Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Evangeline did not care to dwell on the spectacle she must have looked as she climbed down the ladder. By now, several other servants in the yard had come to see what the commotion was about. House servants peered out of windows, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of her. With each new pair of staring eyes, Evangeline's wrath grew, and she could not help the burning flush in her cheeks.

Still, she refused to show her embarrassment. Once her feet were on solid ground again, she held her head up, squared her shoulders, and addressed the gardener. "Thank you, Joseph, is it? Put the ladder back and resume your duties. All of you," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. "We've no time to lose. Fernsby Hall must be perfect."

With that, she strode over to the front door, which opened before she could raise her hand to the knocker. The butler bowed her in. "My lady," he murmured without a hint of surprise or disapproval at admitting a woman dressed in next to nothing. Evangeline did not care either. Her sole purpose was to reach Basil and Lord Fernsby before they discovered anything amiss.

She moved through the house silently in her slippers and stopped at the corner that would take her to the east wing gallery. She peeked round at the scene. Down the gallery a ways were Basil and Lord Fernsby, still sitting on the table, playing at cards. More than that, they were sipping ale and popping bits of cheese and bread into their mouths from a tray laying between them.

Evangeline blew out a silent, furious breath before pulling back to prepare for her entrance. Basil was a master trickster. There had been plenty of times she had gotten the best of him over the years, but if he was already starting the pranks before any of the other guests arrived, she would have to be on her mettle. She stood erect and lifted a hand to her cap to make sure it was straight. A sudden idea made her hesitate. Instead of adjusting the cap, her fingers went to the strings and pulled loose the bow. She slid the cap off and swiftly unplaited her long, golden hair, shaking it out until it was loose and free, nearly falling to her waist. This done, she tied her dressing gown tighter across her waist, then stepped around the corner and into the gallery.

The men did not immediately see her, bent on their game. Basil's back was to her, giving her a chance to train her features into an expression of unconcern and walking toward them as if she was doing nothing more than taking her usual morning airing.

Lord Fernsby noticed her first. He lifted his head up quickly to see who was coming, only to do a double take as he realized who it was. "Morley," he said murmured.

Basil's head raised. Fernsby gestured toward Evangeline, jaw jutting out. Basil turned and his mouth dropped open. He looked her up and down and up again .

She kept her gaze focused on his surprised expression until she walked right up to him, stopping only inches from his face. "Lady Ram—" He looked to the door. "But you were just—you didn't climb down, did you? You couldn't have."

Evangeline raised an imperious brow and kept her expression cool. "I am, if anything, resourceful. I thought you knew me better." She hummed her disappointment and advanced a step farther, putting a finger to his chest. Basil leaned away slightly, staring at her finger. "You must not have been paying enough attention to me. What a pity."

Using her finger to push away from him, she went to the door. "Georgie? The scissors, if you please."

"How did you do it, Lady Ram?" Lord Fernsby asked, no small amount of admiration in his eyes. "That was a brilliant entrance, I must say."

She bestowed a pert smile on him. "Oh, I have my ways."

Georgie slid the scissors under the door. Evangeline bent down for them and straightened up as quickly as she could, feeling vulnerable in the action. One only had so much confidence while wearing nothing but a shift and dressing gown, after all. She gave her head a toss, sending her hair, which had fallen about her face, flying behind her as she set to work cutting the strings attached to the doorknob. "No need to bestir yourselves. I have everything well in hand," she said satirically.

Lord Fernsby moved to aid her, but she waved him off. "Never mind. It is too late now. I have it."

She glanced at Basil. He had not moved from his seat on the table and was staring at her with something of a wondrous expression. A small smile played at his mouth. Oh, wouldn't she show him what it meant to cross her one too many times.

The last string cut, she opened the door.

"Thank goodness," Georgie said, stepping through. "Fernsby, you bad thing. What a trick to play. But now that it is over, we must get to work. Please have our maids sent to us immediately, since I believe you kept them away on purpose to have your fun."

Lord Fernsby chuckled. "I will, my dear. Just a little lark, you understand."

"And I can appreciate it, really, but could you not have waited for a day that was not so overloaded with duties?"

"And where would the fun be in that?" Basil put in, finally taking his eyes off Evangeline.

She brought his attention back to her. "Where, indeed. Morley, could you control yourself for a few days at least? We will have enough on our hands without soothing the ruffled feathers that always come after your tricks. You set a bad example for the younger men as well."

He shrugged and gave a hopeless smile. "Worse than Puck, as you said. There is nothing to be done, I am sorry to say."

"Really?" Evangeline herded Georgie back into the room. She gave Basil one final look before she closed the door on him. A look that he interpreted at once.

"Uh oh."

‘Uh oh' was only the beginning of his troubles at her hand.

"E, what do you mean you will make him fall in love with you?" Georgie asked.

"Just that," Evangeline replied. "He has held on to this delusional idea of marriage between us for far too long. It is time to give him a taste of what being married to me would be like. Trust me, before a fortnight is out, he will be pitying old Ramsbury for having me for so long."

Georgie huffed. "I do not know about that. I would not pity your late husband no matter what you did."

Evangeline threw her a grateful look. Georgie was one of the few people to whom Evangeline had opened up and told what it was really like to be married to such a jealous, controlling old man. "Basil must see that I am not to be trifled with."

"But to trifle with his emotions in turn, is that not a bit cold-hearted? What if he really does fall in love with you? Spurning him would be so cruel."

"It would serve him right."

"And if a man had such an agenda toward a woman?"

"I am not a man," Evangeline said flippantly.

Georgie tipped her head to the side in impatience. "But E, you would not have a woman treat your Henry in such a way, would you?"

The question brought Evangeline's levity up short. She and her eldest son were at outs more and more as he grew, but the very thought of someone toying with his heart made her blood boil as only a mother's could. With that anger, shame for her own thoughts crept in.

She sighed and smiled an apology at her cousin. "Of course not. Perhaps I am getting carried away. Where Morley is concerned is it usually ‘all is fair in love and war', but you are right. To toy with him in such a way is perhaps too much. But he must be brought to see that I am perfectly content with my present situation."

Your present, lonely situation…

Evangeline pushed the thought aside. Lonely, but independent. So far it was a fair trade.

"Yes, do forget that plan. I know you are angry, but I should hate to see anyone being hurt by love," Georgie said, her voice betraying a sudden tiredness.

Evangeline went over and coaxed her to sit down. "I do not think you can know much about love, my dear. From what I have heard, pain and love are bosom friends."

Georgie closed her eyes and patted her stomach ironically. "Is that so?"

Evangeline laughed. "You naughty thing. Why, only think of all the novels and plays that are in the world. They all declare that love is the most wretched feeling if the thing is not done right. And most of the time, I do not think it is."

"You are right. I have felt it myself. Do you remember when I could not stop talking about Johnathan Aubrey? I do not know how many times I broke my poor heart over him, and he did not even know I existed." Georgie laughed. "I was sure I should die of such sadness."

"Yes, love, but you were only fourteen. Such feelings are so poignant at that age." Well did Evangeline know, with sixteen- and fourteen-year-old daughters to manage. "But never mind. I will not break Morley's heart. Though I make no promises for the rest of him. You are looking pulled from the fun of this morning. Stay here and rest while I see to the last details. Ah! There you are, Dobbs."

Dobbs and Georgie's maid finally came into the room, already bustling here and there with activity. "I'm sorry, my lady," Dobbs said. "They told me I wasn't needed at your usual time, and by the time I realized what was afoot, there was nothing I could do."

"Never mind, Dobbs. Just work as quickly as possible."

This was accomplished swiftly so that in no time, Evangeline was dressed in a bright apple-green day dress with cream-colored trimmings and a widow's cap, dyed an outrageous shade of purple .

Georgie had stayed in the chair watching all this with a bottle of smelling salts in her hand. Her sickness was taking over once again.

Evangeline stood in front of her and gave a slow spin. "Shall I do, do you think?"

"You will be the envy of every guest here, pulling off those colors as you do," Georgie said, with a weak chuckle. "Off you go then, and thank you. But E, what shall we do for our revenge? Or shall we let it go, do you think?"

A positively wicked smile crept up Evangeline's face. "Why, you cannot suppose that I will let this morning's trick go wholly unanswered? You cannot cry off. I shall need accomplices. I can count on you, can't I?"

"Of course, but what shall we do?"

"Oh, my dear. You forget I have four sons. There is no end to the tricks I know."