To Defend A Duke

Chapter 38

Evelyn pushes past the people gathered in the hallway. Young girls cling to their mother's skirts, most still have frightened faces that follow her as she passes them.Outside, she takes a deep breath of air and closes her eyes. The chill is welcome against her flushed skin. She opens her eyes and looks over her arms and shoulders. There are small rips in her dress where Lawrence held her, his nails have caused tiny red cuts and they sting in the fresh air.

Looking down at her feet she almost gags at the sight of her blood-soaked hem and ruined shoes. Bending down, she takes a pin from her head and makes a hole just above where the blood has saturated to. She rips the material and pulls off around five inches of her dress's skirt, leaving the underskirt showing. She undoes her shoes and slips them off, the blood has soaked through them and stained her stockings.

Straightening up, she leans against the wall of the house and watches the number of carriages decrease as guests leave. The sensible ones look relived to be leaving but a few long to stay and live out the drama for a little longer. Evelyn silently glares at anyone who looks at her, bitter and a mess. It feels like it used to, before everything changed. Everyone watching and judging her every move except this time she isn't prepared to play the perfect part.

"Now that was dramatic," Lady Edith says, shocking Evelyn out of her dark thoughts. She gives the lady a side glance.

"It's quite the turn of events." She agrees. Already had enough of her presence Evelyn makes the decision to get away while she can.

She curtsies, "If you'll excuse me..."

"Wait a moment." Edith grabs her arm and forces her to stop. "We need to have a chat." There is something threatening in her expression.

"Whatever about? All you do is insult me and my family." Evelyn huffs, exasperated. "I have nothing to say to you."

"I have something to say to you," Edith says quietly, closing any distance between them until she is right in Evelyn's face.

"I love my son more than my life, and if your silly little cousin makes him happy then I will be happy for him." She smirks, "Of course her extensive dowry made me overlook her relation to you, but I am warning you.  If another Wright hurts my son, I will show you no mercy."

Evelyn almost laughs at the audacity of the woman.

"You are in luck then madam," She says bitterly, "Henrietta is not a Wright, she's a Buxley and she will not hurt your son. You seem to be under the false impression that my aim in life is to hurt those you love but it is not." She tosses her head back and leans in closer to the woman.  "As you seem only to comprehend threats, I will make my own. If you are anything less than kind to my cousin, I will ruin you without a thought."

Edith opens her mouth to argue but Evelyn doesn't give her the chance to say a word.

"Don't test me, because after all you keep reminding me that I have nothing to lose." She whispers, deadly serious. "Do I make myself clear?"

Edith meets her hard stare with a glare, but she looks away after a beat. "Yes." She says mutedly.

"Excellent." Evelyn says with a smile, "My deepest regrets for ball Lady Edith, you must rearrange. If you'll excuse me."

Evelyn walks away, not wasting another minute in her company. She storms away not prepared to face anyone else. The fury she feels dissipates when she sees the duke standing by himself, half hiding in the shadow, a cigar in his hand. He looks up when he sees her heading towards him.

"Hello." She says, her shoes swinging from her hand.

"Are you alright?" He asks, breathing out a puff of smoke.