Page 66 of A Rogue to Reform

Also, her mother insisted they make a public appearance at a social event. With everything they had to do, including the renovations on the house, the last thing Felicity wished to do was to waste time at an event where she barely knew any of the attendees.

However, there were two invitations on the table in the sitting room downstairs that she’d barely glanced at the night before.

One was for a large engagement party at an estate just outside of city limits. The other was a smaller spring soiree at an acquaintance’s home. She would accept the second one.

It was not much later that she heard male voices echo through the house. Felicity went to the door and opened it to listen.

One of the speakers was Grant, the other Evan. It sounded as if Evan was mad because he spoke louder than Grant.

She didn’t care that he was angry. Closing the door slowly, she turned the key and locked it, then she hurried to the bedroom and did the same. Tonight, she did not trust herself to be around Evan.

Three short raps on the door made her jump, and Felicity stared at the door without speaking.

“Felicity, open the door.” It was Evan, his tone level, but there was no mistaking the edge to it.

When she didn’t reply, he knocked again.

“I refuse to sleep anywhere other than our bed.” Evan knocked on the door, this time harder. “Open the door and talk to me.”

Moving closer, she blew out a breath. “I cannot speak to you right now. I am too angry. Go away.”

“I understand your anger. I made a mistake.”

Felicity climbed into the bed and pulled the blankets up over her ears. It seemed like only moments later that she woke when hearing a curse in the adjacent room. She sat up. How had someone gotten in there?

Just then Evan came in through the door, hair all over the place, dirty patches on his knees and out of breath. He stood in the moonlight staring at her.

“I cannot stand the idea of you being angry with me,” he said, nearing the bed.

Felicity held both hands out. “Don’t you dare come near me in that state. You are all dirty and sweaty. What have you been doing?”

“Climbing the bloody trellis. It broke and I fell, so then Norman came with a ladder.” Sitting down, he pulled his boots off, followed by his breeches and shirt. “I need a bath.”

Felicity watched him. “What do you plan to do now?”

“Wash up,” he snapped, walking to the washstand. “You could have opened the door.”

“Do not get petulant with me,” Felicity told him. “You are the reason we find ourselves in a scandal. If not because you cannot stand to stay away from Sorcha R—”

“First of all,” Evan said, turning to face her with a washcloth in hand. “She approached me as I was leaving the coffee shop. Informed me that she was leaving and wished to apologize for all she’d done. It was a quick farewell hug, nothing more.”

“Everyone at the coffee shop stared at me when I walked in,” Felicity exclaimed. “They saw what I saw.”

“I think it had more to do with the fact that someone from that coffee shop had brought a delivery for our staff, which I had ordered, and arrived just as you slapped me.”

Felicity considered that perhaps she should have waited for Evan to explain what happened before striking him. So it was she who had done the greater misdeed. Evan could not help that as he walked out, Sorcha had approached him.

“I would never do anything to hurt you or our marriage, you must believe me.”

The fact that he stood totally naked, mussed hair and looking so contrite, made her heart explode with love for him. He was so utterly beautiful and powerful at the same time. Guilt assailed her at having been so impulsive and for hitting him. Felicity pushed the bedding aside and rushed to him. “I am so very sorry, Evan. Please forgive me. I am so very, very sorry.” She peered up to his softened expression.

“Of course I forgive you.” His reply was the sweetest sound.

Evan leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, tentatively at first and then, to her delight, kissed her soundly, the entire time his hands traveling down her body. “You can make it up to me.”

“How?” she whispered, excited at the idea of making love.

“I may have splinters in my hands and knees. Can you look?”