The Irish Upstart (37 page)

“
Oh!
”
Evleen cried, so revolted she yanked her arm away.
“
Go home and sober up, Montague.
”

As Evleen spun around and headed for the side lines, she felt several pairs of eyes upon her. She felt mortified the disagreeable scene had been witnessed by several people, but what could she expect? They had, after all, been standing in the middle of the dance floor.

When she reached the side lines, she found Lydia Trevlyn staring at her with cold, questioning eyes.
“
What did you say to Montague?
”

“
Mrs. Trevlyn, Montague is extremely foxed, I believe is the way he put it.
”

“
I can hardly believe that. Besides, was that any reason to be rude?
”

“
You did not hear what he said.
”

“
I didn’t need to hear.
”
Lydia slowly shook her head, as if dumbfounded Evleen could do such a thing.
“
Tis beyond me how you could have shown such ill manners to the future Marquess of Westhaven, and right in front of everybody.
”

Evleen wondered what a title had to do with an absolute boor, yet she maintained her calm. Let Lydia condemn her, she knew she had performed with admirable restraint.
“
I regret that you feel that way, but I did what I had to do.
”

Mercifully, the innocuous Lord Edgemont approached at that moment and asked her dance. She swiftly said yes, thankful to get away from Lydia Trevlyn. He asked her to take supper with him, which gladly she did. After, she was approaching the chaperones, girding for another confrontation with Lydia, when she heard a voice behind her that stopped her in her tracks.

“
Wait, Evleen.
”

Thomas
. Her heart leaped in her chest.

From close behind her, his breath warm on her ear, she heard,
“
Have you time for an old friend?
”

Slowly she turned, giving herself time to recover from her shock. By the time she faced him squarely, she had regained her composure enough to playfully remark,
“
He leaves, he doesn’t say goodbye, he doesn’t write.
”
Jamming one gloved hand to her hip, she went on,
“
Some old friend indeed.
”

Laughing easily, he remarked,
“
I hear you’re the toast of London these days.
”
He gave her a mocking bow.
“
Must be thrilling, all those men begging for so much as a glance, a dance, a smile.
”

Enough of silly banter
, she thought as she burst,
“
I’m so happy to see you. How long will you be in London? I suppose you came to see the horses at Tattersalls?
”

“
Not really. I came to see you.
”

“
Oh.
”
At a loss for words, she noticed she’d been frenziedly and quite unconsciously, fluttering her fan, a sure giveaway of her inner excitement. She snapped it shut and took a moment to collect herself.
I am so attracted to this man
, she thought, finally admitting the truth to herself. Judging from the intensity of his gaze, she hoped she might be receiving more than a casual answer to her next question.
“
And just what did you want to see me about?
”

Thomas opened his mouth to answer, but was jostled by the pressing crowd. The continual noise had been loud enough, but now it was deafening, what with the murmur of the crowd, the announcement of the last dance of the evening, followed by the orchestra starting to play the last song. Grimacing, he glanced about.
“
This is impossible. I do want to speak with you, Evleen. I shall call on you tomorrow.
”
At her quick nod, he said goodnight and melted into the crowd.

Penelope appeared.
“
Where has my brother gone? I know he especially wanted to speak to you.
”

“
We couldn’t hear over all the din,
”
Evleen answered, her voice raised.
“
He said he’d call on me tomorrow.
”

“
Come with me,
”
said Penelope. After she’d led Evleen to a quiet corner, she asked,
“
You do know what it’s about, don’t you?
”

“
I’m not sure.
”

“
I think you are.
”

No sense trying to fool Penelope.
“
I suppose I am, but
...”
Evleen frowned and bit her lip.
“
I am so confused. My mother thinks the most important thing in the world is for me to marry well.
”

Penelope raised her fine, arched eyebrows.
“
We are all supposed to marry well, but that doesn’t mean we must. I want you to listen to me. I don’t care if I offend you or not, but there are things you ought to hear.
”

“
Do go ahead,
”
Evleen answered softly, not having the vaguest notion what her friend was going to say.

Penelope began,
“
I don’t know what your true feelings about Thomas are, but I know what they should be. Of course, he is but a second son. Of course, he doesn’t have a fortune. But a finer man never walked the face of this earth. He loves you, Evleen. He’s going to ask you to marry him, and if you turn him down, I shall never forgive you.
”

“
But I am in such a dilemma! My mother wants the best for me. I promised—
”

“
I am amazed. With all due respect, I cannot believe that a woman as strong and independent as you would not do exactly what she pleased instead of blindly following what she perceives to be what her mother wants.
”

“
That’s not so.
”

“
Isn’t it?
”
Penelope’s eyes blazed with intensity.
“
Are you blind? Can’t you see all that Thomas has done for you? Who escorted you clear across Ireland and comforted and took care of you when you got sick on the boat? Who found you and Patrick when you were lost and brought you home? Who saw to it that you learned the waltz, and all those other dances, and the language of the fan? Surely not the Trevlyns. And it wasn’t my idea either, it was Thomas’s. He cares for you, Evleen. Oh, you can find a rich man and a title easily enough, but can you find a man who’s generous and kind and loves you with all his heart? I think not. And I think if it’s true love you want, you’ll use your own judgement and follow your heart, not your mother’s wishes.
”

Penelope stopped for breath.
“
Oh, dear,
”
she said as a rueful smile crept over her face.
“
I didn’t mean to be so vehement, I just wanted to let you know how deeply I felt.
”

“
Quite all right,
”
Evleen hastened to say, not revealing she was shaken to the core.
“
I value your opinion. My feelings for Thomas are... I’m just beginning to see... rest assured, I shall think about what you said.
”

“
Do,
”
answered Penelope. She bid Evleen goodnight and turned away, leaving Evleen in such a state of confusion she could only stand and stare, and consider Penelope’s advice.

Follow your heart, not your mother’s wishes...

Follow your heart...
Of course. She loved Thomas. It was a moment of awakening that left her reeling. Suddenly she felt wrapped in a blissful cocoon of euphoria. Thomas loved her. Tomorrow he would tell her so. Tomorrow he would ask her to marry him and with heartfelt joy she would accept because yes, yes, a million times yes! she loved him, too. Up until now, her mother’s demands had come first. Make me proud, Mama had said, and she, ever the dutiful daughter, had so wanted to abide by her mother’s wishes she had never considered doing otherwise until this very moment. In all her heedful life, she had never understood the young girls who, in the name of love, had brought shame and disgrace upon themselves and upon their families because of some man. Had they no pride? How could they do such a thing? Now, for the first time, Evleen knew what a mad, heated, utterly irrational desire for a man could do. Nothing on earth compelled her to do what her mother said. Suddenly it didn’t matter what her mother wanted. Nothing mattered, except her passionate desire to be in Thomas’s arms again, feel his lips on hers, and do those forbidden things that until now she could only guess about and dream about.

Evleen hated to even think how devastated Mama would be. Yet she knew Sinead O’Fallon was a reasonable woman, compassionate, and kind. Given time, perhaps she would forget money and titles, and be proud to have for a son-in-law the kindest, most witty, most exciting man in all the world.

* * *
 
                                       

Outside, Evleen stood by the curb, clutching her light wrap about her, searching for the Trevlyns. All around, departing guests milled about.
Carriages
and horses
clogged the streets. The air was
filled with the cries of impatient coachmen who had picked up their passengers and were anxious to move from the curb.

To her surprise and disgust, Montague approached. And she thought she’d seen the last of him this night!

“
Ah, my dear Evleen,
”
he began, his voice even thicker than before.
“
Are you ready to apologize for your rudeness?
”

“
I shall apologize when hell freezes over, Lord Eddington.
”

“
But see here...
”
As Montague rocked back and forth on two unsteady feet, his muddled mind groped for words.
“
Haven’t you heard... uh, what a great catch I am? Come, my sweet, it would be to your advantage to be more friendly.
”

He reached for her. Repulsed, she backed away, just as Lydia and her daughters approached.
“
Leave me alone, sir,
”
she coldly replied, too angry to care if the Trevlyns overheard.
“
You are most certainly not a great catch. You’re nothing better than a cup-shot scapegrace, and I want nothing more to do with you.
Imeacht gan teacht ort
!
”

Montague appeared taken aback.
“
W
hat does that mean?
”

“
It means, ‘may you leave without returning.’
”

Montague appeared nonplused for a moment, then gave her an
overelaborate
, and rather unsteady bow. He mumbled,
“
In that event, I shall bid you goodnight, but you haven’t heard the last of me, my love,
”
and disappeared into the crowd.

“
How rude of you, Evleen,
”
Lydia exclaimed.

“
But, Mama, didn’t you hear what he said?
”
asked Amanda.

Lydia ignored her daughter and glared at Evleen.
“
No lady of impeccable breeding would ever say such things.
”

For once, Evleen did not care to humble herself.
“
He deserved it, Mrs. Trevyln.
”

Charlotte looked amazed.
“
I simply cannot understand how you could have talked to Lord Eddington in that fashion.
”

Evleen ignored her. In uncomfortable silence they were waiting for their carriage when the sound of the frantic neighing of a horse came from up the street, followed by a shout of warning. There was silence for a moment, then horrified screams and more shouting. Men started running. With a sense of premonition and dread, Evleen ran, too, until, halfway up Bolton Street she saw a dark, still bundle lying on the cobblestones and a horse with an empty saddle standing close by.

She stood frozen. It couldn’t be, but that bundle in the street lay so still. Her mind refused to accept the horrifying possibility, and yet she knew that only moments earlier, she had been talking to Montague, telling him to leave and not return. And now...

In a daze, she heard a familiar voice call,
“
My brother!
”
saw Thomas rush past and kneel beside the still figure. Just then, Lydia and her daughters came to stand beside her.
“
It cannot be Montague,
”
Lydia said in disbelieving horror.