“Blast,” she muttered. A brief visit to his town house would be more effective than a note sent with a footman. Fortunately, she had his book to provide an excuse for calling on him without an invitation.
Twenty-three
Eve scooted to the edge of the carriage bench and peered through the window as the young footman she’d chosen to accompany her to Jonathan’s home approached his door with her calling card. She would need new ones printed with her married name, but her old one would have to suffice for now.
Her heart sped as the footman knocked. Calling on her former betrothed was bold—an action she would never consider under normal circumstances—but she couldn’t escape the gnawing sense something wasn’t right with him. In all likelihood, she should forget about Jonathan and settle happily into her new life with Ben. Nevertheless, she was here. It was too late to retreat.
The battered door to Jonathan’s town house creaked open and a manservant appeared.
“Mrs. Benjamin Hillary requests an audience with Sir Jonathan Hackberry, sir,” the footman said, handing over her card.
Jonathan’s man read it aloud. “Miss Eve Thorne.” He craned his neck to see around the brawny young man and met her gaze.
Her face heated in response to his impertinent stare. She’d had no occasion to visit Jonathan at his home, although it seemed clear his man knew of her. He would have, given she had almost become mistress of the house.
“Sir Jonathan is abroad, but I will record the lady’s inquiry in the guest book for when he returns.”
Her breath caught. Jonathan was gone already? It had only been two days since their wedding was canceled. His rush to quit England only strengthened her feeling that something was wrong.
The footman thanked Jonathan’s manservant, then turned back as the carriage door flew open. Eve squeaked in surprise as Viscount Margrave stuck his head inside. “Why, Mrs. Hillary. It is you. I recognized Ben’s carriage and thought to surprise him.”
The calculated gleam in his hazel eyes said otherwise. He hadn’t expected to find Ben any more than she expected Margrave to mind his own affairs. A married lady rarely had cause to call on an old love, especially when her marriage was so new. Most likely, he thought he’d caught her planning a tryst with her former fiancé. She should have considered how presenting herself at Jonathan’s door might look to others, but she had only been concerned for him.
Not one to play games or allow others to intimidate her, she regarded Ben’s longtime friend sternly. “Well, you have certainly surprised me, Lord Margrave. Do you make a habit of leaping out at ladies and frightening them, or are you playing spy on my husband’s behalf?”
A corner of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. “You are too clever for your own good, madam. You’ve discovered my secret. I do enjoy frightening young ladies.”
When she wrinkled her nose, he laughed and climbed into the carriage.
The footman appeared in the doorway, his jaw set in a hard line. “Milord, please exit the carriage. I did not hear Mrs. Hillary extend an invitation to join her.”
Lord Margrave flicked an insolent glance at the servant. “Mr. Hillary will thank me for seeing her home, pup. Close the door.”
She bristled at the viscount’s arrogance, but the hard edge to his voice elicited a frisson of apprehension for the young man’s well-being. Forcing a calm smile, she reassured the footman Lord Margrave’s escort was welcome, then handed the book to him. “Please deliver this to Sir Jonathan’s door. It belongs to him, and I would like to return it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The young man directed a scowl at Lord Margrave before closing the door and granting her request.
“Ben always had a talent for determining which men would be loyal to him,” the viscount said. “The pup has done him proud today.”
She pursed her lips. “I should have allowed him to toss you out.”
“You are too gracious to do any such thing.”
“We all have our faults, my lord.” She settled against the seat back as the servant returned to his station and the carriage pulled into the street.
Margrave studied her from the opposite seat with an expectant lift of his eyebrows.
“Not that it is any of your concern,” she said, “but I intend to tell my husband about calling on Sir Jonathan. We keep no secrets between us.”
“Admirable. In the future, might I suggest you consult your husband before venturing out alone?”
She smiled sweetly. “You may not.”
Ben and Lord Margrave had been friends for many years, and she’d spent time in the viscount’s company during her longer betrothal to Ben. Her husband did have a talent for attracting the most loyal men, and Margrave clearly considered himself charged with protecting Ben’s interests.
“My husband does not keep me on a tether, and I am certain he has not asked you to guard me. There is no need for your escort.”
It was a moot argument given the carriage was already rattling over the cobblestones en route to her new home, but she wanted to send the message that his high-handed manner was unappreciated.
Margrave smirked. “Perhaps he should. Keep you on a tether, that is. A young woman about Town alone can land in all sorts of trouble.”
“I see your point,” she drawled. “You, sir, are definitely bothersome.”
He tossed his head back with a hearty laugh. She’d never heard him sound anything close to merry or amused. The sound was disarming, and her shoulders lost their stiffness before she realized what was occurring.
“I also suspect you might be charming on occasion,” she mused.
“You caught me on a good day.” His smile faded, and he leaned slightly toward her. “I meant what I said about you being clever, so I must believe this slight lapse in judgment will not be repeated. Stay away from Sir Jonathan if you value your reputation.”
A small huff escaped her. The man was right, but she didn’t appreciate him drawing attention to her mistake. “I’ve returned his book. I see no reason to call on him again. And I assure you there is no cause to doubt my faithfulness. I love my husband.”
“I would never question your regard for Ben. You waited longer than most ladies would have for him.” Lord Margrave eased back against the seat, the iciness in his eyes melting away. “He needs you, madam. After what happened with Charlotte… Well, I’m not certain he would recover if he lost you. Please do not do anything that could place you in harm’s way.”
His concern was out of proportion to the situation, but she nodded to appease him. He had been a good friend to Ben after Charlotte’s accident. She couldn’t be too harsh with him for wanting to protect Ben from future heartache.
“Thank you.” The viscount rapped on the roof. The driver pulled to the curb and stopped. Apparently, now that Lord Margrave had delivered his lecture, he was ready to make his escape. “Good day, Mrs. Hillary. It was a pleasure to see you again.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” she muttered as he exited.
She didn’t have long to contemplate his odd visit, or Jonathan’s quick departure for lands unknown, before arriving home.
Dobbins met her at the door and took her hat and gloves. “Mr. Hillary would like you to see him in his study, ma’am.”
Her stomach dropped. He couldn’t have heard of her visit to Jonathan’s already. Trying to brush off her worry as ridiculous, she strolled toward his study with an air of nonchalance. Ben was behind his desk when she entered, his head bent over a ledger. His grandfather’s portrait hung above the fireplace behind him, and she took a moment to study it. He’d been a handsome man even in his later years. The thought of watching Ben age as gracefully made her smile. She cleared her throat to gain his attention.
Ben’s blue eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked up. “There you are. I hadn’t expected to find you gone when I returned.” He replaced the quill
and pushed up from the chair to round his desk. “Were you paying calls?”
The full force of his smile made her pulse flutter. She didn’t want to anger him by revealing where she had been, but she had vowed to always be honest with him.
“I paid one call, which reminded me that I need new calling cards printed.” She didn’t mean to hesitate, but she wanted to feel his welcoming embrace while he was still pleased with her.
Ben wrapped her in his arms and she laid her head against him. She loved when he held her close: the spicy scent of his cologne, the strong beat of his heart, the hard planes of his chest. He made her feel protected and cherished, which only served to make her feel rotten for having slipped off to see Jonathan without discussing it with him. She hadn’t been in any physical danger—the notion was quite ludicrous, really—but Ben would see it as his duty to protect her reputation as well as her person, and she hadn’t allowed him the opportunity to have his say in the matter.
“Mr. Davis will see to your cards,” he said, “and you should provide him with a list of shops where you would like an account.”
“I will.” She eased from his embrace and sighed. “I’ve something to tell you, and I am uncertain how you will receive the news.”
“Oh?” He leaned against his desk, crossing his legs at the ankles. “From your dire expression, I take it you expect I will be unhappy.”
“There is no reason you should be, but I expect you might.” She lowered into the chair in front of him and glanced up at him with a flirtatious tilt of her head. Her interest was in him alone, and she needed to let him know her excursion wasn’t motivated by unresolved feelings for her former betrothed. “I went to see Sir Jonathan today.”
A scowl appeared on Ben’s handsome face. He crossed his arms and said nothing. The silence hung on the air, finally weighing on her until she couldn’t bear it.
“Only to return a book he loaned me.”
Ben’s eyebrows lowered over his stormy blue eyes. His lips pressed together in a thin line, and he still didn’t speak.
Eve clutched her hands in her lap, her heart beating ferociously. She would prefer a rant to this unnerving silence. “You might be pleased to know he wasn’t home. He has already traveled abroad. It seems rather sudden, don’t you agree?”
“I could have told you Sir Jonathan set sail already if you had asked.” He sounded much calmer than she’d expected given his stern countenance. “I thought we agreed to allow Sir Jonathan his privacy.”
She frowned. Her husband seemed to be purposefully obtuse when it came to Jonathan. Why couldn’t he admit the circumstances surrounding Jonathan’s departure were peculiar? “I am not convinced he truly wants us to stay out of his affairs. If he has fallen on hard times, he needs someone on his side. He has no family. I wish you would look into the matter.”
Blood rose in his cheeks. “You seem uncommonly concerned for the man you didn’t marry. I am beginning to wonder if you truly planned to end your betrothal with him after all.”
“I did!” She shot to her feet. “I invited him to tea because I wanted to end our betrothal, and I would have if he had given me a chance.” Her chin quivered as she fought to keep her composure. She was close to tears. Hot, angry ones.
“Lord, Evie. I don’t want to quarrel with you.” Ben pushed from the desk and opened his arms, but she shook her head and swiped at the traitorous tears as they slipped onto her cheeks.
“I do not want to argue either.”
“I am allowing my jealousy to get the better of me. Forgive me?” When she didn’t come to him, he came to her instead to gather her against him. “Please don’t cry, love. It breaks my heart to know I am the cause.”
She slid her arms around his waist and sank against his chest. “You have no reason to feel jealous of anyone. You never have. I’ve loved you and no one else almost from the moment we met.”
Tipping her chin up, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Likewise.”
She scrunched her nose and glared at him.
“What did I say to earn that look?”
“Likewise?”
“Yes, Mrs. Hillary. Likewise.” He dipped her backward so fast, she squealed. Cradling her back to support her weight, he leaned down until they were nose to nose. “I love you madly, deeply, and with every beat of my heart,” he whispered, sending her heart into a gallop. “Is that better?”
“Y-yes,” she said breathlessly. “It was very nearly perfect.”
“So are you.” And then he kissed her until she forgot why they were at odds.
Twenty-four
Ben found it difficult to take his eyes from Eve that evening at the pleasure gardens. Her skin glowed from the fresh air, and her smile dazzled. She was a vision in a rose silk gown that bordered on risqué for her. As they strolled through the Triumphal Arches with arms entwined, it seemed he wasn’t alone in his admiration. He glowered at any man he caught ogling her, but he didn’t dare make a comment about the scoundrels. He had depleted his quota for jealous snits earlier that day.
It was true her persistent concern for Sir Jonathan roused his envy, but her choice to visit his home was alarming. Even if Sir Jonathan was correct about Eve no longer being in danger now that he’d left England, Ben didn’t want Eve to be discovered snooping. Nor did he want his wife moving about London without a proper escort, and the young footman Parker was not equipped to provide adequate protection against Sir Jonathan’s unsavory associates.
“I don’t want you leaving home without me until I have hired a man to watch over you. I will place an advertisement tomorrow.”
“You want to place me under guard?” She halted in the middle of the path and turned to him in wide-eyed shock. “Because of today?”
Ben flinched as passersby slowed their steps and shot curious glances in their direction. “Lower your voice, dearling. Everyone does not need to know of our affairs.”
She, too, seemed to notice they were drawing attention. “Then why bring it up now?” she asked in a fierce whisper. What a picture she presented: pert chin lifted in challenge, a spark of ire in her brown eyes.
A slow grin crossed his face. “Excellent point, my love. Shall we resume our conversation at a more appropriate time?” He offered his arm to suggest they continue their stroll, and she linked arms, her good-natured smile returning.
“I hope no one answers the advertisement for at least a fortnight. Then I will have you all to myself.”
“You will always have me all to yourself, Evie.” There would never be anyone else to turn his head. For two years, his feelings for her had only grown stronger, and now that she was his, he loved her with an intensity that frightened him. It made him yearn for her when they were apart and caused a physical ache deep in his bones. Uncomfortable with this newfound vulnerability, he changed the subject. “There are matters I need to see to, however, before we leave on a honeymoon trip.”
She released a tiny squeak of excitement. “I cannot believe we are going to see the world.”
“Parts of it.” He chuckled, her enthusiasm pleasing him to no end. “There are some places I’d rather not revisit, but I promised to take you wherever you like. Have you begun your list?”
“No, not yet. Have you?”
“I have destinations in mind, but I am most interested in fulfilling your wishes. We’ll need to decide our final destinations soon so I can complete the necessary forms. You should plan to come with me to the ship to determine what items will be needed to make our quarters more comfortable. We can visit the docks this week.”
He had already chosen his most seaworthy vessel and skilled captain for the voyage.
“Perhaps Amelia has suggestions,” she said.
“I am certain Lisette could be of assistance too.” Both of Ben’s sisters-in-law had traveled with his brothers and would know how to help Eve prepare for life onboard s
hip. “You should invite them to tea. They will know what a lady’s needs are onboard. I am afraid I will be of little help.”
She beamed at him.
“What is it?” he asked. “What have I done to earn such a bright smile?”
“It sounds as if you’ve never traveled with a lady companion.”
“I haven’t. You, dearling, are my first.”
Her cheeks glowed and she snuggled closer to his side. “And that is the reason you’ve earned my smile.”
As they neared the supper boxes, Ben spotted Jake with his wife Amelia and Lord and Lady Norwick. He’d invited his brother, the earl, and their wives to join them for dinner, thinking Eve might appreciate the company of other ladies. She’d had no one to talk to besides her maid and him since the wedding breakfast.
“I see our guests have arrived,” he said, gesturing toward the couples.
Eve flashed a smile at him. “I am so glad you thought to invite them.”
The ladies greeted each other with kisses on the cheek before Amelia and Lady Norwick pulled Eve to a safe distance so as not to be overheard.
Jake crossed his arms and grinned. “You do realize they are talking about you.”
“Yes, old boy,” Norwick said with a chuckle, his stocky frame jostling. “Bianca leaves no stone unturned. Before the orchestra takes the stage, my wife will know every detail of the last twenty-four hours of your life.”
Ben smirked. “If you think you two are being spared, you are fools. I’d wager they are comparing notes as we speak. Best of luck, gents.”
“The best of…? Oh, hell.” Norwick’s round face turned crimson. “Must B discuss such things with her friends?”
Jake simply cocked an eyebrow, clearly unconcerned about the ladies’ hushed conversation, then waved to someone behind Ben. “Here comes Margrave. I am surprised to see him here. The gardens seem too tame for a bachelor’s tastes.”
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