Had she rebuffed him, though?
He honestly didn’t know. Maybe she really was tired from her journey. Tomorrow would be a new day, and he could try to engage her in more than brief conversation then.
“That didn’t seem to go well,” Miles whispered in Robertson’s ear when he joined him at the table.
“What did you say?”
“I was watching you. Did Lady Armstrong dismiss you out of hand? The great Earl of Robertson rebuffed within mere minutes?”
“No, of course not. She merely said she was tired from her journey and planned to take a tray in her room this evening.”
“I see. No matter then. There are other beautiful young women attending the house party. I have no doubt another one will catch your eye.”
“Indeed,” Robert said, although he didn’t really want to meet any of the other women, and especially not after talking with Lady Armstrong. He wanted to get to knowherbetter and hoped there would be more opportunities tomorrow.
***
Olivia could have kicked herselffor saying she’d take a tray in her room. Being formallyintroduced to Lord Robertson had put a name to that fine form—those broad shoulders, that narrow waist, and the most expressive brown eyes she’d ever seen. His masculine beauty nearly overwhelmed her. She’d thought he was handsome, looking at him from a distance, but up close, he was magnificent. Like a Greek god. His deep voice had vibrated through her, creating a warm glow inside, and it scared her how much he’d affected her during their brief conversation.
Oh, why did I say that? I’m such a coward. I should be staying downstairs and enjoying his company.
From the moment she’d seen Lord Robertson taking long strides across the garden toward the meadow, he’d struck a chord in her that she’d never felt before, and its power frightened her. She’d assumed she would never want to be with another man after her husband’s cruel treatment, but something about Lord Robertson made her want to get to know him better. She hoped she hadn’t offended him. That was the last thing she wanted to do.
Unfortunately, what was done was done. She needed to be brave going forward. After all, wasn’t that why she’d decided to attend the house party? To gain some self-confidence around people again? Tomorrow, she hoped to find a way to be close to him during the activities.
She looked around the room, wondering where Bett had gone, but she apparently hadn’t returned fromher walk with Mr. Hughes. Should Olivia wander out to the garden and check on her? Or should she mind her own business? Bett was a grown woman who’d told her that she wanted to attend the house party because she wished to meet someone new. Had the Honorable Mr. Hughes piqued her interest? He certainly was handsome, with his dark hair and startling blue eyes, but Olivia found herself comparing him to Robertson’s fair looks. She definitely preferred the earl.
She chastised herself for being so hasty in her reply to the handsome lord, but she was too embarrassed to change her mind now. She needed to think more about her reaction to him. Could she let go of the past, as Bett had counseled her, or would she forever be scarred by what Armstrong had done to her during their two-year marriage? Would another man’s touch feel different, or would she once again be disgusted by it as she’d been by Armstrong’s touch?
She had no answers, and ten minutes later, when Bett still had not returned from the garden, she set her teacup down on the low table and discreetly left the parlor. She wanted to take one last look at Lord Robertson before leaving, but her courage failed her.
Tomorrow would be time enough to see if her attraction to Lord Robertson stayed the course. When she entered her bedchamber, Emma was there putting away the last of her things.
“Lady Armstrong, did you forget something?” she asked.
“No. I find I’m quite tired after the day of traveling. I’d like to have a dinner tray in my room this evening.”
“Of course. I shall see to it right away,” Emma said, exiting her bedchamber.
Olivia walked to the vanity by the window and began to unpin her hair, dropping the pins in a crystal bowl. She admired the spectacular view, its raw beauty inspiring her to be open to the possibilities the house party could offer, including getting to know a particularly handsome earl.
She was done being afraid. For the entirety of her marriage, she’d been afraid. Afraid of Armstrong’s glare, his biting words, his palm against her cheek in punishment for whatever infraction he deemed she deserved, but most of all, she’d been afraid when he came to her bed with his favorite riding crop. How she survived two years with him, she’d never know, but through sheer will and probably a little bit of luck at finding new hiding places when he was in a rage, she’d persevered.
It had taken more than a year after her husband’s death before she stopped being startled by every sound in the house. Through sheer determination and forcing herself out of her bedchamber to attend to theestate business, she’d finally achieved a level of peace she hadn’t felt during the years of her marriage.
Maybe Bett was right and it was time to try new things.
She had no idea exactly what she felt about Lord Robertson, but she knew from her short interaction with him that he intrigued her. He seemed so stoic, but it was his eyes that had held her captive. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and when she gazed into his, she got the feeling he had a very damaged soul. She had no idea why she thought Robinson was damaged. Perhaps it was one damaged soul reaching out for another? Was it possible that they could help heal a little of each other’s past suffering?
The question now was: would she have the courage to explore a deeper connection with the earl, or had Armstrong scarred her for life?
Chapter 6
The next day dawned bright,and Robertson woke up feeling refreshed. The cool country air was doing wonders for his disposition. The familiar tightness in his chest had relinquished its hold on him, at least for now, but he knew not to get too complacent about his health and do something too strenuous. He’d learned from past experience to enjoy all the good days and give himself the time he needed to recover when he had a bad one.
The embarrassment he felt over his failed courtship of Miss Grandier was fading, and he looked forward to the activities planned for today. It was time to put his disappointment behind him once and for all and enjoy his stay at the house party.
Today, there was to be an archery contest followed by a picnic. He hoped to partner with Lady Armstrong at archery or, at the very least, ask her to sit with him atthe picnic. Last night’s brief conversation hadn’t been nearly long enough, and he longed to see her again. Something about her intrigued him. She was like a fragile, wounded bird fighting to make her way in the world, and he wanted to be the one to show her how to spread her little wings. She deserved nothing less.
