She focused her attention on the doorway, where Evan stood nextto her brother, both of them with irritating smirks on their faces.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Nor do I find you amusing.”
Evan closed the distance and pulled her to standing, then embraced her in his arms. “Your brother has agreed to let me stay. No sneaking past the servants and no scaling the walls.”
“You could have just said that.” For a brief moment, she thought to push him away from her after the trick he’d just played, but she knew her heart and mind better than that. She was relieved he was staying. But there was no way she would make this easy for him.
He pulled her close and brushed his lips against her ear, sending shivers through her body. “I’ll make it up to you.” When he pulled back, he winked at her.
She melted. Not that she would tell him that, of course. She glanced over at her mother and brother. “The servants may talk.”
Her mother waved her off. “After what occurred today, it’s expected your betrothed would see to your safety. I am having a room made up.” She fixed her gaze on Evan. “At least make it look like the room was slept in, please.”
Evan laughed. “I have never encountered such an understanding family. My own mother is scandalized about my sleeping here.”
“Well, you’re practically one of us now,” Arthur said. “Just do me a favor and don’t let me find you kissing and groping each other all the time. Save that for your own home. A brother can only take so much.”
Marina waved off her brother. “I’ll be happy to remind you of your words when you find the woman who captures your heart.”
“You’ll be an old married lady by then,” Arthur said.
Their mother interrupted what would have likely been a battle of the wits and clapped her hands together. “Big day tomorrow. I think we should all find our beds. Evan, follow me and I’ll show you to your room.”
“I’m coming, too.” Marina followed behind them.
“Of course you are,” Arthur called after her.
She turned and stuck her tongue out at him but smiled after she did it. She adored their relationship and hoped they’d always banter like they were still children.
Evan escorted her mother up the stairs, and Marina followed behind, enamored with the thigh muscles that flexed beneath her betrothed’s breeches with each step. Once they reached the room her mother had assigned to Evan, he kissed each of their hands and wished them a good evening. He winked at Marina before he closed the door.
Marina looped arms with her mother as they strolled toward their chambers. Her mother patted her hand. “I am going to miss having you under the same roof, but I couldn’t be happier for you.”
“We will visit all the time, Mama. And you can come and stay with us. Now that you and Evan’s mama are…whatever it is you are, you can come whenever you wish.”
“I would love that, dearest.”
Marina had to know how her mother could be so understanding to the woman. “Mama, are you only being so kind because you think that is what I wish? I would never ask you to do anything that brought you pain.”
“Oh, not at all, dearest. If anything, I feel sorry for Lady Ockham. She loved your father, while I never did. When he died, she lost the man she loved, while I gained my freedom. Of course I mourn him as the father of my children.” She tilted her head to the side, assessing Marina. “If Minto had succeeded at marrying you today, would you have stayed and been a dutiful wife, or would have run off to the Americas with Evan?”
Marina contemplated her mother’s words. “I would have run away, vows be damned.”
She stopped walking and faced Marina. “I know you would, and I would have encouraged you to do that very thing. Love is powerful, dearest. If I had felt something so deeply for a man, I would have done the same. Instead, I found love for my children. Lady Ockham didn’taim to harm me. She was in love, and I can forgive her, and your father, for that.”
She touched her daughter’s cheek.
“Before you judge your future mother-in-law too harshly, as I know you are wont to do, you should know that she went to your father and pleaded with him to let Evan marry you. She could not allow her son to be kept from the woman he loved.”
Tears rolled down Marina’s cheeks, and she embraced her mother. Her mother stroked her hair and let her cry. There wasn’t a kinder person in the world than her mother. Perhaps her friend, Juliana, but they were a rare breed among theton. “Thank you, Mama.”
Marina wiped her eyes, and they continued to their respective chambers. Millie was waiting for her and helped her dress for bed. Marina dismissed her for the evening and paced her room. Why was she making this so much harder than it needed to be? He freely gave his love to her, and she knew it was true. Her actions told of her love for him, but why didn’t she just tell him? She was so caught up in her pacing that she didn’t hear the opening and closing of her door.
“What’s troubling you, love?”
The rich baritone of the most treasured person in the world to her halted her pacing. Her back was to him, and she didn’t turn to face him. “I need to tell you something.”
“Are you all right? Has something happened?” He crossed the room and turned her body so she faced him. Cupping her cheek with his palm, he studied her face. His eyebrows drew together, and he swallowed hard. She longed to smooth his brow, and a single tear rolled down her left cheek.
