Evan stares at her with a calculating expression as if he sees through everything she has said. She can't tell what he plans to do about it, and she shivers.
"How could I question Evan's charm?" Leonie says, "I just feel sorry for him. He deserves better than to have an adulterous wife, and I'd hate to see him become a cuckold."
Leonie emphasizes the word "cuckold." Everyone knows what Leonie is implying.
"What? A cuckold?" Avery says, "That's ridiculous! You worry too much about my relationship, Leonie."
"That's enough," Mr. Francis Howel says, "Dr. Meyer is my guest and my doctor and Avery's nanny's doctor as well. It's only proper that Avery saw him at the door." He adds warningly, "The Summers won't gain a good reputation by spreading false rumors about my family."
Leonie bites her lip, ashamed and frustrated by Mr. Howel's words. Although it was dark, she could still see the way Dr. Meyer looked at Avery and she perceived his reluctance to part from her at the gate.
"But Mr. Howel, what if I have evidence?"
"What's the evidence?"
"Dr. Meyer gave birth control pills to Avery. If he doesn't have a special affection for her, why would he risk prescribing the pills for her? Everyone knows that no one dares to prescribe unauthorized medicine for the Howel family. I suspect he gave her birth control pills because he can't stand the thought of her having Evan's baby."
Avery's heart misses a beat. It's true that no doctor would dare to prescribe unauthorized medicine to the Howel family, especially not birth control pills. It will not look good for her and Charles if the pills are found out.
She's wearing a royal blue outfit styled like pajamas. The pills Charles gave her are in the pocket, and she knows she'll be in huge trouble if they're found.
"Are you too ashamed to hand over the pills?" Leonie glances proudly at Avery and stares meaningfully at the pocket of her pajama top.
"What if there aren't any pills?" Avery bluffs.
"No pills? I saw you put them in the pocket of your pajama top. If there aren't any pills, I'll apologize to you," Leonie says confidently, "Mrs. Howel, please ask the maids to frisk her. The pills must be in her pocket."
"You want to have me frisked like a common criminal? If I don't have any pills, how can a simple apology possibly be enough?"
"What else do you want?"
"I want you to post an apology on Facebook, and I want you to explain what really happened the night you fell down the stairs. I want you to tell everyone that I had nothing to do with ruining your dress and that I certainly didn't push you down the stairs. Still, want to frisk me?"
Leonie hesitates for a moment, "You want me to lie on Facebook?"
"You know best whether it's a lie or not; you know best what really happened that night," Avery says.
Not long ago, Leonie blamed the fall on her and even posted to Facebook about Avery's alleged attack. Though people were afraid to talk openly about Leonie's post, they privately said that Avery was a scheming and conniving woman who must have won Evan through her trickery. Mrs. Florence Howel was especially incensed by the rumors and used them to fuel her hatred of Avery. Avery's family suffered social ostracism and forbade Avery from returning home.
"If you don't agree to my terms, I won't agree to be frisked," Avery says, "After all, how can you ask someone with the Howel name to accept being frisked so casually?"
Avery's clothes are still soaking, and the wind makes her shiver. "It's windy outside, and I'm cold," she says, "If you won't agree to my terms I'd like to go inside."
"Mrs. Howel, look at her rudeness. She wants to leave without making things clear for Mr. Howel and Evan. She's really showing her disrespect."
Avery casts a cold look at Leonie and turns to walk toward the house. Suddenly a warm hand seizes her wrist. She raises her eyes and meets Evan's gaze, "Oh, does my husband want to frisk me personally?"
Once upon a time, Leonie could blame Avery for anything she fancied, and Evan remained unconcerned. He turned a blind eye and let his grandmother punish her at will. One time, Mrs. Howel ordered the maids to lock Avery in a dark room without food for three whole days.
Avery wonders if she'll be locked in a small dark room again. The sudden memory of her time in the room chills her, and she begins to feel terrified as if she's actually back in the room. Even though she has suffered significant memory loss, her time in the darkroom was far too traumatizing to ever forget.
She takes Evan's fingers off her wrist. She expects retaliation but feels sudden warmth as he drapes a coat around her shoulders. She inhales deeply—the wool smells like Evan and vanilla.
"Careful Avery, you still haven't recovered from your sickness," he turns to Leonie, "An outsider has no right to judge our private family matters."
He looks at Avery with a sudden depth and gently takes her chin in his hands, "You just said you're happily married, but how can you prove it?"
Although Avery detests him with every fiber of her being, she can't deny that she's captivated by him.
"Is he trying to help me again?" she wonders, "How odd!"
Then she realizes he's just trying to prove a point to his grandfather. Still, it'll be easy to pretend she's happily married. Avery places her hand over his, cocks her eyebrows, raises herself on her tiptoes, and kisses him on the lips. Evan freezes and is caught off guard.
Leonie stares at Evan and Avery in disbelief. Unconsciously, she clenches her hands into fists and grits her teeth.
The servants gasp. "Mrs. Howel is kissing Mr. Howel in public!" they think, "How strange that Mr. Howel doesn't push her away—everyone knows he's repulsed by her! Ahh, he's so generous, he's trying to avoid wounding her pride in public! Wait—is he actually kissing her back?" They make meaningful eye contact with each other.
Avery intended to give Evan a superficial kiss. After recovering from his initial shock, Evan deepens the kiss. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulled her body against his as if he wants to pull her inside his body. Unconsciously, she puts her arms around his neck. Evan's coat falls from her shoulders, gently fanning the leaves on the ground.
They kiss soulfully as if no one else is present. The air around them seems charged.
"That's enough," Francis Howel says, "Don't make a fool of yourself in public. Go back to your room."
Francis Howel is a conservative man. He is blushing and standing with his back to the couple, his arms folded across his chest.
"Wait!" Leonie clutches her skirt tightly, "I agree to Avery's terms."
Leonie looks at Avery with a stubborn expression, "If you're willing to be frisked and if they're not birth control pills, I will apologize to you on Facebook and explain what happened on the stairs."
Avery leans into Evan's body, her arms still hanging from his neck, and looks at Leonie with an enchanting smile, "Sorry, I'm not interested in that anymore."
Leonie blushes with anger and gnashes her teeth, "Why, do you feel guilty?"
Avery shrugs, "I don't know why you're so determined to make this a big deal. I said I have no interest."
"You are definitely afraid of being found out!" Leonie seethes.
"Whatever you want to think," Avery replies.
Avery let go of Evan and turns around to go back to the house as if she's completely unconcerned. Evan seizes her arm again. She looks at the hand on her arm and doubtfully locks eyes with Evan.
She tried to bluff her way out of the search by making a bet with Leonie. She didn't think Leonie would ever agree to her terms, but if anyone really frisks her she's at a huge disadvantage. After all, the pills are in her pocket.
"Let her frisk you," Evan commands.
Avery frowns with displeasure and stares at Evan without speaking. She still feels unsteady from the kiss.
"What if I say no?" she challenges, "Are you determined to frisk me anyway?"
As she speaks, she tries to pull her arm away, but Evan intensifies the strength of his grasp as if he's afraid she'll run away.
"Yes," he answers.
Avery freezes.
"He's kicked me when I'm down too many times," she thinks, "How stupid of me to believe that he would actually help me this time. Even stupider to let myself enjoy the kiss."
His word hits her like ice, chilling her to the bone. Leonie, by contrast, is emboldened by Evan's decision. She trots forward and dips her hand into Avery's pocket without waiting for her consent.