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I nodded. All of the ton spoke of her, the great Lady Luella Farraday, beloved by everyone except her husband, the duke.
“Your father had…” I stopped, not desiring to harm him with the words.
“My father had a kept woman,” he said. “A Miss Datura Topwells. He would not marry her, as he sought a wife of noble birth, but he kept her, nonetheless. He had a son with her, Fitzwilliam. All of this was kept from those who knew him, even my mother. It was only when she gave birth to me that she discovered the truth. That was when my father allowed Miss Topwells into Everely. It was more than my mother could bear, but she could not leave, for my sake. My father had his heir and would see me raised as such under him…beside his other son.”
“He grew up alongside you?” I frowned, not remembering ever meeting this brother. “I knew of him, but I have never seen him.”
“Yes, and my father at least had the sense to avoid parading Fitzwilliam or his mother around. But they were very much in our lives.”
I did not know it could be worse and I did not want to.
“I shall not bore you with more. Instead, I shall explain how this forced me to break my promises four years ago.”
I was fearful of this truth, but I desired it more than anything else.
“As Fitzwilliam grew up with all the finery that comes with being a duke’s son, he grew more frustrated by the two things he was not given—status and recognition. This worsened when my father passed, and I inherited everything. He was enraged. He believed it was his right, not mine. We had never maintained a good relationship, but any pretense died along with my father. He demanded part of the estate, which I refused, and sought to have him and his mother removed from Everely. I also sent our younger brother to Eton. For years, I had waited for that moment, so I did not hesitate. To avoid having her living in poverty—she was still the mother of my younger brother and the former wife of a duke—I gave them funds. I even bought apartments in London for Datura but made it clear that I sought to never look upon their faces again. And that they were not welcome to return. Fitzwilliam swore revenge. I scoffed, paying him no mind, for what could he do? Then he took you from me.”
“Took me?” I frowned. “I beg your pardon. No one has taken me.”
“Forgive me. My words were clumsy,” Evander said quickly. “I meant he caused me to lose my chance at marrying you.”
“How could he do such a thing? Was it not because of some baron’s daughter—”
“It was not that!” he snapped, and I jumped slightly.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Damon shift.
Evander stepped back and looked at the fire. “Forgive me, but that talk…that lie, it haunts me. It was not I who took that girl. I do not know if Fitzwilliam did so on purpose to ruin me or if it was just a series of events that worked to his favor and my detriment.”
“I do not understand how his actions could affect you so.”
“Fitzwilliam pretended to be me.” Evander turned back to the fire, a glow cast upon his eyes. “We grew up together, so everything about the estate, down to my signature, he knew. Father had even made him a ring with our family seal. It is not as though all the world knows what I look like. He took Emma, telling her that she would be his duchess, and when she was caught with child, she told her family the Duke of Everely was responsible. Her father came to me the week before your coming out, demanding I wed her. I refused and told him it was the most wicked of slanders. But the girl had letters, and he swore he would take me to court and thus, ruin my good name.”
“So, you just married her, you fool?” Damon gasped, now entirely away from the window.
“Of course not! I beseeched the girl to tell the truth!” he exclaimed. “But she was terrified and refused, as doing so would leave her even further ruined. I told them that I would go to court and prove this to be a fraud. Her father was enraged and demanded a duel.”
“I beg you, say you did not.” Damon sighed heavily.
“I did no such thing.” He frowned. “I did not fire. I tried to reason with him, swore to him that I had not taken advantage of his daughter. But the foolish man shot at me anyway.”
“Were you injured?” I sat up from my chair.
He smiled half-heartedly. “No, the gun backfired, and he wounded himself. The witness can attest to this. I have it in writing as well. I refused the duel, and he injured himself. After the man died the next morning, I realized the fate that was left to the girl and her mother. Neither would admit the truth, especially as they had lost all protection.”
“So, you married her,” I whispered.
“The whole affair at that point had gotten too rotten, Aphrodite,” he said, shaking his head. “Should it have come to light, my name would’ve been ruined and, thus, my sister’s, maybe even your own.”
“You could have fought it!” Damon retorted.
“How long would that have taken?” Evander questioned in return. “How would it have looked? As her belly grew and she was forced onto the streets. Her father had more debts than any man should—it was a disgrace.”
“Why did you not just tell us the truth? Could we not have helped you?” I asked. “Do you truly believe us so concerned with reputations that we would shun you?”
“It is because your family cared so much that I was concerned,” he said. “It was not as if it were my only issue. My brother was—is still out there, still trying to use my name. However, I have fortified myself much better, having changed everything down to my signature. I even sought to slightly alter our seal. I have men searching for him to hold him accountable for his crimes, but he continues to elude justice.”
“He’s the one who stabbed you?”
