An Earl's Guide to Catch a Lady

by Wilde, Tanya

  A loud hammering outside the drawing room interrupted him midsentence. Their startled gazes flew to the door. Then the hammering suddenly stopped, followed by shouting and something crashing against the wall.

  “What the—”

  “Evelyn!” A furious voice shouted.

  Her blood ran cold, and she watched with a sinking heart as Damien’s eyes narrowed on the door.

  “Evelyn!” The shout came again, followed by pounding on the door.

  Evelyn stood frozen, her mind refusing all thoughts that it was Matthew shouting her name and pounding against their only exit.

  “Is that who I think it is?” Damien asked her in what she could only presume was disbelief.

  “Who do you think it is?”

  Her question was lost in another loud crash. Neither of them made a move toward the door or a sound that would make their presence known. The pounding on the door stopped again, and Evelyn let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She pushed out of Damien’s embrace, but jumped closer when a loud crack sounded against the door. It almost sounded like a—

  Another loud crack. Then another. One last deafening crack and suddenly Matthew stood in the doorway, the door hanging on its hinges. Evelyn couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her lips at the sight of him. His was jaw set in a harsh line, his teeth clenched tightly while his broad chest rose and fell in short labored breaths. Shoulders bunched like a warrior his fists clenched at his side.

  Oh dear.

  His gaze darted back and forth between her and Damien before it settled on her waist, which still had male arms around her. He glared at Damien as if he would like nothing more than to rip him to pieces. It was clear he did not like the picture they made for his eyes promised murder.

  Somehow Evelyn pushed away from Damien and he let her go, his face an unreadable mask and his eyes devoid of emotion. A shiver of unease ran through her.

  Then, Matthew’s penetrating gaze turned to her. She saw the flash of agony before it was gone. Her heart pinched.

  “What are you doing, Evelyn?” he asked, his voice barely an audible whisper.

  Her chest tightened. Anger she would have understood, she had made a promise, but this heartbroken question, it scorched her soul. She could no more answer than she could set herself on fire.

  Her fake betrothed regarded her with laid back interest, obviously expecting her to answer the question, amusement apparent in his bearing. The devil.

  “I came to collect some belongings?” Evelyn lamely attempted to lighten the mood.

  If anything, his face became even harsher, his eyes shooting daggers at them.

  “It would seem that I have interrupted an intimate moment,” he growled, his breath coming out in harsh gasps. Noticeable tremors racked his body.

  “Matthew—”

  “Enough Evelyn! Enough of your lies!” he roared.

  He took a step forward.

  She took a step back.

  There was nothing she could say that would not add to his fury. He was beyond all reasoning. By leaving, when she let him believe she would not, she had pushed him over the edge.

  “Do you have nothing to say?”

  Why yes, she had plenty to say. Only she did not think it would be in the best interest of her health to do so. Apparently Damien thought so as well. She spared him a quizzical look when he stepped closer to her and then blinked when he winked at her.

  Stunned she watched him face Matthew with a seriousness that could not have been real. The man had just winked at her!

  “Settle your feathers, Grey. Obviously there is more to the story than what you witnessed. Why don’t we all just sit down and discuss this like adults?”

  Grey?

  “You can do as you like St. Aldwyn,” Matthew practically shouted. “What I would like to know,” he said raking his murderous eyes over Evelyn, “is why you left my bed in the dead of the night to be with him?”

  “Have you not heard the happy news?” Damien asked in a syrupy voice laced with sarcasm, “I have become betrothed.”

  Evelyn felt her cheeks flame at Matthew’s crude question and Damien’s ill-humored reminder of her lie. She would punch the scoundrel later. But Matthew, did he truly believe she was that sort of woman? Of course he did. She had so effectively weaved a web of lies that she was now caught in her own tangle.

  Then a spark of recognition ignited at Damien’s earlier reference to Matthew.

  “Grey? As in the Earl of Grey?” she asked incredulously, glancing at Damien for confirmation when Matthew only stiffened.

  “You didn’t know who he was?” Damien asked as confusion lit his brow.

  “I…”

  And just like that everything suddenly made sense. The whisper of familiarity that never seemed far away, that he stood in her home at this very moment, the reason he felt a sense of duty toward her. She recalled (somewhat vaguely) that he and Simon had once been close friends, together with Damien, if she was not mistaken. He’d left London about six years ago, which is why Evelyn hadn’t recognized him. She would have only been fifteen, not yet presented to society and it wasn’t often that Simon visited home with his friends.

  Her eyes met Matthew’s in full recognition. “All this time, you knew who I was?” Her voice sounded foreign even to her own ears.

  He didn’t look away as he said, “No, I learned your identity after I left the Inn, but I had my suspicions.”

  That still meant he had known when he’d found her in Bristol, and when he’d seduced her.

  Something fractured inside her. It was hard to say exactly what, but anger clouded her vision. “You cad! You seduced me knowing who I was!”

  Her outburst only enraged him further. “I gave you ample time to come forth with the truth. The only thing, it seemed, that you didn’t lie about was being betrothed to him.”

  Evelyn winced. Granted it must look rather bad, she and Damien together, especially since her aunt wasn’t in residence. Add the fact that it had been Damien who’d betrayed him all those years ago, made it all the more horrid. But he had lied as well.

  He gave a humorous laugh. “So you were travelling to Bath to meet you lover after all.”

  “You know that’s not true,” Evelyn said softly.

  He ignored her. “Is this the type of woman you are? Bedding one man while betrothed to another?”

  Evelyn gasped as her eyes darted between the two men. His hostile tone immediately brought a chill to the room.

  Damien growled, the twitch in his jaw belying his calm demeanor.

  “You will apologize. Right. Now.”

  Evelyn stared at them, at once understanding that betrayal wasn’t the only reason why these two men hated each other.

  Charlotte.

  The name drifted through her mind with painful clarity. This was not about her. It never had been. Matthew did not care whether she left him or not. But it galled him to no end that it was Damien she was leaving him for. She was just a pawn, a means to an end.

  Distantly she became aware that the men were now shouting at one another, but paid them no mind. Her thoughts were crowded by the faceless woman named Charlotte.

  “Are you challenging me to a duel?” Damien asked incredulous.

  “Name your second,” Matthew growled.

  Evelyn’s painful woolgathering evaporated, replaced by stunned horror.

  “What are—” she started to say but Damien cut her off.

  “Why don’t you just leave?”

  “Gladly,” Matthew hissed back, “but not without her.” He jabbed a finger in Evelyn’s direction.

  Damien shrugged. “Swords it is.”

  “Stop it!” Evelyn cried out, rushing forward to stand between them. “This is absurd!”

  Matthew glared at her. “Absurd was to trust you not to leave me again!”

  “Damn you both!” she shouted. “This isn’t about me, this is about Charlotte! What is it about her that makes it impossible for you to l
et go?”

  For a moment both men were taken aback by her statement.

  Matthew stiffened but ignored her words. Holding his hand out, he snapped, “We’re leaving, now.”

  Evelyn took a step back. “No.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

  Evelyn shook her head. “You have no choice. I’m not leaving with you.”

  “Over. My. Dead. Body.”

  “That can be arranged,” Damien drawled.

  Evelyn stood momentarily in shock at his outburst, or hers, she wasn’t quite certain. Tears gathered in her eyes but she blinked them away.

  “I hope he runs you through,” she whispered harshly, wiping blindly at her eyes now. Matthew had the gall to look surprised at her words but she did not care. All that mattered was leaving. Without further thought Evelyn darted to the left, slipped passed Matthew and out the door.

  Damien eyed his former friend in disgust. “Does she matter so little to you?”

  A spark of fire entered Matthew’s eyes. “Obviously she matters or I wouldn’t be here.” He wanted nothing more than to follow her but he had unfinished business here with the man standing across from him.

  “Well, aren’t you a bundle of joy. No wonder she ran away from you,” Damien bated, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

  He’d hit a nerve. “Name your second St. Aldwyn!”

  “Forget it,” Damien said disgusted. “If this duel had been over Evelyn, I would gladly run you through. Clearly she had a point about this not being over her, and I’m not wasting my time over a whore.”

  It took all of Matthew’s strength not to attack the bastard. “I should have killed you six years ago.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Damien asked snidely.

  A flicker of emotion passed across Matthew’s face, and before Damien could put a name to it his cold mask was back in place.

  “We all make mistakes.”

  “Yes,” Damien replied. “We all do.”

  An hour later Damien found a pale Evelyn sitting at the table in the breakfast room, which was decorated in an alarming shade of purple. His heart went out to her. She looked so crest fallen, staring at nothing in particular, engrossed in her own thoughts.

  “I thought you’d be asleep,” he murmured, leaning against the wall.

  Evelyn tilted her head his way.

  He let out a string of curses when he saw she had been crying.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she said in way of explanation.

  “Neither could I.”

  She gave a single nod. “Is he still here?”

  Matthew hadn’t run after her when she stormed out of the drawing room earlier, but soon caught up to her and stood guard at her door after she slammed it in his face. He had not even tried to gain entrance. She’d sunk to the floor, her back to the door and just sat there, her mind numb.

  “…left a short while ago.”

  Oh Good. “I’m surprised he actually left, knowing you are lurking about.”

  Damien gave a humorless laugh and nodded toward a maid, who pretended not to notice them as she cleaned something furiously.

  Understanding dawned.

  “I see, I guess that settles that.”

  “What are you going to do?” he asked as he took a seat beside her. “Would you like me to smuggle you out of county? I hear Greece is lovely this time of year.”

  Evelyn smothered a laugh. “Please.”

  “On my honor, if that is what you want, I would.”

  Evelyn regarded him curiously. What a conundrum of contradictions this man had turned out to be. And Greece did sound lovely, but she had the distinct impression that Matthew would hunt her down to the ends of the earth.

  “Are you going to tell Simon?” she asked instead.

  He seemed to consider her question and Evelyn knew it would go against his nature to lie to his friend, especially if that lie was in his interest to know.

  “If you had been my sister I would have wanted to be informed. I would also have killed the man and asked questions after the fact.”

  Evelyn’s stomach twisted in a tight knot. Her brother would be so disappointed. He had always trusted her, and now she had betrayed that trust. She only hoped he wouldn’t force her to marry. She sighed, resting her head in her hands.

  To get back at Damien for a betrayal six years ago, Matthew had and would use her. Her heart pinched in her chest but she remained strong. Later she would rant and rave over the unfairness of it all.

  Had she not known the risks when she gave into the seductive pull of her desires? Yet not in her wildest imaginations would she have thought she’d be marrying a man that loved another woman. Not she, an incurable romantic in love with the world, besides she wasn’t ready to give up her dreams for travel. Not when she still had a lifetime of adventures ahead of her.

  The Earl, on the other hand, was a recluse who preferred to remain at his country estate, rarely if at all venturing out to London, or anywhere else. Evelyn would wither away in such a reclusive existence. If she married and was forced into a life of solitude, she would always run away from that fate. Yet how was she to escape this future? It seemed an impossible endeavor, for any choice she made included her running away.

  And then there was Damien. She studied him from beneath her lashes. What was he about? His usual air of amusement was gone, replaced by wariness and a guarded air of watchfulness. He appeared rather sad. And if her suspicion proved correct, his guise hid profound pain and emptiness.

  “I think—” he began but paused before continuing, “It would be better if Simon was left in the dark for now.”

  Evelyn blinked, confusion lit her brow.

  “You would you do that for me?”

  He gave her a pointed look. “Not only will Simon blister your behind, he will—”

  “No,” Evelyn interrupted on a laugh. “You would you do this for me?”

  He hesitated before he answered, “I— Well— We all deserve to decide own future. And I would hate to see you forced into a marriage that would make you unhappy. Regrettably, I cannot speak for Grey. He could be on his way to Simon as we speak.” His voice held a stern note when he continued, “But I will observe and if I have one hint of suspicion that something underhanded is happening, I will tell your brother and blister your behind myself.”

  A smile spread across Evelyn’s face. Before she could think better of it she launched herself at Damien, giving him a big bear hug.

  “Thank you,” she whispered as she released him.

  A bitter voice interrupted from the doorway, the sharpness of it piercing the room like a dagger in one’s gut. “I seem to have interrupted a private moment, yet again.”

  With slow languid movements Evelyn rose to face the beast that would entrap her. He stood in the doorway, his gaze unreadable as he regarded her. Evelyn wasn’t fooled.

  “You seem to do that a lot,” she shot back, deciding she would try another hand at sleep, after all.

  He blocked her way. “Where the hell are you going?” he snapped when she would have passed him.

  “I am tired and need sleep,” Evelyn said glaring at him. “Kindly step aside, sir.”

  She knew it would not escape his notice that she refrained from explaining yet another private moment interrupted. Ha! He did not deserve one.

  Matthew studied the wary lines of her face. He felt tense and even a little wild. He hated that he had been the one to cause those lines, but damn it, she was the one who ran away from him.

  “Good,” he said with a nod. “We will make all the arrangements later today.”

  She nodded, then stilled. “There are no arrangements to be made.” Her words were a mixture of wariness and determination.

  “There is our wedding.”

  Her heart lurched. “I will not marry you.”

  He took a threating step forward as his gaze shifted between her and his rival and back again.

  Damien rose in deliberate movements from his seat
.

  “I’m not giving you a choice. You did not believe I’d let you run off and marry this bastard?”

  Evelyn scowled. She wanted to punch him for his arrogance. “I will run off with whomever I choose!”

  “Over my dead body you will! I won’t let this bastard raise my child!”

  A small gasp escaped her parted lips. “Child?”

  “Yes, Evelyn,” he bit out, furious that she would dare to contemplate running off with anybody except him. “You could be carrying my child. Or did you not even consider that possibility?”

  Damien, who had been silent up till now, gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I would be more than happy to raise any child of yours Evelyn. That is if you will still marry me.”

  Evelyn’s jaw dropped at those words. Had he just proposed? Or was he only goading the lion?

  “The hell she will!” Matthew roared as his fist flew, hitting Damien square in the jaw.

  The next moment—to Evelyn’s utter shock—they both hit the floor and she winced as flesh pounded flesh.

  “Oh!” She screamed after her initial shock melted away in the wake of utter exasperation and threw her hands in the air. “You both are impossible.”

  She moved passed them, determined to get away from their brawling before she lost what little sanity she had left. At the door she paused however, and with one last parting shot said, “Oh and by the by, Damien and I are not betrothed!”

  They froze mid brawl as her words washed over them like a bucket of iced water.

  Matthew, suddenly on his feet, shouted after her, “Get back here, Evelyn!”

  Damien, who thought he would give chase, tackled him to the ground again.

  They could both go to the devil! She would not be here when he returned after he’d made his arrangements. She will have made arrangements of her own, and they did not include him and his in-sufferable arrogance. Perhaps she would travel to the Middle East. Ha! She would like to see him try to find her then!

  By the time Matthew and Damien finished pounding into each other, most of their anger had dissipated. All Matthew wanted to do now was retrieve Evelyn and whisk her away to a place where there would be no interruptions, no lies. But he wouldn’t, not yet. She needed rest, and he was still too angry to be civil. Damn, if that woman hadn’t lied through her teeth about being be-trothed as well.