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The moment the dance ended, Sam ventured to her friend’s side. Evie, having returned to the side of her chaperone, Lady Montbrook, was fanning herself vigorously.
“It’s incredibly hot in here, isn’t it?” Evie asked Sam as she neared her side.
“Yes, it is. But what are you doing dancing with St. Clare? Shouldn’t you be looking for a suitor?”
“I already have a suitor,” Evie answered dryly.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have other options.”
“What if St. Clareismy other option?” Evie asked without looking at Sam.
Sam couldn’t help it; she laughed and received an indignant look from her friend.
“I am sorry, Evie, you are able to charm anybody into marriage, you truly are…” She paused and wrinkled her nose. “Just, perhaps not St. Clare. Not that you’d want to. The man is a rake!”
She received a freezing stare from a lady to her right and lowered her voice hastily. “Come, Evie. Your only options cannot be an emotionally unavailable pauper baron and a notorious skirt chaser.”
“Then who do you propose?” Evie asked with an exasperated sigh. “Don’t think I didn’t notice your efforts to set me up with your brother.” Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Evie held up one finger, prompting Sam to halt. “Don’t even try to deny it. I know you, Sam. And even my cousin, Julie, noticed your feeble attempts. I appreciate your help, truly. But it is done. As soon as I see Lord Ashbury, I shall give him my consent.”
“Evie—”
“No. Sam, you can’t know how much I appreciate your friendship and that you worry about me so, but I’ve already told my guardian. And he gave me his blessing.”
Sam’s mouth fell open. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “What did Lady Montbrook say?”
“She wasn’t happy about it, but in the end, she agreed to help me arrange the wedding at the end of the season.”
“The end of the season?” Sam quirked her brow.
Evie took a deep breath. She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “As long as I have my guardian’s blessing, I can marry Ashbury with no issues. And I can change the date, can’t I?”
Sam peered into her friend’s face. “You are going to lie to them.”
Evie swallowed and shook her head. “I want to be free to do as I please. I don’t want to be under the same roof as the Montbrooks for long. And Lord Ashbury needs my inheritance now. This is the only solution.”
Sam watched her friend’s overbright smile and felt a heavy weight settle in her heart. With Evie’s grandfather’s passing, that was what her life had turned into. Putting on a brave face, a façade in front of everyone. Not having a single person she could be herself with, even in the comfort of her own house. At that moment, another gentleman stepped in front of Evie and claimed his dance. Evie smiled at Sam and walked out onto the dancefloor as if nothing was wrong.
