Her father frowned, his mouth pressed into a hard line. “He is perfectly adequate.”
“Were we at the same dining table?” she asked in disbelief. Her father reallywasthat oblivious. “Every question I asked was brushed off, and they were not even invasive questions.”
Matthew, who was halfway up the stairs, leaning against the banister, peered down over the side. “Many gentlemen are aloof when it comes to personal matters.”
“But I did not ask him anything personal,” she protested, her patience fraying like old rope. “I asked him if he likes London. I asked him if he favors the opera or the theater. I asked him what he likes to read. They were all appropriate questions that one would ask at an ordinary dinner party. Goodness, he would not even tell me if he liked the soup!”
“I do not appreciate your tone,” her father chided.
And I do not appreciate having my life dictated to me,she longed to retort, but courage failed her.
“He is not the gentleman for me, Father. Youmustsee that,” she said instead, hopelessly looking to Luke for assistance. But her brother would not meet her gaze, his attention fixed on the pattern of the wallpaper.
Her father’s nostrils flared. “If anything, Evelyn, he is too good for you. You have failed to find a husband of your own accord, though you have been three years out in society. I will not have a spinster daughter, and so youwillmarry him if he makes an offer, which I daresay he shall.” He sniffed. “In the meantime, you shall meet with him a few more times, and see if you cannot be more reasonable.”
“But I—” she began to say, only to be cut off abruptly.
“If you do not obey, Evelyn, then you shall not attend that house party you were so eager to attend,” her father said. “Although I do believe that the baron means to attend also.”
For the first time ever, her father had remembered a society event, turning it into a weapon against her.
“Now, let that be an end to your protests,” he said coldly, as he turned on his heel and marched up the hallway to his study, where the slam of the door ricocheted up Evelyn’s spine, the fading thud filling the townhouse with a sense of finality.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ashcroft Manor was one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture that Evelyn had ever seen, her eyes wide as she watched it emerge through the carriage window. Resplendent lawns stretched as far as the eye could see, while warm sandstone gleamed in the summer sunshine, and though her brothers were with her, there was a sense of liberty in escaping London and the match that her father had made for her.
For a week, at least, she could avoid the baron. Even if hedidturn up to the house party, it was such a grand manor that it would not be difficult to ensure that their paths rarely crossed.
“A smile would not kill you,” Matthew remarked from across the carriage though, for once, his comment was not aimed at Evelyn.
Luke cast him a sour look. “It might.”
“This is a celebratory occasion,” Matthew continued with a smirk. “You cannot enter someone else’s residence looking as if you do not wish to be there. It is bad manners.”
“I would rather be back in London, that is all,” Luke said gruffly, as he returned his attention to the passing landscape.
“Whatever for? Everyone who would be there will be here,” Matthew pointed out.
“Exactly.” Luke puffed out a breath. “I would be granted some peace.”
Their father had insisted on both brothers accompanying Evelyn to the house party, arranged by the Duke and Duchess of Ashcroft. She could not quite understand why she needed two chaperones, but it had seemed pointless to argue. All she could do was hope that they would be too distracted by their own exploits to pay much attention to her.
“Well,Iam looking forward to it,” Matthew said, as the carriage rattled on along the winding driveway, and came to a standstill outside the pillared porch, draped in flowering wisteria.
They were met by the Duke and Duchess of Ashcroft, a handsome couple that were beloved by society. Evelyn had not encountered them much before, but when the invitation had been extended to Selina and she, in turn, had extended an invitation to Evelyn, there had been no question that Evelyn would join the festivities. For this was where society’suppermost echelons would be congregating: an event that most of thetonwould give anything to attend.
Will Hugo be here?She had asked herself the same question for days, but it was only now that a few jittering nerves began to set in. After all, there would assuredly be dancing, and she did not know if he might ask her to dance again.
In the hours between arriving and now, the mood within the manor had been rather relaxed, everyone doing whatever they pleased, as they settled into their rooms and the surroundings. Evelyn had bathed and rested awhile, before sitting up in the window seat of her guest chamber to watch the carriages coming in and departing, making note of who was in attendance.
She was notexactlylooking for Hugo, but she found herself burdened with an odd blend of disappointment and relief when the hours passed and she hadnotseen Hugo among the arriving guests.
As such, it was something of a shock to walk into the drawing room that evening to find him sitting at a small table by the garden doors, laughing heartily at something another gentleman had said. They appeared to be playing cards, the room arranged with entertainments for everyone: games, books, a lovely pianoforte, and even some paper and charcoal for anyone who felt an urge to draw.
“We should play!” Selina whispered excitedly, taking hold of Evelyn’s arm.
The beautiful diamond of the Season had arrived an hour ago, and already there were clusters of gentlemen trying to get close to her. She did not seem to notice, but that was probably the luxury of the very beautiful: they could just assume people were staring and ignore it.
