Page 52 of Impeccable
“It would be my pleasure.” Gregory had thought she might try to keep their time together short. That she didn’t gave him hope.
And he’d never let that go.
Evie stifled a yawn as she made her way to the gentlemen’s side of the club. It was early yet, before the club was very busy, so she shouldn’t be tired. But she’d tossed and turned for quite a while last night. She blamed Gregory’s visit.
Just when she’d exorcised him from her mind, he reappeared. And damn if she hadn’t been thrilled to see him. And Ash! She’d nearly wept upon seeing the dog and had worked hard to hide the depth of her emotion. The fact that she’d asked to have him stay the night with her was revelatory enough. Thankfully, Gregory hadn’t probed her about it.
She expected, however, that Lucien would interrogate her about Gregory and Ash—and more importantly, why she hadn’t told him about any of it. So far, she’d successfully avoided him today. But she knew that wouldn’t last.
So, she strode into his office and closed the door behind her. He looked up from his desk. “Is something amiss?”
“I know you want to ask me about Lord Gregory and the dog, but let me assure you that there is nothing notable to share. I confess I missed Ash more than I expected. If I didn’t think it would pain Lord Gregory—and Ash—I might even ask to keep him for myself.”
Lucien stared at her. “Extraordinary.” The word was barely audible. He was behaving as if he’d just discovered some sort of new species.
Evie crossed her arms. “That’s all you have to say?”
“No, but I don’t think you’ll answer my questions.” He clasped his hands atop his desk and cocked his head. “Am I to believe there is nothing between you and Lord Gregory besides a dog?”
“That’s right.”
“And the fact that you asked me to help him with a government appointment. Then there is the pesky issue with Lady Witney. You seem rather…tangled up with Lord Gregory.” Lucien actually looked smug.
Evie groaned low in her throat. “Stop it. There is no entanglement. We became friends caring for Ash in Oxfordshire, nothing more.”
“I wonder if Lord Gregory knows that,” Lucien quipped. He leapt to his feet.
“Why would you say such a thing? Please cease being meddlesome.”
Lucien held up his hands. “I am hardly being meddlesome. I was merely walking down the street, minding my own business, when I encountered Lord Gregory. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him I was going to your house.”
An absurd thrill shot through Evie’s chest. “Don’t even think of making a match.” Between him and Heloise, Evie was beginning to wonder if she ought to escape their interference and return to Cornwall where she’d gone to reinvent herself. She’d enjoyed several lovely months there as the newly widowed Mrs. Renshaw.
Except she loved London far too much to leave. And her friends, who were—mostly—here. She also loved the Phoenix Club, especially on nights like tonight when it would be teeming with people she knew and who accepted her completely. Would they do so if they knew the truth?
Where the hell had that come from? She rarely thought of her past life and whether it might become known. Enough time had passed that she felt comfortable in her new situation. Perhaps it was her encounter with Arbuthnot.
Or, mayhap it was her affair with Gregory. She’d let down her guard with someone in a way she never really had before. For the first time, she wondered if she could truly reveal herself and all her secrets. The thought of doing so was terrifying.
Lucien held up his hand, palm out. “Evie, I solemnly swear I will not try to match you with anyone, least of all Lord Gregory.”
“Thank you.”
“But if you wanted to shag him, I’d encourage it wholeheartedly,” he said, eyes twinkling.
She put her hand on her hip. “Do I give you suggestions for whom you ought to take as a lover?”
“In fact, you did two years ago. When I didn’t take a new mistress after you, I distinctly recall you saying I needed to find a new one. If I remember correctly, you gave me several names.”
Evie pursed her lips. “Well, I haven’t done it since. And now you’ve had your fun—no more. My romantic life is none of your business.”
He put his hand to his chest. “You wound me, my dear. We are the best of friends. I only want your utmost happiness.”
She was perhaps overreacting slightly. Because he’d seen right through her attempts at hiding what had happened. And he was indeed her best friend. Along with Ada. “I care for Lord Gregory, but there is nothing between us. Anymore,” she added very quietly.
His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “You have my complete support however you may need it. You are a kind friend to help him find an appointment.”
“He’s a good sort.” That seemed a wholly inadequate description of the man, but Evie wouldn’t expound on her sentiments. Nor would Lucien ask her to—she was certain they’d just come to a silent agreement. There would be no more discussion of her and Gregory.
