by Lucy Adams
Olivia, who could not disagree with this, held back a sigh and merely nodded, pressing the handkerchief into Betty’s hand. “I thank you,” she told her maid. “But do be careful.”
“I will,” Betty promised, a hint of steel in her gaze. “Don’t you fret, Lady Olivia. I’ll make sure this goes right back to where it belongs.”
“Lord Monteforte.”
Olivia rose just as the gentlemen walked into the room, seeing how his eyes caught hers and lingered there for a just a moment too long. She had no blushes for him, no demure smiles nor batting of her eyelashes. Instead, she merely lifted one eyebrow and watched him intently.
“How very good to see you again,” Lady Margaret said, her voice a fraction too loud, for it bounced off the walls and brought a slight flush of color to Lady Margaret’s cheeks. “Please, do be seated, Lord Monteforte.” Gesturing to a chair near to her, Lady Margaret’s smile slipped just a little as Lord Monteforte chose to sit in an entirely different chair so that he was not close to one lady more than the other.
Olivia too sat down, but immediately picked up her needlework and turned herself away just a little, as Lady Dayton had informed her she must do. Olivia was only too happy to oblige, given that she had very little time for Lord Monteforte and thought it would be best for them all if he showed more interest in Lady Margaret than in anyone else.
“Lady Dayton,” Lord Monteforte began, a slight edge to his tone. “Forgive me for my rudeness, but I do not believe I have been introduced.”
Olivia’s head lifted just a little and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lord Monteforte gesturing towards her.
“Your two lovely daughters I already know, but I would not want to behave improperly,” he continued, as Lady Dayton made a noise of agreement. “I do hope you understand.”
“But of course,” Lady Dayton answered smoothly, without a hint of embarrassment in either her tone or her features. “Olivia, do turn around and show some respect.” Her voice became a little exasperated as Olivia did as she was bade, forcing a smile to her otherwise blank expression. “The Earl of Monteforte,” Lady Dayton murmured, one hand extended gracefully towards him. “And my niece, Lady Olivia.”
Forced to rise, Olivia kept her eyes lowered as she curtsied. Lord Monteforte also stood, bowing quickly but with evident refinement. “How very good to meet you,” Olivia murmured, allowing nothing but a blandness into her tone. “I do hope you have been enjoying this very fine weather we have been enjoying of late.” It was a dull remark, Olivia knew, but it would content her aunt whilst ensuring that no particular conversation could continue between herself and the gentleman.
“I have been indeed,” Lord Monteforte said grandly, lowering himself back into his chair as she sat down also. “I do enjoy taking out the phaeton when it is a fine day, and I have had plenty of opportunities to do so of late.”
Olivia let a brief smile twitch her lips, before lowering her gaze and, once more, picking up her needlework. She did not want to appear to be rude, but neither did she want to bring the ire of her aunt down on her head. It was with relief that Louisa then picked up the conversation, asking Lord Monteforte about his phaeton and expressing all manner of interest in everything he said, as though she had never even heard of a phaeton before.
Olivia said nothing more for the next half hour. Lord Monteforte stayed a little longer than was expected, but neither Lady Dayton nor her daughters seemed to mind. They had other callers, Olivia was quite sure, but none would be as grand as Lord Monteforte. Her lips twitched as she heard Margaret express her delight for taking carriage rides in Hyde Park, knowing full well that she spoke of such a thing in the hope that Lord Monteforte might then suggest that he would accompany her to the park in his own carriage one day soon. Unfortunately, Lord Monteforte did no such thing, even when Louisa sighed discontentedly and stated, quite bluntly, that she had never been on a carriage ride in Hyde Park with anyone other than her mother and sister.
A slight blush warmed Olivia’s cheeks as she listened to her cousins speak. They were becoming a little too forward in what they said, making their interest in Lord Monteforte much too apparent. Lady Dayton did not interject at any point, seemingly quite contented with the conversation and her daughters’ behavior, leaving Olivia feeling all the more ill at ease.
“And you, Lady Olivia?”
She started visibly, almost dropping her needlework as she realized that Lord Monteforte was speaking directly to her. “Yes, my lord?” she asked, not quite managing to look at him in embarrassment, realizing that she had very little idea as to what he had said.
“You do not share in your cousins’ dislike of horse riding, I hope?”
Olivia blinked rapidly, glancing towards Louisa and Margaret and seeing their gazes grew sharp and angry. She managed a small smile, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug. She was not about to lie, but neither did she wish to further involve herself in a conversation with Lord Monteforte.
“I enjoy riding, Lord Monteforte,” she answered carefully. “But only when there is fine weather.”
“As there is now,” he said, with a tilted smile. “Although opportunities to do so must be rather few here in London.”
“Indeed.” She still had not quite managed to look him directly in the eye, feeling far too aware of the pressure placed on her by her aunt and the clear irritation of her cousins.
“Oh! Goodness!” Lady Margaret’s voice suddenly filled the room, catching everyone’s attention. She stared, wide-eyed, at her mother, appearing to be quite distressed. “I have only just realized that my ruby necklace has disappeared!” She clutched at her throat, her eyes widening as an expression of horror filled her face.
Olivia’s stomach twisted.
“Gracious!” Lady Dayton exclaimed, either startled from this revelation or from the belief that the necklace had disappeared only a short time before afternoon calls. “Then you must have the maids search for it.” A small smile was directed towards Lord Monteforte. “You must excuse the interruption, my lord, but the ruby necklace is of high value to our family and I would not have it lost.”
Lord Monteforte kept a pleasant expression on his face, spreading his hands in an understanding gesture. “I quite understand,” he said warmly. “Please, do not hesitate on my account.”
A cold hand clutched Olivia’s heart, but she did not allow anything to show on her face. When Lady Margaret sent a sidelong glance towards Olivia, she kept her expression entirely neutral, feeling only a slight kick of anxiety and praying that the necklace would be safe in Lady Margaret’s bedchamber by now. The maid was duly sent for and instructed to have the staff search for the necklace at once.
“I do hope you find it,” Lord Monteforte said, making to get to his feet, clearly believing his visit to be at an end. “I well understand the importance of such a thing.”
“Oh, thank you for your understanding,” Lady Margaret was gushing now, her eyes fixed on Lord Monteforte and one hand pressed towards her heart, as though he were kindness itself. “You must wait then—to see whether or not it is soon found. I am sure it will be.” She threw another quick glance towards Olivia, who, this time, gave her cousin a small smile.
Margaret’s gaze sharpened.
The conversation went from one place to the next before the maid finally returned. Lady Margaret let out a small exclamation as the maid brought in the ruby necklace, clearly visible in her outstretched hand.
“You have found it!” she cried, whilst Lord Monteforte murmured something that sounded like congratulations. “How wonderful.” She practically snatched it from the maid, holding it up to the light for all too see.
“That is a relief indeed,” Lady Dayton answered, as Olivia continued with her needlework, feeling a tension writhe in her stomach. “How very pleasing it is to have it back in your hand again, Margaret.”
Lady Margaret did not respond to her mother. Instead, she simply fixed her eyes on the maid, who lowered her head.
“Where did you find it?” she asked rather sharply. “Tell me at once.”
The maid did not lift her head. “I found it in a bedchamber, Lady Margaret.”
The look of triumph on Lady Margaret’s face told Olivia that she already believed herself to have succeeded. “Is that so?” she murmured, as silence crept about the room. “A bedchamber, you say?”
Clearly, Olivia realized, the maid had been prompted to search Olivia’s room first but, having found nothing there, had then gone on to other rooms. She looked a little afraid, and Olivia felt almost sorry for the girl, knowing that once Lord Monteforte left, the maid might be at Lady Margaret’s mercy.
“It was in your bedchamber, Lady Margaret.”
“Olivia!”
Lady Margaret threw herself back in her seat in shock, one hand pressed to her heart and her mouth a little ajar. Olivia, who had very clearly heard the maid say that she had found the necklace in Lady Margaret’s rooms, looked up in surprise.
“How has it come to pass that my ruby necklace is found in your bedchamber, Olivia?” Lady Margaret continued, sounding quite horrified. “Please, tell me that you did not steal it?” Her voice dropped to just above a whisper, sending a ripple of shock around the room. It was clear what Lady Margaret had done.
“Margaret,” Olivia said calmly, looking back at her cousin with a small smile touching the corner of her lips. “The maid did not find the necklace in my bedchamber, but in yours.”
Silence flooded the room, leaving everyone staring at Lady Margaret. Olivia watched her cousin closely, seeing how her mouth fell open, how her eyes flared wide, and how the hand that had been so dramatically pressed against her heart now fell to her lap. Clearly, she had intended the maid to state that the necklace had been found in Olivia’s room and, as such, had not listened to what had been said as she ought. It was now apparent to everyone what she had intended for Olivia, and the shame that came with such a realization was clearly overwhelming.
With a sudden movement, Lord Monteforte rose to his feet, quickly excusing himself and thanking Lady Dayton for her kindness and hospitality. Lady Dayton, Lady Margaret, and Lady Louisa also rose, with Lady Dayton thanking Lord Monteforte for calling upon them in tones that were overly bright and did nothing to remove the embarrassment that had settled over the three ladies.
Olivia set her needlework aside and rose also, looking at Lord Monteforte full in the face for the first time as he turned to bid her farewell. She was struck by the kindness in his eyes and the warmth of his quiet smile as he bid her good day. He had a strong jaw, flashing hazel eyes, and dark brown hair, which, had she been a lesser lady, might have struck at her affections and roused within her a strong regard for the gentleman.
As it was, given that she knew his true character, which he kept very well hidden under his gentility, Olivia felt nothing but relief that he was departing from the house.
“It has been very good to meet you, Lord Monteforte,” she said, rising from her curtsy with ease. “I do hope you will be able to take out your phaeton again very soon.” She placed a small, cool smile on her lips and let her gaze settle on something just over his shoulder, so that he would not think her eager to further their conversation.
“I am sure it will,” he answered, with a hint of mirth in his tone that Olivia could not quite understand. “Good day to you all.”
“Good day,” Olivia murmured again, sinking back down into her seat as Lord Monteforte strode from the room, leaving them all sitting quietly, tormented by their own thoughts.
Lady Margaret began to weep, spluttering in a most noisy fashion, whilst Lady Louisa stared at her, having clearly had nothing whatsoever to do with the necklace. Lady Dayton said nothing for some minutes, her face now a mask of anger.
“Whatever were you thinking?” Lady Dayton hissed, as Olivia picked up her needlework and forced herself to continue with it, despite the urge to say something of her own to Lady Margaret. “You foolish, foolish girl!”
“But he asked after Olivia yesterday evening,” Lady Margaret wailed, pointing one long finger out towards Olivia. “He wanted to see her!”
“And if he wished to know my name, what of it?” Olivia retorted, her needlework forgotten in only a moment. “You forget, Lady Margaret, that I have no intention of returning any gentleman’s attentions unless I am truly interested in them. And I can assure you that Lord Monteforte is not at all the sort of gentleman I could ever come to care for.”
This did not seem to reassure Lady Margaret, for she burst into fresh sobs and buried her face in her hands. Lady Dayton began to rail at her elder daughter, whilst Lady Louisa attempted to come to her sister’s defense.
Olivia could take no more. Rising to her feet, she marched from the room, knowing that they would not care about her absence and feeling such an insurmountable relief that Betty had found the necklace before the meeting with Lord Monteforte had taken place. Had she not discovered it, then Olivia might now be cowering before the wrath of Lady Dayton, whilst Lord Monteforte looked on. Her face burned with the thought, and she threw open the door, rushing out into the hallway and taking long breaths in an attempt to steady herself.
“Come, my lady.”
Betty appeared out of nowhere, evidently having expected Olivia to emerge from the room at any moment.
“I have had refreshments sent to your room,” Betty continued, patting Olivia’s arm and half walking, half pulling Olivia along with her as she began to move towards the staircase. “You need to rest, Lady Olivia, before the gathering this evening.”
“What gathering?” Olivia repeated, her head swimming with all manner of thoughts and emotions. “I forget what it is I am to attend.”
“A small soiree of sorts at Lord Lincolnshire’s home,” the maid reminded her, kindly. “But you must rest, Lady Olivia. You are quite worn out.”
Olivia felt herself suddenly very tired, leaning a little more on Betty’s arm as they climbed the stairs. It had been a very trying afternoon, and she was now quite exhausted.
“I thank you, Betty,” she murmured, as her maid smiled with an almost motherly affection at her charge. “You saved me from disgrace.”
“One of my many tasks, Lady Olivia,” Betty answered, with a touch of mischief about her. “Come now. A fresh pot of tea is waiting for you.”
Olivia smiled softly to herself, thinking quietly that, in such a frame of mind as this, tea was precisely what she needed.
Chapter Four
“Thank you for coming.”
Phillip climbed into Lord Dayton’s carriage and sat back with a sigh, attempting to appear jovial with a touch of excitement about him. “I thank you for being willing to bring me to whatever this game is,” he said, as Lord Dayton rapped hard on the roof. “I must say, I am looking forward to it already.”
Lord Dayton chuckled, although there was a hint of darkness about the sound that had Phillip a little bit on edge.
“You do not know if you will enjoy it, Lord Monteforte,” Lord Dayton told him. “Although I am sure you will.” He chuckled again, and Phillip forced himself to smile, even though he did not know what was amusing Lord Dayton so.
“If there are cards, money, and liquor, then I shall be more than contented,” he said, making Lord Dayton laugh again. “I feel very lucky to have been invited.”
Lord Dayton said nothing for a few minutes, and Phillip forced himself to remain silent, leaning back against the squabs and attempting to appear entirely at his leisure. He did not know which way the carriage was going for, whilst it was very late, he deliberately made no attempt to recall the twist and turns that the carriage took so that he might discern where they were. He had to give every appearance of trust.
“What you will discover this evening, Lord Monteforte, is a group of gentlemen who like to discuss matters before moving on to playing cards,” Lord Dayton said softly, breaking the quiet. “In the last few months, I have found you to be a gentleman who thinks clearly and likes to con
sider all that is placed before him before making a decision. I am sure that you will fit in very well with those of us in the group.”
Phillip frowned, glad that the darkness hid his expression. It sounded almost as though Lord Dayton was talking of The King’s League, for that was precisely the sort of thing they did, but given that Lord Dayton was not a member, Phillip knew that this must be another sort of group.
“Discuss?” he queried, tilting his head just a little and keeping his voice calm. “What sort of discussions do you undertake?” He did not let any sort of mirth fill his voice but rather kept it firm and serious.
Lord Dayton paused for a moment, then shrugged. “It can be anything of importance, Lord Monteforte. Perhaps a young lady in the ton has been poorly treated by a gentleman of quality and is now refusing to do right by her.” Again, he shrugged, the flickering shadows from the dimly lit street lanterns flickering across his face. “Or mayhap a gentleman is in some sort of difficulty and requires our aid.”
“I see,” Phillip said slowly, trying to make sense of what was being said to him. “And you believe that I can further such a cause?”
“I am sure of it,” Lord Dayton answered—with such firmness that Phillip was surprised. “You are a man of excellent morals, with no desire to bring shame to anyone else in the ton. You are careful and measured, choosing your friends carefully and making sure that you abide by the strict rules of propriety that surround us.”
Phillip said nothing, a little surprised that the gentleman knew him so well when he himself had not considered their acquaintance to be particularly deep as yet. “I see.”
“We’re going to Lord Lincolnshire’s townhouse,” Lord Dayton continued, jumping quickly to the next part of the conversation. “There is to be a quiet soiree there this evening and, thereafter, you, I, and various other gentlemen of the ton will retire to another room for our card game.”
