Page 7 of A Duke for Stealing
“No need to be hurtful, Rose,” he chastised. He then turned back to the mirror to continue inspecting himself, “Especially today. You have no idea how long I have dreaded this occasion.”
“Could you please be serious for a moment?” Rose snapped.
Everett’s green eyes glanced at her through the mirror, a single brow raised.
“Oh, I am being most serious,” he replied, “However, this marriage is simply a fact of my new life, so I must go through with it.”
He then let out a dramatic, woeful sigh and went back to his preening.
“So tell me,” he went on, adjusting his cravat, “If you are not here for my favors, what has barging in here like a madwoman? We are not close.”
Rose paused a moment. It was true, they really were not even friends. They knew of each other and were in the same circle.
“Well?” Everett asked.
His prodding renewed her annoyance with him, and she threw him another dirty look.
“I need to tell you something,” she stated.
“Come on, then, out with it,” Everett quipped.
“You should not get married today. Not to Harriett.”
Everett scoffed, looking completely unfazed. “Oh? Pray tell, why? I assume it is not so that you could take her place.”
“Would you stop being so nonchalant about this?” She hissed.
He turned on his heel, giving her a rare look of pure irritation.
“Would you stop being so coy and just tell me why you are here?” He retorted.
Rose drew in a breath, ready to tell her secret, when the door opened. She panicked as Tristan and Theo appeared. In turn, both of them froze, their eyes going wide.
“Rose, what are you doing here?” Tristan asked. “You should not be here. Do you have any idea of the damage you could do to this wedding if you are seen?”
Again, Rose’s annoyance spiked.
“I am well aware,” she hissed.
“Is something going on between you two?” Theo asked, her eyes darting between Rose and Tristan.
“God, no,” they both replied in startling unison.
Rose turned to glare at Everett and was only greeted with a cheeky grin.
“So out with it, Rose. Tell me why I should not marry Harriett,” Everett insisted.
She tried to say the words. Tried to form them on her lips and profess the truth of what she’d heard. Yet now with three sets of eyes set upon her instead of just one, Rose found herself unable to do so.
“Just…do not marry her, Everett,” she finally said, giving him a pleading look. “She is not good for you.”
Everett smirk faded into a look of disappointment.
“I doubt that any woman truly is,” he said, his tone surprisingly soft and forlorn.
It was the first time Rose had ever heard him sound sincere, and even though he annoyed her to no end, she suddenly felt a swell of empathy for the man.
“Rose, come along now,” Theo urged, taking her arm. “You and I must find our seats.”
