The old man was simply goading him now. “This isn’t about my taste in women. It’s about justice and honor, doing the right thing.”
“I see. The sex of the victim, her age and beauty, is irrelevant. What matters is defending a wronged party? And it doesn’t hurt that the wronged party has ruby lips and deep blue eyes and a lithe body that—”
“Enough, Grandfather. I won’t have Lily spoken of that way.” Why had he bothered to call the meeting? Desmond and Evangeline were late. So was Meggie. Where was she anyway? And the old man was having far too much fun baiting him.
“What of the way she spoke about me? I won’t have her insulting me privately or publicly. How dare she send that piece of libel to Lady Hardstocking! The girl is forbidden to step foot in the Royal Society hall until she crawls to me in abject apology.”
Ewan thought it odd that he hadn’t banned her from Lotheil Court as well. Supposedly he had, but Lily had managed to visit him anyway. She was a determined little thing, but not even she could have remained at Lotheil Court against the duke’s wishes unless the duke had decided to look the other way.
Perhaps his grandfather feared that he and Meggie would leave for good if Lily were no longer permitted to grace this mausoleum, as she’d called it in her letter to Lady Hardstocking. That was interesting, perhaps a glimmer of hope that relations might improve among the Camerons.
A commotion at the door distracted Ewan from further thought. In the next moment, Evangeline and Desmond entered the study, Desmond sporting two black eyes and a bandage across his swollen nose, a sign that Ewan had broken it in last evening’s fight. Ewan wasn’t sorry about that. Desmond, the cowardly wanker, had intended far worse for him and Lily.
“Why are we summoned, Grandfather?” Evangeline asked, settling beside the old man and casting him a well-practiced, feminine pout.
He turned away to shoot Ewan an irritated glance. “Ask your cousin. He’s the one who called the meeting.”
All eyes were now on him. All angry. All impatient and dismissive.
Desmond settled in a chair beside Evangeline. “Why bring us here? To gloat over your handiwork in front of Grandfather? You tried to kill me.”
“You’d be dead if that were my intent.” Ewan remained standing near the table, unable to bring himself to sit alongside the threesome. Desmond did look awful. Pathetic, really. The white bandage across his nose a stark contrast to the black circles beneath his eyes. “I called the meeting because I want the attacks to stop. I thought I made that clear when I hauled you off Lily and tossed you halfway across the dress shop the other day, Desmond. Apparently you weren’t paying attention.”
“You’re a beast and an ogre,” Evangeline shouted, rising from her chair. “My brother hasn’t gone near Lily or Meggie since then. But that didn’t stop you from assaulting him. A gentleman. In his own club!”
“You’ve conveniently overlooked the incident at Tattersalls. Your brother’s scum drew a knife on Lily. Four of them attacked me, one of them sticking his calling card between my ribs. Your brother is fortunate I didn’t pay him back in kind.”
“Desmond had nothing to do with it.” Both of his cousins slid glances at their grandfather. Curious, Ewan thought. Did they believe the old man had given orders to those blackguards? Couldn’t be. Ewan had heard the command to attack out of Desmond’s own mouth.
“Your brother was there, Evangeline. He told those men to come at me.”
“I didn’t!” Now Desmond was on his feet. “I saw those strangers circling you and merely uttered what I felt. I didn’t know who they were, but I wanted them to hurt you for all the pain you’ve caused us.”
Ewan shook his head in disgust. “What pain? I haven’t seen you in over a decade. I’ve had nothing to do with any of you. In truth, I never would have contacted you if not for my father’s request.”
Evangeline tossed back her blonde curls. “His deathbed request. How clever of him. He knew Grandfather would never restore his inheritance, so he schemed to put you between us and him. Well, it didn’t work. None of us wants you here. Not even Grandfather. I think his actions have made that perfectly clear.”
The old man slowly rose to his feet, his movement graceful and his manner every bit the imposing duke. His eyes appeared to cloud in confusion. “I want to hear the truth from you, Desmond. My boy, look me in the eye and tell me you had nothing to do with the incident at Tattersalls.”
Desmond’s eyes appeared to cloud in similar confusion. “Of course I had nothing to do with it. I promise you that. I’ll take an oath on it. I thought…” His voice trailed away, but his gaze remained fixed on their grandfather.