Page 70 of It's a British Christmas

“There is no other way. They are my parents. They are sick. I must attend them. Nothing else needs to be said.” She tugged her hand from his and hurried from the room.

“What is it dear?” his mother said as she walked up to him watching Eve leave.

Adam ran his fingers through his hair. “Mr. and Mrs. Allen. The note said they have influenza and Eve feels she must return to take care of them. Influenza is much too dangerous. I can’t allow her to go.”

His mother pursed her lips. “I understand your concern, Adam, but if the girl wants to return home, you cannot stop her.”

“We’re about to be betrothed. I should have some say in this.”

The duchess shook her head. “But she hasn’t accepted you yet. It is best to try to talk to her instead of attempting to order her about.”

Adam left the room and bounded up the stairs. He knocked on Eve’s door. “Eve, I need to talk to you.”

She opened the door, holding a dress she was folding. “You’re not going to talk me out of this.” She turned back and continued placing clothes in her satchel. “Have you asked for a carriage?”

He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around. “I just want you to stop and think. Isn’t there anyone closer that can help them? Is there a doctor nearby?”

Eve stepped back. “You don’t understand, do you? That is the difference between us I’ve been trying to tell you. In your world you get a doctor to help. You hire someone to care for them. You keep your hands clean so as not to contract the illness.” She shook her head, tears in her eyes. “These are my parents!”

His hands dropped and he stood watching her, not knowing what to say. Yes, in his world they would fetch a doctor, a caretaker, anyone trained to assist in medical matters. Did that make them supercilious? To him that made sense.

Eve closed her satchel and turned. “Will you call for a carriage, or shall I hire a hackney?”

He stiffened. “Of course.” He turned and left the room and asked Peter to arrange for a carriage to take Miss Allen to her home in Worcestershire. Not wishing to rejoin the festivities, he retired to his library and poured himself a brandy.

Perhaps Eve had been right all along, and their worlds were too far apart for them to have a successful marriage.

Hours passed as the sun moved from one window in the library to the other side and finally set. His mother attempted to get him to join in the Christmas Ball, but after harsh words from him, she left him to sip, staring at the fireplace, dwelling on the mess the holiday had turned out to be.

Three days later Adam once again sat in his office staring at the fireplace. All the guests for Christmas had left and not playing the proper host, he ignored them all. Which left the Duchess doing everything and based on her demeanor as she faced him this morning, she was unhappy.

“Are you going to wallow in here like a spoiled child? You have duties to perform and here you sit doing nothing. When was the last time you bathed and changed your clothes?”

“Leave me alone, Mother.”

She opened her mouth to speak when the butler entered the library. “Your Grace, this has arrived for you by special delivery.”

Hoping it was word from Eve, he grabbed the document out of the butler’s hand. He opened it, his hand shaking. Please God, don’t have her caught Influenza.

His eyes skimmed the page. He tossed it on his desk and leaned his head against the back of the chair. “Perfect. Just perfect.”

“What is it?” the duchess said. When he didn’t answer her, she picked up the legal document and read it. “Lord Fenster is suing you for breach of contract? I thought you said you hadn’t signed contracts?”

His eyes closed, he said, “We didn’t sign contracts. This is his attempt to disgrace me and possibly force my hand by labeling me dishonorable for all the world to see.”

“This is preposterous. He can’t sue you for breach of contract if there was no contract.”

He opened one eye and regarded his mother. “Apparently he doesn’t believe so.”

“What will you do?”

Adam pushed his chair back and stood. “Right now I am returning to my bedchamber. I haven’t slept in days and as you rightly pointed out, haven’t bathed or changed my clothes. I will see you this evening.”

Eve smoothed the cool cloth over her mother’s head, hoping to lower her fever. The local doctor had been by and gave her a list of remedies for her parents as well as a tisane for her to take to help ward off catching the illness as she took care of them.

The most frightening thing the doctor had told her was her papa’s case was much worse than Mama’s and there was a good chance he might not even recover.

When she wasn’t on her knees praying for their recovery, or doing laundry, cooking and other things that needed to be done along with their care, she thought about Adam. Had she been too harsh on him? She was truly in a panicked state when the missive arrived, and now that she was back and taking care of them, she gave herself time to consider their last conversation.