My Merry Marquess (Wallflowers Christmas Wish Book 3) Read online

  Eve wondered if that meant what she thought it meant. Was he adjusting himself to the idea of settling down? Of beginning a family?

  With her?

  “I suppose someone has to feed them,” Holly smirked and then peered outside as though watching for someone. “Since the dogs ate the roast from the night before. It’s only fair the cats get today's offering.”

  Eve considered the ingredients Cook had left out on the worktable. She could make roasted potatoes and vegetables. Perhaps put together a main dish that might resemble some sort of shepherd’s pie.

  Sans meat. As frustrated as she was, she could hardly be angry with her aunt’s employee. “I feel sorry for Cook. Mr. Clark says she used to be quite skilled before her eyesight began to fail.”

  “It’s good of Aunt to keep her on.”

  Eve drew out a few pans and the knife she’d cut herself with the day before and then opened a few cupboards. “Lard, lard. Where is the lard?”

  “In the larder,” Holly commented answered cheekily.

  “You’re back!” Noelle announced, appearing essentially out of nowhere looking flushed and disheveled. “I couldn’t save the meat, but we could always see if we could purchase a meal from the inn.”

  Eve studied her sister suspiciously. Noelle’s lips seemed swollen and pink, and her eyes were unusually bright.

  “Where did you come from?” Holly narrowed her eyes. “And what have you done with your hair?”

  Noelle smoothed back some dark strands that had escaped her coiffure.

  “You’re flushed.” Eve glanced over Noelle’s shoulder. Was something in the larder?

  Or perhaps someone?

  “Come quick! I need to show you something in the drawing room.” Noelle insisted.

  “What? What is it?” When Noelle didn’t’ answer right away, Eve’s heart cracked, assuming the worst. “Is Aunt Winifred all right?”

  “Oh, she’s fine.” Noelle set her fears to rest with a wave of the hand. “Just come with me. It’s the most extraordinary thing….” Noelle grasped both Eve and Holly’s hands and forcibly dragged them away from the kitchen.

  Eve hated that her mind automatically jumped to the worst possible scenario.

  When had she become such a Nervous Nelly? She allowed herself to be pulled along until Noelle presented both Holly and her with her embroidery. “Look at this stitch! I’ve never quite managed anything like it!”

  What on earth? “You’ve made that stitch a thousand times.”

  Noelle frowned and then peered at it more closely. “I suppose I have, haven’t I?”

  Eve barely caught sight of Lord Blitzencreek as he hastily collected his coat and hat from the hook in the foyer.

  So that was why Noelle had been flushed—and why she’d been so keen to shoo them out of the kitchen.

  Which reminded Eve that she’d invited Nick for dinner and their menu still lacked a main course.

  “I’m going to check over at the inn and see if they’ve any leftover courses.” She would not be opposed to catching a glimpse of Nick. Perhaps they could manage an afternoon stroll.

  “I will come as well,” Holly volunteered quickly, the tops of her ears flushing pink.

  “Give me a moment. You’ll need help carrying it back!” Noelle went rushing back to the kitchen and then past the parlor again and flying up the stairs.

  “As if three of us are needed to carry one bowl of stew.” Holly rolled her eyes but then frowned. “Do you think she loves him?”

  Ah, yes. Noelle’s embroidery nonsense hadn’t fooled Holly either.

  The question was a good one. Noelle had adamantly declared that she didn’t want to love Lord Blitzencreek. She’d insisted she wanted nothing more than to be friends with her husband.

  Eve bit inside her lip. Her sister wasn’t acting like a woman who wanted to be “friends” with Lord Blitzencreek.

  “What?” Noelle was breathless when she returned and slipped her scarlet cloak around her shoulders.

  “You don’t fool us one bit,” Eve commented.

  “Help us carry the food!” Holly snorted. “You want to see him again.”

  Noelle blushed but then lifted her chin and led them out the front door. “You would too if you were me.”

  Eve locked arms with a sister on each side as they marched along the path that had been worn between the inn and their aunt’s home. She wondered whether she or Noelle felt the most anticipation to make this visit to the inn.

  Even Holly seemed happy at the prospect of this outing. Was it possible she had a beau as well? Certainly not Tidemore. Holly might be overly silly where gentlemen were concerned but she wasn’t an idiot.

  They released one another’s arms and entered the increasingly more familiar building single file.

  “Welcome, ladies!” the innkeeper welcomed them jovially.

  Eve took a step toward the innkeeper at the same time Lord Blitzencreek approached Noelle. “It seems Cook has done it again,” Noelle announced almost gleefully.

  The innkeeper chuckled. Eve made a note to herself to ask after Aunt Winifred’s tab. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve plenty of hot stew leftover from lunch, if you’d like. His Grace was just telling me he’d not had such superior fare anywhere.”

  His Grace? Eve whipped her gaze around to stare at the baron, moving closer to her sister almost as though she could feel bad news coming.

  “His Grace?” Noelle pinned a confused gaze on the man she’d been giggling over only moments before.

  “Why, yes, your betrothed, the Duke of Dashlington,” the innkeeper’s voice rang out proudly.

  “Dashlington?” Noelle questioned. “Dash?”

  Eve put a hand on Noelle’s shoulder and squeezed. Of course, Lord Blitzencreek had been too good to be true. He’d not only lied to her sister, but he’d lied to all of them.

  And so, she realized, had Nicholas.

  Chapter 9

  What the hell was going on out there? Nick rose from the table and followed Dash out of their private dining room.

  Standing near the front entrance, his friend, a bloody duke no less, was alternately rubbing the back of his neck and waving his hands in the air as he seemed to be pleading with Eve’s raven-haired sister.

  “But that is what I am trying to explain. I’ve never felt love before. Didn’t even recognize the blasted emotion. I only understood that you were different from the current duchess—my mother--and that—”

  “That’s enough.” The girl was having none of it.

  The realization that Dash’s lie had caught up with him caused Nick’s blood to run cold.

  “Goodbye, Duke of Dashlington. I hope you find the perfect bride.” The dark-haired girl turned in a flourish and left, revealing Eve, who had been standing behind her.

  Eve didn’t look angry. Nick stared at her hard, willing her to meet his eyes.

  She did not.

  Instead, she took a step toward Dash and murmured something that caused his normally good-natured friend to jerk his shoulders back and then lash out.

  “I don’t need your comfort.”

  “Watch yourself,” Nick ground out from behind him.

  Eve briefly flicked her gaze to Nick but he couldn’t read her thoughts. With a sad smile, she turned and followed her sisters.

  Do something, damnit. But Dash was a mess. The bastard didn’t seem to understand what could happen if he didn’t rectify this situation quickly.

  “Go after her.” You fool! “Her pride is hurt now but she’ll forgive you. Just give her time.” Now’s not the time to be an arrogant prick. Damnit, Dash, don’t mess this up.

  Nick wasn’t fool enough that he didn’t comprehend what was holding Eve back. He could vow to love her forever and he was fairly certain she loved him too… The trouble was, she didn’t trust in love. And if she didn’t trust in love, they didn’t stand a chance.

  His sweet Eve needed to believe in love again.

  Desperately.
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  The look in Dash’s eyes was similar to a wounded animal. “Time? I’ve been alive for eight and twenty years and my own mother has never grown to love me. Why should Noelle?”

  “That is your mother’s flaw. Not yours and not Noelle’s.” Nick grasped Dash’s shoulder only to have his friend jerk away. Love—honest to goodness love, by god—was worth fighting for.

  “I need to leave this place.”

  “Leave? How the bloody hell are you going to do that?” Jack piped up from behind him.

  “I’m a duke, aren’t I?” Dash was blathering nonsense now. “Innkeeper! How much to purchase your sleigh?”

  “But where will you go?” Dash was about to make a stupid mistake—the sort of mistake Nick was all too familiar with. Eve’s sister obviously loved the blathering idiot. Given time to cool down, she’d realize that it didn’t matter that he’d lied—she’d realize that he’d had good reason to lie. “And don’t you think you should wait another day at least? Allow things to settle?”

  Dash shook his head. “Why, so I can pile hurt on top of hurt?” The innkeeper appeared from the kitchen and Dash turned to both Nick and Jack. “I’m going home, to London. Are either of you coming with me?”

  Nick just shook his head as Dash tore up the stairwell. Nick wanted to go after Eve but doubted he’d be welcome in the Bailey sister household in that moment. But he wasn’t going anywhere.

  Hearing slamming sounds echoing from above stairs, he figured he’d make one more attempt to keep Dash from hurting both himself and Eve’s sister.

  How was he ever going to convince Eve to trust him when every time love reared its head, betrayal quickly followed?

  Nick climbed the stairs and formulated some sort of argument that Dash might be willing to hear. From the crashing sounds behind the closed door of room number one, he knew it would have to be a good one. “Dash, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. If you’ve come to convince me to stay, you can save your breath.”

  “But I have so much of it, you see, why would I want to save it?” He didn’t wait for an invitation but entered anyway. “You should know that by now.”

  Dash only scowled at him. “Did no one bother teaching you when to leave well enough alone?”

  Ironic, that. The truth of it was that he’d learned just the opposite.

  “Oh, certainly.” Nick tossed himself onto the bed, lacing his hands behind his head that he propped against the wall. “And as your friend, I’ve come to the conclusion that now is not the time for me to leave anything alone. This is most decidedly the time for me to talk.”

  “If you don’t get out--” Dash’s nostril’s flared, suddenly reminding Nick of his horse just before she’d bolted. He didn’t suppose this would be a good time to point that out to the tormented duke.

  “Easy.” Nick held out his hands. Perhaps he was going about this wrong. “I wouldn’t want to have to beat you senseless after the day you’ve had.” Although that might be an improvement on the duke’s state of mind.

  An alert pause suggested that his friend was considering just that. Dash actually seemed to be listening to Nick now.

  “Perhaps we should take this outside.” Dash already had his fists clenched.

  “Another time.” Nick inhaled. This wasn’t something he’d intended to share with anyone, but he figured it was his only shot. “Right now, we’re going to discuss a particularly pesky four-letter word.”

  “Which one?” Dash might as well be foaming at the mouth. “What a pile of absolute shit you are? Or how I’m going to f—”

  “Not that one, you ass.” Nick sat up then, swinging his legs back over the bed and resting his elbows on his knees. “I meant love.”

  “No.” Dash began pacing. “I owed her a boon, and we made an arrangement. That is all.”

  “I heard you say it, man.” Nick swallowed hard, remembering when he’d told Eve. “I heard you utter the word love. So, don’t bother denying it now. The sooner we start discussing the truth, the more productive this conversation will be.”

  “What do you know about anything?” Nick would have laughed at the absurdity of this situation if there wasn’t so much at stake.

  “I know when a man is about to make the worst mistake of his life.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  Nick just stared at him. For having been friends for such a damned long time, they knew nothing of one another’s personal affairs—affairs of the heart, that was. “I know plenty. You know my trip to France?”

  “What about it?”

  “I was running from love too.” The instant the words left his mouth, he realized how true they were. He could have gone after Eve but instead, he’d given up. “Worst mistake of my life. I hurt her. I hurt me.” Nick scrubbed his hands through his hair. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

  “You don’t understand anything. Not really.” Dash slammed the lid of his trunk closed. “I am not a man meant for happiness. I don’t get a happily ever after.”

  “You’re wrong.” Of course, his blasted friend deserved a happily ever after—as did Noelle. Hell, even Jack deserved one.

  But most of all, Eve deserved one, and Nick was going to make damn sure that happened. He only hoped it included him. “She loves you too. That’s why your betrayal hurt her so damned much.” As he spoke the words, he knew deep in his soul that Eve wouldn’t have been so hurt if she hadn’t loved him. She may not have said the words back, but she loved him.

  Nick glared at Dash, willing him to listen.

  “Stay and prove you’re not that man, Dash. Don’t run.”

  His idiotic friend shuddered, looking at the floor. “I’m not the man you think I am.”

  “You are.” Nick had to clench his hands at his sides to keep from strangling the dolt of a duke.

  But a knock interrupted the conversation as Jack entered the room. “The sleigh is ready.”

  Nick was convincing himself far better than he’d managed to change Dash’s mind. “We’re not done talking.”

  “We’re done.” Dash set his jaw and flicked a disgruntled look in Jack’s direction. “You’re not going to try and convince me to stay too, are you?”

  Jack straightened up, crossing his arms. “Hell, no.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’ve my own reasons for needing to leave this village, and it’s none of my business if you want to ruin your life.”

  “Enough.” Dash cut his hand through his hair. “When did you two become like a couple of old hens clucking about feelings and life plans?” He picked up his trunk and moved toward the door. “We travel about doing debaucherous deeds while we get drunk. That is who we are.”

  No longer. Nick wouldn’t give up on Eve again. “I have a suspicion those days are done.”

  Jack cracked his neck in the silence.

  “Well.” Dash seemed to dismiss Nick as he looked at Jack. “Are you done carousing forever?”

  One of Jack’s shoulders rose and fell. “I… I… don’t know.”

  This was not the answer Dash seemed to be searching for. “Let’s get out of here. Perhaps we’ll start thinking straight when we remove ourselves from this tiny village.”

  Nick didn’t move but simply watched out the window until long after the sleigh had ridden out of town.

  Eve watched from her window as Noelle and Holly climbed into their aunt’s ancient carriage with Mr. Clark on the driver’s box. After pacing and cursing the baron for much of the afternoon—no, not a baron but a duke!—her little sister had come to the conclusion that she needed to go after the lying blighter. He was the Duke of Dashlington.

  Eve hugged her elbows in front of her, fearful that her sister would only find more heartache. Perhaps he’d had good reason to lie, in fact, she had the feeling that he did. What angered Eve the most was that he wasn’t remaining in Maybridge Falls to explain himself fully.

  Were all men so faithless as to abandon those they loved when ma
tters became complicated or difficult? Didn’t she and her sisters deserve more than that?

  Was love really that fickle?

  “Oh, here you are.” Aunt Winifred stuck her head in the door of Eve’s chamber. “I wondered where you’d gone off to.”

  Eve twisted her mouth into a half-smile. “Do you think she’s making a mistake going after him?”

  “Not at all.” She stepped inside. Her aunt’s gown was at least two decades old but as she lowered herself into a chair, she smoothed it around her as though it was the height of fashion. “It’s far better that she follows her heart now than spend the rest of her life wondering ‘what if?’”

  Eve swallowed hard. “But what if he hurts her? What if he is already betrothed or married? What if he takes advantage of her and then sends her away after all? What if he was only playing with her heart?”

  “Well, then. Noelle will be hurt. She will no doubt fall into the depths of despair as all young ladies do when gentlemen fail them, but she will know the truth. She will know that she gave her all for what she thought was love. And then after a time, she will move on to someone else.”

  Eve studied her aunt closely. Although she was several years older than her mother had been, it was still apparent that she’d once been quite pretty—perhaps even beautiful.

  “How do you know this, Aunt?”

  The older woman stared across the room with a faraway look in her eyes. “A person doesn’t grow as old as me without picking up some wisdom along the way.”

  Eve sat up straight. She’d not ever really considered what her aunt would have been like when she was younger. “But you married Lord Tannenbaum.”

  “And he was a wonderful person. I loved him dearly.”

  “But he was not your true love?”

  Aunt Winifred exhaled loudly. “He was a very good man.”

  “Did your true love betray you?”

  Her aunt stared at her and then, after coming to a decision, shrugged in a manner that reminded Eve very much of Noelle.