CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Hugo had not slept a wink, anxious for morning to come so he could see Evelyn at breakfast and perhaps catch a moment with her to offer his apologies.
He did not know what had possessed him to behave like that last night, but her running off with that panicked look upon her face was assuredly confirmation that he had insulted her. He had gotten too close to her, too familiar with her, and it had made her flee.
I just wanted you to have the necklace.Ironically, he had not been able to see what the jewelry looked like upon her, for she was out of the room before he could take note of it.
Even now, he likened his actions to suffering from a temporary madness. The moment she had alluded to the fact that she did not deserve the necklace, or that it should go to someone else, he had not been able to think straight. It had been akin to anger, butnot at her. Anger that she, of all people, could not see how much she deserved a simple necklace… and more.
He closed his eyes and thought of her unsteady breaths, how she had seemed to shiver when his fingertips had grazed her skin. Goodness, how he had wanted to kiss her. It had taken most of his willpower to stop himself from dipping his head and pressing a kiss to the curve of her neck or the ledge of her shoulder as he had fastened the necklace in place.
Maybe it was for the best that she had departed the room when she had, for his willpower hadnotbeen quite as strong as he had thought. Had he walked back around to the front of her and admired the gift, that ‘mark’ of his upon her neck, he doubted he would have been able to refrain from kissing her.
She will be furious with me, no doubt.
He opened his eyes, checked the clock, and pulled on his tailcoat before heading out of the bedchamber. The same bedchamber that Evelyn had barged into without fear or courtesy, breaking a few more of her precious rules.
The breakfast room was filled with the manor’s guests, all making cheerful conversation on their last morning at Ashcroft. Servants were already beginning to transport belongings to the carriages that were lining up outside, the party coming to an end. Some of the guests would be heading back to London, while others would be venturing toward their country homes.
“Hugo?” Laurence looked up from the morning paper in surprise. “It is not like you to rise so early.”
Hugo put on a smile, discreetly glancing up and down the breakfast table. “I did not want to miss the last hours of merriment.”
She was not there. Evelyn, who would not have been late to breakfast for any reason, was not there.Why, the morning after she had injured her ankle, she had still been at the breakfast table promptly.
Hugo frowned. Something felt wrong, and not merely because of his behavior last night.
“Your Grace, come and sit beside me,” Selina’s voice called to him above the drone of chatter.
His gaze flitted to her, and though he dearly longed to back out of the room and search the entire manor for Evelyn instead, he took a breath and approached Selina. After all, if anyone could tell him where Evelyn was, it was probably her best friend.
“Would you like some tea, Your Grace?” Selina asked.
“Coffee, I think,” Hugo replied, reaching for the pot himself.
Selina furrowed her brow, clearly annoyed. “I missed seeing you last night,” she tried again. “I thought our music might have drawn you to us.”
“It did not seem appropriate to disturb you ladies,” he said, taking a sip of the weak coffee to wet his dry throat.
“That is… very thoughtful of you.” Selina huffed out a breath. “I thought, perhaps, we might have our final outing before I return to London. A walk in the gardens, maybe? Or… would you prefer to have our final outing in London itself? I have not yet seen the new play, though I hear it is rather good. Or the botanical gardens, perhaps?”
He had no interest in the final outing whatsoever. He could not even think about it with visions of Evelyn’s hurt and anger swirling around in his mind. She must hate him for the way he behaved toward her, all possessive and out of character.
I could dispense with the outings altogether?he mused, but then he would have two people to apologize to, and since there was just one left, there was probably no point putting an end to it early.
“We can discuss it when everyone is back in London,” he said decisively, taking another sip of the lukewarm coffee. “Where is Evelyn this morning? Are the two of you not usually joined at the hip?”
He hoped he sounded casual, but he could not be certain when his throat was so terribly dry, and his heart was thundering in his chest.
Selina pulled a face and sat back in her chair with a deep sigh. “She has already departed. I barely had the chance to saygoodbye to her; her wretched father was in such a rush to get her away from here.”
“Her father was here?” A nasty, sick feeling clawed at the insides of Hugo’s stomach.
Selina nodded. “Apparently, he arrived late last night. That man simply cannot let dear Evelyn have a moment’s enjoyment.” She twisted her napkin as if she were exacting her revenge upon Josiah Bartlett. “He ruined the entire week for her.”
“How so?” Hugo asked carefully, his left eye beginning to blur with the strain of concern.
“Well, he came here at Lord Hemstich’s request,” Selina explained, lowering her voice to a gossipy whisper. “The man made a proposal of marriage, Evelyn’s father accepted it, and then he scurried her away, back to London, to ‘begin preparations'. AlthoughIbelieve it was to ensure that she did not run. Not that she would. The poor thing cannot disobey, even if she wanted to; it is not in her nature.”
