Chapter Fourteen
“Bloody hell!”
Freddie marched in the front door of Rosemount House and swore.He had held his tongue the whole of the walk from Whites club, but as soon as he got home his pent-up rage got the better of him.
As his voice echoed around the walls, he gave thanks his mother had left London the previous day and gone home to Rosemount Abbey.He had several other words he intended to use, none of which would be fit for his mother’s ears.
Godwin had got the better of him in the Rude Rules this morning and he was livid.In front of a dozen witnesses, the Duke of Mewburton’s youngest son had managed to act the goat and offend the Archbishop of Canterbury, three foreign ambassadors, and a representative from the Papal delegation.
To top it all off, he had done so while Osmont Firebrace had been enjoying a meal in the dining room of Whites club.
Freddie’s mind was awhirl with the sheer number of points Godwin would have scored for his outrageous efforts.
A footman tentatively offered him a tray upon which sat a note.Freddie gave it a quick glance, then seeing the handwriting, picked up the letter.
It was from Eve.
The thought of her brought his rage down a notch.She would understand the predicament he was in.He hurriedly opened it.
My family want to meet you at a small gathering to welcome Will home. We need to discuss the Rude Rules. I don’t think offending my family will go down well.
This was precisely not what he needed.With their families now aware of their relationship, Eve would no doubt be asking for him to exempt her family from the game.With Godwin’s stroke of genius now hanging over his head, Freddie was going to have to convince Eve of the opposite.
Everyone they knew, family included, was going to be fair game from now on.
The moment Freddie’s gaze landed on Will and her father, Eve knew her evening was going to be torture.
He looked down at her and placed her hand on his arm.Leaning in close, he whispered, “It has to be done.There are only a handful of challenges left.If Godwin beats me, everything will be for naught.The life you want with me will be nothing compared to what we can have if I win my seat on the Bachelor Board.I need you to support me, Eve.”
She gritted her teeth.There was nothing she could do.
As they approached her father and older brother, she began to silently rehearse the apology she knew she would have to make after this evening.“Papa, Will, may I introduce my friend, Frederick Rosemount?”
Freddie reached out and shook her father’s hand.“A pleasure to meet you Mr.Saunders.”
Eve let out a small breath.So far, so good.Her father would be the one to decide if she was going to marry Freddie.Offending him might be counterproductive to her plans.
“And Will.You must be pleased to be able to speak the King’s English once more.French is a God-awful language to learn at school.I would hate to have to speak it every day,” said Freddie.
A look of bemusement appeared on her father’s face.Charles Saunders was French-born, having only changed the family name from Alexandre after losing his father during the bloody French Revolution.He was a proud patriot to his boots.
“Yes, I do so love English as a language,” added Eve.
“But French is the mother of the romance languages,” replied Will.
Freddie let out a derisive snort and pulled Eve closer.“Yes, well, we English have the edge over all those foreigners when it comes to romance.Just ask Eve here.She would never marry a Frenchman when she can find fine English stock like myself within her reach.”
And so, it went on.Thirty minutes of excruciating embarrassment in front of the two senior male members of her family.Eve was relieved beyond words when Freddie finally announced he was leaving.
She followed him out to the foyer.“Did you really have to insult my family heritage?And I will have you know that not all Frenchmen are short,” she said.
Freddie finished putting on his coat.“I’m sorry.I know that was hard for you, and believe me, I didn’t enjoy it much either.Though I have to say your brother held his temper well.I was watching his jaw while I told him that French food is terrible, and he was clearly grinding his teeth.I am certain he would love to have punched me in the face if he had got the chance.”He brushed a hand on Eve’s cheek, then bent down and placed a soft, tender kiss on her lips.As he pulled away, their gazes met.“I’m proud of you.You stood by me tonight.I won’t forget it,mon doux amour,” he whispered.
As he walked out the front door, Eve closed her eyes.He had told her he loved her, but at what cost had those words come?
She turned and went back into the gathering, the beginning of an apology already on her lips.
