Lady Evan Wins the Day, The Cousins Book Two (Rough Draft)

Chapter Twelve

There was no one at the breakfast table when Rosalind made her way downstairs on Tuesday morning. Evan had risen much earlier and had set off for who-knew-where with Mr. Williams. While the woman broke her fast, she was left to her own thoughts.

"Letters for you, Lady Evan," the butler said as he approached the table.

"Oh, thank you, Jenson," Rosalind said, taking the messages from the salver he held out to her. "Has Mrs. Williams been down yet this morning?"

"It is my understanding she took breakfast in her room." With that said, the butler withdrew from the room with his usual dignity.

Coupling that information with Emily's paleness the day before, Emily suspected her cousin was suffering from morning sickness. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the letters in her hand. She recognized her aunt's handwriting on the one, and set it aside to focus on the other, which was from her sister-in-law's letter. As she broke the seal, Rosalind wondered what could have prompted Henrietta to write.

Dear sister,

I do hope you and Evan are enjoying your little trip into the country. I'm afraid it was ill-timed and the longer you remain away, the more cause for gossip you create. The rumors flying around the drawing rooms are enough to put me to the blush. Do you have any idea just what your behavior is doing to the family's name?

Aghast, Rosalind stared at the words as her sister-in-law detailed what members of society were saying: Evan had caught her and Mr. Rowley in a passionate embrace and thus they had left London abruptly. Others said she was carrying Mr. Rowley's child and had been secreted away until the birth.

"Oh, how could they? This is ridiculous! " Rosalind said aloud, her horror growing with each word. Hoping desperately to read her sister-in-law had refuted the claims, she read on.

And, really, I couldn't be expected to lie for you. How often did you keep a note from my gaze when flowers arrived? You made such a show of disdaining Mr. Rowley's attention, and what else is the world to think but that you were attempting to allay suspicion?

"I can only imagine what Evan's mother is going to say when she hears this news. Goodness knows Lord Emberdown is livid..."

Sickened, Rosalind refolded the letter. She pushed away her plate of now cold toast and stood up. Notes in hand, she rushed from the room and went towards the staircase. However, when she set her foot on the first step, she paused.

Her first instinct had been to run to Emily and get her cousin's perspective on the matter, but that wasn't the right course of action. Evan may not be there, but as her husband, he was the one she needed to turn to. If only she knew where she could find him...

"Is there a problem, my lady?" the footman in the all asked, a tinge of concern in his voice. "Do you need something?"

"No. No, not at all," Rosalind said, forcing a smile. "Did Lord Evan or Mr. Williams happen to mention when they would return? Or what part of the estate they were visiting?"

"No, my lady."

Disappointed, Rosalind thanked him and then went up the stairs. Somehow, she would keep her worried to herself until Evan returned. He would know what they should do next.

****

Two hours later, Evan had not come back. Rosalind went to the drawing room with no little apprehension. She forced a smile as she sat across from her cousin. "Is that embroidery I see in your hand?" she asked, trying for a light tone. "What has the world come to?"

"Rosalind, you look so worried," Emily said with a concerned frown. "Is everything alright? You're not nervous about this afternoon, are you? Because you have no reason to be. You're married to the son of a marquess—your brother-in-law is the current Marquess of emberdown, after all—and no one could be unkind to you now."