Marriage to a Mister (A Daughters of Regency #1) (23 page)

Evan laughed. "Sounds like Julia.

Fleur nodded with a smile. "My father was of course baffled as to how to reply. Julia reasoned he could keep more chickens or any other animal and that pigs were they dirtiest therefore created more work. My father marched outside and dove right in to help clean. Afterwards he told Julia that even a person of rank and wealth has their duty to others, and that includes respecting and taking care of the people who serve us daily."

"I'm surprised."

She grinned. "That my father would get his hands dirty?"

"No, at your sister. She is very headstrong, yet I'd have never thought she'd torture servants."

"Oh, she didn't, not really, but people do things that are mean and hurtful when they are young, before they understand that it is wrong and that they will come to regret their actions." She avoided his eyes, her words too close.

Evan stopped walking and turned towards Fleur. He let her arm slide from his and grasped both of her hands in his own. "Like myself?"

She looked into his eyes, slightly hooded from the glare of the sun. "Do you regret it?"

He leaned down, his face so close to her own that she could no longer make out his features. She felt his breath upon her lips as he answered. "Every single day."

He slowly leaned into her, his lips barely brushing hers, when he stopped suddenly, hearing the pounding of hooves and the whine of a horse. He looked up to see a great Byerley Turk, the horse black as night and its rider wearing the dark blues of a naval uniform, the gold glistening like flames. His hair was dark, his brows knitted together in anger, the scar on lip prominent as he came barreling towards them. He pulled Fleur behind him as the man came to an abrupt stop, yanking his reins and throwing grass and dirt at their feet when the horse dug in its hooves.

Evan looked up and his mouth almost dropped as he stared into the very angry eyes of Andrew Osborne, Fleur's cousin.
Oh hell,
Evan thought as he watched the man dismount and come striding towards them in all his military glory.

"Andy!" Shouted Fleur, surprise and elation lighting her face as she ran to him. Evan tried his best not to look displeased when he lifted and spun her around.

 
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you could not come." She reached up, wiping the dirt of the road from his face with her hands, dirtying her white gloves.

"What have I told you about calling me Andy?" he asked as he laughed, not really vexed with her. "I was in London and saw the marriage announcement, not that it was needed. You are the talk of the town, Fleur."

He smiled down at her, and Evan was struck by how a man he considered to be a loose cannon could be so loving towards his cousins.

"Oh," Fleur cringed. "I suppose we did leave a bit of an uproar behind."

"Everyone is just bitter they missed all the delicious details, myself included," he added. Evan shrank back a bit at the cold look he was receiving, then gripped his over coat, yanked it down, and tried to stand taller. Osborne had two good inches on him, but what of it?

"Where were you two off to before I arrived?"

"Walking down to the pond to meet the rest of the party. Oh, Andy! Julia will be so happy to see you," she said. "Would you care to join us?"

Osborne looked around. "How far away is this pond?"

Fleur looked to him to answer, and Evan sighed. "It's just a few more minutes, you can see it just over that way," he pointed, and sure enough they could make out the water and their friends sitting on blankets laid upon the ground.

Osborne nodded. "Fleur, why don't you go and join them? I wish to have a word with your husband."

Fleur hesitated, the disdain evident in Andrew's voice. Evan felt his stomach drop as she looked him in the eyes. "No. I think I would prefer to stay here," she answered.

Evan nearly laughed at the shocked look on Osborne's face. He could tell he was not accustomed to disobedience, being a military man and the heir to her father's title. Not to mention he would head her family one day.

"No?" Osborne asked.
 

He felt proud when Fleur didn't back down. Apparently she was not half as afraid of him as he himself was.

"That is right, no. Do you really think I don't know what is going to happen the minute I walk away?"
 

"Fine," he conceded. "What if I promise not to punch him in the nose?"

Fleur looked skeptical, and Evan almost wanted her to stay, but she did not need to be witness to this conversation.

Evan gave him a stiff smile. "I'll be fine, Fleur. We're just going to have a chat, right, Osborne?"
 

"Of course," The other man agreed, his own false friendliness unnerving.
 

She looked again between them and sighed. "Fine, I will go, but don't think I won't send the other men back here as soon as I meet them, so you have roughly ten minutes for your foolishness."

Evan watched the grey of her dress twist as she abruptly turned and walked swiftly away. At that pace they had roughly five minutes.

Evan looked at Osborne, who was now walking towards him. "So get on with it, tell me how much you hate the fact I married her —"

Evan crumpled, the fist drove into his stomach and sent him doubling over. Andrew stepped back, giving him a moment. He grasped his knees and spit onto the ground, breathing slowly in and out through his nose, trying to regain his breath. "That was foul play, Osborne. Breaking your promises to Fleur already?"

Andrew sneered. "That is Captain Osborne to you, and I only promised not to pop you in the nose."

Even stood up straight and leveled him with a stare. "Well, luckily," he said, swinging high and hitting Osborne right across his face. "I didn't make the same promise."

His fist came down swiftly and he felt his knuckles crack and his skin tear, but he didn't have time to look at the damage before Osborne, crazy man that he was, started laughing of all things. "I knew you would fight dirty, Woolf. Too bad you didn't come into the military like a good little spare, we could use men like you. Unfortunately, the Crown will have to make do, because I'm going to obliterate you." He growled and ran at him full speed.

Evan sidestepped but was caught around the waist and nearly lost his balance, but he leaned over and grasped Osborne around the waist. "It seems we are evenly matched. What should we do?" he asked.

"You could stand there and let me pummel you. You know you deserve it you bastard.

"Yes, no doubt I do, but I'm not going to let you. For one, my mother is going to be very upset if she finds out about this, so please show some restraint, and two, how will Fleur feel if she sees we've been fighting?"

"Too late for that! I'm already bleeding form the nose."

"Oh?" asked Evan. "All's fair then." He yanked Osborne down to the ground and they rolled, dust and dirt flying all around them. He felt himself land on his back with Andrew on top of him. He gripped the other man's fist just in time as it came towards his face.

Next thing he knew, he was being gripped by the shoulders and hauled up, with Nathan and Oliver holding his arms. He blinked, trying to clear the dirt from his eyes as they watered. He could barely see Osborne being held in a similar fashion by Dom and his brother.

"Don't touch him again, Osborne," he heard Edward say in that damned calm voice of his, the frames of his glasses glinting. "Or I'll be the next one you go rounds with."

Osborne laughed deeply, and unpleasant sound, and held up his hands. "You are ridiculously tall as ever, Ravenbrook, so pardon me if I decline. Woolf and I were just having a moment."

"And you could not talk it out rationally, could you?" Edward asked. "Lady Fleur has already married Osborne, so what do you hope to accomplish?"

Evan caught his breath and shrugged out of Nathan's and Oliver's hold.

Oliver cleared his throat, brushing away the dirt that holding Evan had transferred onto his clothes. "Excuse me if I seem a tad slow, but who is married to whom? And why are we unhappy about it?"

"Do try to keep up, Oliver," said Nathan, shaking his head. "Evan married Lady Fleur Osborne before we quit London. How can you not know this, you've been here for two days."

Oliver shrugged. "I am never in town, so all the good news escapes me," he defended, then looked at Evan as if his head had rolled off his shoulders. "You really are
married
?"
 

"Quite married," he responded.

"Good Lord." Oliver blinked, still digesting the news.
 

Andrew huffed. "While this is very entertaining to watch, I still need a word with Woolf here."

"A word is all you'll have, Osborne," Edward said, letting go of his arm. "We will stand some yards away but do not try anything. I won't let you touch him again."

He looked to Edward and nodded. "Agreed."

Osborne grinned as the others walked away. "Big brother is still quite protective of you."

Evan's face burned. "No more than you are of Fleur and Lady Julia."

"Why her, Woolf? Of all the women in England, why did it have to be her?"

Evan thought for one heart stopping moment that maybe Osborne was in love with her, but quickly discarded the thought. He has always been like that with the girls, even when they were children.

"What's happened to you, Osborne? We used to be friends, remember?"

"That was before."

"Before what?" Evan asked, genuinely confused.

"Before everything!" Osborne shouted. "Before you tore her heart out and carelessly waltzed all over it. Why would I trust you with it now?" He stopped and ran his hand over his jaw. "Why did you leave? I never understood, and neither did Fleur."

Evan shifted his stance, stalling for time. Every time he explained his reasoning for leaving, the weaker the excuse felt to him. "I was just a fool child, for God's sake, Andrew," he implored. "I was jealous, so I lashed out. I'm not going to treat her that way now, you know. We're adults."

"Won't you? I will have your word on that or I'll end you. Do we understand one another?"

"Yes, I swear I will take care of her the way she deserves or I will put my own face in range of your bloody fist, all right?"

"My pistols damn you. I'll not bother with fisticuffs if you hurt her. Mind you keep that close to your heart."

Evan swallowed and nodded.

"I heard of your heroics at the ball. I guess I should be thankful you saved her from being injured ... so, thank you."

Evan laughed, not able to help it. It was all just so absurd, the whole of it.

Andrew looked at him hard. "Do you love her?"

Evan stopped laughing, his smile fading from his face. "What?"

"I asked do you love my cousin, since you said you were jealous." Andrew loved the way Evan squirmed at his interrogation.

"That is a bit personal, don't you think?"

Andrew shook his head. "I still don't like you."
 

Evan watched him walk towards the other men, irritated with himself for being slightly in awe of how Osborne did not seem the least bit intimidated to walk over there, considering everyone was either Evan's own family or close friend.

He looked down at his hand. Now that the urgency of the moment was over it was starting to ache, though the blood had long dried. He wondered how on Earth he was ever supposed to spend time alone with his wife now that one more obstacle, a very large one, stood in their path.

HOUSE WITHOUT A NAME

Evan stood alone in the corner and watched his father's cue ball drive into Julian's red, sinking a perfect hazard play. The duke had lost once again, and Evan wondered if he'd ever learn. His father lived and breathed the game in winter, and he'd yet to meet any one who could best him.

"What are you thinking about?"

Evan turned towards Nathan. "Hmm, just wondering why anyone bets against my father when they know he never loses."

"Come now," Nathan scoffed. "You've been off over here on your own for half an hour. Tell me what you're really thinking."

"Osborne's an unsocial bastard, isn't he?"

Nathan looked to the opposite corner of the room where the officer stood off alone.

"No more than you. Why? Afraid he might ask you for another dance?"

Evan's smile was sad. "No, it is just with everything and everyone, I'm lucky to spend ten minutes alone a day with Fleur. I didn't talk to her at all during dinner and after everyone was playing whist. How does one ever find a match at these things? No one is ever alone."

"Thank the Almighty, I'm not ready for a shackle, but I see your dilemma. Why don't you just speak to her at night when no one else is around?"

Evan looked skyward. "Oh, yes, I'll just accost her in her sleep and ask her what her favorite color is. She won't be alarmed at all."

"She's already asleep, then, when you come round?"

"Yes, though even if she wasn't, it would be awkward at best. What if she thinks I'm about to ..." Evan waved his hand around.

"Ah, I see, but well, someday you will have to ..." Nathan said, repeating the gesture.

Evan laughed. "Yes, but not now. I'd like to at least have one conversation longer than ten minutes before ..."

"Yes, before ..." Nathan agreed.
 

"There is only one solution then. You must take her away from here. Go honeymoon somewhere."

"Who is honeymooning where?" asked Felix, walking over with Edward and Dom.

Nathan looked around. "Where is Oliver?"
 

"He felt sorry for the captain standing off on his own so he went to make conversation."

Evan looked over and nearly winced when he saw an irritated Osborne and a cowed Oliver. "Poor bastard," said Evan.

"He has never met him before, so he wasn't to know," defended Nathan.

Evan snorted. "Yes, because making an entrance by pummeling one of the guest says 'Come nearer.' Amiable, the man is not."

Everyone laughed.

"I'm still waiting to hear about this honeymoon," Felix interrupted.

"I'm trying to convince Romeo here," Nathan said as he backhanded Evan in the chest, "to run off with his bride so they can get a moment's peace."