Offering Althea his arm, he accompanied her back to the smaller carriage and handed her inside. Stepping in, he found himself crouching before them, as there was only a forward-facing seat.
He was pleased to note Althea’s gaze gravitating to his thighs and calves, pronounced in this position.
“Beth, Nancy is accompanying me to Greenborough Park. You have my gratitude for finding her. She is lovely, and I think will work out very well with Mother.”
“I am so glad, my lord. I suspected you might choose her. Please tell me how it goes.” She nodded at him, her eyes flitting between him and her cousin.
“Althea, why did you come?” He did not have time to waste prevaricating.
“Oh. I—you had offered advice in return for—we were interrupted at the store—ah, you had invited me to discuss your advice on how to expand…” Her voice rose at the end as though uncertain.
“Ah. I would love to. Unfortunately, it shall have to wait. I try not to wait too long between visits to my mother.”
“Shall I call again in a sennight? Or mayhap you could send a note ’round when you return?”
He squinted at the floor, thinking.She came. His brain stalled on that.I must go, but how do I continue to reel her in?
Finally, he conjured the beginnings of a plan. “It might make more sense for you ladies to meet me in Bath. We could evaluate things in person together. Since you travelled to Greenborough Park for the party, I assume you have someone who can cover the London shop for you?”
She nodded, her eyes straying to his taut legs again. He swallowed his grin.
“Well, then. Shall we say a fortnight and half from now?” He named the guesthouse he stayed at when visiting. “I shall procure two rooms for you.”
“Thank you, Evan.” Althea nodded, glancing at Beth, who sat watching them with a wide smile.
“Is there aught else I can do for you before I go?” His lips quirked in his trademark half smile, and he dropped his eyes to Althea’s lap. If it had been a year ago with different women, he’d offer to give them both a quick fingering in tandem. Hell, he’d done it before, and he’d wager Beth had participated in similar fun. But he no longer had any interest in touching anyone other than Althea.
“A kiss, I think, please.” Althea and he both whipped around to look at Beth at her statement. “Mine can be on the cheek, of course.” At Althea’s continued glare, she corrected, “uh, or the hand. Althea will need one on the lips after coming all this way.”
Evan shook his head at her but palmed her hand and brought it to his lips. “Delighted, Miss Jenkins.” Turning to Althea, he ignored Beth’s intrusive stare and leaned in to whisper in the hope that Beth could not catch his words, “Althea. I did not wash my hand or face for a full day. I look forward to our next visit.”
Althea flushed but licked her lips and left them parted.
His brushed hers, the barest of rubs. Once, twice. A touch of his tongue to her lower lip, and then he pulled back. “I dare you to think of me.”
Chapter Ten
Ford was already at the estate when Evan arrived. They often traveled in tandem, so were either in their London residences and spending the evening at White’s or Sarah’s, or out at Greenborough Park together.
After the annual bacchanal, as Ford had named it, he was almost always inundated with orders, as well as new design ideas. Evan had expected him to hunker down in his London home to work, but he had excused himself to the estate after the demi-monde ball last week.
Given the letter that had prompted this trip, Evan deferred his curiosity about Ford’s sketches and designs until he saw his mother and did his best to ensure she did not fuss at the change of nurse. Then he hoped to convince Ford to accompany him to Bath.
He quickly arranged for a room for Nancy to ease his mother into the change and asked the butler to give her a tour before he strode back outside through the cold rain to the dower house.
Lucy met him at the door and reported that Lady Rose was having a calm day, although foggy, and she thought it might be a good time to introduce Nancy, so Evan returned to the house for her.
When they walked into the cottage, he introduced the nurses and then walked through to the conservatory, the others trailing behind him.
His mother started at his appearance. “Who are you? Why are you in my house? Lucy! Help! There are strangers in the house.”
Her calm day had deteriorated, as it often did toward evening. Evan’s heart broke for the hundredth time. It did not matter that this happened more often these past months. It was a fresh stab of pain, worse than any rapier, every single time.
This, this is why I will not marry.
He lowered himself to a chair swiftly, to appear less threatening. “Mother, I am Evan. Your son.”
“You are not my son. I do not have a son. Where’s Henry?”
