Although reluctant to engage in conversation in that moment, Nick nodded. “I am. Is there something I can help you with, sir?”
“Indeed. I noticed smoke coming from the Tannenbaum kitchen again and have taken it upon myself to set this aside for the dear ladies.” Mr. Rudolph frowned and stared down at the floor sheepishly. “I feel I might have ruined things for His Grace and for that poor girl and, although I know it isn’t much, I felt it was the least that I could do.”
Nick clenched his jaws. “It wasn’t your fault, Rudolph. But I’m certain the ladies will appreciate the gesture. Would you like me to take it to them?” The scent of expertly broiled meat had Nick hoping that he, too, would be allowed to appreciate the gesture. It certainly wouldn’t hurt his campaign to arrive carrying a roast.
“Would you be so kind?”
“My pleasure.” Nick accepted the dish, and Mr. Rudolph rushed ahead to open the door.
“Good luck,” Mr. Rudolph called out, causing Nick to glance back inside in surprise.
“With?”
“Why, Lady Eve, of course.” And with a sly wink, the little innkeeper closed the door, leaving Nick shaking his head in wonder.
The sun had set a few hours before, but the moon was full and so Nick easily strode along the path that had been worn leading directly from the inn to Lady Tannenbaum’s front door.
He shifted the dish to one hand and sounded the knocker decisively.
Would she send him away? What if he was wrong, and she didn’t love him? His heart skipped a beat at the possibility. Perhaps he’d continue living a debaucherous life after all.
A woman he hadn’t met before opened the door. Charcoal streaks marked her cheeks and several gray tufts of hair had escaped her mob cap.
But she was squinting and smiling at him. “Good evening.” She made a small curtsey.
“The Marquess of Merriweather.” Nick nearly choked on his own name. He cleared his throat. “Here to see Lady Eve.”
Again, the woman smiled at him, nodding this time. “She is expecting you.” With another awkward curtsey, she held the door wide for him to enter. Nick stepped inside but when he went to remove his hat, he froze. Eve was peering around the corner at the opposite end of the corridor. Her cheeks were flushed and the curling tendrils she’d left free of her coiffure appeared damp.
No one had ever looked so beautiful.
Nick lifted the dish and his brows at the same time. “Mr. Rudolph noticed the smoke earlier. Do you require my assistance?”
The cook was nodding and went to take the dish from him, but Eve rushed forward to stop her. “I’ll put this on the sideboard. Cook, would you be so kind as to take Lord Merriweather’s coat?”
“Have you given Mr. Clark the night off?” Nick handed his outerwear over and then couldn’t keep himself from stepping closer to Eve.
“Oh!” Her emerald eyes widened. “Of course, you don’t know. He is escorting Noelle and Eve to London. It seems that my sister has some unfinished business with your devious duke.”
She leveled an admonishing gaze in his direction, but it in no way indicated that he was out of her favor indefinitely. It rather warned that she would deal with him later.
“He isn’t normally devious, if that makes any difference.”
Eve twisted her hands together. “I hope not. For my sister’s sake. She loves him, you know. I shall have to go after him with a blunderbuss myself if he isn’t smart enough to love her back. He did mention love to her, did he not?”
“He did indeed.” Just as Nick had once told her.
She searched his gaze for a moment before dropping her lashes and then flashing her eyes at him again. “Shall we have a drink first?”
“I would love to have a drink with you.” Nick followed her into the foyer, noting the swing of her hips through the thin material of her dress. “Is your aunt joining us?”
Eve set the innkeeper’s dish on a sideboard then tipped a decanter of amber liquid into two glasses. Only a few sconces had been lit along the walls but they provided just enough light that he could make out her expressions.
“I don’t believe that she is. She is… caring for a sick friend.”
The two of them were alone. Perfect.
“A shame.” He held her gaze as she handed him the fuller of the two glasses. “I was quite looking forward to getting acquainted with her.”
Eve led him across the room and then lowered herself to the settee. He dropped into the place beside her.
“Another time, perhaps.”
“For certain,” Nick agreed.
They both took sips of their respective drinks before Eve turned to face him. “Did you know he was lying?”
Nick exhaled. He’d prepared himself for this question. “Not until yesterday when they returned from the sleigh ride. I spoke to him afterward. He had every intention of telling your sister today. Mr. Rudolph merely precipitated the conversation.”
“Unfortunate.”
“It was not my secret to share. He had reasons—none of them nefarious, I assure you.”
Nick allowed one of his hands to graze Eve’s, which rested between them, and her breathing hitched.
She laughed a little self-consciously. “Seeing you dressed for the evening reminds me of the night we met.”
“At the Peabodys’ Ball,” he supplied, holding her gaze.
“I wish I was wearing something finer tonight. I intended to change but Mrs. Farkas needed my assistance in the kitchen.”
“You don’t need finery, Eve.”
Her fingers wrapped around his. This time, it was his breath that hitched.
“I made mashed potatoes and fresh bread. I’ve even made another pie. But the lamb burned.” At the mention of another pie, Nick had to tamp down memories that would make it difficult for him to sit—comfortably, that was—through an entire meal.
“Mr. Randolph sent the roast as an apology.”
“He did a bang-up job of sending Noelle into a dudgeon.”
“I’m happy to hear she is going after him. Dashlington was a fool to
