Evelina nodded in agreement, while privately thinking that it simply wasn’t true. She knew her brother wasn’t popular with the servants, on account of his highhanded and frankly pompous treatment of them. But perhaps their fatherdidmiss his son. They had always been close when Richard was growing up.
The first course arrived. It wasn’t until they were midway through the second that her brother fixed her with a speculative look. Evelina tensed, bracing herself for what was to come.
“And how have you been filling your time, little sister?” he asked in a patronising voice. “Where were you this afternoon?”
“Charingworth,” replied Evelina. “I have a part in the Christmas pantomime.”
Her brother raised his eyebrows. “The village pantomime? How terribly quaint. Does the good vicar still run it, as always?”
Evelina took a sip of wine. “Yes. Reverend Basingstoke is the director. And he does a very good job indeed.”
“Have you been courting anyone?” asked her brother.
Evelina stiffened. “No, Brother. I am devoted to my life here, doing my duty to my father and our home.” She paused. “In honour of our late mother. I have no time for courtship.”
Richard gave a short bark of laughter. “No time to court? That is your primary duty, Evelina. How old are you now? Three and twenty?”
“Two and twenty,” said Evelina through gritted teeth. It was typical of him that he couldn’t even remember her age. “Hardly an old spinster, Brother.”
“Not yet,” he said in a pompous tone. “But time slips away and before you know it, you will be an old spinster, Evelina.” He turned to their father. “What are you doing about this, Papa? She should be married by now and have two or three children. I know many ladies who are well settled before this age.”
“Why do you care?” burst out Evelina, irritated beyond measure. “My life is my own, Richard, to live as I see fit. You do not even live here.” She took a deep, ragged breath. “It does not affect you in the slightest.”
To her frustration, her brother ignored her entirely. He didn’t even glance at her as she spoke. He just kept looking at their father in a pointed way.
“I know I have been remiss in my duty towards Evelina,” said the Duke, grimacing slightly. “It has all been beyond me since I lost your mother, Richard.”
“You must take the duty seriously, Papa,” said Richard. “Perhaps I can help you do so now that I am back at Bosworth for an extended period. It should be a priority, you know. Evelina needs a husband. A good match. That will benefit our family name.”
Evelina stood up, throwing her napkin on the table. She hadn’t even finished the second course of the meal and already she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with her brother. How was she going to endure him being here for so long over Christmas?
“If you will excuse me,” she said stiffly. “I find I need some air.”
She marched out of the room without a backward glance. Anger was threatening to overtake her. It was probably best that she took a short break. The evening was already stretching ahead interminably. She didn’t know how she was going to listen to him drone on about finding her a husband for the hours ahead. And she still had days of it to go. Weeks of it.
She headed out into the gardens, taking deep gulps of air. It was a chilly evening but clear. There were a hundred twinkling stars overhead and a pearlescent full moon. She stopped, taking another deep breath, breathing in the beauty.
Suddenly, she saw a figure just ahead, gazing up at the sky in exactly the same way she was. Her heart started to thump hard. It was Jude.
She turned to walk away, but at that moment, he turned and saw her. Their eyes connected in the dim, flickering light of the outside lanterns.
“Milady,” he called, walking towards her.
Evelina knew she should nod and walk away. She had been going to do just that. But now, it was as if she were being swept up in his spell, once again. And the worst of it was, shewantedto talk to him. She wanted to be near him. It would comfort her after the altercation with her brother.
“Jude,” she said when he was beside her, trying to quell her anger. “Are you enjoying the night air?”
He nodded. “It is a fine evening,” he said. “And I do enjoy stargazing here, as I said.” He hesitated, looking at her intently. “You seem upset, milady.”
Tears sprang into Evelina’s eyes. “I am a little upset,” she admitted. “My brother is back for the Christmas season, you see, and he always manages to rile me.” She tried to laugh. “Siblings.”
Jude nodded. “It can be a fraught relationship,” he said. “Or so I have heard. Why do you not get along with your brother?”
“He is overbearing,” said Evelina, knowing that she shouldn’t talk about Richard in this way with a servant, but not able to stop herself. “He always tries to run my life.” She hesitated. “But I am not just upset about him. It is my father as well. He panders to Richard and will not stand up to him, even though he is the elder. I feel like my brother manipulates him.”
She knew she was saying too much, but still she couldn’t stop. The need to unburden herself to him was so strong that it was overpowering. But she slowly realised that he could tell anyone what she had just said.
“Please,” she said in a low voice. “Do not repeat what I have said in the servant’s hall. I do not wish gossip to spread about friction within my family. Can I trust you with this, Jude?”