decided she was no longer allowed to talk to Cole, ever. He knew he was behaving irrationally. He took a seat on a yellow upholstered chair across from her and ran his hands through his hair. “Cole is not interested in marriage any more than I am, Lady Evelyn.”
“Come now, my lord. Titled men do need heirs, and most do take the responsibility quite seriously.”
He knew her comment was an attack on him, not Cole, and his stance on matrimony. He also knew that what she said was true, for one of the most important things in a titled man’s life was to secure the title for as many generations as possible. She was angry with him, and in a way, he didn’t blame her. He had treated her horribly earlier with his bold manner toward her person and his cruel words, and now he was ordering her about like a naval commander. “I’m sorry for my behavior this evening. I think we need to call a truce. You have made it clear that you wish for us to wed, and, hopefully, I have made you understand that marriage between us isn’t feasible. I happen to like you and I would like it very much if you would agree to be my friend. I never actually had a female friend, aside from my sister, but I would like to try.”
She was silent, most likely deciding if she should take offense at his suggestion. He was, after all, asking her to give up on her dream of them together. He hoped this silly idea of hers would dissipate. He didn’t wish for her to see him as some kind of challenge, a trophy to be won. She appeared disappointed, but he couldn’t blame her. In London Society, he was indeed a catch. He laughed to himself.
He reached across and took her hand, giving it a gentle pat. “What do you think?”
She suddenly smiled, which should have forewarned him of things to come, but it hadn’t. “Then friends we shall be,” she said. “Now, as your friend, I would appreciate it if you weren’t so forceful with your opinions. I’m not interested in Cole as a suitor, and therefore you can stow your advice in that regard…friend.”
“Call me Paxton. My good friends do.” To his mind, she had accepted his offer of friendship far too easily, but then, friends was all they could ever be and she needed to realize this.
“All right. Paxton, would you escort me back to the party. I believe my evening will be very productive since I shall be busy finding your replacement.” Eve laughed as if she was jesting, but the thought of her with another man didn’t sit well with him.
Then Paxton took her arm and managed to laugh good-naturedly all the way down the hall. He was glad they weren’t arguing and that she had agreed to be friends. He only wished his body understood that decision and remembered that it was forbidden to bed one’s friends.
***
Eve was happy throughout the rest of the evening, for although she had lost a potential husband, Paxton was turning out to be a fun and interesting friend. He was no longer ignoring her but helping her on her mission to find herself the perfect suitor. He assisted her in choosing dance partners, giving her important private information about certain gentlemen around the room. She did notice his agitation when Count Vernon approached, but she pinched his arm and whispered in his ear, “In case you’ve forgotten, the war’s over.” Paxton then quit scowling.
She spent the rest of the evening with Henri as they mingled with various circles, conversing on everything from farming to Napoleon’s exile in Elba, the latter seeming to be Henri’s favorite subject. By two o’clock in the morning, Eve’s feet were sore from dancing and she was tired of the constant conversation. She found her mother and Lady Spritewater still in the card room talking with Lady Lydia over a game of whist. After conversing with them for a while, they all agreed it was time to go home.
***
“Where did you drag her off to?” Cole asked Paxton upon his return.
“It’s not what you think.”
“And how do you
“Come now, my lord. Titled men do need heirs, and most do take the responsibility quite seriously.”
He knew her comment was an attack on him, not Cole, and his stance on matrimony. He also knew that what she said was true, for one of the most important things in a titled man’s life was to secure the title for as many generations as possible. She was angry with him, and in a way, he didn’t blame her. He had treated her horribly earlier with his bold manner toward her person and his cruel words, and now he was ordering her about like a naval commander. “I’m sorry for my behavior this evening. I think we need to call a truce. You have made it clear that you wish for us to wed, and, hopefully, I have made you understand that marriage between us isn’t feasible. I happen to like you and I would like it very much if you would agree to be my friend. I never actually had a female friend, aside from my sister, but I would like to try.”
She was silent, most likely deciding if she should take offense at his suggestion. He was, after all, asking her to give up on her dream of them together. He hoped this silly idea of hers would dissipate. He didn’t wish for her to see him as some kind of challenge, a trophy to be won. She appeared disappointed, but he couldn’t blame her. In London Society, he was indeed a catch. He laughed to himself.
He reached across and took her hand, giving it a gentle pat. “What do you think?”
She suddenly smiled, which should have forewarned him of things to come, but it hadn’t. “Then friends we shall be,” she said. “Now, as your friend, I would appreciate it if you weren’t so forceful with your opinions. I’m not interested in Cole as a suitor, and therefore you can stow your advice in that regard…friend.”
“Call me Paxton. My good friends do.” To his mind, she had accepted his offer of friendship far too easily, but then, friends was all they could ever be and she needed to realize this.
“All right. Paxton, would you escort me back to the party. I believe my evening will be very productive since I shall be busy finding your replacement.” Eve laughed as if she was jesting, but the thought of her with another man didn’t sit well with him.
Then Paxton took her arm and managed to laugh good-naturedly all the way down the hall. He was glad they weren’t arguing and that she had agreed to be friends. He only wished his body understood that decision and remembered that it was forbidden to bed one’s friends.
***
Eve was happy throughout the rest of the evening, for although she had lost a potential husband, Paxton was turning out to be a fun and interesting friend. He was no longer ignoring her but helping her on her mission to find herself the perfect suitor. He assisted her in choosing dance partners, giving her important private information about certain gentlemen around the room. She did notice his agitation when Count Vernon approached, but she pinched his arm and whispered in his ear, “In case you’ve forgotten, the war’s over.” Paxton then quit scowling.
She spent the rest of the evening with Henri as they mingled with various circles, conversing on everything from farming to Napoleon’s exile in Elba, the latter seeming to be Henri’s favorite subject. By two o’clock in the morning, Eve’s feet were sore from dancing and she was tired of the constant conversation. She found her mother and Lady Spritewater still in the card room talking with Lady Lydia over a game of whist. After conversing with them for a while, they all agreed it was time to go home.
***
“Where did you drag her off to?” Cole asked Paxton upon his return.
“It’s not what you think.”
“And how do you
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