But tonight James had behaved strangely. James had spoken with them in the carriage ride about the unexpected appearance of the widow at the manor, and Evelyn knew he wanted Bella Sinclair to rescind her claim to Wyndmoor. Then Bella had marched down the stairs and confronted James. His reaction had seemed unperturbed, yet behind his façade of amusement, Evelyn had been surprised to sense an undercurrent of tension in him around the beautiful widow.
I warned you about sharing a residence with a bachelor. It’s not too late to reconsider, he had told Bella.
Bella had eyed him with challenge, and the sparks between the pair had flashed.
In all her time, Evelyn had never known James Devlin unable to win over a woman he had set out to charm. He enjoyed his freedom and avoided emotional commitment like the plague. There had been women who sought more from him than to share his bed, women who had claimed to love him, but he had been quick to break off those affairs. Bachelorhood, he often said, was the epitome of freedom. Why ruin it with marriage and children?
He rarely spoke of his past or his family. His mother had died in childbirth, and—prior to recent revelations at least—it had been common knowledge that he was the illegitimate son of the Duke of Blackwood. The dowager duchess had paid for his education and housing as a boy, but apparently that had been the extent of her sense of duty toward him.
His father had spent only one week a year with James in his youth, and Evelyn understood that was the reason James wanted to hold on to Wyndmoor Manor. “How would you feel if your father had only acknowledged you and shown you affection for one week a year, and ignored you the rest of the time?” Jack had asked her. Evelyn had only known unconditional love from her father, and couldn’t fathom how she would feel if her sole parent had rejected her.
Despite his past, James had made his own way as a man and had done quite well in his chosen profession. But he had learned the lessons of his youth, and he had erected emotional barriers like a suit of armor.
So what was going on with Bella Sinclair? Had James finally met his match? She watched as James leaned against the windowsill and sipped his whiskey.
“Have you made any progress with Mrs. Sinclair?” Evelyn asked.
“Do you mean with her leaving?”
“She was first to buy, James. She may have a legal argument,” Evelyn said.
“You sound like Brent.”
“I take it Brent Stone took her side?”
“I’m not surprised either of you would side with a woman,” James drawled.
“You should show more compassion. She lost her husband.”
“Yes, about that. Something doesn’t add up. I asked Anthony to send for his investigator,” James said.
“You mean to investigate her?” Evelyn asked incredulously.
“Don’t sound so shocked, Evelyn. You know how barristers work. We must know all the facts.”
“Yes, but this isn’t just one of your criminal cases. She’s just as innocent as you. Neither of you knew you were being swindled by the seller,” Evelyn pointed out.
There was a low knock on the door. A glint of anticipation lit James’s indigo eyes before his gaze shuttered. A maid entered and announced the guest chamber had been prepared. Behind her walked in Evelyn’s husband, Jack Harding. But what was it Evelyn had seen in James’s face? If she didn’t know any better she’d have sworn she saw disappointment that Bella Sinclair hadn’t personally made an appearance.
Interesting, Evelyn mused.
Then her husband approached, and Evelyn stood to greet him. With his light brown hair, green eyes, and quick smile, she had been in love with Jack Harding since he had entered her father’s chambers as a pupil when she was twelve.
“How’s the coach?” she asked him.
“The wheel needs a blacksmith.”
“There’s a good one in St. Albans. We can call upon him tomorrow. You are welcome to stay at Wyndmoor for as long as you wish,” James told them.
Jack Harding looked about the room. “The library is perfect. You know how much my wife loves books.”
“Yes, I suspect she’ll be using them to research some arcane property laws,” James said dryly.
Her husband chuckled and squeezed Evelyn’s hand. “If that’s what Evie sets her mind to, you won’t be able to stop her.”
Chapter 9
The arrival of Lady Evelyn Harding turned out to be fortuitous for Bella. After only three days, word of the new duke’s arrival had traveled rapidly through the closest town of St. Albans. Bella had anticipated a ripple of scandal when people learned that a bachelor inhabited the same residence as a widow, but to her astonishment, many thought the married Lady Evelyn a proper chaperone for Bella. But Bella was most grateful for the Hardings’ company, not only because they were a distraction for Blackwood—who spent much of his time with his three fellow barristers—but because she found Evelyn Harding genuinely friendly.
Bella had gone out of her way to avoid Blackwood, and she had kept busy unpacking her trunks and learning how to run the household. Yet by the end of the third day, Bella had run out of tasks and realized she needed to take a new tactic. Blackwood wasn’t leaving or expiring from boredom in the country. She had to learn more about him, and she hoped Evelyn would be able to enlighten her.
With that thought in mind, Bella had searched the house to ask Evelyn to join her for tea when her husband, Jack Harding, informed Bella that Evelyn had been ensconced in the library for most of the afternoon. He smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “She can’t resist those books.”
Bella knocked softly and opened the library door. Evelyn sat behind a massive oak desk, a stack of open books spread out before her. Light streamed in from the large window behind the desk, turning her hair to a luminous gold.
Bella closed the door and approached. “I apologize for disturbing you, my lady. Would you like to join me for tea on the terrace?”
Evelyn looked up. “Please call me Evelyn. May I call you Bella?”
“Yes, please.”
“You have been nothing but kind to us since our arrival, and I’m grateful. You must understand, however, that my husband and I do not keep secrets from each other, and I’m aware of the situation between you and James. I take an interest in all my husband’s friends and have grown quite fond of them,” Evelyn said.
Disquieting thoughts raced through Bella’s mind. Had she made a mistake in approaching Evelyn Harding?
“I understand,” Bella said in a low, composed voice.
Evelyn leaned across the desk and a thoughtful smile curved her mouth. “That does not stop me from making my own judgments. Your position may not be as precarious as he would have you believe.”
Surprised and more uncertain than before, Bella asked, “You mean the duke?”
“I do.”
“I assume you are speaking of our dispute over ownership of this property.”
“I am.”
“Blackwood claims the legality of his deed is not in question because he was first to record the deed despite the fact that I purchased the property first and moved in days prior to him,” Bella said.
“I’m quite proficient at reading and interpreting case law, even the arcane property statutes, and I have discovered one court that was divided on the issue. Most courts have held that the first to record the deed is the owner; one held for the first to purchase and possess. Every case is fact specific, you see.”
Bella approached the desk and looked over