Page 114 of Wicked Highland Heroes

“Eve, don’t be an idiot,” Grace said. “The fact the contract was signed the day Lord Halifax kidnapped you, tells the polite world that Lord Halifax did, indeed, kidnap you, and that Lord Rushton defended your honor because you were to be his wife. Even my reputation is unscathed. It is just as I said, only you are the bride, not I.”

“I am sorry,” Lord Rushton said.

“It is your loss, I assure you, my lord,” Grace said in an airy tone. “Though Eve is a fine catch, and you would do well not to forget that.”

Eve stared at her sister. She had expected tears, shouts, perhaps even the stamping of feet if Lord Rushton didn’t marry her. Instead, she was acquiescing with poise and refinement befitting the marchioness she one day hoped to be. This was all wrong.

Eve looked at the earl. “And if I don’t sign the contract?”

“You have no choice,” her father boomed. “The earl owned up to what transpired between you two.”

Lord Rushton shoved to his feet. “Tolland, leave well enough alone.”

“I will not. Eve, you have gone too far this time.”

Eve recalled the night in the ship’s cabin a little over a day ago when she and Lord Rushton were alone. In truth, allowing the earl to touch her as he had was enough to warrant that they marry. But no one knew about that. Did they?

“What do you mean ‘what transpired between you two’?” she asked her father.

His mouth thinned. “Will you make me say it? At least Rushton was honorable enough to admit the truth and do the right thing.”

“Tolland,” Lord Rushton growled.

“How dare you?” Eve jumped to her feet and slapped him.

The room went silent.

The earl shrugged. “It was bound to happen eventually.” He addressed his father and her father. “My future wife and I have a few things to discuss.”

“Erroll,” the marquess began in unison with Eve’s father’s, “Here, here,” but he cut them off.

“We will be in the hallway. Have no fear, we won’t run away. We would not get even to the stables, and I do have the presence of mind to know, Tolland, that you would chase me this time with murder in your heart.” He grasped her wrist and started toward the door.

She yanked. “And if Miss Crenshaw has no desire to speak with his lordship?”

He didn’t stop. “Oh, but she does.”

“Lord Tolland,” Eve heard the marchioness say.

They reached the door and Lord Rushton opened it and pushed her into the hallway. He paused and looked at the gathering, “Be warned, any interruptions will result in my taking Miss Crenshaw back to England where none of you will be welcome in our house.” He closed the door behind him.

Eve whirled on them. “You told them we-we—”

“Not here.” He grasped her arm and strode down the hallway.

She was forced to take quick steps in order to keep up. “What are you doing?”

He stopped beside a large tapestry and twitched aside the fabric. Eve saw a hidden alcove an instant before he pushed her into the shadowy space. She retreated when he stepped inside and released the tapestry behind him, cutting off the light from the hallway. They weren’t in total darkness as they had been in the hidey-hole at the party in Manchester, but that didn’t stop her heart from jumping into an erratic rhythm.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Getting us a moment of privacy.”

Anger shot through her. “That is what got us into trouble in the first place.”

He snorted a laugh. “You are right there. But it matters little at this point.”

“What could we possibly have to talk about?” she demanded. “You lied. You told my father that we-we—you know what you told him.”