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“Sorry,” Elijah muttered before giving his head a shake and meeting Rex’s eyes again. He sighed, rolling his shoulders into a more relaxed state. “Mary is like a little sister to me. I would not like to see her hurt.”
Rex wondered if his wife knew exactly how many staunch defenders she had. He rather thought she would be surprised to realize their true number and the depth of their devotion.
“I do not intend to harm her,” he replied, being very deliberate with his phrasing. Elijah caught it and scowled. Rex shrugged, lowering his voice so only Elijah would be able to hear him. “You know as well as I do, some ladies enjoy a bit of pain with their pleasure.”
Elijah grimaced and shook his head again.
“I really do not like to think of Mary in such terms… but…” He looked away from Rex. Curiosity piqued, Rex waited. Elijah had approached him for a reason, and though his concern for Mary’s wellbeing was sincere, Rex did not think it was Elijah’s only motive. Elijah’s shoulders straightened again, his chin lifting. “I also would not like to think that Mary would go without something she needs in her life, the way I have been.”
Well, this was certainly an interesting turn of events. Rex cocked his head.
“Have you?” he asked mildly enough to be taunting, and Elijah scowled at him.
“You know I have.” Elijah’s voice was tight. It was a blow to his pride to have to admit to such a thing, especially when he had been so disparaging when speaking to Rex previously. “I… you said there is a place for me, if…”
Finally taking pity on him, Rex nodded.
“There is always a place for you in the Society, Elijah.” The poor man clearly needed it. He was more repressed than a nun. “The next soiree is Wednesday after next at Lady Greywood’s.”
“Thank you.” Elijah nodded, stiff as ever, and walked away. Rex shook his head in bemusement. Hopefully, an evening with the Society would loosen the man up again.
Mary
Eyeing her husband from across the room, Mary wondered what he and Elijah were talking about. They did not seem the type who would get along. Elijah was very much like Thomas, who did not approve of Rex, although he was doing his best to hide it now that she was married to the man. Thomas really was a dear, even if he could be a prig at times.
“Can I steal you away for a moment?” Lily asked, winding her arm about Mary’s. Josie came to Mary’s other side, smiling sunnily at those gathered around her.
“Yes, we just need her for a minute,” Josie said brightly. Aunt Elizabeth smiled, drawing her friends off, so Josie and Lily could pull her away.
“Where are we going?” Mary asked, confused by the suddenness of their request. They had spoken a few minutes earlier before Josie had been distracted by Joseph escorting Miss Bliss out to the gardens.
“The retiring room.” Lily led her out to the hall, but as soon as they were through the door, she and Josie looked over their shoulders and tugged Mary to the right instead of going straight down the hall to the room Aunt Elizabeth had set up for the ladies.
“Where are we really going?”
“Evie is here,” Josie whispered.
“What?!” Shock was followed by joy, then worry. Evie’s uncle and all three of her cousins were here for the brunch. They were currently under the impression Evie had gone to Bath, thanks to Josie’s quick thinking. She had produced a letter for them, from Evie, explaining how she was bored at home and had decided to go jaunting. Claiming she was angry at being left out of her uncle and cousins’ business, she ‘told’ Josie that she was not going to tell them where she was going, but Josie had her permission to do so if she judged their worry to be excessive.
If any of them were to realize Evie was here in London andnotat Mary’s wedding as a guest, explanations would be demanded.
“Is everything all right?” she whispered. That was her second worry—Evie was here not to see Mary but because something had gone horribly wrong.
“Of course.” Josie squeezed her arm. “She wanted to see you today and could not think of another way.”
Warmth spread through Mary’s chest. She loved her friends so much. It could not have been easy for Evie to miss Mary’s wedding, and that she went to so much effort to see her anyway, despite the danger, meant everything in the world to Mary. There was still a small part of her that wondered if Evie’s interest in her marriage was because of Rex’s connection to the Society, but that evaporated as soon as she saw her friend.
Dressed in simple servants’ clothing, makeup altering the delicate features of her face, and her hair pulled back in a severe knot, Evie was almost unrecognizable at first glance. She brightened the moment Mary walked into the small parlor where she was waiting, and her beauty shone through her disguise.
“Oh, Mary… you are so lovely!” Evie wrapped Mary in a hard hug, and Mary squeezed her back just as tightly.
“You should not have risked this, but I am so glad you did,” Mary replied. Behind her, Lily was stationed outside the door with Josie on this side, taking charge of listening for Lily’s knock if anyone were to come down the hall.
“I was at the church this morning, too, though I dare say you did not see me,” Evie said, pulling back enough to look down into Mary’s face but not releasing her. “You are happy, yes?”
“I think so.” A pink blush spread across Mary’s cheeks as she remembered the morning’s interlude in the carriage and the way Rex looked at her every time she crossed his gaze during the brunch. “I think… I think Icanbe. I just have to wait and see if I will be.”
“If he makes you unhappy, we will fix him, one way or another.” Evie’s green eyes glinted dangerously.
