by Laura Beers
Her smile dimmed as she asked, “But what if I don’t?”
“Why would you imagine that wouldn’t be the case?”
“I was an engaged woman that eloped with a rake to Gretna Green,” Emmeline remarked. “I have no doubt that the members of Society are gossiping about me.”
Oliver brought his hand up and placed it on her shoulder. “You have the protection of my name, and I promise that no one will disparage you.”
“But—”
He cut her off. “No buts,” he said. “The ton will rejoice in our union, assuming we can convince them that we are a love match.”
“How do you suppose we accomplish that great feat?” she asked softly.
Leaning closer, he whispered against her cheek, “Just look at me like you look at a cup of chocolate.”
She smiled coyly. “I do love chocolate.”
“I know you do,” he replied, smiling.
His eyes dropped to her lips as he murmured, “Emme, my dear.”
To his surprise, he felt Emmeline stiffen and she abruptly took a step back, causing his hand to drop.
“We should hurry and join your family in the drawing room.” Her voice sounded rushed and had a slight edge to it.
What in the blazes just happened, he wondered. Why had Emmeline fled out of his arms like that?
It took him a moment to recover, then he offered his arm to his wife. “You are right.”
He was pleased when Emmeline placed her hand on his sleeve, and he led her towards the drawing room.
Once they stepped inside, Jane rushed over to Emmeline and embraced her. “You are looking lovely tonight,” she gushed.
Emmeline smiled politely. “As are you.”
Jane smoothed down her white gown with its blue sash. “My mother insisted that I wear white this evening.”
“You look lovely in white,” Harriet said from behind Jane.
Jane shifted to face her mother. “But my complexion looks much better in brighter colors.”
“You are not yet married or a spinster,” Harriet reminded her. “It is only considered proper for you to wear white or pale colors.”
“I’m not going to win this argument, am I?” Jane asked.
Harriet shook her head. “You are not.”
Jane sighed. “Then I suppose we should depart.”
“Excellent idea,” Harriet replied. “Pratt informed us that the coach is waiting out front.”
“Should we wait for Baldwin and Madalene?” Oliver asked.
Harriet shook her head. “That won’t be necessary, they’ve already departed,” she shared.
“Ah, I see,” Oliver replied as he offered his other arm. “May I escort you to the coach?”
His mother accepted his arm and he led them through the entry hall. Once they stepped outside, Emmeline withdrew her arm and accepted the assistance offered by the footman.
After the ladies were situated, Oliver ducked into the coach and sat next to his wife. The smell of rosewater drifted off from her, and he had the strangest desire to lean closer to her, to compliment her. But, luckily, sanity prevailed, and he was able to control his actions.
They rode in silence as they traveled the short distance to Lady Shipston’s three-level townhouse. The coach lurched to a stop and Oliver waited for the ladies to exit first before he departed.
As he stepped out, he was pleased to see that Emmeline had waited for him on the pavement. He extended his arm. “Remember, we need to play the part of besotted lovers,” he said.
“I am aware,” she replied, her back stiff.
He eyed her curiously as they headed into the townhouse. “Whatever is the matter?”
“Why do you assume something is wrong?” she asked, keeping her gaze straight ahead.
“Are you upset about how I almost kissed you in our sitting room?”
A blush came to her cheeks and she ducked her head. “You shouldn’t say such things in public.”
“There is nothing wrong with a married couple kissing in private,” he said, feeling the need to tease her.
In a hushed voice, she replied, “It is when this isn’t a true marriage.”
“You are no fun, Wife.”
Before she could reply, they stepped into the ballroom, and he saw the disapproving stares from some of the guests. A few women brought their fans up to their mouths as they whispered back and forth.
“I knew I shouldn’t have come,” Emmeline murmured.
Oliver patted her hand and encouraged, “We both knew this was bound to happen, but it won’t be long until another scandal replaces this one.”
His eyes scanned the room until he saw his brother and Madalene near the rear of the ballroom. He started walking towards them when he became aware that some young women were batting their eyes at him. He prayed that Emmeline was unaware of their bold actions, especially since he was not doing anything to encourage their behavior.
When they approached Madalene, she dropped Baldwin’s arm and went to embrace Emmeline. She leaned back and encouraged, “Don’t let the gossips get you down.”
“I must admit that I am used to gossip hanging over my head, after being engaged to an eighty-year-old duke. They may look at me with disdain, but at least it is not with pity anymore,” Emmeline remarked.
Baldwin placed his hand on Emmeline’s shoulder. “You belong to our family now, and we protect one another.”
Emmeline smiled at the marquess. “Thank you, Baldwin.”
Oliver glanced around the room. “Where are Mother and Jane?” he asked, realizing he’d lost them as they’d come in.
“They went to get something to drink, and I have no doubt that Jane was stopped by her legions of admirers,” Madalene shared.
“If Jane had the slightest inclination to marry, she would have more suitors than she could count,” Baldwin said.
“She can be rather surly,” Oliver remarked.
Baldwin chuckled. “Only to you, Brother. Since Jane and I have made amends, she is quite pleasant around me.”
Madalene bobbed her head. “I can assure you that Jane can behave when she wants to.”
“Lucky me,” Oliver muttered.
The orchestra began to warm up, and Oliver turned towards Emmeline. “Would you care to dance the first set with me?” he asked.
“Do you think that is wise?” she questioned.
Oliver leaned closer to her so she could hear him over the music. “Remember, my dear, we must act the part if we want the ton to believe we are a love match.”
She nodded, but he could see uncertainty in her eyes.
He offered his arm and led her towards the center of the dance floor. As the dancers lined up to dance the quadrille, he gave Emmeline a reassuring smile.
They began to move to the music, and he found himself transfixed with Emmeline as she executed the steps perfectly. Her face softened, and he could see her relax. When she finally met his gaze, she smiled so brilliantly that he almost stumbled over his own feet. Why was his wife so blasted enchanting?
The music ended and he approached Emmeline. “You dance superbly,” he praised.
“Thank you,” she replied.
They were about to walk off the dance floor when the ton’s most notorious gossip, Lady Catherine, approached them with a wry smile on her face. “Lord and Lady Oliver,” she said. “That was a most impressive display.”
“If you will excuse us…” Oliver’s voice trailed off as he gently grabbed Emmeline’s arm.
Lady Catherine turned her attention towards Emmeline and asked, “Are you happy with your choice, my dear?” she asked. “After all, you were supposed to be a duchess before you decided to elope with Lord Oliver.”
“I am happy with my decision,” Emmeline replied firmly.
“That is good,” Lady Catherine remarked. “It is important not to have any regrets. Those can gnaw at you, making you terribly unhappy.”
Emmeline gave her an impatient look. “I don’t have any regret
s.”
“Wonderful, and I wouldn’t give those articles in the Society page any heed,” Lady Catherine said.
“Articles?” Emmeline asked, shooting Oliver a baffled look.
Lady Catherine waved her hand dismissively in front of her. “It is pure rubbish that gentlemen are placing bets at White’s about how long your marriage will last,” she informed her.
Oliver interjected in a dry voice, “Thank you for your candor, but we need to exit the dance floor before the next set begins.”
“Of course,” Lady Catherine said with a victorious smile on her face. “I just wanted a chance to speak to the happy couple.”
He began to lead Emmeline away, then muttered, “Insufferable woman.”
“Was she telling the truth?” Emmeline asked in a soft voice. “Have gentlemen been placing bets over the state of our marriage?”
Oliver winced as he revealed, “Yes, but you must understand that gentlemen place bets at White’s for the most ridiculous reasons.”
Emmeline pulled back her arm. “I think I would like to be alone for a moment,” she said as she walked swiftly towards the French doors that led to the gardens.
It only took Oliver a moment to realize that he needed to follow his wife and make this right. He saw her disappear out the doors as he started making his way through the crowds. When he stepped out onto the courtyard, he didn’t see Emmeline, and he felt a slight panic come over him.
A familiar voice spoke up from behind him. “Lord Oliver,” Miss Jenkins said in a smooth voice. “I was hoping to catch you alone.”
“I’m afraid this is not a good time,” Oliver replied, speaking over his shoulder.
“Are you in search of your wife?”
“I am.”
Miss Jenkins took a step closer to him. “I saw her race from the ballroom, and I must admit that I felt only pity for the poor thing.”
Oliver turned to face Miss Jenkins and asked, “Why would you feel the slightest bit of pity for my wife?”
Miss Jenkins smiled coyly at him. “Everyone knows you only married her because you wanted to save her from the Duke of Billingham.”
“That is only part of the reason.”
“Come now,” she said, “you didn’t truly want a wife, did you?” She took a step closer. “If you must know, I don’t mind sharing you.”
Oliver stiffened. “I do not appreciate your insinuation,” he declared. “I am a married man.” She brought her hand up to touch him and he grabbed her wrist. “I’m serious, Miss Jenkins. Whatever we had in the past is over.”
A smirk came to her lips. “If you say so,” Miss Jenkins said, pulling back on her arm. “But no one believes you are capable of being faithful to one woman.”
He watched as Miss Jenkins swept back into the ball before he turned around and saw Emmeline was watching him from a short distance away, her face pale.
In a few strides, he closed the distance and asked, “What is wrong?”
“I saw you with Miss Jenkins,” Emmeline shared.
“Nothing transpired between us,” he asserted.
“You two appeared rather close.”
He frowned. “If you must know, Miss Jenkins and I have a past together. I have taken her on carriage rides and have dined with her family.”
Tears came to her eyes, making her eyes sparkle in the moonlight. “Did you intend to court her?”
“I did not.”
“But I took away your choice to do so.”
Oliver placed his hand on her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter,” he stated. “We are married, and I promised that I would be faithful to you. Until my dying breath, I will not betray you.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip before saying, “But what if I want more from this marriage?”
He furrowed his brow. “What are you saying?”
Meeting his gaze, unyielding, she said, “I have developed feelings for you, and I have tried to suppress them, but I can’t. If anything, they have only deepened.”
Oliver remained close but let his hand drop to his side. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give you any more of myself than I have already given you.”
A tear rolled down her cheek and she reached up to swipe it away. “I understand,” she said. “It is awfully unfair of me to want to change our agreement after we wed.”
“Emme—” he attempted.
She put her hand up, stilling his words. “Please, forget I said anything.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“I think it would be for the best.” Emmeline took a step back. “If you will excuse me, I believe I shall retire for the evening.”
“Would you like me to escort you home?”
She shook her head. “I want to be alone right now.”
As she brushed past him, Oliver reached for her arm. “This has nothing to do with you, Emme,” he said. “You must know that.”
“Then what does it have to do with?” she asked, turning her gaze towards him.
“I’m afraid I am not at liberty to say.”
Emmeline gave him a sad smile. “If you ever decide to trust me, I can promise that I would be your fiercest ally.”
Oliver dropped her arm and watched as she hurried into the ballroom with her head held high. He had the sudden urge to chase after her, to apologize, but he remained rooted in place. He couldn’t do that to her, or himself. He stood by his words.
“Blast it,” he muttered under his breath.
His wife had bravely confessed that she had feelings for him, and he had to admit that he held her in high regard, as well. But he couldn’t act on his feelings. He was, first and foremost, an agent of the Crown.
Chapter Twelve
Emmeline leaned her shoulder against the windowsill as she stared out the window and wondered what was going to become of her. She had brazenly confessed her feelings to Oliver, and he had rejected her. He refused to let her in, to trust her.
A tear rolled down her cheek, but she didn’t bother to wipe it away. Her heart ached at the thought that she was trapped in a marriage to a man that she desperately cared for, knowing he didn’t hold her in the same regard.
The door to her bedchamber opened and her lady’s maid entered the room, closing the door behind her. “Are you ready to undress for bed, milady?” Mary asked in a cheerful voice.
“I suppose I am,” she said, glancing over at her.
Mary gave her a concerned look. “You’ve been crying.”
“I have,” she replied, seeing no reason to deny it.
“Whatever happened to make you so upset?”
Emmeline straightened from the windowsill and walked over to her bed. As she sat down, she revealed, “It was a mistake for me to go to the ball. Everyone was staring at me.”
“I am sure it only seemed that way,” Mary attempted.
“No, they were blatantly staring and whispering behind their fans.”
“I am sorry to hear that, but the scandal will die down shortly enough,” Mary encouraged. “You just need to give it more time.”
Emmeline sighed. “But that wasn’t even the worst part.”
“No?”
“I decided I needed a moment alone, so I went out into the gardens, and I witnessed Oliver having a conversation with Miss Jenkins.”
“I am not familiar with her.”
Emmeline pursed her lips, then said, “Miss Jenkins is not someone that I would willingly choose to associate with. She has a sharp tongue that she uses quite frequently.”
“I can see why you wouldn’t wish to associate with her, then.”
“I was unable to hear what was being said, but it was evident that Miss Jenkins was flirting with Oliver.”
“How did Lord Oliver react?”
“He didn’t appear to reciprocate her advances, but it made me realize that I’ve been awfully unfair to him. By marrying him, I took away his right to find his own bride.”
Mary came to sit down next to her on the bed. “Oliver knew what he w
as getting into when he agreed to marry you.”
“I told him how I felt,” she admitted.
“I take it that it didn’t go well.”
Emmeline shook her head. “It did not,” she shared. “He politely informed me that he didn’t feel the same way.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mary responded compassionately.
“When I look into his eyes, I feel as if he does hold me in some regard, but something is holding him back.”
Mary shifted on the bed to face her. “Why do you say that?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “Perhaps I am just being hopeful.”
“There is nothing wrong with remaining positive.”
“But what if I’m wrong?” she asked. “What if Oliver never comes to acknowledge his feelings for me, and I am trapped in a loveless marriage?”
Mary reached out and encompassed her hand. “That is what you agreed to by marrying Oliver in haste.”
“I know, but I want more now.”
Mary gave her a sad smile. “What do you intend to do?”
Shifting her gaze towards the crackling fire in the hearth, Emmeline said, “I believe I wish to depart for Lockhart Manor tomorrow morning.”
“Truly?”
“I can’t face Oliver right now, and I need some time to think. Besides, Lockhart Manor is only a day’s travel by coach.”
Mary removed her hand from Emmeline’s and said, “Then I should start packing.”
“You don’t mind?”
“I do not. But I must wonder if you are just running away from your husband.”
Emmeline let out a huff. “I am most assuredly running away from Oliver.”
“Is that wise?”
Wringing her hands in her lap, Emmeline remarked, “I need to tour Lockhart Manor anyway, and this situation is providing me with the perfect opportunity to do so.”
“If you say so, milady.”
Rising, Emmeline said, “I shall go inform Pratt of my decision to depart tomorrow morning.”
“Do you suppose Lord Oliver will object?”
“I don’t know, but I will explain that I need to tour the property.” Emmeline walked to the door and opened it. “I shall be back shortly.”
As she walked down the hall, she stopped at Oliver’s portrait and stared up at it. His eyes held so many secrets, but he would never share them with her. Why is that, she wondered. What was so important that he couldn’t share with his own wife?
