Page 123 of Outrageous

“Mel—she looked, well, I don’t know, but not the way she usually does.”

Tommy gave a dismissive shrug. “There is nothing wrong that I’ve noticed.”

Eva was beginning to think Tommy was about as observant as she was.

“Is there no way I can change your mind about this, Eva?”

“No.” Eva felt a pang about her bald rejection, but his reaction was not as bad as she’d thought. As she looked at him, she thought he did not appear entirely surprised or disappointed. Surely he, too, must have noticed they were not the people they’d once been. Although he would not admit it, Eva thought he might actually be relieved. He’d gotten the thing he’d spent years longing for—her—and it had proved quite different in reality. Eva’s old nurse used to frighten them all with the adage, “Be careful what you wish for, or you might get it.”

“I shall come with you to tell your parents,” he said, standing straight, his hands automatically moving to check his cravat, his coat.

“I appreciate the offer, Tommy. But I’d rather speak to them by myself. I shall tell them you stand ready if they want you.”

“Are you quite sure?” he asked yet again.

“Yes.” This time she could see his relief. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Sorry about all this, old man.”

He nodded, obviously still poleaxed.

Eva left the library and leaned against the door for a moment. Well, there was that, done. Only another dozen or so people to go.

“Eva?”

She saw Dru headed her way and grinned. “I received your message, by the way.”

Dru flushed. “I’m sorry I sent Gabe to do my dirty work, but I knew he couldn’t stay away from the stables, so I thought he’d be the advance force.” Dru slid her arms around Eva and gave her a firm embrace before releasing her.

Gabriel’s wife was tall, a good six inches taller than Eva, and she possessed a voluptuous body she’d always disliked. But since marrying Eva’s brother, Dru now wore more flattering—and more revealing—gowns. She was blooming and clearly a woman in love.

“Do you have a moment?” Dru asked.

Did she? Well, what was the rush? She could upset the apple cart at any time. “Of course, for you—always.”

“Shall we pop into the library?”

Eva grimaced. “Er, perhaps not. Why don’t you come with me to my chambers? I need to get out of this”—she pulled at her skirt—“and go to the stables one last time today.” She put emphasis on those words so she’d not have to argue yet again. But she should have known Dru would not nag her. At least not in her current love-softened state.

On the way up to her rooms Dru talked about Samir, Gabe’s young son, who’d only this year come to England from Oran. “He is a wonderful little boy, Eva, and your brother is so good with him.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Eva said, opening the door to her bedchamber and ushering Dru inside. “He’s always been excellent with young children.”

Dru flushed with pleasure—a compliment for her spouse clearly touched her heart. Well, in that, at least, they were of the same mind.

As Eva stripped off her clothing Dru wandered the room, her motions self-consciously casual, and Eva knew what she was waiting for.

“I just ended the betrothal,” Eva said.

Dru whirled around. “Oh, did you? I’m so glad!” Eva laughed and Dru flushed. “I’m sorry, that sounded terrible. You know that Gabe and I would love nothing more than for our best friends to marry. But not if—”

“Not if they aren’t in love,” Eva finished for her.

Dru nodded and flopped down into a chair. “Well, thank heaven that is over. Now I can quit avoiding you and enjoy my time here.”

“Drusilla!”

“What?”

“How can you enjoy yourself at a broken betrothal?”