Page 51 of The Odyssean Duke

Mrs. Newbury sneezed. She glanced sheepishly at Evelina, her hand covering her face. “I apologize, Your Grace.”

“No need,” said Evelina. “You have been enormously helpful. Thank you.”

Mrs. Newbury curtsied, and clearly recognizing the dismissal, hurried away, leaving Evelina with the impression of a church mouse. Evelina smiled wryly and continued working her way down the corridor, inspecting the portraits as she passed them. She could find none of her current duke. At least, none that she was certain of. There were a handful of portraits depicting young men with dark hair, but it was impossible to know if those were her husband or his ancestors.

At last, Evelina reached the end of the portraits. She turned on her heel. There was a woman, pale as a ghost and clad in all black, who stood at the opposite end of the corridor staring at her. The woman’s appearance was so sudden and unexpected that Evelina nearly screamed. She threw a hand up over her chest and inhaled sharply, as she stared down at the woman. It took several moments for Evelina to realize who it was that stood before her: the Dowager Duchess.

“What are you doing here?” Evelina asked, as she tried vainly to calm her racing heart. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” Her Grace said curtly.

Evelina forced a smile. The Dowager Duchess of Rothbury was a formidable woman, engaged in a war of wills with Stephan over control of the dukedom. Evelina would be a fool to let her guard down in front of this clever, imposing woman. It was a pity; had the circumstances been different, Evelina might have admired Her Grace, a woman who fought for herself and her own interests.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Grace,” Evelina said, keeping her tone pleasant. “Your reputation precedes you.”

“As does yours,” Her Grace said. “Of course, my grandson would choose the worst woman in London.”

Evelina forced down the spark of indignation inside her. “I am certain he could do worse than me,” she said. “There are many women in London, after all.”

The Dowager Duchess’s lips curled into a sneer. “Hardly. The owner of a scandalous club, the woman who led her own husband to his death?—”

“You know nothing of it,” Evelina said sharply.

Her Grace did not know the truth of the Earl of Thornwall’s death, but the words still stung. Evelina had heard them so many times, but she still found herself wounded by them. Those words were a good indication of how dangerous the Dowager Duchess of Rothbury was. This woman had information and gossip, and she did not hesitate to use her knowledge like a knife. Another woman might have hesitated, bound by the silent understanding that there were some matters which ladies simply did not hold over one another.

Clearly, the Dowager Duchess would use any weapon at her disposal, no matter how cruel.

“But,” Her Grace continued, as if Evelina had not even spoken. “A woman who cannot give her husband a son after a year of marriage is a disgraceful thing. Perhaps, you are precisely what my grandson deserves.”

Evelina dug her nails into the palms of her hands, curling her fingers so tightly that they ached. “You are an unkind woman,” Evelina said. “I wonder what you deserve.”

Her Grace shrugged an elegant shoulder. “Rothbury, of course. And I will have it.”

“I doubt that,” said Evelina. “The late duke’s contract is quite clear that my husband need only prove he is a competent duke, and he has already returned home to tend to the dukedom. He has even found a wife, and despite what you may believe, I foresee an heir in our near future.”

“Oh, poor little duchess,” Her Grace said mockingly. “You are so certain that you will produce an heir. If you were not so pathetic, I might laugh.”

Evelina swallowed hard, her mind returning to the night before. She had cringed at the thought of consummating her own marriage, of doing the very act which might produce an heir. What if Evelina could not bring herself to have a congress with her husband? She inhaled sharply, and the Dowager Duchess smirked. Doubtlessly, some spark of hesitation must have shown on Evelina’s face.

“You should leave,” Evelina said, trying to conceal how the words had rattled her. “This is my house, not yours.”

“Enjoy it while you can,” Her Grace said. “I do not know what game you are playing, but you will lose it. If my grandson has what he wants from you, he will cast you aside without a thought.”

That did not matter. She and Stephan had already agreed to that arrangement, but Her Grace did not know that. Evelina clenchedher jaw, anger burning in her stomach. The Dowager Duchess of Rothbury was trying to hurt her and for no reason at all. Evelina realized suddenly that Her Grace had no reason to be in the townhouse at all, certainly not with Stephan gone. No, this visit might very well be intended just to upset Evelina.

“And if you do not give him what he desires, I will take great joy in casting you out myself,” the Dowager Duchess added.

Evelina’s face was hot. Her Grace smirked, her expression dripping with condescension. It was clear that this woman was accustomed to everyone bending to her will, but Evelina had not bent to anyone’s will since becoming a widow. She was free, always, and she had faced much worse than this bitter, petty woman.

“Regardless of what happens with the heir, I will be taken care of,” Evelina said smoothly. “No, I will thrive and flourish. My marriage contract contains a stipulation that, regardless of what may occur, I will receive a generous allowance and a house of my own for the rest of my life.”

A flicker of surprise flashed in Her Grace’s expression. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Evelina said. “You are not the only woman who likes to wield and keep power. Now, I would advise you to leave my house, Your Grace. Whatever it is you hoped from this encounter—that I might plead for mercy or beg you to reconsider—you will not have it. I have other matters to attend to, and you have stayed long past your welcome.”

The Dowager Duchess scowled and stormed down the stairs. Evelina remained where she was, simply watching. Inside, Evelina’s heart raced, and her pulse jumped. She had known that Her Grace was a force to be reckoned with, and a wiser woman might have found a way to stay in the Dowager Duchess’s good graces. However, Evelina was not that woman.

Still—