Standing, she went to ring for Foster. When he arrived, she informed him that she wouldn’t be receiving visitors for the rest of the day.

Then she retreated to her chamber, where she clutched the drawing of Ash that Gregory had made for her.

The morning after his awful encounter with his brother, Gregory sat, pensive, in the sitting room adjacent to his bedchamber. Ash trotted up to him, his rope dangling from his mouth. His appearance immediately alleviated some of Gregory’s agitation.

“Shall I take this away?” Gregory said, initiating Ash’s favorite game.

Gregory pulled at the rope, and Ash clamped down, growling. He planted his back feet on the carpet and gave no quarter as Gregory pretended to try to wrest the rope free. After some minutes of this play, Gregory released the rope in mock defeat. “I’m afraid you’ve bested me.”

Ash barked happily and settled down, his front paws extended. He dropped the rope onto his paws and grinned at Gregory. It was almost as if he could tell Gregory was maudlin. But of course he could. “You are a very smart dog,” Gregory said, ruffling the white fur on his head.

Harris entered, and Gregory asked the valet where the morning’s newspapers were. He typically set them on the table for Gregory to read while he ate breakfast.

“I don’t know that any arrived, my lord.” Harris’s tone carried a higher pitch than normal. Add that to the fact that he wasn’t meeting Gregory’s gaze, and it seemed clear he was hiding something.

Gregory could surmise why he would wish to do so. “Harris, do the papers contain something about me, perchance?”

“I couldn’t say.” Harris tried to continue on his way into Gregory’s chamber.

“You know I’ll just go purchase one—or more,” Gregory called after him.

Pivoting, Harris came back exhaling a sigh. “There may have been…something.”

“Fetch them, please.” Gregory looked down at Ash and shook his head.

A few minutes later, Harris returned with the newspapers, wearing an apologetic expression. “We only wanted to spare you any discomfort so early in the day.”

“I appreciate your consideration.” Gregory browsed through the first paper until he found the “something.”

There were big changes afoot at the “controversial” Phoenix Club. The Hargroves had been expelled, and one of the patronesses was revealed to be a courtesan. Furthermore, she was conducting an affair with Lord Gregory Blakemore.

“Former courtesan,” Gregory muttered, not that it mattered. But they could at least get their facts straight. Leave it to his brother to leave that detail out. Gregory had no doubt Clifford was behind this information being made public. He wanted to smear Gregory as much as Evie. No, he didn’t care about Evie at all—she was simply the damage he left in the wake of his destructive selfishness.