Sinclair shrugged, letting him know that Graham had started it and he would be of no help. Graham opened his eyes wider, shocked that Sinclair wouldn’t help him smooth this into a more acceptable explanation. Instead, Sinclair only laughed.
“Well ... you both ...” Graham tried to start.
“We both what?” Charlie’s tone turned offensive.
“Yes, what do we both?” asked Evelyn, her curiosity shining in her eyes. If Graham wasn’t mistaken, he also spied a hint of mischief twinkling.
“Well, your eyes ...”
“Are both green,” said Charlie.
“Yes, but Charlie has gold that flecks and Evelyn’s eyes hold a silver sparkle,” explained Graham.
“You noticed that?” asked Evelyn. “But Reese didn’t.”
“What else?” Charlie demanded.
“Um, you each carry a unique fragrance. Yes, that is it. Charlie, you smell like chocolate for some reason. And, Evelyn, whenever you are in a room, I catch a scent of raspberries and vanilla.”
Graham thought he was in the clear by referencing two distinct similarities that wouldn’t offend them. However, each lady sat waiting for him to spill more. Which he refused to do. He might be as foolish as his brother, but he wouldn’t place himself in a situation where either lady would take offense at the differences that were more than obvious. They still had another day of traveling before they reached London, and he didn’t want to ride in a carriage with two ladies whose feelings he might hurt if he spoke the truth. So, instead, his gaze darted around the carriage while trying not to make eye contact with either lady.
He glanced out the window. “We are having excellent weather for this journey.”
The carriage erupted in laughter from the two sisters. Graham’s gaze swung to them. They stared at him, laughing at his uncomfortableness. This was a side of Evelyn he had never seen before. Sure, he had watched her find enjoyment with his family, but never the silliness she displayed with her sister. He wondered if Reese could stay immune to this side of Evelyn. For if he could, he was more foolish than Graham thought. Evelyn looked downright adorable with her cheeks rosy, laughter dancing in her eyes, and silly giggles spilling from her opened mouth.
“Shall we put him out of his misery?” Evelyn asked.
Charlie laughed. “I suppose we can. Even though it is much more fun to watch him squirm.”
“So true, but he has endeared himself to me with his support.”
“Very well,” said Charlie.
Evelyn reached across the carriage and patted Graham’s knee before sitting back in the seat. At every attempt, she tried to bring her laughter under control, but then Charlie would start laughing harder, and Evelyn fell into another gaggle of giggles again. Even Sinclair joined in, leaving Graham left out of their humor.
Once Evelyn controlled herself with deep breaths, she smiled serenely at him before confessing, “We apologize for our attempt to play innocent to your discomfort. Charlie and I both know how completely opposite we are from one another. While only our family members will point out the differences, it was refreshing for someone who has not known us our entire lives to see the discrepancies. In our foolishness, we were hoping you would show your bravery by telling us.”
Graham nodded at his understanding. He thought to make them suffer for a brief spell for making him uncomfortable. “I can see where my brother did not appreciate your attempts to fool him.”
The carriage grew silent, and the ladies appeared scolded by their antics.
“However, I so graciously do. Very well, heathens, you had me completely fooled and smitten.” Graham laughed.
The carriage roared with laughter at the humor of the delicate situation, and Graham offered his support to Evelyn for whatever she had planned. For the rest of the carriage ride, they made arrangements for when they reached London. They decided to drop Graham and Evelyn off first at Worthington’s townhome in Mayfair once they arrived. Then Evelyn made plans with Charlie for the following day to visit their family at the Colebourne house in St. James.
Evelyn’s anticipation grew each mile they traveled closer to London. She wondered what Reese was doing at that exact moment. Once they arrived, would he be at home? With much impatience, Evelyn had to wait another day before discovering her husband’s pastimes.
Chapter Thirteen
While Evelyn wondered of Reese’s pastimes, Reese sat debating whether he should remain in London or return home to his wife.
He missed Evelyn something fiercely. Once his temper had calmed and he rationally thought over the course of his actions, he finally saw them for what they were: a tantrum. He’d acted like a four-year-old child in his treatment of Evelyn. He tried to forget how he hurt her with his deception, but he couldn’t remove the heaviness that weighed on his conscience no matter how hard he tried to rationalize it. The matter of it, plain and simple, was that he had been a fool since the first time he kissed Evelyn. Making one foolish mistake after another.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the pain reflected in Evelyn’s gaze. Even though she’d taunted him with her desire before he left, he’d still caused her pain by rejecting her yet again. His brother stood correct in that he had changed into the very image of his bastard of a father. With each instance of him unleashing his fury with Evelyn, his father’s tarnished hand rose behind it. Every kiss, every caress, filled with revenge.
Except his revenge had backfired. Evelyn had invaded his soul and clung to him, never releasing her hold. Did he even want her to? He didn’t know. Either way, he needed to make amends. Only, he didn’t hold a clue if she would accept them.
Before her family arrived, Reese had almost fooled himself into believing their marriage was real. While he fooled Evelyn, he had been no different. Every kiss from her enflamed his senses. Every caress made him ache for more. Every time Evelyn screamed her pleasure, Reese craved to hear the sound again. They had settled into marital bliss, and Reese had finally found contentment.
And he tossed that peaceful marriage away because Evelyn had tricked his ego and wounded his pride. All because she loved him. Him. Evelyn had fallen in love with a man Reese didn’t even know existed.
Reese swallowed a long slug from the bottle of whiskey held in his grip, a hold he hadn’t relinquished for the past two hours. He slid lower in his chair, propping his feet on the ottoman, and stared into the blazing hearth. Images of his wife danced before him in the flames. Evelyn laughing while he tickled her. Evelyn gazing at him in adoration. Evelyn dancing in his arms. Evelyn making love with him.
At each lick of the flames, another image appeared. With each image, he took another swig from the bottle until it was empty. He dropped the container and listened to it clink against the other empty bottle he had drunk.
His eyes grew heavy, sleep beckoning. The temptation to slumber sounded ideal. However, he knew that once he succumbed, Evelyn would float in and out of his subconscious. Each time would be different. Reese never wanted to open his eyes when his dreams turned tantalizing, but when they turned to nightmares of Evelyn’s pain, he woke drenched in sweat. Would she ever forgive him?
A clatter in the hallway disturbed Reese, but he knew Rogers would reprimand the servants. He’d hired the butler at his London residence himself after firing his father’s insubordinate servants upon his death. None of them respected Reese as the new earl and defied every single one of his wishes. So, Reese had fired the lot and employed Rogers, who had hired a whole new staff.
Since Reese arrived at his London residence, the progress the staff had made pleased him. That was, until now. However, he wouldn’t take his fury out on them. They weren’t to blame. He only had himself to hold accountable for becoming drunk in the middle of the afternoon when he should have been at his club learning about the next auction at Tattersalls and the horseflesh on display. Instead, he was sulking like a pitiful fool, feeling sorry for himself.
The house grew silent for a brief minute before changing to
a roar of activity. Servants clattered down the staircase, Rogers shouted orders, and friendly chatter echoed along the hallway. Then Reese heard the tinkling laughter of a lady.
Not any lady. But his wife. Evelyn.
Reese lurched from the chair and stumbled to the door. He wrenched it open and attempted to stride down the hallway to the foyer, but with every step, his uneven balance tripped his feet. He bounced against the walls, jostled the tables, and saw two of everything. However, once he reached the end of his destination, he only saw one of her. Only one Evelyn stood radiant against the open doorway, the rays of the sun casting an aura around her. Amazing. Graham was introducing her to Rogers, and they laughed at a joke, with Evelyn pressing her hand against Graham’s arm.
“I see you did not take heed to my warning,” Reese slurred.
Evelyn and Graham turned in astonishment at Reese’s appearance. They appeared surprised that he would be in residence. Did they think to start an affair under his roof? Graham’s expression swiftly changed to enjoyment at seeing his brother in a drunken state, while Evelyn’s turned to concern. However, she didn’t fool him. No, sir. Reese now understood his wife and how she deceived others. Well, no more.
“On the contrary, no. However, my lovely sister-in-law requested that I do. So to please her, I shall no longer burden Evelyn with my flirtation skills.”
Reese watched Evelyn smile at Graham as they shared a special secret Reese would never be privy to. This only fueled the flames of jealousy sparking inside of Reese.
“Hmm, so instead my wife plans to flaunt your devotion to her in my face. As if I would care.”
Evelyn gasped. Reese left her speechless. It appeared as if her husband was well into the bottle, with his red-rimmed eyes, disheveled appearance, slurred words, and unsteadiness. Evelyn had thought that perhaps Reese might have calmed enough for them to discuss their marriage, but his insults proved otherwise.
Reese waved his arm, stumbling. “However, I will not allow for such an affair to happen under my roof. If you desire a taste of my wife, you will need to find your own residence. Also, you have my permission, even though I did not know you liked my seconds. However, you will find nothing disappointing with the lovely Evelyn. She tastes most divine.”
Evelyn paled at his words. From where he stood, he watched her body shake. From anger or shame, he didn’t know. He only knew that, in his drunken state, he had whored his wife out to his brother with his permission in front of the servants, not to mention her family standing on the front stoop.
If his gut had suffered remorse before, it was nothing compared to the sense of doom that shook his body now. Shame flooded him, and he stood motionless regarding the scene folding out before him. It was as if he were in another dimension, watching a scene from afar instead of the one happening before him.
“Rogers, if you could please show me to my room.” Evelyn spoke coldly, but with a dignity that only Evelyn held.
Rogers, uncomfortable with the family drama, escorted Evelyn up the stairs that led to the bedroom. When she swept past him, she wouldn’t meet his gaze. Her lips trembled and Reese saw tears clinging to her lashes. With one blink, they would have rushed along her cheeks, but she kept her gaze focused ahead and avoided him. He reached out for her, but his arm hung in mid-air, his fingers stretching but unable to grasp Evelyn.
However, her sister wouldn’t show the same grace. She followed behind Evelyn and stopped in front of him. Charlotte snarled at him her dislike, and in his intoxicated state, he realized the differences. He stared at Charlotte and felt not an ounce of emotion. Yet, when he watched his wife walk away, the love he held for Evelyn came to a crashing halt. He loved her, and because of his stupidity, he’d ruined his chance with her. All because of his jealousy at the affection Evelyn shared with Graham.
“Bastard,” Charlotte hissed before slapping Reese across the face.
With Sinclair, Reese wouldn’t be so lucky. Sinclair stalked over the threshold, rushing at Reese with a fury most deserved. Sinclair grabbed Reese by his shirt and yanked him forward. When Reese stayed at home to drink his emotions away, he’d discarded his suit coat, cravat, and waistcoat. He’d even undone a few buttons.
“Bastard is too kind of a word, my love, for this pile of shite,” Sinclair bit out. “Gather Evelyn. She is coming home with us. I will not allow her to spend another moment under this arse’s roof.”
Charlotte didn’t wait for any more instructions. She scrambled up the stairs in search of her sister. Worthington waited for the brutality Sinclair kept tightly controlled, expecting a pummeling. Except it never came. As quickly as Sinclair grabbed a hold of him, he pushed Worthington away.
Sinclair wiped his hands along his suit coat. “You are not worth the effort to sully my hands.”
However, his brother wouldn’t show such kindness. Once Sinclair stepped away and followed his wife up the stairs to gather Evelyn, Graham stepped forward. Before Reese could defend himself, Graham repaid Reese for his brutal treatment earlier in the week. Graham cocked his arm back and shot it forward. His fist caught Reese square in the eye.
Reese swore as pain blasted his face. He couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it, but it hurt more than he cared to admit.
Before he could gather his bearings, Graham’s other arm shot upward into Reese’s gut. Reese doubled over with a wheeze.
Just for good measure, Graham added an extra punch to Reese’s other eye, knocking him back against the wall. As the air rushed out of him, Reese slid onto the floor and tipped over.
“You’re a fool, brother,” he vaguely heard Graham tell him.
Between the amount of alcohol he’d consumed and Graham’s brutal fists, Reese saw the twinkling of stars that matched Evelyn’s eyes before he passed out in a sprawl across the hallway.
Graham shook his fingers out and looked down at his brother in disgust. He was ashamed to call Reese his brother after watching him ruin Evelyn with his slanderous words. He sighed and hung his head, wondering how he could fix his brother’s blunder. From the reeking stench of alcohol in the air, his brother wasn’t just a fool, but a drunken fool.
Graham kicked his foot out to nudge Reese, but his brother only sprawled his body out more across the hall, and a loud snore escaped his lips. Graham searched for a servant to help him carry his brother to his bed, but there were none to be found. Of course not. Reese had made everyone so bloody uncomfortable with his accusations that everyone had made themselves scarce.
Graham prayed none of the servants would judge Evelyn too harshly. Lord knew she risked her heart enough by chasing after Reese. But for her own husband to degrade her in front of the servants by suggesting she was loose with her favors? It was too much for any lady. He hoped the new servants his brother hired after their father passed would stay loyal to their family. However, Graham knew that wouldn’t be the case. It was not how the hierarchy of servants worked, especially newly hired servants. Rumors would spread like wildfire. Before Evelyn even entered society, gossip would spread of her loose morals. It wouldn’t even matter that the Duke of Colebourne was her uncle.
Reese had ruined Evelyn in more ways than one.
Graham raised his head at the footsteps coming down the stairs. Sinclair stomped down them, looking for a fight. Charlotte followed him a few steps behind.
“Evelyn?” Graham asked.
“She refuses to come home with us. Evelyn stated that she made this journey for a reconciliation, and she will see it through to the end. No matter the circumstances,” Sinclair growled.
Graham nodded in understanding. He admired Evelyn’s bravery to fight against Reese’s stubbornness. He just didn’t know if his brother was worth it. He feared it was too late. The man lying on the floor reminded him of his father, a worthless bastard with a heart of stone. Graham didn’t even think Evelyn could crack Reese.
“I tried to reason with her, but when Evelyn sets her heart on something, no one can change her mind. And she has her heart set on
this lump.” Charlotte kicked her leg out, landing it in Reese’s side.
It had no effect on Reese. He continued snoring, oblivious to the scandal he’d created.
Graham sighed in disgust. “Can you at least help me carry him to his bed before you leave? All the servants have made themselves scarce.”
“He deserves to lie on the floor,” Sinclair snarled.
“I agree. But please, think of Evelyn. He has already caused her enough embarrassment. I do not want her to see him in this state,” said Graham.
After a moment, Sinclair finally relented, though he looked just as reluctant. “All right.”
Graham and Sinclair carried Reese up the stairs to his bed. Along the way, Sinclair accidentally lost his hold on Reese a few times, causing him to either knock his head on the railing or against the wall. Graham knew Sinclair did it on purpose by his smirks. Maybe his brother deserved it. Once in Reese’s room, they threw him on his bed, and he landed near the edge.
Before Sinclair reached the door, he turned back and glared at Graham. “I am leaving her under your care. I will send a carriage for Evelyn in the morning to accompany Charlotte to visit her family. You better make sure your brother keeps his distance from Evelyn. I will pay a visit to the Duke of Colebourne this evening to update him on their marriage. Between our visit to your home and his slander of Evelyn’s character, hold no surprise on the outcome of the duke’s wrath. Your brother walked a thin line to begin with. Now he is hanging off a cliff where his enemies gather, waiting to peel each finger away until there is nothing to keep him from falling.”
Graham understood the message behind Sinclair’s words. The duke had given his niece time to make her marriage work. However, after he heard the full story of Reese’s treatment, the duke himself would seek his own source of retribution. One that would leave their family destroyed. Colebourne won’t leave Reese as a casualty, but ruined beyond repair. Not even Evelyn’s love could save him.
How the Earl Fell for His Countess (Matchmaking Madness Book 2) Page 12