She reached the drawing room and found Lady Jane pacing anxiously over the floral carpet.
“Jane,” she greeted.
Her friend spun towards her. “I want to run away,” she said at once. “Somewhere far away where my father and brother will never find me.”
“All right,” Olivia replied, stepping fully into the room. “What can I do to help?”
Jane’s shoulders sagged. “I can’t run. I want to, but there’s nowhere I could go where they wouldn’t drag me back.”
“You have reached the age of your majority,” Olivia reminded her. “You can make your own decisions.”
“Not if I want food and a roof over my head,” Jane muttered, sinking onto the settee. “This is hopeless.”
Olivia joined her, settling beside her with gentle resolve. “Don’t give up yet. We will find a way.”
“How?” Jane asked, her voice cracking. “Mr. Fairchild wrote a scathing article about the engagement, and the duke found itamusing.Amusing!”
Reaching for the teapot, Olivia asked, “Would you like some tea?”
Jane recoiled. “Good heavens, no! I need something stronger.”
With a sympathetic smile, Olivia turned to the maid in the corner. “Please tell Cook we’d like two cups of chocolate at once.”
The maid curtsied and disappeared.
Jane placed a hand on her stomach. “My brother won’t let me drink chocolate. He says I have to watch my figure to be a proper duchess.”
“Your brother is an idiot.”
“That he is,” Jane agreed with a rueful smile. “He’d be furious if he knew I was here.”
Olivia turned towards her. “Where does he think you are?”
“At church,” Jane replied with a mischievous giggle. “I told him I needed to consult the vicar about our ceremony.”
“You lied?”
“It was the only way I could leave without raising suspicion. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Olivia grinned. “On the contrary, I wholeheartedly support it.”
Jane visibly relaxed, but her worry returned swiftly. “What am I going to do?”
“You can’t marry the duke,” Olivia said simply. “You’d be miserable.”
“I would,” Jane whispered.
Olivia reached for her friend’s hand, squeezing gently. “We’ll find a way.”
Just then, the door opened and Evander entered, sunlight catching the golden tones in his dark hair. He smiled at both of them. “Good morning.”
Jane sat up quickly, smoothing her skirts. “Forgive me, my lord, I?—”
He cut her off with warmth. “There is no need to apologize. You are more than welcome here.”
Olivia released Jane’s hand and shared, “We were plotting how to rescue Jane from her impending nuptials.”
Jane threw up her hands. “It’s no use. The duke is too powerful, and I’m trapped.”
