Page 105 of Outrageous

Tommy laid a hand on her shoulder. “But that is a different point, Eva. As to the situation that you are in right now? Well, when it comes to worldly matters, you should defer to those with more—nay, with any—experience of the world outside of nineteen years in the country and one Season in town.”

She jerked away from him. “You have no right to—”

“Will he give you children, Eva? Will he give you a family?” he asked harshly. “You needn’t speak. I know he won’t—I can see the answer on your face. He is afraid of the very blood that flows through your veins.”

The words were like the blow from a club. And they were all the more painful because she knew they were true. “How dare you?”

“I dare a great deal because I love you, Eva, and I have done almost from the first time I met you.” The air rang with his startling declaration. His face—handsome, familiar, belonging to a person she’d thought she knew—was that of an impassioned stranger. For the briefest moment, she thrust her angry indignation aside and ached for him, for the love she saw reflected in his eyes. She ached because she knew she could never return it.

A week ago she might have thought she could love him—but that was before these few days with Godric. Before Godric, she hadn’t even known the depth of emotion she was capable of feeling for a man. After all, other than a brief period of time when she’d mooned over one of her father’s grooms—a stout, scrubby-looking man who’d been as glorious as a centaur on horseback—she’d never felt the slightest twinge of interest for a man.

But now? Now she knew she could never return Tommy’s affection.

Eva struggled with the anger that still threatened to overtake her at his arrogance, instead considering the man before her. Tommy was her dear friend and deserved her kindness right now.

He leaned toward her, his gaze dark and intense. “Come with me, Eva. Let me take care of you. Let me cherish you as you deserve.”

“But, Tommy, I don’t love you.”

Rather than stop him, her words made him smile. “You like me well enough, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, but that’s—”

“Love will come in time, Eva. I know it. Besides, you don’t love him either, so that doesn’t—” He stopped, his handsome eyes widening as they fixed on her face, all the color that had built in his cheeks slowly draining away. “My God, Eva. Tell me you aren’t so foolish as to believe you love him?” He gave a derisive snort. “Whatever you feel for him is infatuation, Eva, nothing more. This marriage would be a tragedy for you, can’t you see? He fears the strain of madness he believes runs through your veins. You are tainted to him. He despises not only your family, but who and what you are. Even if you do love him, he would never, ever love you and would—”

“That is quite enough, my lord.” Eva’s entire body shook with rage at a lifetime’s worth of having to listen to others tell her how she felt, or how she should feel. “As foolish as my feelings may or may not be, they are none of your concern. You’ve made your point—and your feelings—clear. Trust me when I say both are greatly unwanted. Now, I beg you will take your advice, your love, and your person out of my sight.”

“Eva, I didn’t mean—”

She turned her back on him.

There was a long moment of silence, and then she heard his booted feet and the opening and closing of the door.

Eva commenced furious pacing. How dare he? How dare he presume to say such things to me? To—

To what? To tell you the truth? That Visel never wanted you as a wife? Do you really need somebody else to tell you that?

It’s not the truth! It’s not!

Eva knew she was behaving like a child. There was only one person who could tell her whether it was the truth or not.

One way or another, Eva would get an answer out of him.

Chapter 21

Godric wasn’t surprised to find Byer waiting for him in the room he shared with Andrew.

He gestured to the small table with two chairs. “Please make yourself at home,” he said sarcastically, carrying the bottle of brandy and two glasses that he’d fetched from Norton and setting them on the table crowded with various arquebus parts.

Thankfully, the boy had gone into town with the marquess. Godric had been looking forward to an hour or two of peace before Andrew got back to their crowded little room. But here was Byer.

“I want a minute in private with you, Visel,” Byer snapped behind him.

Godric turned and held out a glass, amused by the other man’s expression of surprise. “I had surmised as much, Byer.” When the other man reached for the glass, Godric pulled it back and gave him a look of mock confusion. “I’m sorry—did you want a drink, as well? Or did you mean you wanted a moment in private with me at twenty paces first thing tomorrow morning?”

Byer scowled at Godric’s laughter and snatched the glass from his hand. “You really are an ass, aren’t you?”

“Probably,” Godric said, taking a sip of liquor and savoring the burn before lowering himself into the room’s only comfortable chair.