An Unlikely Alliance (House of Renwick #2.5)(11)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

At seven she finally donned her darkest gown, thinking since she was supposed to be spying, she might as well dress the part.

Next, she mentally prepared herself against seduction. The sly grins, the barest of touches, the sweet smell of man—she had to resist or flee temptation altogether. She wasn’t doing this for Royce; she was doing this for her father. To protect him from…

Well, what was she actually trying to protect him from? A knock on the door stirred her thoughts more. It had taken some persuasion but she had offered their butler the night off. Not only did he despise Royce, but the idea of her daddy finding out about her spying did not settle well. She walked over and pulled open the door, revealing a painfully handsome Royce. It was some kind of mean trick from God. Why did all the attractive men have to be cads? As if on cue, Royce flashed a brilliant smile, making her feel like punching him in the gut and slamming the door on his hand.

"I know what you’re thinking."

"Impossible," she grumbled, stepping out into the cool night air.

Royce fell into step beside her and offered a mocking laugh. "You were thinking about causing me physical harm. Ah, yes. I can see by the stern look on your face you’re upset I can read you so well. Sorry." He shrugged, lifting his hands into the air. "It’s your eyes."

"My eyes?" Did this man ever censor his speech?

"Yes. Your beautiful ‘I want to get lost and never be found’ eyes. They reveal too much of your feelings. Most of the ladies around here make it a practice to hide what they’re thinking as a way to catch a husband. You, on the other hand, have a tendency to wear your heart on your sleeve. I assure you, it’s endearing."

How had the conversation gone from Evelyn causing him physical harm to compliments about her eyes? Self-consciously, she reached up and pulled the hooded cloak farther over her face.

"Don’t." Royce reached out and grabbed her wrists. "I like to see your face."

It wasn’t the most romantic of compliments, but for some reason, it made Evelyn truly see Royce for the first time. The way his eyes lit up when he was being himself—when he was being serious about something.

Shuddering, she pulled back, but as they walked along in silence, there was nothing she could do to rub away the tingling sensations his hands had left on her wrists.

Something between them had changed, and she had good reason to believe it started with a dinner date gone wrong, and then the kiss, and now their excursion. She shook her head, hoping the physical act of shaking would force the looming thoughts out of her mind.

"Here we are!" Royce announced upon reaching his mansion.

Evelyn nearly choked. Her eyes greedily scanned the home in front of her. Home? It was no home; it was one of the most beautiful houses she had ever seen. Just how rich were the McArthurs? And why hadn’t she noticed the beautiful home before when she had stayed with Royce during the theatre mishap?

"Few things you should know," he whispered, escorting her towards the back. "We own a successful fleet of ships which happily row across the ocean to deliver our famous whiskey."

"Whiskey?"

"Yes, the same whiskey you had the other night? My family’s whiskey. We own shares in a few other silly little ventures as well, but my father left everything to me. I’m the one in charge. My mother is also in my care, which is why I feel the need to be so protective of her."

"I understand."

"Yes, I know you do. So we are in agreement then?"

"Agreement?" Just what had she agreed to do whilst kissing this handsome man?

Royce opened the gate and shooed her towards the back end of the house. "We agree our parents should not get involved."

"I guess," she heard herself say, although she wasn’t particularly convinced of her answer. Her own mother had been dead for some time. It would be good for her daddy to find some happiness. She just wasn’t sure he would find happiness with Mrs. McArthur.

"Stay very quiet," Royce ordered as they reached the servants’ entrance. In order to make sure she understood, he held his finger up to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet yet again.

Rolling her eyes, she stepped over the threshold and was immediately pushed back against the wall.

"What the—" she whispered. She would have yelled, but Royce had his hand over her mouth, shaking his head furiously from side to side.

And then someone walked right by them. Luckily they were shrouded in darkness, so they weren’t discovered. In those inappropriately close quarters, Evelyn could have sworn Royce could hear her heart beating.

Her feelings were getting out of control fast. Way too fast for her liking. Granted, he was an agreeable man, but he was vain and selfish. No gentle-bred Southern girl would tie the knot with him—not if they were offered all the gold in the world. And yet … as his piercing eyes locked with hers, she was lost again.

He seemed as eager as she to stay under their cover of darkness. He leaned toward her. A kiss was eminent, but instead she felt his hand caress her chin and then very softly brush a curl away from her face. "This way," he mouthed, releasing her from his embrace.

Suddenly, it felt frightfully cold in that house.

Evelyn followed as closely as possible as he weaved his way in and out of the kitchen area. Finally, he stopped in a small room just outside the living room and quietly shut the door behind them.

"Where are we?"

"Serving quarters," he whispered, pushing her hood back from her face. "A lot of houses have them; it makes it easier for the kitchen staff to serve if they have a waiting area to put all the food. And it has this handy little contraption." He reached up towards the wall nearest the dining room and opened a small shutter. "It’s what they serve food through normally, but tonight it shall be our way of spying."

Evelyn rolled her eyes and joined him. She looked out toward the dining room and gasped when she saw her daddy and Royce’s mother stride in, wine already in hand!

"I’m telling you, Nora, this wine ain’t nothing like my moonshine I used to brew down on the farm."

"What in heaven is moonshine, Stuart?"

They took seats inappropriately close to one another. The servants filed out and began laying out food. Evelyn immediately tensed. What a foolish plan! Of course they would be found out! If the servants used this particular room to serve food, they were doomed!

Obviously sensing her tension, Royce whispered, "She’s instructed all staff to take the night off, so she and her guest can dine alone."

"Alone? As in…"