Chapter 228: pool party XVIII

Chapter 228: Chapter 228: pool party XVIII

Evelyn had been watching Anthony throughout the exchange.

The way his attention kept returning to Vivienne.

The slight tightening of his jaw whenever Vivienne leaned toward Damian.

The restraint in his expression as he listened to her speak.

He was trying not to react.

Evelyn could see that.

And somehow, that made her irritation worse.

Vivienne knew exactly what she was doing.

She had been doing it all afternoon.

She had flirted with Fred.

She had allowed Damian to carry her.

She had asked him to bring her food.

She had let him dry her hair.

And now she was sitting beside him, leaning against him and speaking as though the two of them were the only people at the table.

It was too much.

Evelyn knew the engagement was over.

She knew Vivienne was free.

But freedom did not mean propriety no longer mattered.

Not here.

Not in front of everyone.

And certainly not when Anthony was sitting only a few feet away.

A small, bitter thought surfaced.

Wasn’t it enough that she had taken his attention all afternoon?

Now she seemed determined to make a spectacle of herself in front of him too.

Evelyn tightened her fingers around her glass.

She knew she was being unfair.

She knew some of her irritation had nothing to do with propriety.

It had everything to do with Anthony.

But that only made her more determined to keep her voice measured.

She wouldn’t openly confront Vivienne.

She wouldn’t make herself look jealous.

She would simply remind her of where they were.

That was all.

Evelyn set her glass down.

"Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne turned toward her.

Evelyn’s expression was composed.

Almost pleasant.

"You certainly seem to have gotten very comfortable with Lord Blackwood today."

Vivienne’s eyes flickered with amusement.

"Have I?"

"Perhaps a little too comfortable."

Evelyn’s gaze remained steady.

"You might be forgetting where you are."

Vivienne’s eyebrows lifted.

"Oh?"

She glanced around the conservatory.

"Where are we?"

Evelyn’s lips pressed into a thin smile.

"Lady Beaumont, this is still a public gathering."

Vivienne waited.

Evelyn’s gaze flicked briefly toward Damian.

"Some things are better kept private."

Vivienne laughed softly.

And suddenly, she understood.

So that was what this was about.

She had been wondering why Evelyn had suddenly inserted herself into the conversation.

Now she knew.

Evelyn was offended.

Not simply on behalf of propriety.

Not merely because Vivienne had become too comfortable with Damian.

She was offended because Anthony was sitting right there.

Because he had been watching.

Because, despite everything, his attention had kept returning to Vivienne.

Vivienne almost wanted to laugh.

Of all people, Evelyn was lecturing her about propriety?

The thought was almost too amusing.

Her mind went immediately to the balcony.

The two of them alone.

Anthony and Evelyn dancing together before the engagement had even been broken.

She remembered Evelyn’s expression that night.

And she knew perfectly well how much the other woman had wanted him.

Perhaps Vivienne was being petty.

She didn’t particularly care.

At least she wasn’t pretending otherwise.

"Private?"

She repeated the word softly, almost as though she were considering it.

Then she tilted her head.

"Like a balcony, perhaps?"

Evelyn’s expression faltered for the briefest moment.

Vivienne continued before she could answer.

"With only two people?"

Silence.

Anthony’s gaze shifted toward them.

Damian frowned.

Vivienne’s smile remained perfectly pleasant.

She didn’t need to explain what she meant.

Anthony and Evelyn knew.

And now, judging by Damian’s expression, he was beginning to understand that the remark referred to something he had never heard about.

The balcony.

The dance.

Anthony and Evelyn alone together before the engagement had even been broken.

Vivienne leaned back in her chair.

"Of course."

Her tone became sweet again.

"I suppose everyone has different ideas about propriety."

The words were polite.

The meaning wasn’t.

Evelyn’s fingers tightened slightly around her glass.

"I simply think certain things are better kept private."

Vivienne’s lips curved.

"Oh, I’m sure."

She glanced toward the pool.

Around them, students were laughing, talking, and still wandering between the tables.

Then she looked back at Evelyn.

"But this is a pool party, Lady Sinclair."

Her expression was almost innocently puzzled.

"Isn’t this what people do here?"

Evelyn’s smile became thinner.

"Perhaps."

Her eyes moved briefly toward Damian.

"Though most people seem to understand the difference between having fun and making a spectacle of themselves."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow.

"Do they?"

Her voice carried a hint of amusement.

She leaned back slightly.

"That’s interesting."

She looked at Evelyn with exaggerated thoughtfulness.

"Perhaps I should ask you for advice."

Evelyn said nothing.

Vivienne’s smile grew.

"Although I’m not sure I’d know what to do with it."

After all, who was Evelyn to lecture her about men?

Vivienne knew perfectly well how Evelyn felt about Anthony.

She had read the story.

She knew how long Evelyn had loved him.

How long she had remained quietly attached to him.

And now, after Vivienne’s engagement to Anthony had ended, Evelyn was sitting there trying to teach her about propriety.

The hypocrisy was almost irresistible.

Vivienne’s gaze flicked toward Anthony.

Then back to Evelyn.

She smiled sweetly.

"Besides, I don’t think Lord Blackwood minds."

Damian looked at her.

Then, his gaze shifted briefly toward Anthony.

Then Evelyn.

A quiet discomfort settled in his stomach.

There had been something between them?

Before the engagement ended?

He knew Anthony and Evelyn were acquainted. Everyone did.

But this—

This was new.

And suddenly, the earlier exchange took on a different shape.

Vivienne knew something about Evelyn and Anthony that he hadn’t.

And she had chosen to bring it up now.

In front of him.

In front of Anthony.

Damian’s expression remained neutral.

But inside, the pieces were becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

She wasn’t merely enjoying herself.

She was making a point.

And once again, he found himself wondering whether he was simply the convenient man standing beside her while she made her point.

Vivienne, meanwhile, seemed completely unconcerned.

If anything, she looked pleased with herself.

She had caught Evelyn off guard.

That alone was satisfying.

And Damian was still beside her.

Still doing what she asked.

Everything was going exactly as she wanted.

At least, she thought it was.

Anthony had been silent throughout the exchange.

Now he finally spoke.

"Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne turned toward him.

His expression was calm.

Too calm.

"Perhaps that’s enough."

The words were quiet.

Not angry.

But firm.

Vivienne blinked.

For a moment, she simply looked at him.

Then her lips curved.

"Of course."

There was no apology in her voice.

If anything, she seemed amused.

Anthony’s jaw tightened slightly.

He had already told Vivienne what had happened on that balcony.

He had explained it.

There had been nothing between him and Evelyn.

Vivienne knew that.

Or at least, she should have.

So why bring it up now?

He didn’t like the way she had turned the memory into an implication.

Perhaps she was simply trying to put Evelyn in her place.

Perhaps she had wanted to provoke him again.

Either way, he disliked it.

Not because he felt the need to defend Evelyn.

He simply didn’t appreciate Vivienne taking something he had already explained and deliberately making it sound like something it wasn’t.

And more than that—

He was beginning to tire of the entire performance.

The teasing.

The implications.

The way she kept pushing just far enough to see whether he would react.

Anthony exhaled quietly.

There was no reason for him to remain at the table.

He had already spent more time on this conversation than he wanted to.

"I’m going to get some air."

His gaze moved briefly around the table.

"Please excuse me."

Evelyn immediately looked toward him.

"Of course, Lord Ashford."

Anthony nodded.

Then his eyes settled on Vivienne.

For a moment, neither spoke.

She was still wearing that faintly amused expression.

Anthony couldn’t tell whether she understood that he was simply tired of the conversation or whether she thought his departure was another reaction she had managed to provoke.

He decided he didn’t care.

"Enjoy the rest of the afternoon."

His tone was perfectly polite.

Then he stood.

The chair shifted softly against the ground.

Anthony turned and walked away from the table.

Evelyn watched him go.

For a moment, she hesitated.

Then she looked at Vivienne.

There was something in her expression that made it clear she had understood exactly why Anthony had left.

Vivienne merely watched Anthony’s back disappear into the crowd.

Her smile slowly returned.

She had wanted a reaction.

She had gotten one.

And, despite herself, she felt a little victorious.

She knew she had been too much.

She knew she had pushed the conversation farther than she needed to.

But she couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

The balcony remark had landed perfectly.

Evelyn had been speechless.

Anthony had finally lost his patience.

And for all his composure, he had still left the table.

Vivienne almost wanted to laugh.

She had won.

Her gaze drifted toward Damian.

He was still sitting beside her, quiet as before.

Vivienne smiled.

She assumed he was simply still uncomfortable after everything that had been said.

It didn’t matter.

She had enjoyed herself.

Far too much, perhaps.

But for the first time since the engagement had ended, Vivienne felt as though she had truly gotten the last word.

And that felt very, very good.

--

Tbc