Page 73 of The Duke's Accidental Wallflower
She turned to him, her voice dropping to a pleading tone. “Evan, please. Do not engage him. A duel? It is madness. Think of the scandal, the danger. Think of what this would mean for both of you.”
Evan’s gaze wavered, the weight of her words tugging at his resolve. But then his eyes flicked to the crowd, where curious faces waited with bated breath for his response. He knew how it would look if he backed down now—how it might be interpreted as cowardice. His pride warred with his reason, and the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease.
“I cannot let him walk away from this without consequence.” His voice cracked with strain.
“Yes, you can,” she insisted, stepping closer to him. “Let his humiliation today be his consequence. You have already shown everyone the truth of his character. Please, Evan, do not give him the satisfaction of dragging you down to his level.”
Gillies let out a bitter laugh, his voice dripping with disdain. “Listen to her, Colburn. Hiding behind a woman’s skirts—how fitting.”
Evan stiffened, and Minerva could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him. She reached out, her fingers lightly brushing his arm in a gesture meant to ground him. Gasps rippled through the crowd, and Minerva’s stomach dropped. “You cannot agree to this. Evan, please.”
Evan’s eyes met hers, and for a fleeting moment, she saw the conflict in them. But then his jaw hardened, and he shook his head. “He’s insulted your honor, Minerva. I cannot walk away from that.”
“My honor doesn’t need defending,” she snapped, her voice rising with frustration. “Not like this. This isn’t about me—this is about him and his petty grudge. Don’t let him bait you into something so senseless.”
Gillies smirked, folding his arms across his chest. “Petty, you say? It seems your lady has quite the opinion of me, Colburn. Perhaps she should be reminded of what real honor looks like.”
“Enough,” Evan growled, stepping forward, his broad frame casting a shadow over Michael. “Name the time and place.”
“Evan!” Minerva grabbed his arm again, this time with both hands, as though her grip could anchor him. “Don’t do this. Think of what you’re risking—your life, your reputation. Everything.”
He turned to her, his expression softening just enough to reveal the torment beneath his resolve. “Minerva,” he said quietly, “I won’t stand by and let him demean you or this moment. You deserve better than that.”
“I don’t need you to fight for me!” she cried, her voice breaking. “This isn’t what I want.”
His gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, the rest of the world seemed to fade away. “It is what I need,” he said, his voice low but firm. “To show you—everyone—that you are worth fighting for.”
Minerva’s breath caught, her heart shattering at the look in his eyes. “Evan, if you care for me, you won’t do this. You won’t risk everything for the sake of your pride.”
Gillies scoffed, his tone dripping with derision. “You hear that, Colburn? She’s begging you to back down. Perhaps she knows you won’t win.”
Evan’s shoulders stiffened, and Minerva saw the moment his decision solidified. “Hyde Park,” he said, his voice cold and deliberate. “Tomorrow at dawn.”
“No!” Minerva exclaimed, stepping between them once more. “You’re playing into his hands! Don’t you see that? He wants this—to humiliate you, to prove he’s better. And you’re giving him exactly what he wants.”
Evan looked down at her, his face etched with regret. “I cannot let him get away with this,” he said quietly. “I won’t.”
Gillies' smirk widened, and he inclined his head mockingly. “Until tomorrow, then.”
Minerva’s chest tightened as Michael turned on his heel and strode away, his smug satisfaction radiating with every step. The crowd began to disperse, their excited murmurs filling the air, but Minerva remained rooted to the spot, her hands trembling at her sides.
She turned back to Evan, her voice shaking with anger and desperation. “You have just given him exactly what he wanted. How can you not see that?”
Evan reached for her, but she stepped back, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Minerva,” he said softly, his voice laced with regret. “I am sorry. But I couldn’t let him walk away thinking he could treat you—or anyone—like that.”
“Do you think this will solve anything?” she demanded, her voice cracking. “Do you think fighting him will somehow change what he is?”
Evan looked away, his jaw tightening. “Maybe not,” he admitted. “But it is the only way I know to make him face the consequences of his actions.”
Minerva shook her head, her heart aching. “You’re going to get yourself killed—or worse, ruin everything you have built. And for what?”
“For you,” he said simply, his gaze locking onto hers. “Because you mean more to me than anything else.”
The weight of his words settled heavily between them, but Minerva couldn’t let herself be swayed. Not this time. “You’re a fool,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “A reckless, stubborn fool.”
He smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I have been called worse.”
Thirty-One
