Adrian rode with livid haste in a blinded rage. He said nothing as he rode beside Brendan. He sped poor Gideon along the country side at break neck speed until he was before the convent gates.

The gates opened as he rode up and bounded from Gideon with no hesitation. The flare of his nose and murderous glare sent novices in the courtyard scurrying out of his path.

Brendan caught up with him and immediately caught his arm.

"Calm yourself first before entering, man. These are women of the cloth." He spoke in a low heated tone.

Yanking his arm away. He stepped closer to him nose to nose he shook with so much rage as he spoke.

" Did you see her back?....I suggest you stay out of this and out of my way," he growled. 

Backing away, Brendan raised his hands not wanting to confront Adrian. He stepped aside and watched him storm in through the doors.

The large thumps of his boots fell hard and echoed through the corridor as he walked the convent halls towards Mother Superiors office.
He did not wait for any introduction as he pushed the door open so hard it slammed against the wall shaking the book cases nearby.

In the office were three nuns with Mother Superior that yelped and turned frightened and watched as he entered.

"M....mlord St. James, what is the matter?" she stood from her chair.

"You have the nerve to ask?" he yelled.
And they jumped.

She looked at him terrified as ever.

He stepped forward slowly before her desk. The formidable Earl leaned over the desk until he was eye to eye with the petite nun.

"Would you care to explain to me why Evangeline was whipped?" he whispered heatedly.

Flustered and confused she frowned.
"M'lord whipped?"

He slammed his fist on the table, the nuns to his side jumped and began to cry and hover close.
"Do not play games with me. Evangeline was whipped and I want to know why? and by whom?"

"Mmmm..lord that cannot be we do not punish our girls," she looked so confused at the accusation.

"And the lacerations on her back by chance ended up there by divine intervention, what do you take me for?" He hissed.

Aghast, she searched for words trying to understand.

He leaned forward and looked deep into her eyes.
"Madam, I am a man of very little patience, if you did not punish her, then you have exactly one minute to bring forth the person that did. Or so help me God there will be hell to pay for what has been done." He gritted his teeth.

In no time he stood before two nuns that were last with her.
The one to his right had her head hung low and began to cry incessantly. She confessed that all she did was provide the whip and stood by as the other nun whipped Evangeline.

His murderous glare fell on the nun to his left. She did not cower nor did she look remorseful.
"Why did you do it?" he asked.

With a hoity air to her stance she pointed out her reasons.
"She was willful, rude, combative and disobedient. She slapped your fiancé then went on to threaten one of the nuns," with a nod of her head turning her noes upward, she felt what she did was justified.

Adrian stepped closer and gripped her arm. The nun grimaced in pain. He neared his face to hers.
"Be that as it may, you had no right. I don't care if she danced through these bloody halls summoning Satan himself to visit this damn cloister, you were not to lay your hands upon her," he shouted so loudly she paled.

"How you left her was cruel, and I have the urge to do the same to you," he hissed.

“You cannot hurt me,” Hilda gasped. “I am a woman of the church.” He leaned closer, twisted harder. She yelped. “You won’t be a churchwoman for long. When I'm done with you, you will never be accepted with 5 meters of any church or a convent ever again."

Adrian released her, but remained standing over her. “You’ll go to hell for this,” she spat indignantly rubbing her arm.

He laughed then his glare turned so deadly she stepped back a bit wearily staring at him. “And stare at your face for an eternity while we are there madam, God forbid it !” he he sneered.

Adrian pushed past her to the hallway. He had no desire to be in  their presence any longer.

He strode past nuns down the long hallway. Young novices and nuns combined peeked out of doorways, then slammed them shut when they saw his glare. He could only imagine how he must look. His blood boiled with rage.
Who knows what else she suffered at the hands of that nun.

He exited the gates and mounted Gideon and turned to the worried look on The Barons face.
Without a word he turned Gideon around and rode off.

He needed to return. He needed to be with her.
~•~•~•~•~•~•

By the time she had awakened she was laying on her stomach, with her back exposed.  She was aware of all the pain. But, none of it compared to the pain her heart felt.

Her memories swirled in her head.
She closed her eyes tight to try to forget but it haunted her dreams.

"We are getting married by spring," the voice of Alicia grated on her nerves.

She felt sick and nauseous.

"Oh my! Did you really think he would love you! a mere chit. Inexperienced," she taunted as she laughed.

She went into a blind rage and attacked her and everything went black. Then she awoke to the lashes and prayed for death to take her.

Now she lays here, as they attend to her and ply her with sweet words to calm her. But, the pain on her back was mute. Nothing would calm the anger and hate she felt.

She tightened her eyes closed for the onslaught of burning and stinging as each wound was touched with a cloth. As she cried out, Caroline caressed her hand and cried with her. She was in agony.

Then he appeared before her. They stared into each others eyes. His words were sweet, reassuring and reflected hurt and remorse. He brushed aside her hair from her face and caressed her cheek gently, he begged for forgiveness.

Save your lies, save your pity....

She will never forgive him, she will hate him with all that was left of her heart.

•~•~•~•~•~•~

Two months had passed and she was fully recovered. Her back fully healed showed no evidence of any scarring, Caroline told her.

She learned that the morning after bringing her home from St. Helens, Adrian rode off with Arlington and Brendan to London to speak to the bishop. He demanded Sister Hilda’s removal from the cloister. The bishop, anxious to keep the master of Fairhaven happy, immediately promised Adrian he would find a more gentle woman of the cloth to replace her.
But that changed nothing...

She sat before her mirror, staring at her self. She no longer looked pale or ill. Her wondering mind returned to the quiet chatter of Caroline as she sat by her side and Rosie softly combed her hair.

She would be Sixteen finally in one week and they wanted to celebrate her coming out party with a ball. Deep down she really did not want to but Caroline pleaded with her.

It would be an event of grandeur now that she was considered the toast of the ton. She continued to listen to them as they continued with their plans. They spoke of her dress, the food, and the music. None of it mattered to her. She slowly rose her eyes to look at herself again and her eyes caught his in the mirrors reflection.

He stood their leaning against the door with arms crossed observing her. She held his gaze for some time. Her stare never wavered as her eyes intently bore into his. She would never ever be weak around him again.  Her eyes showed no emotion, nothing. But, in his it was clear as day he was miserable with her indifference. He would get no pity from her. He averted his gaze in defeat, pushed away from the doorjamb, turned and walked away.

She turned back to her reflection. The new Evangeline, the no longer innocent and foolish, Evangeline, would control her own life now, If Adrian could play with her heart, then surely she could pay him with the same coin. She would show the Earl of Fairhaven how little she needed him.
She would never make herself a fool over him again.
~•~•~•~•~•~•

When the day came for her coming out, Adrian was at his wits end.
He sat by idly as his sister took the task of helping Evangeline prepare for this day.
She was finally 17...

She was whisked away to her room when they had returned with her dress. That evening guest after guest had arrived.
By then the evening event was in full thrall. All waited for her to make an appearance.
An appearance she made most indeed.

Adrian looked up and swore he was looking at an apparition.
She was breathtaking.
The gown she wore made his mouth water the way it accentuated her form. Her beautiful auburn locks were curled into shiny ringlets that flounced loose around her shoulders.
Her bodice alone made his desire flourish.

Her eyes set upon his for a moment. And his heart stopped.
She would descend towards him as it is custom so that he could lead her into her first waltz.

When she slowly walked she smiled as all of their guests sung nothing but praises of her beauty.
He knew he did her wrong and she would never forgive him. Although his heart fluttered with such hope, it was clear as day as she stepped towards him and placed her hand in his, that day would never come.

She played the happy ward graciously before him. For their audience they were the epitome of happy ward and guardian. With none the wiser of their problems.

When he walked with her through the parting crowd towards the dance floor for their first waltz to commence the night, it was first time in weeks since they had been so close.

She smiled up at him as was to be expected for audience sake. But deep down he could feel her withdrawal.
When he looked down at her he had to school his emotional features. Her indifference tugged at him. At his heart.

"Eva..," he looked down at her.
He watched her carefully.
"Look at me peach, we must talk," he spoke in a low tone.
She continued to look every where else but into his eyes.
After a moment, he looked up and then sighed.
"Well if you do not want to talk, then at least here me out,"

"Don't...," she whispered.
"There is nothing to talk about, mlord,"
He bristled.
When she addressed him that way it felt cold and dismissive.
"I want to.." He began but she interrupted.
"What? Apologize? ...what's done, is done. It meant nothing. T'was a simple mistake and it will never happen again," she said with little emotion.
He could not take his gaze from her.
Just like that. It was a mistake....
It. Meant.Nothing.....
Before he could wrap his head around her cold words, a dance partner interjected asking for a dance. Looking up at the man she smiled dismissing Adrian, and was carted off to the middle of the dance floor.

Evangeline was enjoying herself as much as she could under the circumstances. Her heart was bruised and battered from Adrian's callous seduction, but she was determined that no one should guess it. She laughed and danced and flirted as if she were having the time of her life.  She was not about to wear her heart on her sleeve, or to allow one man’s base betrayal ruin her life.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Adrian stood by hiding his brooding temper. He watched her glide along the dance floor now with a familiar dance partner.
Jonathan  Brascombe

Evangeline’s laughter vibrated in Adrian’s ears. He clenched his teeth together as Jonathan twirled her around the dance floor. Other guests watched with a mixture of approval and knowing smiles on their faces.

Watching the two, Adrian noticed with annoyance how they continued to smile at one another . Taking a glass of wine from a side table , he drained it in a single motion, resisting the urge to crush the crystal in his fist when Jonathan pulled Evangeline even closer.

As the minutes ticked away, Adrian drained three more glasses of wine and was working on his fourth when Evangeline accepted to finally  leave the dance floor with Jonathan.

Unchaperoned.

Adrian sat back impatiently waiting for their return. Not wanting to make it look obvious that he was upset he sat there for awhile. Evangeline's absence went unnoticed but he didn't want to take any chances of gossip.

He slowly stood up and made off in the direction from where they left. It was their manor so he went where he knew she would probably be.
Adrian made eye contact with no one, not wanting to give Jonathan the advantage of  a single minute with Evangeline.

When he made his way towards the gardens on the rear end of the manor, he noticed very few people were about on this end. Giving any couple that wanted to be alone, privacy.
And the opportunity to escape for a midnight tryst.

He bended the slight corner to the rose garden when he stood behind them sitting on a stone seat. He arrived just in time to see her playfully place her fingers above his lips to block him from stealing a kiss.

When he leaned back in protest and tried again.
Adrian cursed.
Immediately they jumped from their seat and watched as he stepped closer.

His gaze zeroed in on her. She held her ground regardless of her fright or flight instincts.

"Leave!!!" He spoke in a low dangerous tone.

Before he turned to do as Adrian demanded, Evangeline stopped him midway.

"We were not doing anything wrong," she challenged him defiantly to interfere.

He chuckled. And it made her nervous.

"You are unchaperoned, and we spoke of that, remember," he pointed that out.

Heat crept up her cheeks at the memory of that conversation. Then what it led to.

He turned to Jonathan and gave a last warning.
"Unless you would like to meet in a duel I suggest you take your leave Brascombe. And make haste of your departure," he hissed furiously.

She gasped.

With a nervous glance at Evangeline, he nodded not wanting to upset the Earl so he quickly left with no words.

Immediately she closed their distance, with no restraint on her emotions she angrily yelled at him.

"You had no right," she cried.

"I had every right," he hissed back.

Without hesitation he gripped her arm and pulled her along his side further out into the enclosed garden past the prying ear where pitch darkness enfolded them and nothing but trees and open space was witness to their heated argument.

When he finally stopped and she pulled away from him she shoved and pushed his chest but he did not budge.

"Why are you trying to ruin my life," she shoved his chest.

He laughed unpleasantly. "No peach, at the rate your going you are ruining your own life."

"That's right, it is my life. You do not rule it," she retorted heatedly.

"That is where you are wrong," he clenched his jaw.

He clamped a stronghold around her arm tightly and pulled her close until they were a hairs length from each other. She swallowed hard as she trembled in his hold. There breaths mingled as she struggled to pull away. His closeness played havoc with her senses and she needed to put distance between them.
His hold never loosened as he gazed furiously down at her.

"As long as you are under my care, until you are 21 or married you will do as I say," he clenched his jaw.

It hurt him to be so cruel, but he would not back down.

"Am I clear," he tightened his grip.

Anger surged through her that tears filled her eyes. She refused to answer him. She struggled more against him as he tightened his grip.

He hissed and pulled her closer until she was trapped.

"Stop fighting me Evangeline," he growled.

"I will always fight you, I hate you. Let me go!" She cried.

She finally broke free and pushed past him in the direction of the stables and not the party.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked. “To get far away from you as possible,” she cried out, trying vainly to pull her wrist free.

With that she stormed off furiously.

He stood immobilized watching her leave. If he went after her it would be his undoing and hers as well.
She was an addiction for him.

She walked blindly in the direction of the stables to be alone. She wept with all her heart. He would have a hold on her until she married or was of age to leave. It would be torture to have him close but she would never be able to touch him.
She both hated him and loved him with a passion that terrified her.

She entered the low lit stable and slowly headed to where Violet stood. Seeking comfort in the mare she rubbed her tear streaked cheeks into her velvety coat and cried again.

The image of his face was suddenly etched in sharp lines of pain with her words. Evangeline would have felt sorry for him if she had not hated him so much. There was a possible way she would make him suffer as he had made her suffer,and she would do it.
Deliberately...

A while had passed until finally she heard the foot steps and she angrily told him to go away.

"I don't want to see you, leave me alone," she whispered.

The air was quiet.

She stood there refusing to face him. She did not care how long he stayed there, one of them would have to give in and leave.
It was not going to be her.

Then the eerie silence sent a ripple effect up her spine.

She stiffened with the deep baritone voice that broke the silence.

"Hello Evangeline,"

Her heart beat doubled in its effort to pump blood throughout her body. Slowly she turned to face who it was and she was terrified.

He smiled wickedly, his eyes raking over her from head to toe then back to her face.

"We meet again."

Reynaud!!!