"After the first blush of sin, comes its indifference."
-Henry David Thoreau
⚜️
Em's challenge proved to be a dangerous one. Evangeline realized this as soon as the doors were closed and blinds shut. There was no one else in the room but them.
And the brandy.
And the bucket of ice.
Em was returning with two crystal glasses from the nearby tray. Her slender fingers gently placed them down before she took her seat across the tea table.
"A drinking challenge, Emelia?"
"And more." Em said, her amber eyes measuring her opponent carefully. "We drink and exchange banters."
"What?" Evangeline asked with a laugh. "Isn't that just drinking?"
"No...and yes. But the banters we shall exchange shall be nothing but the truth. You cannot lie nor make up any excuse. Each banter you throw means one glass. The more banters you say the faster you get foxed. And the earlier you get foxed..."
Evangeline waited for her to finish the sentence but she already knew what it meant. "A foxed mind is a clouded mind. You expect me lose and call it even."
"Seems fair to me." Em replied. "If we simply sneer and throw insults each other at every chance we get, this or whatever this is between us will only get worse."
"And the brandy is your secret ingredient?"
Em gestured her agreement with her eyes. "Spirits loosen the tongue. This way, you cannot lie to me nor can I lie to you. And the more honesty this banter shall have, the easier we can settle things."
Evangeline thought for a moment. Sure she preferred to exchange a slap or two with other women who irked her but she also found honest confrontations satisfying. She picked up her glass and locked gazes with Em.
"You said with all honesty?"
Em nodded.
"And you shall not take the insults gravely? Not keep a grudge against me? That, whoever loses will accept that the matter is settled, no matter the outcome?"
"I will accept them and face them." She replied with her chin up. "Because you shall received the same from me."
"Fair enough." And she poured herself a glass. She raised it infront of them and said, "Let us commence."
***
Gaming room
The Davensport's welcomed the newly weds and introduced them around. Those who knew Damian easily fell into a comfortable company while the few ladies invited inside merely smiled and kept to themselves. Lydia knew they were curious about her but were either shy to approach them or they simply do not find her entertaining. But the constant peek and flutter of lashes thrown at her direction suggested that she was not wanted there.
Not that she cared.
She got here because she decided that she belonged with this family. No longer a spinster daughter of a drunkard Earl but a wife and a Duchess. So she ignored the younger ladies and stayed with Lucille and other matrons.
While her husband and father-in-law were locked in a business conversation, Lydia noticed that Dathan had discreetly slipped away and never returned. After he bravely saved them from utter shame, he did not even wait until he was properly appreciated. It was as if he did not wish for the others to know his good deeds. To this, Lydia knew that her brother-in-law was nothing like the black sheep that the gossips painted him to be.
Lucille, on the other hand, was entertaining the other ladies in attendance and she had Evangeline sent elsewhere to get some air. There were five gaming tables and all of them were occupied. She walked past them and spotted a vacant settee.
Lydia was finally able to sit down and rest her aching feet. She reached for her pocket; hidden beneath the layers of her skirt and pulled out a fan. Never had she felt air this good.
"Are you faring well, my dear?"
She looked up and smiled with relief, "Mama. Come sit with me. Yes, I am simply resting."
Lucille patted her shoulder and settled down next to her. "Do you wish to see the garden? The evening is a bit chilly but the breeze will help."
Lydia would have loved to but she couldn't let her mother-in-law know how tired she actually was. Not even Evangeline knew what happened these past two weeks since the wedding. And she was not prepared to expose them—yet.
So she offered Lucille an apologetic smile, "I hear they have lovely butterflies, Mama."
"Yes, the best in the kingdom."
"I would love to see them one day. Perhaps, on a less crowded night."
"Ah, of course." Her mother-in-law sighed, "You are still adjusting to your new life. The butterflies can wait, you must rest."
Lucille did not elaborate more because she assumed that her daughter-in-law was merely feeling the changes of being a wife. The topic was understandable but she felt she needed to make up some excuses, least people wondered why they have shown up so soon. So she came up with a lie, "I never thought being a wife is this strenuous." She tried to jest. "Damian and I had been so occupied and distracted from the world." No, they were not. "And the mornings are so warm and I cannot resist leaving bed." She hated every single waking moment that the other side was empty and untouched.
Lucille held her hands gently, "It shall get easier. Believe me. It will get better."
For the life of her, Lydia prayed it would.
***
Meanwhile
The bottle of brandy was moving faster and faster. Its contents poured into the tiny glasses and more than once, it spilled on to the floor. Em just placed her glass down and Evangeline was holding hers.
"...I have never liked you from the beginning. You acted meek and obedient around Lucille but you were just hiding your true colors." Then she downed her glass.
Em just refilled hers and held the glass up her face, "Nor did I liked you, too. You never smiled around and you refused to join the other servants like you were some high and mighty lady in waiting."
"I was a lady in waiting before I served Lydia. But the monarchy who I was supposed to be with was overthrown. So of course, I still act like one. I wasn't a peasant for gods sake. And my smiles? I never show them. I never had the need to. Smiling are only for flirtatious women who wanted a rich husband with a fat purse." And up her glass went.
"And of course you are one to talk. Raised with a roof above your head, food at your table and dresses to keep you warm. But you know what it resulted to, Evangeline? It made you bloody arrogant. You never smiled because you don't have friends that make you laugh. You are simply miserable."
"I am not! I am content being Lydia's maid and I do have friends. We had a small circle but we were all well-behaved. My life is far from being miserable. I am not anything like you." She refilled her glass and blinked. The spirits were starting to take hold but she shook her head discreetly. She cannot show weakness. "Perhaps that was why I abhorred you, Emelia. You were one nasty whore who cannot keep her hands from someone else's fiancé. I was raised to be a proper lady and you...you were raised by nobodies." And she drank her brandy, closing her eyes when the bitterness hit her tongue.
"I was raised by a servant, yes. But Ana is not a nobody to me. She was a mother to me and Sam—when my own was not around. I may not have the same education and environment you grew up with but I am not a whore. I did not have my hands on Damian," she paused and pointed her finger at Evangeline, "it is Damian that you meant by 'fiancè' right?" Her opponent nodded and she continued, "Well, you assumed the wrong thing. You made up assumptions that are far from the truth. And a proper lady would not do that. A proper lady never think badly of a human being."
"And what is the truth, Emelia? Between you and Damian?"
"I was his childhood friend." She gulped her drink down and placed the glass none so gently. The next words were private yet she felt she could express them, with or without spirits. "And when we were growing up, we thought we were in love." Evangeline let out a shocked gasp but she ignored this. She reached for the bottle and poured down a refill. "We were young and naive. We knew nothing of the real world by then. He was kind and charming to me. Never treated me like a servant or a lowly peasant. I was...enchanted by him."
Evangeline took the bottle from her refilled her own glass. "So you've loved Damian since you were what, a mere child?"
"Perhaps." She replied, the brandy was making her warm all over. Perhaps, she shouldn't have shut the blinds and let the evening wind blew inside. "What would a proper lady like yourself know about love, hmm?"
"Love is for the hopeless. People who had no plans for their future and simply lived a day and not the next. I am not that kind. I know practicality more than anything else and love is nothing close to it. The books tell you that love is wonderful but they also tend to make you do silly things. I have never dreamt of falling in love, it seems like a waste of time."
Em laughed bitterly, "You speak so harshly it makes me think someone had broken your heart in the past."
"There was none! I shall not allow any man to break any of my organs, specially my heart. For it pumps blood all over my body and I believe I shall die if it stops."
Em couldn't hold back her chuckle, "Damian has broken my heart yet I am still alive." To this, Evangeline's face flushed. "Fret not my dear lady, perhaps when it is your turn, you shall do much better than I did." She took another swig and handed the bottle to her. Her glass left empty on the table, realizing it was futile to drown on little amounts.
"I shall never be in your shoes, Emelia. For I have no plans of chasing a man that is beyond my reach to begin with." Then she took the bottle from her hands and ignored their glasses, too. She raised the brandy up to her mouth and took a mouthful directly from it. And it was not a good idea. She gulped in more than she could. She paused for a few seconds and composed herself, "If you had been strong, you wouldn't have fallen for him. He was nobility and you were his lowly servant girl."
Em noticed that Evangeline's breath has started to come in short and shorter each time. She was feeling the effects of the brandy.
"Easy for you to say. You have never felt love. And perhaps, with that attitude, you never will."
Evangeline scoffed, "I can say it just fine because I know what you did was wrong. You dreamt more than what you ought to. And now you are out hunting for another man, a gentry as I can recall. Were you hoping he would marry someone below his ranks?"
"I cannot answer that since Gideon has not asked me to marry him nor I have any ideas of his thoughts about me. That gentry from the garden was a friend. Nothing more." And a possible suitor. " At the same time, whatever was between me and Damian has ended. I swore on my lowly, pathetic-peasant-life that we never made it far. So stop calling me a whore."
Silenced reigned for a moment. Their eyes measuring each other.
"If you stop calling me a proper lady." Evangeline spat back.
"Well? You are, aren't you?"
"I mean...I..no! I meant, you ought to stop saying it with such disgust. As if it's an insult when it is not supposed to be."
"Will you stop calling me a whore?" Em asked again, holding out her hand for the bottle. "Give me the brandy if your answer is yes."
Evangeline sighed, her vision blurring. In the end, she succumbed. "Fine. You are not a whore. Merely a misunderstood woman."
"Misunderstood? How?"
"Well, you seem to be always in situations that you are not supposed be in. Like that night when Lord Damian pressed you against the wall and whispered things in your ear. Nor that time when that man in the garden was unlacing your corset." She gulped and noticed that her mouth was dry because of all the talking, she licked her lips nervously. "Of course people would assume the worse! You cannot blame me solely for it."
Em bit her lip down and gave it a thought. Her fingers played with the hem of her skirt, distracted.
"I suppose you are right. If I think from your own perspective those moments were indeed...improper. But believe me when I say, it was merely a confrontation between us that night. Damian wanted me to be his mistress and tried to seduce me but I declined. And Gideon, bless his heart, did not want me suffocate because of my corset." She lifted the brandy and took two huge gulps, the bottle was getting lighter now. She gave Evangeline a small smile, "I ought to be hanged."
"Perhaps, not tonight." She retrieved the brandy and prayed that Em would surrender. But she looked unaffected save for the blush on her cheeks or the casual snicker she let out. It was clear that the spirits have not foxed her yet. "I have nothing more to say."
"Indeed?" A hopeful smile curved on the side of her mouth.
Evangeline nodded, "I do not know why but when I heard your side of the story a part of me just believed in you. And I have been told I judge people rather quickly—most times. Perhaps I overreacted and it has made me irrational. But now, I can feel you were telling the truth." She took her shot and blanched at the warmth the brandy has left in her throat. "What you did was improper and...sad. You loved a man who loved you back but you let him go. A whore would never do that. A pure heart would."
Em gave her a genuine smile, "What a wonderful thing to say, Evangeline. Are you perhaps, taken by the brandy?"
"I'm afraid I am." She replied and felt the bottle slide down the floor. The carpet muffled its fall and the bottle merely rolled away without breaking. "I lost."
Em patted her hand, "But you've let out so much weight from your heart. And that is a win."
Evangeline, for the first time in many years, smiled a real smile.
***
Somewhere inside Allerdale Hall
Dathan, finally away from his family's prying eyes, went back to the ballroom. His eyes scanned the place, noting every person. He was considering who to talk to and who to avoid. Mostly avoid.
A man suddenly came behind up him and before he could say anything, he felt the man's hand slide something down inside his pocket. He caught his gaze and gestured that he followed him outside. Dathan gave a quick nod and discreetly went towards the opposite direction before making a turn and went out to the garden.
There were a few couples heading back in. He noticed the raging blush on the women's cheeks and the smug smiles the men had. At least, these people were enjoying a tryst.
He kept walking until he came upon a tall hedge. It was neatly trimmed and cared for with an archway beside it, showing the entrance to the darker parts of the garden. He saw movement not far from where he stood and recognized the man's clothing. With a quick look behind him, he ducked down and went inside.
They walked quietly for some time, making sure no one else was around to eavesdrop. The man walked carefully ahead, his head alert at every turn. Dathan merely followed until they reached a dead end.
"This is far enough." He said. "Fret not, we have not seen or heard a soul."
The man's shoulders slumped with relief. With one move, the humongous hat came down and with it out came falling a long braided brown hair. "I may have been followed. But perhaps not, I just have to be sure."
"You did great Marie." He gave her a gentle smile, "This just means that you've found what I asked you for. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"And, I've seen him here. Tonight."
"Are you certain?"
She nodded, "But only for a little while. He left moments ago and that was when I decided to get you."
"And you've seen him up close?"
"Yes, it was him. The hair, the eyes and even the manner of speaking. But he did not see me or I hoped he did not." She bit down on her lip, "He probably did but I was dressed as a man. He would never recognize me as a woman. Why do you want me to spy on him? Is he your enemy?"
"No. He's just some curious case."
"I don't believe that but I shall not question you." Marie then pulled her hair back up and arranged them under the hat. "What should I do now?"
Dathan patted his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, "What did you give me?"
Marie smirked, her eyes looking mischievous. "His address."
"You did not!"
"But I did. His valet had left instructions to a servant about sending their carriage home to fetch another one. I heard every word and wrote it down."
Dathan shook his head with disbelief. Was he lucky employing Marie? Or was she lucky he had employed her? Either way, their relationship seemed to be looking good. He unfolded the paper and squinted at the writing.
"What's wrong? Can't read it clear enough? Need more light?" Marie asked, she had spotted a torch several paces down. "I can grab a torch."
"No, no. I can read it just fine."
"Then why are you looking at it as if its the most ridiculous thing in the world?"
"Because, it is the most ridiculous thing in the world."
"What?!" She grabbed the paper and saw that it was neat hand writing alright and she got the address right. "What do you mean?"
Dathan exhaled, "This address belongs to the houses of ill repute."
"So?" She asked.
"What do you mean so?"
"So what if that's a whorehouse? I heard the entire street had several buildings and houses that people live in. He could be housing there with a mistress."
"No, there is no way in the world he would." He replied.
"Well, this is what I heard his valet say. He could be..the um..he could be an owner of one the bars there. Or a gaming house." She offered other options, refusing to believe she had made a mistake. "They wouldn't send a carriage there to fetch another if the place meant nothing."
"I believe you, Marie. I do not doubt your amazing hearing abilities. But I cannot fathom why someone like him would live there. Even temporarily. It does not make sense."
"Why would it not? He's a man and he could afford a valet, he's obviously got money."
"Because, the man I asked you to spy on, is a prince."