He smiled faintly, his dark eyes glimmering with admiration. “You know I’ll help however I can.”

“Not this time, Lucien. I mean it. I’ll be fine on my own—financially and in every other way.”

“What about Lord Gregory?”

The question momentarily upset her equilibrium. She’d been trying very hard not to think about him. Everything else was quite enough at the moment. “What about him? I don’t blame him, if that’s what you mean.”

“I don’t either. He was a pawn—who refused to be manipulated. I hope this won’t affect what you share.”

She looked at him sharply. “Please just leave it.” Flattening her palms against her lap, she gently shook the tension from her shoulders. “Now, let us determine next steps. I will formally resign as patroness and as a member of the Phoenix Club, then I will move my things out of my office. Will tomorrow be soon enough?”

The anguish returned to his features, and Evie wondered if Lucien was perhaps taking this harder than she was. No, of course not. He was just reacting differently. This was a situation he despised—one in which there was nothing he could do to change the outcome to be what he wanted. He likely felt defeated.

Lucien swore. “I hate this.”

“I do not enjoy it either, but we must carry on.”

“You are awfully British for a Frenchwoman,” he said wryly.

“I am far more British than French, as you know.” She didn’t even remember her homeland, and had no plans to return. “The most important thing is for the Phoenix Club to go on. I shall be heartbroken if all my—and your—hard work has been for naught.”

“Bloody hell, Evie, you are taking this far better than I am.”

Evie nearly smiled. Apparently, she’d been right. “You’ll get there. Things will continue to run smoothly, particularly with Ada as a patroness now. She’s basically the new me.”

He pinned her with a serious stare. “No one could ever be you.” He rose from the settee. “I’m going to check on you again tomorrow.”

“No need. I’ll be at the club to fetch my things. Do you need a written resignation from me? I can write it now, if you like.”

He held up his hand. “No. I refuse to accept anything in writing. That makes it too…real. Allow me at least a day to live in denial.” Moving to her chair, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You really are a marvel.”

She laughed softly. “Now leave me alone.”

Lucien left, and Evie let herself sag back against the chair. She wasn’t as strong as Lucien believed. She was simply good at pretending to be. It had been an integral part of her childhood.