Page 26 of The Odyssean Duke

“Does he get along well with your husband?” Maria asked.

“Spencer finds him to be a little cold,” Anna said. “However, I am uncertain if that is because the Duke of Rothbury has a disagreeable temperament or if his time in the navy has taught him to be unusually reserved.”

“Reserved for one of the ton,” Maria said wryly. “That would make me wonder if he dislikes everyone.”

“Perhaps, he does.”

“Well, not—” Evelina was caught off guard abruptly, but too late for her friends not to notice.

“Not?” echoed Maria.

“You have distracted us!” exclaimed Anna. “I have told you all about the duke, and you have not yet given me the knowledge I came for!”

“I have not distracted you,” Evelina said, lowering herself into the chair. “I have only sought to improve my understanding about His Grace’s character because I have received a proposal from him.”

“A proposal!” Anna exclaimed. “You do not mean to marry him, do you? Theodora told me about your plan, but I could scarcely believe it!”

“She is quite resolute,” Maria said.

“I am considering his proposal,” Anna said. “If we could have a mutually advantageous arrangement?—”

“Youwouldmake a handsome pair,” Anna said. “Whatever I might think of his manners, His Grace is an attractive man.”

“And maybe a reserved man could be good for you,” Maria added. “If he is so cold, I do not imagine that he will resemble your first husband.”

Evelina forced a smile. “Rakes come in all kinds, my dear friend. I suppose it does not matter if he is a little rakish as long as he gives me what I desire, though.”

“Only if you arrange the terms favorably,” Anna said. “Like Maria did with her husband.”

“Agreed,” Maria said. “Doubtlessly, Evelina has already thought of that.”

“At least, we will be more experienced,” Anna said. “We know what requests to make. Evelina, you must insist upon keeping your own home. A separate home.”

“And you must convince him to agree that he will have no involvement with your child unlessyouwish it,” Maria added.

Evelina took a steadying breath. She had already considered those aspects of her arrangement, but hearing her friends voice her own concerns made the situation somehow more real thanit had been. After years of swearing that she would never marry again, Evelina was genuinely considering marriage to a duke!

“We had best send for a solicitor,” Anna said. “We need someone who will know how to be clever with the wording.”

“I can request my own house—” Evelina began.

“Of course, you can,” Maria interrupted. “However, a duke will already have considerable advantages over you, Evelina. We must anticipate that he will seek to use the law against you if it benefits him, and having a solicitor write the agreement may well be the best means to ensuring that he cannot.”

Evelina shook her head. “There is no time for that.”

“No time?” exclaimed Anna. “My dear, it will only take a handful of days to tell a solicitor what you want and for the documents to be written! You have waited this long. A few more days will not matter so much, will it?”

“It will,” Evelina said. “His Grace is anticipating my answer today. He is a marriageable man and prepared to pursue other prospects if I cannot give him an answer today.”

Anna’s eyes widened. “Evelina,” she said, her tone serious. “You must find some way to give yourself more time.”

“You must not agree to any particular thing,” Maria said. “If our assumptions are correct and he needs an heir to win this warwith the Dowager Duchess of Rothbury, he will be willing to wait a few days.”

Would he? The memory of the kiss burned brightly in Evelina’s memory, but so did the memory of His Grace speaking to those young, unmarried ladies. Evelina had no doubt that any one of them would be delighted to marry the duke without stipulating a single condition on their relationship.

“I am not certain he will wait,” Evelina confessed.

“Then, tell him that you will marry only if you are allowed to write the marriage contract and if he agrees to the terms,” Maria said.