Page 44 of Notorious

“He won’t be, Eva. He will have Byer with him.”

“Oh, Byer.” She shook her head, dismissing the viscount with barely a thought. “I want to go.”

“What?”

“I want to be there. Do you want to go with me, or not?”

“Eva—”

“What? Why are you ‘Eva-ing’ me and looking at me that way? He is your husband now, Dru. Don’t you care what happens to him?”

“Of course I care.”

“Don’t you want to be there—to know what happens?”

Dru hesitated a moment too long.

“You do—I can see it in your face. I knew you did.”

Drusilla heaved a sigh. “I would like to know what happens.”

Eva squealed and grabbed her, but Drusilla shook away her hands and gripped Eva’s shoulders, giving her a slight shake.

“Listen to me.”

Eva stilled.

“I said I would like to go but I cannot.”

“But . . . why not?”

“I promised him, Eva.”

“You promised him you would not watch his duel?” She sounded understandably skeptical.

“No, I promised I would respect his privacy.”

“But this is not private—everyone in London knows about it by now.”

“That may be true, but that doesn’t mean he wants everyone in London to be watching tomorrow morning.”

“You don’t understand, Dru. Visel is . . . well, he’s been following Gabe.”

“What?”

Eva nodded, her color heightening. “Yes, he’s up to something—something more than just this duel. He’s—”

Drusilla held up a hand. “Wait. How do you know he is following Gabriel?”

Eva stared at her for a long, silent moment and then admitted, “Because I’ve been following him.”

“My God, Eva!”

“I knew you would respond that way. You needn’t worry—he’s never noticed me.”

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because he’s been acting hostile toward Gabe all Season. I thought he might try to harm him. And it turned out I was right, didn’t it?”