Afterthought, M J Marlow [bts books to read .TXT] 📗

treated. How could Aileen have left their child in this horrible place? The lord Sterling might be too prickly to interview, but the other family members surely knew enough to help him get a clearer picture of the situation. He continued looking at the sketches and one fact became quite clear. Despite the treatment she had received his daughter loved these people dearly. It was evident in every pencil stroke. He could not move on this family until he was certain they deserved the punishment. He was just as guilty in this matter. He should never have allowed Aileen to order him not to have anything to do with his own child. Even more, he should have taken the child the moment Aileen had abandoned her. “See that my daughter’s belongings are shipped to our residence in Paris, Emilio,” Stefano finally said as he closed the portfolio. “If Evangeline requires anything more than Madame Lombard brought over for this week, I will purchase it for her.” Emilio nodded and left Stefano alone. He opened the portfolio again and went to the sketch of Aileen. Evangeline had not seen her mother for ten years and she still had captured her to perfection. There was the same determination mixed with impatience and longing in her expression that Stefano remembered so vividly. Aileen had never been happy in one place long; she wanted to see and experience everything. Stefano wanted to pull the woman from the sketch and demand to know why she had done this to their child. Keeping her away from Stefano was one thing, but leaving her abandoned to this family so that she could be free to continue her own pursuits was inexcusable. Worse still, her selfishness had led not only to her death but the death of her older brother. Evangeline was sitting out in the garden of the Dowager House the next morning after breakfast. She had her sketchbook open and she was capturing Stefano as he sat in the Study with the door open going over a patient’s file. He had such an intense look on his face but Evangeline knew there was more to him than that. His concern for the person he was treating was quite evident to her and that was what she concentrated on as she drew. Sebastian came up behind her and saw the picture. He sank down on the bench and smiled as she continued to work. “How do you do that, little sister?” he asked as he looked at his father and then the sketch. “You are seeing more in him than is evident to my poor eye; and I know him better.” “I have always seen beyond the surface,” Evangeline said to him as she applied shadows to give depth to the sketch. “That is one reason why I never had Daria punished for her treatment of me. I knew there was more than mere pettiness at work in her.” She saw his look and smiled. “You see it, too; I think.” “I have only just met the girl, sister,” Sebastian laughed at her fancy. “I find her in drastic need of some behavior modification, but I have accepted a residency at the hospital in Vienna; so there is no time to involve myself in such things.” He frowned as he saw Stefano get up and come their way. “Father, I was just about to ask my sister if she would show me the town while we are here. Would you care to join us?” “Your sister has an appointment with the dressmaker,” Stefano reminded them. “Perhaps later you can have your tour.” He turned to smile at Evangeline. “Madame Clermont is in the library with the selection of gowns I promised you. We should not keep her waiting.” Evangeline shut her sketchbook and followed him into the house. She noticed that Sebastian headed out the gate leading in the direction of the main house and she smiled. He might not have time for dating, but he was not above doing a little flirting, even with a cousin. Evangeline should be more worried about him. Her cousin was not a pleasant person at times, and she had only just met her brother. She had a feeling he was more than capable of handling the headstrong and moody girl. “Daughter,” Stefano smiled as they entered the library and she saw the racks of gowns and dresses. “I would like to present you to Madame Clermont. She was an apprentice of the great Givenchy.” He nodded to the short round woman in the burgundy suit. “Terese, my daughter, Evangeline.” “What a exquisite child!” Terese Clermont cooed as she took Evangeline by the hands and looked her over. “And she is only fifteen you say?” Stefano nodded. “She will be quite a stunning woman when she matures, sir.” She nodded and released Evangeline. “I would be honored to serve as her personal designer and dresser.” “Show us what you have designed for her thus far,” Stefano said as he pulled the stunned girl to a seat and took the one next to it. “We are prepared to be amazed, Terese.” “Given her coloring,” Terese nodded and became all business; “which I must admit is quite stunning,” she smiled at Evangeline and saw the girl blush, “I chose colors to enhance those glorious eyes and her beautiful skin tone. And all the styles are in keeping with her age as you directed.” She nodded to Stefano. “I immediately thought of the styles Givenchy designed for the young Audrey Hepburn.” For the next hour she went through each garment and Evangeline was left stunned as her father discussed fashion with an understanding that she would not have expected from any man. Was there anything her father did not know about? But how had he known her sizes? He had obviously been in contact with her uncle over the years. Her delight waned as she thought of this man leaving her here without any knowledge of him all these years. “Father,” Evangeline said as she looked at him with determination. “There are things we need to speak of.” “After this, child,” Stefano said with equal firmness. “Let us see how well Madame Clermont has done her work.” He saw one that particularly caught his eye and pointed to it. “That lovely blue dress, Madame. I wish to see my daughter in that.” He got up and pulled Evangeline to her feet. “I will return in five minutes.” He saw the stubborn look on her face. “We will have our talk afterwards, child.” Evangeline had the feeling she would not like what he was going to tell her, but it didn’t matter. She needed to know the truth. There was more going on around her than she had knowledge of, and she did not like that. From the little time she had spent with her father; had it only been two days, she could not understand how her mother would leave the man. Had her mother been insane? She took her mind off her questions and looked in the mirror at the calf-length dress Terese had helped her into. “That’s not me,” she said softly as she saw the way that particular shade of blue deepened the blue highlights hidden in the color of her eyes. The gown was long sleeved and full-skirted. She turned and saw the slit down the back that was caught up in a bow. A lace insert of the same shade of blue was snapped in to fill the opening and the same lace was an underskirt that peeked out at the hem of the skirts. “It’s lovelier than anything I have ever worn in my life.” “It is not nearly as lovely as the young woman wearing it,” Stefano smiled as he came back. He nodded to Terese. “Madame Clermont, you have done quite well. It is a beautiful dress.” “My sister is a stone cold fox,” Sebastian said as he came in and saw Evangeline. His wolf whistle made her blush. “You’re going to need an army to keep the men off of her, Father.” “And you’ll be the general in charge?” Evangeline asked her brother. “When you aren’t at your duties as a doctor?” “They shall have to beat me bloody to get to you,” Sebastian said fiercely. “There are very few young men of our society I would allow near you without someone to stand guard.” He looked at his father and saw him nod. “Are you ready for that tour?” Evangeline turned to their father and he was already leaving. She knew she should stick to her guns and make him tell her the truth, but she was actually looking forward to spending time with her brother. Her brother! The thought of her having a sibling of her own made her quite happy. She sent him out so she could change and then led him to the stables. She was not supposed to walk over much even now so she decided they would ride. She smiled as the stable manager came up. “Abner Jennings,” Evangeline smiled at the old gray-haired man. “This is my brother, Doctor Sebastian Roza. Is there any chance we could borrow a pair of geldings to go to town? Uncle Alex says I’m not to walk too much.” “Geldings?” Jennings sniffed. “Miss Evangeline, honestly. You are a very accomplished rider. You shall have Jubilee as your mount.” He looked at Sebastian. “Do you ride, Doctor?” “We have stables at each of our residences,” Sebastian nodded. “I can handle anything you choose for me.” “Indeed?” Jennings chuckled and went to a stall near the end. He pulled out an immense black stallion. The stable seemed to shrink as the horse reared his head proudly. “This is Goliath. He should suit you.” “Jennings!” Evangeline shook her head at the man. “Has my brother done something to make you want to punish him?” She turned to her brother and the worry on her face made him feel foolishly happy. She actually cared about his welfare! “Goliath is a headstrong animal with some very nasty tricks. If he doesn’t wish to be ridden, he will find ways to make you pay.” “We shall come to an understanding then,” Sebastian smiled at the challenge. He walked up to the stallion and grabbed both sides of the harness. He looked the stallion in the eyes and put on a stern expression. “You do not mess with me, signore Goliath,” he said sternly; “and I will not mess with you.” He stopped the stable hand and saddled the horse himself. He frowned as he saw the signs of one particularly nasty trick. He slapped the stallion on the side and nodded as he saw the horse’s sides grow narrower. “I see you like to play games, signore.” He finished saddling the stallion and mounted. “We shall have to run you to exhaustion then, si?” “You know your way around horses, Doctor,” Jennings said with sincere respect for the young man. “Consider Goliath yours while you are here. No one else will waste time on the monster except Miss Evangeline.” “He is not a monster,” Evangeline protested as she approached the stallion and stroked his nose. Goliath leaned his head against her and she giggled. “He’s a darling!” She stroked his neck. “Now you behave. This is my brother you are carrying and I want him to remain unharmed.” She got onto the chestnut mare that the stable hand brought to her. Sebastian was struck again by her grace and competence. Was there anything she was not capable of? She executed each skill with a complete lack of regard as to its difficulty. He was already growing to love his little sister dearly. They rode down the hill and through the forest towards the town in the valley below. As they went Evangeline told him about the people who lived there. She described them in such detail that he