Looking back, he questioned how he had put thoughts of her aside after that. Regardless, they had all come rushing back when she’d stepped out of the carriage two days ago, and discovering her lack of interest in marriage fanned those flames. He could have her, awaken her to all the pleasure to be had without her expecting hearts and flowers…or marriage.
His blood surged and desire pooled in his mouth. He swallowed and ran through game ideas to find one suitable for the evening. Not only to keep her off her feet, but to continue to coax her out of her shell.
How positively droll. A man who insists he can cure a woman’s disinterest. But of all men, he had been pursuing pleasure his whole life, knowing it would be shorter than many, given that his mother’s condition was hereditary. His ability to learn quickly and find the right investments to fund his lifestyle had left him with more free time than many aristocrats, even with his responsibilities as earl. He had turned that considerable intelligence to the pursuit of happiness—mostly sexual happiness.
For a while, creativity and wildness had satisfied him. How ironic that just as he’d fallen into boredom, Althea being in the very same state of mind pulled him out of it.
“Right, then. Why don’t I help you to your room, and you can put your leg up for a while. I’ll send a bath up before dinner and come help you down. You needn’t participate in the games if you choose not to, but I’d very much like to spend more time with you. Besides, I cannot have a guest retire to her room directly from dinner.” He placed a dramatic hand on his chest, touching it with only the fingertips in mock outrage. “My reputation for house parties would be ruined. We could come in here after dinner and let the others fend for themselves?”
“Such a kind invitation, my lord. I shall consider it.” She struggled off the sofa and tested her weight on her leg.
****
Evan sipped his soup and tried not to roll his eyes. He switched the seating at dinner each night so that his guests could socialize with a variety of people. And yes, so that more guests could claim the honor of having been seated next to the host, as he knew his parties and his attention were coveted.
Yet it remained the same. Someone was bragging about their exploits of the night before, the week before, or the year before. Usually, the tales were based on a prior year’s Greenborough Park house party. Or else they were talking up their investments in a pitiful attempt to compete. Or waxing poetic about an investment they were considering to get his advice.
No one asked him whether he was enjoying himself, what he did the night before, how his family was. He supposed he should be thankful that he had banned political discussions from the dinner table.
Commiserating with Althea’s earlier wishes, he yearned to take dinner in his room.
He watched his guests, feeling detached. They seemed to be enjoying the week, at least. If only he could prick this bubble of ennui around him. But the only time he really felt alive was with Robert, who was as comfortable as an old shoe, and with Althea, who was more like a candle in a sconce, and he was batting against it like a bug drawn to…
That was a terrible analogy, old chap. You might as well liken her to a viper.
Tempted to roll his eyes at himself as well as the guests after that thought, he pushed his second course plate away untouched. Sipping wine and sneaking glances at Robert, Beth, and Althea, he gave desultory answers to the overeager earl on his right.
He had deliberately placed Robert and Beth across from each other. He’d asked Robert to keep an eye on the wild child, and his friend had reluctantly agreed. He hoped Althea would be more available without worrying about her cousin. Althea sat next to Robert, and as she and Beth chattered across the table, Robert appeared to be very focused on Beth’s posture.
Turning to Beth, Evan ran his eyes over her form, trying to find the cause for Robert’s stare. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he continued to watch. Beth sat ramrod straight. Usually, she was quite animated in her conversation, using gestures, turning her head or even her shoulders to enhance her descriptions. Tonight, her gestures were smaller. Every once in a while, she’d wiggle a little on her chair, as though trying to find a more comfortable spot, but her back remained locked, shoulders back.
Evan smiled. The little minx was wearing one of Robert’s creations. He bet if he sat near her, he’d hear a creak of leather now and then. She was likely sitting still to minimize that…or, depending on the creation, she might also be wearing an attachment that jostled when she wiggled.
He laughed, and the earl to his right looked at him in confusion before chuckling amiably and saying, “Ha, yes, I do tend to go on. What are we playing this evening, Cheltie?”
Robert had turned at his laugh, and Evan caught his eye and shook his head once with a grin of admiration before turning to his guest to answer.
In the end, he had left the game choices he’d scheduled, as he wanted to play with Althea privately.
As dessert was cleared, he stood. His assistant announced the evening’s entertainment for each of the two ballrooms, and Evan excused himself from his dinner companions and made his way to Althea.
“My lady?” He bowed over her hand then offered his arm.
She glanced up at him through her lashes, and he held his breath.
“Thank you, Evan.” She placed her hand on the proffered limb and nodded.
A sigh of relief gusted out. His sidelong glance did not find any reaction if she heard it.
The guests jostled through the wide doorway of the dining room. Some sped toward their room of choice while others hung back, waiting to see who would go where. Knowing others’ eyes were upon them, Evan steered Althea backward to the corner of the room, as though to have a word with her, even as the servants swarmed in to clean the table.
Evan made a subtle gesture, and a servant closed the double doors, blocking the view of the last of the trailing watchers. Turning to Althea, he murmured, “My lady. Shall we?”
They escaped out the side door the servants used and into a hallway with branches to the kitchen and to the family wing of the house where his office was located. Evan held his breath every step, waiting for her to protest and request that he return her to her room.
****
Althea had struggled to make conversation through dinner. At least half her brain was still weighing the pros and cons of playing a private, and therefore improper, game with her host after dinner.
