Page 65 of The Odyssean Duke

“Truly,” Evelina said. “No man has ever suffered more than you.”

Stephan pulled his chair closer and sat in it once more. “I will stay with you for as long as you want me,” he said.

“Thank you.”

Stephan inclined his head, silently accepting her gratitude. “So aside from the flowers and the embroidered cushions, what else do you want to do?”

Evelina grinned. “My dear husband, you will simply have to wait and see.”

CHAPTER 28

After a week, Evelina emerged from the nest of bedlinens and was finally able to see what her staff had done to make the house brighter and lighter. She smiled, satisfied. It was not a moment too soon either, for a brief glimpse out the window in the drawing room confirmed that the Corset Chronicles Club had arrived.

Evelina settled on her favorite sofa and waited. Her sister Theodora entered first, and Evelina stood to greet her, enveloping her sister in a warm embrace. “How are you?” Evelina asked.

Theodora’s eyes shined in amusement. “I should be asking you that,” she said. “My newly married sister.”

Rosalind and Maria entered next. Evelina craned her neck to see past them, searching for Anne; however, it seemed that their last member was absent.

“How is Anne?” Evelina asked as she hugged Maria.

“Fine,” Maria said. “She wanted to come, but she is feeling a little ill this morning.”

Evelina furrowed her brow. “Is it bad?”

“Oh no!” Maria exclaimed. “It is the usual symptoms which accompany her condition. It is nothing serious.”

The women all settled around the room. Theodora and Evelina sat together on the sofa, while Maria and Rosalind occupied the room’s two chairs. “So,” Theodora said, grinning slyly. “How is married life?”

Evelina sighed, warmth flooding her face. She had anticipated that her friends would want to know how her plan was working, and a rush of embarrassment swept over her when she thought about telling her friends and sister that her plan had not yet even come to fruition.

She had been ill for the past week, of course, but if she had managed to consummate the marriage on the first night, she might already have a baby growing inside her. A lump lodged in Evelina’s throat. What if she couldn’t bring herself to have congress with him? Stephan had been kind thus far, but the man’s situation was desperate. He must have some eventual end to his patience.

“Well,” Evelina said. “Regrettably, Stephan and I have not yet been able to produce an heir.”

Theodora and Maria exchanged puzzled looks. Rosalind looked away, color rising to her cheeks. At least, Evelina was not the only one who was embarrassed by this conversation.

“Do you mean that you have not yet consummated the marriage?” Maria asked, sounding as if she was choosing her words quite delicately.

“We have not,” said Evelina, sighing.

Theodora inhaled sharply. “Oh!”

Maria placed a hand over her mouth. “I—I see.”

Rosalind’s eyes widened. “But…” the young woman trailed off, her flush deepening to scarlet. “Is an heir no longer important to you? I thought that was your entire reason for choosing to marry His Grace.”

Evelina folded her hands together in her lap. “No,” she said. “It is still important to me. I have been ill for the past week, so we have been unable to consummate. But we will soon.”

“You have very little time, though,” Maria said. “A year, wasn’t it?”

“Ten months.” Evelina paused, mentally calculating the days. “Nine months and two weeks, I suppose.”

Rosalind furrowed her brow. “Is that sufficient time?”

“Yes,” Evelina said.

Theodora opened her mouth, likely to protest, but she seemed to decide against it. Instead, she leaned against the arm of the sofa and pursed her lips together.