Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

G iven their strained, and even at one time antagonistic relationship, it was something of a surprise that Lady Patience Chester offered to host an engagement soiree for Lady Eva and her new fiancé. Whatever Lady Stanton's misgivings were about the woman that she considered to have stolen Eva's rightful husband out from under her nose, she was perfectly willing to smile and make nice if it saved her the expense of hosting the celebration herself. Lady Patience had even personally called at their home, politely ignoring the state of it and the lack of servants.

"I should be most happy if you would allow me to do you this favour," she had said pointedly, taking Eva's hand and catching her eye. It was an unexpectedly sincere gesture that surely would have caught Eva's attention, but she was beyond it all now.

The easiest path forward, she had decided, was simply to close down and retreat from everyone about herself. She was simply being carried forward with the current, swept along to the end. When called upon, she would answer direct questions, smile when told, do all that was required of her…but no more. She had lost her little sun charm, and with it, much of her will to be Eva. The world had grown colder, so it was an apt analogy.

So Eva had just stared blankly at Patience, blinking as if in a fog and unable to determine what the correct answer was. It was fortunate, then, that Lady Stanton was on hand to answer everything for her.

"We shall certainly be there," Lady Stanton assured Lady Chester, who ignored her in favour of staring at Eva. If Eva had been more aware, then she likely would have remembered that Lady Patience was a deceptively intelligent, observant young woman who missed very little.

It was days, maybe even a week later, when Eva found herself in Lady Chester's carriage, which she had been gracious enough to send around for Eva and her mother. This allowed them to arrive at the party in some kind of style, preserving their re-found respectability. Kitty, the dear thing who had been strangely absent from Eva's life, had arrived to help Eva dress, picking out her wardrobe with explicit attention.

When Eva stepped out of the carriage, she cut quite a figure for those that were lingering outside of Lady Chester's home and peering out the windows to glimpse the arrivals. She wore a grey-blue travelling cloak trimmed in dark brown fur. In her melancholy, Eva's cheeks had grown paler, making her lips appear redder. She was on the whole subdued, silent, and possessed of a strange, serious grace that gave all of her gestures weight. One would have been forgiven for comparing her to a princess that had just woken from a cursed slumber.

Without protest, she took her mother's arm, who paraded into the fashionable townhouse with her head held as high as a queen. Even Eva could see that this was a moment of triumph for her mother, riding in a fine carriage and her daughter about to make a good marriage despite the ton's best efforts to put them back in their place. On some level, Eva was happy for her.

The Chester home was brilliantly decorated in the height of taste and fashion, subtle but luxurious all the same. Lady Chester herself came forward, softly kissing Eva's cheeks and taking her cold hands as a maid slipped the cloak from her shoulders. Those nearest to her gasped as her dress was revealed.

Eschewing the bright, happy colours of a soon-to-be bride, she was instead wearing a dusty lavender, the centre bodice ruched and gathered. Over this, she wore robing in a lavender and gold changeable silk, which fastened beneath her bust with matching silk tassels. It draped elegantly about her, the skirt tightly gathered and falling like the folds of fabric on a Greek statue. The effect was astounding, especially with her pale beauty contrasting with her dark eyes and hair. Anyone would have been hard pressed to find fault with her appearance.

Lady Chester recovered first, taking Eva by the arm and smiling sweetly at Lady Stanton. "There are many who wish to congratulate the happy pair; but please, Lady Stanton, help yourself to some of the negus and champagne, and Cook has really outdone himself with a blancmange a la vanilla ." Eva could see her mother wavering, and Patience gave her another sugary smile. "Don't you worry, I shall take good care of our Eva; her beau is awaiting her."

That was all that needed to be said. Lady Stanton excused herself under the guise of greeting old friends, and Eva was left with Lady Chester, who began to speak to her quickly and under her breath.

"We haven't long, dear one," Lady Chester said urgently, smiling and nodding to her guests as they strolled through the house. "We can only keep your mother occupied for so long, and there is much to do."

"There is?" Eva asked, feeling as if she were missing several important steps.

"Oh yes," Patience said, nodding seriously. "But first, I must ask you something," she said, turning Eva to face her. "Are you prepared to be completely honest, no matter the consequences?"

"I don't?—"

"I know you don't understand yet," Patience said, gently taking Eva by the arms, "but you will in just a moment. I know that this will break all notions of polite decorum, but you must trust that I have your best interests at heart, I truly do. But if you have any hope left in you, if you have any desire for happiness, you must be honest . Trust me, he can take it."

And with that, before she could ask any questions, Eva was gently thrust into a small room, and the door closed quickly behind her. Confused and alarmed, Eva turned about, ready to try the handle, when a masculine voice stopped her.

"Wait!"

She froze, and her foolish, traitorous heart, hoped for one moment against hope. Eva knew it wasn't Josiah, they sounded nothing alike; all the same, at hearing a man's voice, hope had lanced right through her heart, puncturing her carefully constructed control and distance from reality.

She turned slowly back around, trembling from too many emotions to name. Silhouetted against the light that slanted in through the windows was Mr. Cluett; it was unmistakeably him, his broad frame giving him away. Eva said nothing, not trusting herself to speak.

"Didn't mean to frighten you," he said kindly, stepping forward cautiously. "Thought I was someone else, didn't you?" he asked softly, his face sympathetic.

That was too much for Eva. She could have tolerated it if he were politely distant, if he were cruel even, but the kindness undid her. Immediately, her face fell, her whole body folded as she slumped to the floor, head buried in her hands. She did not have the energy to sob or wail, and instead cried silently, like a noiseless hurricane, which was somehow more terrible.

The floor creaked a little, and she cracked open a bleary eye long enough to note that Mr. Cluett was not looking on in either horror or disgust, as she had expected, but had calmly lowered himself to the floor as well, mindless of his fine breeches. His face showed only concern, which made her cry harder for a moment.

"Really did not mean to distress you," he said, his forehead creased.

Eva barked out a strangled, watery laugh. "You didn't," she reassured him. She regarded him thoughtfully for a moment. "It really is a pity that I cannot love you; perhaps it would be easier if I could."

"Maybe," Mr. Cluett agreed. "But don't think we fit well together; like boots that are the wrong size."

Eva couldn't help but sniffle another laugh. "Mr. Cluett, I really must tell you that most women would not be flattered by a comparison to a boot ." His only response to that was to wordlessly pass her his handkerchief, which she dabbed at her eyes with. "You really are a kind man," she said as she patted at her watering eyes. "I'm so sorry that my mother—that you've been swept up in her schemes."

Mr. Cluett shook his head. "Not just her; my mother, too. Thought it was time for me to be settled, needed a wife that was sophisticated and could give me a bit of polish. Not sure she understands how cucumbered you are though."

Eva grunted an agreement to that. "Wait—won't we be missed from the party? Surely that will make people talk."

Mr. Cluett grinned a little, boyish and kind, and offered her a hand to help her stand. Eva accepted after a slight hesitation, allowing herself to be pulled up easily. Mr. Cluett gestured for her to peek out the door, and she did so, pressing her face to the small gap.

Standing quite nearby was Lady Patience Chester, but she was not alone: In a small, social clump, there was also her husband, Lord Chester; the Duke and Duchess of Brandon; and a dark-haired woman who was also wearing a dress in a dark lavender, though the make was slightly different. From a distance, however, she would look enough like Eva from the back to be believable.

"Kitty?" she asked when she turned back around. When Mr. Cluett nodded, Eva smiled. "Of course it is." This was a familiar trick from their youth, and Eva knew that she could be counted upon.

Mr. Cluett's face broke into a wide, genuine smile. "Good sort, that one."

Eva, despite her own troubles, could not help but notice the way that he spoke of Kitty. Has he—do they…? Eva wondered, but did not say anything about that just yet. "What is to be done now, then?"

To her surprise, Mr. Cluett's face came over all serious, and he spoke in an unusually grave tone for him. "Needed to ascertain the particulars of your feelings. Suspected they tended in another direction, but had to know for sure. Should have your own say on whether we marry or not."

"And what if I had said that I had every intention of following my mother's wishes, and would hold you to your promise? Not that I, or anyone else for that matter, would consider that a proper proposal, but…" Eva asked, folding her arms.

Mr. Cluett gave a shrug, the gesture absurdly tiny on his wide shoulders. "Would honour your wishes. Could be worse," he added. "Don't find you unpleasant; others have been founded on much shakier ground."

"Fair enough," Eva agreed with a grudging smile. "I suppose the next question is, what is to be done about all this?"

"Not sure yet. Can't deny the truth of your feelings, that much is for certain; wouldn't be right to make you miserable." Mr. Cluett paused and lifted a hand as if he meant to give her a reassuring touch before he thought better of it. "Wanted you to know that your friends haven't abandoned you," he said with a nod toward the door, indicating the cluster nearby.

"That means a great deal to me," Eva said, tears threatening again. "I'm just not sure it's enough; how do we free ourselves? What can actually be done? Your mother won't thank you if you cry off, my mother would not hesitate to sue for breach of promise; my mother wouldn't allow me to refuse you. I'd have to leave London, and my reputation would be done forever."

Eva turned away, back toward the door, angrily swiping tears again. "I really am very sorry about this. I…I never wanted to make you miserable, too."

"Wouldn't think it," Mr. Cluett said firmly. In a quieter, almost shy, voice, he added, "You're a good sort too—just haven't realised it yet."