Page 47 of The Odyssean Duke

While his days since returning to London had been full of so many visits that all the faces and names blurred together, it was still humiliating not to have recognized a potential ally from the start.

“She did not wish to come,” Stephan said. “The situation between us has not improved, regrettably.”

He tried to sound genuinely apologetic about it. The women’s heated whispers seemed to prove that he had failed.

“I am certain to meet her soon,” Evelina said, furrowing her brow. “Aren’t I?”

He supposed that eventually she would, but Stephan had not been eager to consider the particulars of such a meeting. “Yes.”

At least, Evelina was married to him. The Dowager Duchess of Rothbury would be too late to convince Evelina that he was an unsuitable man to wed.

“You have a fondness for Homer,” Murrayton said. “Is that right, Your Grace?”

Stephan sighed and chewed another mouthful of toast. Murrayton had hopefully steered the conversation towards safer waters.

“I do,” Evelina said. “But doesn’t everyone?”

“I imagine there must be someone somewhere with poor taste,” Murrayton offered. “But I imagine that is something that you and Rothbury have in common. He also has a great interest in Greek culture.”

“Yes,” Evelina said. “We met at the British Museum.”

“Ah,” Murrayton said.

Stephan swallowed his toast. Evelina’s face was calm and composed. Was she thinking about their tryst in the study? Stephan took another sip of tea. He remembered in exquisite detail how she had appeared to him then. Her red hair had been wild, her curls bouncing about her face and fighting against her pins. Evelina’s face had been flushed, her neck and chest pinkening as pleasure overtook her. She had been warm and eager, delightfully receptive to his every touch.

Stephan suspected that her husband had not been good to her. Even if he had sworn there would be no real fondness between them, Stephan still liked to think of himself as a good man, and no good man would leave a lady unsatisfied and wanting. He fully intended to rip that gown away from her, peel away those silken stockings, and at last remove those drawers. There was a special satisfaction in knowing that she would be wearingundergarments that he had chosen, that were specifically for him.

“Was that last week?” asked the Duke of Hawthorne, looking at his wife.

She nodded. “I wanted to see the new Egyptian collection, which was marvelous. I have told Rosalind that I will take her to see it soon, and you simply must come with us.”

“Of course.”

“And you,” Evelina’s mother said. “If you are not too occupied with your husband.”

Evelina smiled. “I am certain that I can find the time to visit the museum again with you.”

“We can all go together,” said Murrayton.

Stephan clenched his jaw. “I will likely be occupied. I have much to do in putting the dukedom in order.”

“Yes,” said the Duchess of Hawthorne. “But I hope that your ducal duties will not come at the expense of your wife.”

And if they do, what will you do?Stephan thought.

There was no point in antagonizing his sister-in-law, so he did not. Still, he wondered what these women, these fierce protectors of Evelina, thought they would do if he was not the man they felt he should be?

Maybe he ought to employ someone to taste his food for him. It was well-known that poison was a woman’s weapon, and he would nearly bet on one of these women having an uncomfortable interest in botany.

“My ducal duties will never come before Evelina’s needs,” he said smoothly. “I promise you that, my dear sister.”

The duchess did not look appeased. Evelina placed a gentle hand over her sister’s. “My husband is a man of his word.”

Stephan wondered suddenly if these women knew of his unique arrangement with Evelina. Maybe that was the source of their distrust, or maybe it was something deeper.

I could ask.

Stephan instead ate a spoonful of eggs and tried to let himself fall away. Eventually, he managed it. The Duke of Winterleigh began speaking about a play, and Stephan was at last forgotten. He could ask about Evelina’s friends, but he would not. She was the perfect wife and mother to his heir, but they were not friends. They had sworn not to be anything more than convenient.