“Prove it,” Elliot said with an arrogant grin. “I’ll wager twenty pounds you end up bedding a golden-haired goddess at the masquerade tomorrow night.”
Leo thrust his hand out though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “Done.”
Alexander chuckled. Perhaps there was no hope of either of them finding a life companion and the thought reminded him of his pressing problem.
“Can I speak to you both alone, in private?”
They looked at him with burning curiosity. “Of course,” they said in unison.
Alexander led them out into Mrs. Penrose’s garden before coming to an abrupt halt next to the cherry tree. As expected, his mind was instantly flooded with the memory of Eve and it seemed a fitting place to ask for their pledge.
“There is something I must ask of you,” Alexander began, and he could feel his heart beating hard in his chest.
“Don’t tell me,” Elliot said, showing his impatience. “You want us to accompany you to Bavaria. You want the golden-haired woman to turn Evelyn.”
“No,” Alexander cried, scowling to show his disgust and shaking his head to reaffirm his position. “I would never want that for Evelyn. If you had the plague, would you want to infect those you love?”
Elliot had the decency to look ashamed. “Bringing us out here … I just thought—”
“I want you to kill me,” Alexander said quietly.
“Kill you!” both gentlemen said before their mouths fell open.
Elliot frowned. “But I thought you were happy with Evelyn?”
“I am so deliriously happy I can hardly contain it.” Eve was his life. Nothing else mattered to him. “I want to make a pact. When Evelyn takes her last breath and is no longer of this world, I want you to kill me.”
“But why?” Leo said. They were the words of someone who had never experienced great emotion. The depth of his feelings for Eve went beyond anything even he could comprehend, and he’d rather die than walk the nights alone.
Alexander smiled. “Because I do not want to live a day on this earth without her. Because I want to hold her in my arms for all eternity.”
Elliot smirked. “Perhaps you should take up poetry as you have a very eloquent way with words.”
“Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“What if we make a pact, and you change your mind?” Leo asked.
“I won’t. But if it eases your conscience, each year I will express my wishes in writing. Then there can be no mistaking my intention.”
Elliot narrowed his gaze. “Does Evelyn know this is what you intend to do?”
“Not yet.” He held out his hand to them. “I ask my brothers to take my hand and seal our pact.”
Elliot looked at Leo. “I swore to honour the brotherhood, and so I must honour our brother’s wishes.”
“Very well,” Leo nodded, and he shook Alexander’s hand.
“You are an unusual man, Alexander,” Elliot said gripping his hand firmly. “But I swear to do as you ask.” He paused and then added, “Besides, it means you’ll always be part of the brotherhood. I had a sneaky suspicion you’d run away with your wife never to be heard from again.”
Alexander smiled. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
“Here you all are.” Eve’s voice cut through the darkness, and she came to stand next to him, threading her arm through his and hugging it tightly. “Forgive the intrusion but I’ve come to steal my husband away.” She glanced at the cherry tree, a coy smile touching her lips and he knew what she was thinking.
Flicking his gaze towards the house, he silently dismissed his friends. “We’ll be in town for another week before we head back to Hampshire. I’ll call on you before we leave.”
“Come, Leo,” Elliot said draping his arm over his friend’s shoulder. “Let’s go inside and discuss our wager.”
Once they were alone, Alexander drew Eve into an embrace and kissed her softly. “So, you’ve come to steal me away,” he whispered against her mouth. “I can’t wait to discover where we’re going.”