As they came to a stop before the couple, Evelyn took a deep curtsy. “Your Graces.”
The duke merely studied her, probably seeing more with his one eye than most people did with two.
“Miss Chambers, it is a pleasure,” the duchess said. “And you—” She slapped her fan against Rafe’s shoulder. “How wicked of you not to tell us you were coming.”
“I wasn’t certain I’d be able to find the time.”
“But then he caught me dancing in the garden—”
“Our garden?” the duke interrupted.
Taken aback by his brusque tone, Evelyn shook her head. “No, his garden. On the other side of the wall.”
The duke glared. “You live in that monstrosity on the other side of the wall?”
“No. Miss Chambers resides there. I live in the rooms at my club. And now if you’ll excuse us, I hear a waltz starting. I promised the lady a dance.”
Before anyone could respond, he wrapped his long fingers around her arm and was propelling her toward the dance floor.
“That was remarkably rude,” she muttered.
“We didn’t come here to talk. We came here to dance.”
“Why didn’t you tell me whose affair we were attending?”
“What does it matter? You wanted to attend a ball, and you have. One dance and we leave. Enjoy it, sweetheart.”
Within the mad crush of dancing couples, he took her into his arms and glided her over the polished wood. She wanted to remain irritated with him, but decided to lock it away until later. She didn’t understand his relationship with his brothers—except to think that he didn’t truly have one. But for now, she was at a ball dancing with a handsome gentleman. She wouldn’t have it ruined.
“Why didn’t you let him know that you lived beside him?” All right. Perhaps it would be ruined.
“It never came up in conversation.”
“You can be the most infuriating man—”
“Who brought you to something he despises so you might find some enjoyment.”
That knocked all the fight out of her. “Do you really despise it?”
“Only because it reminds me of my roots, and they were dug up long ago.”
“But roots always return to where they were, don’t they? They return to the soil.”
“Oh, my little philosopher, can you not see that they are as uncomfortable with me being here as I am with being here? Many of these gents frequent my club. They owe me a good deal of coin. A few even spend time with my girls. I know their darkest indiscretions.”
“Which gents?”
He gave her a sardonic smile. “Would you have me lose my value as a keeper of secrets?”
The music drifted into silence and the disappointment hit her. They would leave now. She supposed she should be grateful for the time she had. Only he didn’t escort her from the dance floor, and when the strains of another waltz began, he led her into it. She smiled up at him. For all his gruffness and complaining, she doubted he was going to whisk her away, back to his residence, as quickly as he’d said. He was going to give her this night until she was tired of it. She was sure of it.
“Madame Charmaine told me that you and your brothers have only been known in London for three years. Surely you’ve had your club longer than that.”
“I acquired it when I was seventeen, but I used the name Rafe Weston.”
“Clever. East. West. But no one recognized you?”
“I was ten when we ... disappeared, as it was so gently put. No one looked for us. No one tried to find us. The most popular tale was that we were eaten by wolves. Wolves, Evie. One of us perhaps, but all three of us? The other two wouldn’t have stood around, twiddling their thumbs waiting to be devoured. Yet people believed it.”
