An Unlikely Alliance (House of Renwick #2.5)(9)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Now they were alone in his house late into the evening. And oddly enough, he hadn’t a thought about seduction, only about her welfare, which was an entirely new experience for him.

"Whiskey?" he offered once she was settled in his study with a thick blanket.

"Please." Her eyebrow arched as she accepted the glass. "I am feeling a lot better. I don’t know what came over me."

"You don’t seem to be one to swoon," Royce agreed, pacing in front of her. "Did you get any sleep last night? Have you had enough water? Maybe you need more food. Oh God, I made you eat your dinner in a rush!"

"Royce."

His mind exploded with possibilities. What if the rat had gotten into the food, and he fed that same food to her, and she was going to die and—

"Royce," the tiny woman yelled from the couch. "Stop pacing, and for the love of God, sit down! I’m fine!"

"Oh, right then." He sat, feeling rather awkward that she had to yell to get him to calm down. In less than twenty-four hours, this was what he had resorted to. Pacing, panicking, drinking, and paranoia. Perfect.

"This is good."

"What?" He looked up and noticed her glass was empty. The minx had actually drunk the entire thing in one sitting. In less than a minute. Embarrassed, he looked down at his full cup and threw it back, praying he wouldn’t cough from the dry alcohol as it drained slowly down his throat.

He pounded his chest to keep from choking. Then smiled.

"It’s strong." He coughed.

"I hadn’t noticed." Evelyn stretched her arms over her head like a little kitten. Or, on second thought, a tame tiger. Or maybe…

He shook his head. "I’ll get you another."

"Yes, but only one. I can’t go home foxed; my daddy would throw a fit."

Bringing the glass to her, he sat and slowly sipped. "You could always stay the night."

"Royce McArthur, that was the worse seduction I’ve ever experienced."

"I’m terribly out of practice," he admitted, drinking the rest of his whiskey. "I doubt I even know how to kiss a woman anymore."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "That’s more like it."

"Why, whatever do you mean?" His hand went across his chest. "I’ll have you know it’s been years since I’ve properly kissed a woman."

"Now it’s my turn to call your bluff."

"Very well, you’re right, but at least I’m honest." Their hands brushed as he took her glass and set it on the table. "Since we’re being honest, I think I should tell you something."

She swallowed and looked at him nervously. "What’s that?"

"I desperately want to kiss you."

Royce hoped his declaration would pay off as his gaze rested on her lips. Her hand came up to touch his face. His eyes closed, and he grabbed her wrists, lifting her closer to his face.

"There you two are!" his mother announced as she glided into the room.

Royce cursed under his breath and released his hold on Evelyn.

"Yes. Despite all my prayers heavenward, you have found us." Royce went up to greet his mother with a kiss. It was then he noticed another intruder, Evelyn’s father, hopefully sans pistols, because Royce didn’t feel like being shot tonight. It wasn’t as if he had compromised the girl. He hadn’t even kissed her. Yet.

Mr. De Jarlias went to his daughter and smiled. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Oh, much, Daddy. I’m so thankful for Mr. McArthur."

Royce let out the breath he had been holding and winked at his mother, who shook her head and rolled her eyes all at the same time.

"Well, we should be off." Mr. De Jarlias looked to Royce’s mom and winked.

Wait, what just happened? Was his mother blushing? Suspicious, he watched as Mr. De Jarlias bent to kiss his mother’s hand.

"Okay, Casanova, time to go," Royce said, pushing them out. He blew a kiss towards Evelyn and watched as her father packed her up into their carriage.

"Mother," he said, feeling her presence behind him. "Tell me that wasn’t what I think it was."

"Oh, honey, nobody would ever find you guilty of logical thought."

With that, his minx of a mother walked up the stairs without bidding him good night. Something was going on between those two. And he was going to find out what. If only to satisfy his own curiosity, and possibly to gain entrance into Evelyn’s house, since he was done with flowers, jewels, food, and anything else of good use during courting.

Chapter Seven

Royce knocked twice on Evelyn’s door before it opened. The butler, not one of Royce’s many admirers, stared at him as if he was a rat needing to be exterminated.

"Ah, how are you this fine morning?" Royce patronized.

Awkward silence followed.

"Right then, is Evelyn home?"

The butler grunted, and then opened the door a little wider, letting Royce in. He was actually being granted entrance, and he had no gifts.

Evelyn appeared. "You look shocked. I told him the only way he could let you in was if you were bleeding to death, or if you ceased bringing gifts like you promised. Since I can’t see any blood, I can only assume you’ve brought me nothing?"

"Your assumptions are correct. I have no gifts, no pretty words, and no blood. I hate to disappoint your butler. I think he’d rather I be bleeding."

"Nonsense."

Royce smiled. She cared. She had to.

"We just had the floors redone, and it would be an awful stain to try to get out, wouldn’t it?"

He deserved that after haughtily thinking he could sweep her off her feet so easily upon their first meeting. At least she was speaking to him now.

"There has been a development," he said, taking a seat in the salon.

"A development?" Tea arrived as Evelyn took her seat across from him. "And just what has developed in the past twelve hours, Royce?"

It was hard for him to speak after hearing his name so casually on her lips.

Shaking his head, he answered, "Our parents."

"What about our parents?" She reached for a biscuit.

"They are hiding something."

"And just when did you discover you had a problem?" Evelyn answered.

"Problem?" Confusion made him look around the room as if she was playing a joke. "What problem?"

"The drinking. You are drunk, aren’t you? It’s the only explanation I can think of."

"No, I’m not." Frustrated, he raked his hand through his hair. "I’ll prove it to you!"

"Prove what?"

"The sneaking around, the hidden looks, the winking!"