He didn’t reply to his brother’s suggestion, but turned and made the rest of his way down the hall. Morley was waiting, his expression now concerned as Henry silently took his coat and gloves and exited the house without even putting them on.
What was the cold when everything he’d ever cared about was about to be taken away? What was anything when compared to that?
Chapter 3
A brisk breeze blew through the park from time to time, and Evangeline tightened her coat around herself as she stared through the stripped tree branches toward the manor of Lord Killam. It was outrageous that she was here, spying on the house of her father’s old friend. And yet she could not help herself. Since two nights before at the ball, the seed of an idea had been planted in her mind and troubled her ceaselessly as it took root.
And so she was here, pursuing it. What use was life if you did not manage it?
“I must strenuously object to this foolishness once again, Lady Evangeline.”
Evangeline turned toward her lady’s companion. Hester Tibbins was only a decade older than her. She had been let go by another house five years ago after a horrible experience with a duke who had been visiting. It had created quite the stir, with a shouting match between the duke and duchess that had rang through Society for months. It had been too interesting a piece of gossip for Evangeline not to ferret out more details and realize that the true victim in all the mess was the maid.
Tibby would have been out on the street had Evangeline not interceded on her behalf. Tibby had been her maid and companion ever since. Her confidante. Her friend, or as close to it as Evangeline ever allowed. If that made Tibby a bit more familiar in private than she perhaps ought to have been, well…what was one to do?
“I’m only feeling it out, Tibby.” She rolled her eyes in a most unladylike fashion, which she knew Tibby hated. “Gracious, you act as though I’m going to strip down naked right here.”
Tibby shivered. “You’d catch your death if you did that, and deserve it. Spying on a gentleman is not for a lady to do. Following him? It’s unseemly.”
“I’m two and twenty, Tibby, and have been a lady all my life. I do not need a reminder.”
“Don’t you?” Tibby tried to sound stern, but there was a lilt of laughter to her tone.
Evangeline fought the urge to stick her tongue out and shook her head. “Oh, hush. Men do this and worse all the time when they are in pursuit of a lady. Now look lively, I see Henry leaving his father’s house. Since his carriage was seen at his home, that means he’ll have to walk through the park to get there. It will be the perfect opportunity.”
“To make a fool of yourself,” Tibby muttered.
Evangeline did stick her tongue out this time and then focused her attention back on Henry. He was still standing at the top of the stairs at his father’s house. From this distance, she couldn’t read his expression, but his posture seemed…odd. His shoulders were rolled and his hands tight against his sides. He was holding his coat in his hand, despite the frigid temperatures.
Then he started to walk. It was brisk and businesslike, and he moved across the lane without even looking for carriages in the way. She caught her breath as he entered the park and strode forward, ever closer to her. Now she could see his face as she stepped out into the path so he would be certain to observe her. His expression was…bereft.
She tilted her head at it as he barreled closer and then careened right past her without so much as a look in her direction. Behind her, she heard Tibby snort a bit of laughter and she glared at the maid before she looked at her prey. How could he have missed her? She had practically thrown herself at him.
“I say, Mr. Killam!” she called out. He didn’t slow his pace and she felt blood rush to her cheeks. An uncommon occurrence, indeed. But then again, so was being ignored. “Mr. Killam, is that you?” she called, this time louder and with more urgency. When he still didn’t stop, she raised her voice even more. “Henry!”
He stopped in the path ten feet ahead of her and slowly turned, pushing his spectacles up as he did so. Behind the glass, his dark green gaze settled on her and she waited for him to light up as he always did when he caught a glimpse of her. But it didn’t. For a moment, he didn’t even seem to recognize her.
“Oh, Evangeline.” He shook his head at last and began to put on his coat. “I beg your pardon, Lady Evangeline. I didn’t see you there.” His brow wrinkled. “What are you doing in the park in the dead of winter?”
“I have read a brisk walk in the cold can be good for the health.” Behind her, Tibby muttered something, and Evangeline barely fought the urge to reach back and swat at her. “What luck to run into you. Were you calling on your father?”
His expression crumpled, and for a moment she saw raw emotion there. It was a rare occurrence, for Henry was almost always as controlled as she, herself, was. It was only his happiness to see her or when he talked about his projects with her that ever broke through his very calm façade. Seeing this moment’s weakness made her chest hurt and a rush of empathy cascade through her.
She shook it off as best she could. That was not control, and in this situation, one had to have control.
“Are you well?” she asked, stepping closer and tilting her head to examine him more closely. He was very pale, his gaze distant as he darted it away from her.
“Of course, of course. I just had a—” He cut himself off and shook his head. “Well, it was not the call I expected when I went to my father’s that is all.”
“Perhaps I could help.” She moved forward again, and now she was very close to him. Close enough to see the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped them at his sides, and the clench of his jaw. He met her gaze and held it a moment. She felt him reading her, collecting evidence, making a decision about her.
“Certainly my troubles cannot interest you, Evangeline.”
Her lips parted. He had judged that she wouldn’t care. That she wasn’t the sort of person he would share with. Even though they had been friends of a sort for years. Even though they’d talked at parties and danced. Even though he…liked her. She knew he liked her. Didn’t he?
“You would be surprised,” she said, softening her tone.
He stared at her another beat, two. She shifted under his regard, uncertain if he would completely dismiss her. “He is upset about something I wrote,” he said and his tone was wistful.
Unexpected relief flowed through her at even this slight capitulation. “Are you referring to your paper on the mathematics of the new planet?”
Behind his spectacles, Henry’s eyes went wide. He nodded. “Yes. Did you read it?”
She couldn’t hide her smirk at his shock. She rather liked shocking him because it wasn’t something she saw done very often. Henry was so intelligent, so careful, so certain when he spoke that being able to stymie him was actually fun.
That wasn’t why she’d started seeking out the scientific journal of the Society of London Astronomical Studies he was part of over a year ago. She’d just heard about his interest in the group, and they seemed fascinating. She liked discovery as much as the next person. Why wouldn’t she pursue that interest, which was separate from Henry? Completely separate.