Unless Evie was much mistaken, Kate’s shoulders slumped a little. “It’s done then? It’s over?”
“You needn’t sound disappointed,” Evie pointed out.
“I’m not, I…” Kate drew back and made a face. “Well, yes, I am. Just a little. I rather fancied the idea of riding to your rescue.”
“The effort is noted and appreciated,” Evie drawled.
Kate snorted, but her eyes danced with humor. “I missed Miss Willory’s birthday celebration for this.”
Evie smirked. Miss Willory was one of Kate’s least favorite people. One of her own, as well. “I am so terribly sorry.”
“And my mother is supremely irritated with me.”
“You disobeyed Lady Thurston by coming?” The very idea was bewildering. “Kate—”
“No lectures, I beg you. I’ve had my fill.”
“You’ll make room for more,” a cool voice said from the front door.
Whit entered, looking travel-worn and more than just “a mite put out,” as Sophie had phrased it. He shut the door carefully behind him, sent one cold, hard look at Kate and Sophie that promised retribution of a most grievous nature, and then stepped forward to place a kiss on Evie’s cheek.
“Evie, you’re well?”
She’d never been so miserable. “Perfectly.”
Whit nodded and pulled off his gloves. “Fetch the others, if you would. I’m sure Kate and Sophie have taken it upon themselves to inform you of our news.”
“It is why we came,” Sophie pointed out.
“And it hardly matters now, at any rate,” Kate added. “It’s over. We’ve come too late.”
Evie rolled her eyes at the overly dramatic statement.
Whit went still. “Too late? Herbert was here?”
“This morning,” Evie confirmed, and wondered if she would have to explain yet again when Alex arrived. “Christian and Mr. Hunter have taken him—”
Whit swore viciously even as concern, and just a hint of fear, crossed his face. He cupped her chin in his hand, his eyes searching. “You’re not hurt? He didn’t hurt you?”
“I’m perfectly well,” she repeated. “We all are.”
He looked at her a moment longer before dropping his hand and enveloping her in a hard embrace. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” he said hoarsely.
Touched, as she always was by his unfailing loyalty, she blinked back tears and returned the embrace. “I’m quite well, Whit, honestly. You can’t be everywhere at once.”
“I should have been here. It is my responsibility to see to the safety of my family.” He looked around her to glare at Kate. “Though some would do their best to make that task impossible.”
Kate sent Evie an exaggerated look of sympathy. “Pay him no mind. It’s not your fault John Herbert is a lunatic.”
Whit let go of Evie to jab a finger at Kate. He opened his mouth to deliver what would no doubt be a blistering response, but the sound of the front door once again swinging open cut him off.
Alex, the Duke of Rockeforte, marched in. In the past, Evie had thought Alex’s tousled coffee-colored locks gave him a somewhat boyish air. That thought didn’t occur to her at present. Just now, he looked to her to be very much a grown duke—a tall, dark, and furious duke. “Whose bloody idea was it to race?”
Sophie smiled brightly at her husband. “It was a joint decision.”
“It sure as hell wasn’t a group one,” he growled.
“Well, it couldn’t have been,” Sophie argued reasonably. “You’d have said no.”
“You’re damn right I would have,” Alex snapped and either didn’t hear, or chose to ignore, Sophie’s mumblings about the annoyance of poor losers. Instead, he turned to Evie and looked her over. “You’re well?”
Evie managed, barely, to swallow a groan. “I’m entirely unharmed and John Herbert is on his way to the magistrate.”
“He’s been caught?” His face brightened as he stepped forward to plant a kiss on Evie’s cheek. “Excellent. How?”
“He made an appearance this morning. Perhaps we should wait until Christian and Mr. Hunter return for a full recounting. I’m certain you have questions for them as well.”
Alex and Whit nodded.
“If that’s settled,” Sophie commented, “I should like to find Mrs. Summers. Perhaps—”
“The issue of your impromptu race has not been settled,” Alex interrupted in a cool tone. “It was reckless. You could have been injured.”
“Can we have this lecture somewhere with more seating?” Kate inquired. “Sophie has the only chair in the hall.”
Whit glared at his sister. “You’d be a sight more uncomfortable if you’d taken a spill from your horse.”
“I have never fallen from a horse,” Kate said with some indignation. Several pairs of brows rose at that statement. “I have never fallen from a moving horse,” she clarified with a sniff. “I may be clumsy, but I am hardly a danger to myself, generally.”
“Kate is a fine horsewoman,” Sophie said loyally. “We both are, and we have engaged in a number of races in the past without mishap.” Her eyes briefly jumped to Kate. “Significant mishap,” she amended.