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Lord Everett raised a finger. “Don’t trouble yourself. We’ve already come up with an excellent solution.”
“What is that?” Rangeley asked.
“His Grace, as per my suggestion, is going to build a retaining wall to hold the water back.”
“Has he considered moving the settlement? Walls can fail.”
Cousin Everett opened him mouth but Evan spoke first. “That’s enough from both of you. I need no assistance.”
“Oh but,” Rangeley started, holding up his finger in protest.
“I disagree as well,” Everett added, his chest puffing out.
“I said,” Evan’s voice boomed louder, “that I don’t need help from either of you.”
Evie took a deep breath, hoping to help him in this moment. It would surely calm the water between them if she did. “Lord Everett, are you going shopping tomorrow? I hear—”
“Lady Evelyn,” Evan’s voice echoed down the table, everyone going silent. His eyes met hers, their glacial tone now as frosty as she’d ever seen. The look stole the air from her lungs. “Enough from you.”
And then his head whipped around to Lord Rangeley and Lord Everett. But Evie didn’t hear what else he said. She couldn’t attend anything but her own tumultuous emotions.
Emotion choked her throat as her cheeks burned. He’d yelled at her in front of everyone! And while she liked his strength, not when he was using it to hit her at her weakest moment.
She shrunk into her chair, aware that they still had several courses left in the meal. How would she survive the entirety of the evening? She’d leave but that would only draw more attention to her and her bright red cheeks.
A tap on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. Though her eyes were bleary, she found herself staring into the kind eyes of the Lady Greenburg. “There is a problem in the kitchen I hoped you might aid me in solving.”
“Of course,” she replied and then she allowed the other woman to pull her from the dining room.
* * *
Evan notedEvie’s watery eyes before she disappeared.
Help in the kitchen? When did a baroness ever disappear into the kitchen during her own party?
He rubbed his head. He’d thoroughly mucked up the entire evening. He’d been so upset about Evie’s rejection…
But that didn’t give him the right to yell at everyone. Most of all her.
Evie was welcome to reject his courtship. In fact, it was to her credit that she wished to be honest, rather than pretending to like him to gain his favor.
He sighed.
As usual, he’d managed to make a mess of the entire affair.
He watched Lady Matilda rise and disappear and he knew the women were congregating to discuss what a vicious beast he was.
All deserved.
The party gradually picked up again, people returning to their conversations, even Rangeley and Everett, but Evan ignored them.
He’d made a terrible mistake. And no matter how angry he’d been, he’d have to apologize.
Rangeley caught his eye from further down the table.
“I know,” he said, though the man hadn’t actually spoken.
“That’s good. Because attempting to even discuss vague details of your life is a hazard.”
