Page 100 of Waiting for Love

Jasper scowled. “Alice, he is admitting he will not be faithful to you.”

“Jasper, really. That is enough,” Vanessa said.

Alice shrugged. “Faithfulness is also in short supply in our set. And Hazard is correct. It is none of your concern.”

Benjamin found the whole business very sensible, awful, wonderful, and very brave.

Hazard said, “Moreover, it is not as though we are asking permission. I spoke with Mr. Fogbotham. He is ready to welcome me into the family. Jasper, this is happening. Georgiana, I am marrying your cousin. If you cannot be happy for us—”

“We are!” Olivia said. “Oh, but we are. I am. I think it is perfectly marvelous. Another wedding!” She raced over and put her arms around Alice and kissed her cheek, then did the same to Hazard.

Jasper pursed his mouth, but then went to offer his hand to Hazard. And then smiled a wry apology and embraced him. And then the whole room did what Taverstons did. They hugged and laughed and vowed their support.

Benjamin remained beside the fire.

Chapter Thirty-One

The following morning, Olivia’s sadness crept back. She was genuinely happy for Hazard and Alice, but jealous too. Alice looked at a world that was unfair, and rather than crying over it, she bent the world to her will. Olivia was more likely to cry.

If that wasn’t enough, half her family had gone to Watershorn so that Arthur could meet his great-uncle. They were probably celebrating Hazard and Alice as well. But Olivia wasn’t invited.

Of course, neither were Jasper and Vanessa. This was Reg’s other family and Olivia understood that. But she was lonely. Left out.

She wandered the house, feeling blue, and found herself in the billiard room. It was on the third floor at the end of the portrait gallery and felt like the edge of the world. She had memories of her brothers playing here, not always good-naturedly. She remembered Crispin teaching her the rules and how to hold the cue. Now the room seemed filled with nothing but ghosts. They all played billiards at Chaumbers. But in London, there were too many other things to do.

Last night, she had not even dined with her family and didn’t know what happened after tea ended. She’d been invited to the theater with Isabel and to a light supper afterward. She’d already accepted so she had to go. By the time she returned home, everyone was in bed. Or maybe they were still out. The house echoed.

She rolled a ball across the billiard table. Then another. Not bothering to pick up a cue. She wasn’t practicing.

When she’d learned Benjamin was not going back to Chaumbers, she’d allowed herself to imagine he couldn’t bear to part from her. She’d been dizzy with happiness. When he’d kissed her, she thought that it meant he was going to fight for her—the way Jasper had fought for Vanessa. And he hadn’t just kissed her. She let him do things that only married people should do. But he had no intention of marrying her. She couldn’t change his mind. Not even kissing would change it.

Alice had changed Hazard’s. Olivia felt certain that Hazard had made all the same protests against their marrying that Jasper and Georgiana did. And Hazard was in love with Lord Chesterfield. Maybe he had been for a very long time. Hazard waited for him. And yet, Alice convinced him to marry her.

She rolled the balls again. Aimlessly. Hearing the clack. Rolling another.

Then footsteps went by the door. Stopped. Came back. Jasper poked his head into the room.

“Olivia?”

She nodded. And let another ball roll.

He came inside. “Bored?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to play a game?”

“I suppose.”

He pulled two cues from the wall and set up the balls. “You start.”

She made a pitiful shot, and he winced. He set his cue down.

“Will you talk to me? About what is wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.”

“Livvy.” He scolded but gave her the tenderest look she’d ever seen on his face. “Come. Sit down.”