AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ryan Colby is a fine decent young man. I have had my eye on him for years now. I would have happily chosen him for any one of you girls long before. However, he had been courting a strikingly beautiful gentleman’s daughter back in his home country for a long while.”
Evelina could easily picture Ryan Colby with a beautiful woman on his side. Hardly a little mouse such as herself.
“However, it wasn’t until recently that I learned she married his brother. Once I realized Ryan was now available, I quickly made plans to, er, convince him to marry my sweet little lady.”
He smiled at Evelina and she couldn’t help but smile in return to the endearment he had labeled her with ever since she was a child. A name derived from the fact she was the youngest and smallest of his five daughters. She and her father were close and loved each other dearly. Perhaps it was because she was the baby, or their shared love of books, or their love of the water, she wasn’t entirely certain, but he was not as close to his other daughters as he was with her. He even named his boat after her.
“Oh dear,” May exclaimed, clutching her chest suddenly. “What have you done, Clive?”
“Well, I, he was—”
“He’s given him a month to back out.” Evelina helped her father out and informed her family. “If Mr. Colby decides he doesn’t fancy me or find me wanting, he is free to walk away from the wager.”
“Oh, Clive, how could you!”
“He will be sure to fall in love with Evie, what man wouldn’t.”
“Apparently many,” she muttered.
“Everyone loves Evelina, he will learn to love her too.”
“Learn to love me? How unromantic that sounds.”
“Now, Evie, don’t talk foolish. You ought to be grateful to have a man as Ryan Colby as your husband.”
She sighed. “Of course.”
It would be unrealistic of her to even conceive the notion that romance could ever be a part of her courtship.
“But a month, Clive? That is far too long. He will be sure to find out the truth about Evelina.”
“He will not. I am confident of that. We have kept it a secret for many years now so I am certain one more month will not be difficult. He will discover the truth on their wedding night, and by then it will be too late.”
Evelina hated how scheming the entire thing sounded. A part of her, the moral part, wanted to tell him. However, she knew the moment she did, he would turn tail and run as fast as he could. As had so many other suitors done in the past. The fact was, as her father continually pointed out, Evelina wasn’t getting any younger. If she were to snare a husband at all, it would have to be soon or be too late.
There was also the smallest flicker of fear that the man, himself, was the reason why she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. This suitor was different. Yes, admittedly, he was far more handsome than any other suitors, either for herself or for her sisters. She could understand the reason for their jealousy and Evelina felt a tinge of selfishness knowing she, at last, would be the benefactor of something better than her five older and more beautiful sisters.
But her elation did not l
ast long for she knew that her father gave the man the chance to renounce Evelina. And she was certain he would. She didn’t know if she was as confident as her father was in regards to withholding her secret from the man in question. If he planned to court her daily, she would be hard pressed to keep him from finding out. And once he did, he would surely eliminate Evelina as a possible mate. For an impeccable gentleman such as Ryan Colby, wouldn't want a flawed wife.
* * *
The next day as promised, Ryan Colby returned to the house. Clive received him and showed him to the drawing room where Evelina and her sisters sat working on their needlework. At his arrival in the entranceway, all five females stood except for Evelina. Ryan grimaced inwardly noticing her blatant snub. Apparently, she was not going to make this easy. He nodded to the sisters and they all returned to their seats. It was considered improper for a man to be left alone with a woman he barely knew, so it did not surprise him when they all remained.
He turned to Evelina and plastered a huge smile on his face. He knew it to be false but it had fooled many before and he had no doubt it would fool her as well. He was confident in no time he would win her over. Perhaps even before the month was up. The sooner he convinced her that marriage to him was not such a bad idea, the sooner he could collect his winnings and sail home.
“Good afternoon, Evelina.”
She glanced up and offered a brief nod. “Mr. Colby.”
He took note of her formal use of his name. She seemed more aloof than yesterday.
“I was wondering if perhaps you would care to take a stroll with me down the pier walk?”
“It looks like it will rain.”
“Hardly,” he chuckled, glancing out a nearby window to the cloudless sky.
