband’s family. Because her sister possessed a heart of gold, it did not matter to Addy that the branch of the Winter family she had married into was scandalous. That their accents and lack of proper manners gave their upbringing in the rookery away. No, indeed. She believed it an excellent idea to bring more of them to Mayfair.
One great, surly beast in particular.
Devil Winter.
Nay, Evie refused to think of him as such. Instead, she would think of him asMr. Nothing. And one could only hope that soon enough hewouldbe nothing in her life, returned to the gaming hell where he belonged, along with his disturbingly blue eyes and the wickedest lips she had ever seen upon a man.
Why did he have to be so…
Oh, bother.She would not think it.
Another slow, deep breath, and she tried again.
“I know you are only concerned for me, my dearest sister. However, I am certain the shot that was fired in the park was not meant—”
Her words died.
Because in the next moment, the world exploded. Everything seemed to happen, all at once.
A loud report was followed by the shattering of glass. The window of her chamber fell to the floor in a thousand pieces. Something whisked past her shoulder, leaving a stinging sensation in its wake. Bits of plaster ceiling and dust rained down from overhead.
Her arm was wet. Wet and burning. Tickling. Something was sticky and warm on her flesh. She pressed a hand to the sleeve of her gown, her fingers finding it torn and ragged. More wetness greeted her fingertips.
In shock, she examined her fingers.
They were dripping with scarlet.
Blood. Her own.
Dear God, she had been shot.
