Before he could respond, she snuck out of the salon and rejoined Hannah and Tabitha. As much as she tried not to, she couldn’t help but watch Evan when he returned to the ballroom. He approached a beautiful dark-haired woman, older than him, to be sure, but still lovely for her age.
Realization washed over her. She recognized the woman. She was the woman she saw kissing her father on the porch of their hunting cabin. The woman looped her arm in Evan’s, and they started toward the exit.
“Tabitha,” she asked, “who is that with Evan?”
Tabitha laughed. “Jealous, are we, Marina?”
Marina gritted her teeth. “I recognize her from somewhere. Will you just answer the question? I am far from jealous,” she ground out.
That wasn’t true. Jealousy was certainly a factor. But she was also disgusted if the man intended to have a tryst after what had just occurred between them, and even worse, if he were to take a woman to bed that her father had been with. Her stomach churned and her heart sank.
“Well, I should hope not. The woman is his mother.” Tabitha patted her arm and smirked.
She should have been relieved that Evan might actually be hers. But there were still questions to be answered. Starting with…How long had Evan’s mother been having an affair with her father?
Chapter Eleven
Evan
Evan whistled ashe dressed for the day, having already had his bath and broken his fast. Once he finally convinced his body to sleep after the excitement of the previous evening, he allowed himself the luxury to sleep in. Evan would make Marina his that day. He knew Marina’s resolve to hate him was fading. She’d agreed to meet with him, which was half the challenge.
He would apologize, grovel at her feet if he must, and convince her she should marry him. He would spend every day of their marriage proving she could trust him and that he would never cause her harm. Surely she could understand the stress he had been under. She had been angry with him, but her passion was the thing he loved most about her.
Parker shaved him and ensured he looked every bit the aristocratic viscount. Appearing to her well turned out couldn’t hurt in his efforts. He cut a fine form in his freshly tailored ensemble if he said so himself. Hopefully Marina would agree. He only had an hour before he was to join her for tea, and likely with her mother in attendance as well.
“Parker, I need two bouquets of flowers prepared for me before I depart. Have the florist use a lot of pinks and reds, if you will.” He could use all the help he could get, so it would be in his favor to win Lady Sidmouth over to his suit.
“Of course, my lord,” Parker replied. “Anything else?”
“That should be all for now. I shall be in my study.”
Once settled at his desk, Evan opened his safe, which held the box that he’d found in the nursery, along with another that included pieces of jewelry that belonged to the family. Even at their lowest, he couldn’t bring himself to part with the unentailed pieces that had been in his family for years.
He pulled out the jewels and looked through it until a ring caught his eye. The large stone in the center was a diamond. Several perfect rubies surrounded the gem, held together by a delicate gold band. He eyed the piece, smiling at the find. This was the ring he would give to Marina when she accepted him.
A female voice came from the doorway. “What are you doing with that ring?”
He smiled, a sight his mother certainly hadn’t been used to seeing from him for many months. “What does any man do with a woman’s ring, Mother?” he teased, grinning at her. “I’m hoping to slip this on my future wife’s finger.”
She clasped her hands at her chest. “So, you’ve already asked a lady? And she said yes? Oh, this is wonderful, son. Who is she? I wasn’t even aware you were courting anyone.”
“Slow down, Mother. I intend to ask her today,” he said, chuckling.
“Well, who is she?” she pressed.
“Lady Marina Osborne.”
His mother’s visage turned to a frown. “Sidmouth’s daughter?”
He narrowed his eyes. “The very one,” he replied. “What’s wrong, Mother? I am certain you will adore her. She will be the perfect viscountess.”
“It just seems so sudden. Are you sure there isn’t another lady who will catch your eye? We’re not even a month into the season.”
What was his mother about?
“Just a second ago, you were delighted at the notion I mightalready be engaged,” he said. “Don’t mothers typically beg their sons to take a wife and get to having children? What issue do you have with Lady Marina?”
She shuffled on her feet. “I don’t have any issue with her. I don’t even know the lady. When do you intend to ask her?”