Lady Olivia's Undoing (10 page)

“Waiting for you in the salon, Your
Grace.”

“Thank you, Mr. Manning.” Olivia entered the
yellow room. Ariana and Bella looked lovely in their white velvet
gowns. “Are we all together?”

“Yes, Olivia,” Ariana said. “We are at your
disposal.”

“Well, then, come along. Come along.” Olivia
had to make an appearance at the Emmons’ ball. Her cousin Hettie
had married the Marquess. Olivia wanted to take the time to stop
with Ariana and Bella. There was a handsome Viscount said to be
attached to Emmons. Perhaps he would do well for Ariana.

At Emmons Hall, all had gone well, save the
Viscount, who turned out to be a rather plump, stupid man.

In the carriage, on the way to Straford’s,
Olivia said, “Forgive me, Ariana. I had no idea Emmon’s boy was so
remarkably dull. I am sure we will find far better to suit you at
Straford’s. He is said to be friend to many young men of good
fortune and fine family. Your father could have no objection
there.”

“I do not know if Father is acquainted with
the Duke of Straford to receive an invitation,” Ariana said.

Bella said, “Unless he is currently pursuing
a career on the high seas, I do not think Father wishes to know
him.”

“What do you mean, dearest?” Olivia asked.
Could this be Reginald’s intrigue that Constance mentioned? Perhaps
Reginald was looking into a contract for the Navy, which would
secure him a seat on the Board of Admiralty.

“Ever since Father met Stephen, he is like a
bear with a cub. He is grooming him for something, although
what
I simply cannot imagine. Stephen is a self-made man and
has no wish other than to build his ships. And Father is
deeply
interested in this endeavor. I declare it is almost
as if Father wishes me to marry Stephen so he may have the son he
always longed for.”

Reginald and an American millionaire
shipbuilder for his daughter. “Tell me, Bella, when do I get to
finally meet your dashing young man?” Olivia asked.

“Tonight I believe. Mother and Father are
bringing him to the ball.”

“Do you love him?” Olivia asked.

“I believe so. He is ever so handsome, and
rich, polite, and even-tempered. He tells me I’m beautiful every
time he sees me. And he is occasionally funny.”

“Yes, but do you love him, dearest?” Olivia
asked.

“I want to say yes with all my heart, but I
cannot. He is perfect in every way, yet there is something
wanting.” Bella looked at her older sister. “I know how much you
think of him, Ana. I am only being truthful where my heart is
concerned. You do not wish me to marry where I do not truly love,
do you?”

Ariana picked up Bella’s gloved hand. “He is
the very best of men, but if you cannot see your way to marrying
him, then who am I to convince you otherwise. You must do what is
best for you.” She patted Bella’s hand twice and returned it to her
lap.

Olivia watched the two girls. Something was
not being said. “Ariana, do you like Stephen?”

“He is as fine a friend as any I have met
thus. I had looked forward to him being my brother, but if Bella
cannot reconcile her heart, then I cannot wish her ill.” She shot
Olivia a tight smile and looked out the window.

Olivia glanced at Bella, who pouted. Oh, yes,
there was something that was not being said between the two girls.
Naturally, Ariana must be a little jealous of her sister’s good
fortune, but there was more to it than that. Olivia would have to
figure it out.

The horses stopped outside Straford House.
Several footmen ran to the carriage holding lanterns. It was as
dark as a cave without the hum of London’s gaslights.

“Come along, girls,” Olivia called. She
walked up the long path and into the house.

“Your Grace,” Olivia said to Edward
Perrington, Duke of Straford. “How do you do?”

“Lady Olivia, always a pleasure to see you
again.” Perrington leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

Bella giggled.

Olivia smiled at Edward. “Your Grace, do
allow me to present Lady Ariana, and Lady Arabella Leighton. The
Duke of Hargrave’s daughters.” Olivia stepped aside as the girls
made their curtsies.

“Lady Ariana,” he said. “Lady Arabella,
charmed, I’m sure.” He looked at Ariana. “Perhaps you would favor
me with a dance?”

“Oh, Your Grace.” Ariana blushed the color of
raspberries. “Forgive me, I cannot dance. I have a bad leg.”

Edward smiled. “Perhaps a turn about the room
then?”

“If you wish, Your Grace. That would be
lovely.” Ariana lowered her gaze to the floor.

Edward turned to Bella. “Perhaps
you
would care to favor me with a dance?”

Bella nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes, Your Grace. I
look forward to it.” She released his hand and nearly tripped into
several young men standing behind her.

Edward whispered to Olivia. “I wish someone
had lent me their dance card. I have no idea how many I must
favor.”

Olivia leaned closer. “The one you must
certainly favor is Ariana. She will surprise even you, dear
Edward.” She winked at him.

Olivia walked over to Perrington’s mother,
and kissed the Duchess of Straford on the cheek. “How do you do,
Caro, darling? It has ever been an age.”

“Livvy, you look delightful,” the duchess
said. “It has been some time, has it not? Where have you been
keeping yourself?”

“Here, there, everywhere,” Olivia said. “I
cannot keep still. I am on the board of so many charities I do not
think there is a day that does not own one. What have you been
keeping to?” She glanced at Caroline’s second son, Captain Daniel
Perrington and his fiancée Lady Dorcas Cadoret talking to Ariana
and Arabella. Olivia lowered her voice. “This is an interesting
development is it not?”

Caroline nodded. “A very happy one. Although,
I could certainly do without the fawning of the Earl of Shreve and
his wife. How Dorcas managed to become the gentle creature she
is...”

“That was all your influence when she was a
child.” Olivia said. “Yours and Peter’s.” Peter was Elizabeth’s
third son and killed in the war. He had also been secretly engaged
to Dorcas for five years. They had only buried him a few months
ago. Olivia touched Caroline’s shoulder and glanced at Dorcas.
“Peter would be pleased I think, especially as they do seem to be
in love.”

Caroline looked at Olivia with tears in her
eyes. “Yes, I do think Peter would be very pleased.”

Olivia leaned over and whispered, “I’ve upset
you. Forgive me.”

“No, no, ‘tis not you. A mother’s wish is
all.” Caroline kissed Olivia on the cheek. “Run along now, have a
good time. If I do not see you dancing by eleven, I shall send
Edward to find you.”

Olivia smiled. “Oh, if I were twenty years
younger.”

Caroline laughed.

Olivia turned to Ariana. “Shall we go
in?”

“Yes, of course, Olivia.” Ariana grabbed her
sister’s hand, and said good-bye to Dorcas and Daniel.

In the ballroom, Ariana waved to Penny. Penny
smiled and waved, but then turned to William. Olivia wasn’t sure if
it was intended as a cut direct or not. She should really speak to
Honoria.

Olivia scanned the faces among the thickening
crowd. She did not see Henry.

Constance joined her a few minutes later.
“Where have you been?”

Olivia hissed, “I cannot believe you would
let Reginald take you to that hotel instead of remaining at
Caymore. What is he thinking? Is he trying to imply I am lacking in
manners as a hostess?”

“No, do not be foolish.” Constance snapped
open her fan and waved it rapidly across her cheeks. “It is no
secret Olivia, you and he do not get along. He could not see
staying a fortnight in a place in which he was not comfortable. He
did go to Hargrave and the blasted painters have not done a lick of
work, so Reginald had to fire them and now must hire a new
contractor. He knew it would upset you to be deprived of all your
company so he left the girls for your amusement. Where are they, by
the way? I have not seen them once, and I have been here a full
half hour.” Constance flicked her gaze across the room.

“We are only just arrived.” Olivia pointed.
“Ariana is there with Penny. I do not see Bella.”

The musicians struck a chord, and Edward,
Duke of Straford, held a lovely young woman’s arm. It was
Arabella.

Constance sucked in a deep breath. “What does
that foolish girl think she is doing? Her fiancé is standing right
over there.” She waved her fan toward the stairs.

“Dancing, Constance,” Olivia said. “She is
just going to dance. Leave her be.” Olivia knew exactly what Bella
was doing. The same as Olivia had done with Henry right before her
wedding to Fuzzy. Sowing her wild oats. Bella could not be expected
to have only kissed one man in the whole of her entire life. She
would wither away and die. Besides, Edward was not so foolish as to
dally with an engaged woman.

Olivia waited along the edge of the dance
floor as Edward glided Bella once around the room. Surely, everyone
could see how striking they were as a couple. But Bella was far too
young and too emotional for the serious Edward. Five years after
his father’s death, Edward still struggled to get out from under
his sire’s cursed reputation. Bella remained a giggling, gangly
girl. No, Edward needed someone like Ariana, a strong, steady young
woman, who could handle Edward and his dark vicissitudes.

Olivia left Constance and walked toward the
terrace doors, searching for Henry. Would he be here? Had she
missed him at Emmon’s? Olivia wandered the palatial mansion for a
half hour before giving up. Perhaps he would be at her next
party.

Olivia decided against telling anyone where
she was going, too many questions, and she wasn’t even sure herself
if she could go through with what Henry suggested. But she owed
fate at least one chance to heal the heartbreak of the past.

Olivia walked down the hall and asked a
footman for her coat and another for her carriage. As soon as the
coat was placed on her shoulders, Olivia strode out the front
door.

Another servant, who stood shivering in the
cold holding a lantern, greeted her outside.

“What are you doing out-of-doors with no
proper coat?” Olivia asked.

“Mr. Timms said I was to be in livery the
whole of the night.” The boy could not have been more than
ten-and-five.

“I’m sure he meant when you are serving,
dearest. Now come along. Let us find you something warm.” Olivia
grabbed the stunned lad by the arm and dragged him into the
house.

She said to the footman at the door, “You
should be ashamed of yourself for not checking on this poor boy
sooner. He is frozen through.” She took the lantern from the boy
and said, “Run along now to the kitchen for something warm to
drink.” She turned to the footman and handed him the lantern. “You
may now escort me outside and wait with me for my carriage.”

“Yes, of course, Your Grace.” The footman
opened the door.

“Olivia, is something amiss?”

Olivia turned. Reginald. “No, darling,
everything is fine.”

“Where are you going? You’re not leaving so
soon, are you?”

“I’m afraid so. I have another party at the
Earl of Endicott’s.”

“Well, is that not a fine coincidence? We
received an invitation as well. Perhaps we should all go together.
Shall I retrieve Constance?” Reginald turned to go.

“Perhaps your time would be better spent at
Emmon’s, dearest,” Olivia said. “The Marquess mentioned he looked
forward to speaking with you about the state of Parliament now that
Prince George has been seated.”

Reginald smiled. “Perhaps you are right. Have
a lovely evening.” He walked away.

Olivia turned, and the footman scrambled to
hold the door. Outside, she said, “There, it is arrived,” and raced
down the path toward the vehicle. The footman followed holding the
lantern.

Her footman held the door open and she
climbed inside. Henry sat in the shadows. Taken aback, Olivia gave
him a guarded smile and sat next to him.

“Let us away,” she said. The footman closed
the door. The carriage dipped, and then lurched forward.

Henry took her hand. “Where are you
going?”

Her cheeks grew warm. “On my way to
Endicott’s to see if you were there.”

Henry kissed her palm. “No need. Here I
am.”

Olivia pushed John’s image from her mind.
This evening with Henry was a gift from the gods she would not turn
her back on. A warm flush started in her core and crept over her
entire body. Could Henry Wade be as perfect as she had always
dreamt him to be?

The carriage pulled up in front of Henry’s
town house. “Are we here so soon?” Olivia asked.

“Yes, darling. Shall we go inside? It is
rather cold here in the carriage.”

Henry helped Olivia down and whisked her into
the Hall. A footman took their coats. Henry led her into the
parlour. He picked up a bouquet of white roses and handed them to
her. “These are for you.”

“They’re lovely, thank you.” Olivia sniffed
at the bouquet and held them in her arms. She felt as light-hearted
as that of a silly school-girl instead of a middle-aged woman. She
licked her lips and waited for him to speak. She had no idea what
to say.

“Would you care for a drink? Brandy? Port,
perhaps?” Henry walked to the corner and held up a crystal
decanter.

“Brandy would be lovely.” Could she really go
through with this evening? She placed the bouquet on the
credenza.

Henry handed her a small glass of amber
liquid. “Here’s to us, darling. Finally, us.” He raised his glass
and drank.

Olivia sipped her drink and looked at Henry.
She had loved him for so long in her dreams that standing there,
alone with him, she had no idea what to do. This reality was much
harder than anything she could ever have imagined.