“Yes. I had your welfare in mind. And that of the family. I wanted to know just whom you were marrying. And it’s a damned fortunate thing I made those inquiries, too. This man is a convicted felon, Kate. He spent years in prison.”
“I know that. He’s told me everything. He was convicted of poaching as a youth, but he was released to join the army.”
“Where he committed even more villainous offenses.”
“I know that, too. But then he mended his ways and served honorably under Lord Rycliff for years. Like I said, he’s told me everything.” She turned to Thorne. “I’m sorry to do so much speaking for you. Would you rather defend yourself?”
“Doesn’t matter what I say,” Thorne replied. “He’ll see in me what he wants to see. My lord, I don’t much care what you think of me, so long as Katie—”
“How dare you.” A wash of red pushed from the line of Evan’s crisp cravat all the way to his hairline. “How dare you speak of her in such a familiar fashion? She is Lady Katherine to you.”
“He may speak to me however he wishes,” Kate said, taken aback by the fury in Evan’s voice. “We are in love. We’re going to marry.”
“Kate, you haven’t even heard the worst of it yet. Do you know where this man came from? His mother was a harlot in some disgusting, low-class bawdy house in Sou—”
“In Southwark,” Kate finished. “I know.”
“He told you that?”
“No, I know because I remember it. Because I lived there, too.”
The ladies gasped. Kate hated to shock them by bringing it up at this time and place, but could such an announcement ever come as anything less than shocking?
Evan said, “You lived together? The two of you, in a . . . ?”
“We were children, both of us. It seems that’s where Elinor ended, after leaving Ambervale. She lived under a new name, Ellie Rose, and yes—I spent my first four years in a bawdy house. All my memories of it were hazy until just the last few days, but with Samuel’s help I’ve pieced them together.”
“He’s lying,” Evan said, eyeing Samuel with a dangerous glare. “He’s convinced you of something that isn’t true.”
“I wish for my mother’s sake that it weren’t true. But I remember it, Evan. I can’t imagine why she ended there. Perhaps she was too afraid to seek help. Perhaps, as a farmer’s daughter, she felt unequal to the task of living as a lady.” On that score, Kate could sympathize.
She approached her cousin with caution. “Please don’t worry about the family. We’ll find some way. I’ll . . . I’ll simply sign everything over to you before the wedding. All the properties, all the money.”
“Like the devil you will,” Thorne said. “Your inheritance is your birthright, Katie. You grew up alone, with nothing. You deserve this now. That’s why I came here tonight. I won’t let you give it up. Not for me, and most definitely not for a puling reptile like him.”
“And I won’t let a convicted felon destroy what remains of my family’s name,” Evan interjected. “If you care for her at all, why would you connect her with that place again? Marry her, and the truth will come out. All England will know her as the marquess’s daughter who was raised in a whorehouse.”
“I don’t care,” Kate said. “I don’t care about idle gossip, and neither does Samuel.”
“But I care,” Evan said. “I shall have no choice but to care. To have any hope of salvaging Lark’s prospects, I would have to sever all acquaintance with you both. Publicly and completely. There would be no more outings or balls. No family holidays at Easter and Christmas.” His voice lowered to a hoarse rasp. “Kate, we would be forced to cut you in the street. It would eviscerate me, no question. But I would do it, to protect my siblings.”
Kate knew he would. He’d do anything for them. Her stomach knotted. “But you’ve already told me I can’t simply disappear. Even if I don’t marry Samuel, I’ll be the subject of public scrutiny. I don’t see how the revelation can be avoided.”
“I do. You’ll marry me, and we’ll conceal all this ugliness from public view.”
Samuel swore. “What the hell is this? She’s not marrying you.”
Evan ignored him and spoke directly to Kate. “If we marry, there will be no need for any court proceedings. Anything that’s yours would legally become mine once we wed. No property needs to change hands. The Drewe title and Gramercy fortune will remain united. Then we can avoid all court inquiries and scandal.”
“But Evan . . .” She tried to put the words kindly. “You and I don’t love each other. Not that way.”
“Love.” Evan snorted. “Love is a fierce and intoxicating thing, but I will tell you from bitter experience, it cannot balance the loss of fortune, reputation, and family. On this, Kate, I suspect your own parents would agree.”
For the first time, her cousin’s words gave Kate pause.
And Evan knew it.