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“Oliver, have you heard? I have never been more shocked.”
“Shocked?”
“You mean you haven’t heard?”
Oliver knew his head was fuzzy, but surely his aunt couldn’t mean the Anchor Inn? No, she couldn’t. If she’d heard of that she would be tearing strips off him.
“Oliver! Are you asleep?”
“No, Aunt, I’m not asleep. You put a stop to that.” He settled himself on the chair opposite and she proceeded to pour him some tea.
“Miss Greentree is not the daughter of Lady Greentree after all,” she began with relish. “Angus Fraser, the brewery millionaire, has named her as his heir! She is his daughter by some drab or other, and she became lost when she was a child. Baby farmers or some such thing. Now they are reunited, Fraser is on his deathbed, and she is his heir.”
Oliver tried to take it in. “I thought you always rather liked Fraser,” he heard himself say.
“I did. He says what he thinks, and that is rare enough in our world. But that’s not the point! The point is, I rather thought you liked Miss Greentree.”
“I did.” He blinked at her, rubbed a hand across his freshly shaven face. “I do.”
“And you did not know?”
“I knew she was abandoned as a child, but I did not know her parentage.”
Vivianna, the daughter of Fraser, the brewery millionaire? It hardly seemed credible, except his aunt was a sharp old bird. If she believed it, then it must be true.
“Oliver! Are you listening? I just said that you cannot possibly marry her now. Your wife must have an unsullied reputation, the mother of your heir must be beyond reproach. No, I am afraid you must choose one of the girls on my list. You must find a girl who is more acceptable.”
Oliver stood up. The tea table rocked dangerously. “I’ll be damned if I will!”
“Oliver, really—”
“I will marry whom I like. Who am I to quibble about Vivianna’s reputation anyway? She’s worth a hundred of me. A million!”
“Oliver, calm yourself—”
“No, I won’t.” But he did. He drew a long, slow breath and sat down again. “I’m sorry,” he said formally, “but I won’t have Vivianna slandered.”
Lady Marsh fixed him with a stare. She looked as if she were trying not to smile. After a moment she said, “Well, Fraser is very rich.”
“I don’t want her money.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” she retorted, raising her brows, and making Oliver wonder whether she had heard of the Anchor Inn after all. “Well, are you going to ask her to marry you or not?”
Oliver blinked. “Of course not!”
“Why not? Ask her.”
“She won’t see me.”
Lady Marsh shook her head at him. “Why not?”
“I told her about Lawson. Now she hates me for pretending to be a rake.”
Lady Marsh’s eyes widened. “Good gad, is she so partial to rakes? Well”—with a heavy sigh—“pretend to be one for her. I like that girl, Oliver, and I want her as your wife. Be the best rake in London and win her over!” Lady Marsh rose to her feet with difficulty, using her cane. “I intend to see a new Montegomery born before I die, Oliver,” she said testily. “Get busy.”
Lady Greentree and Aphrodite stood awkwardly, facing each other across Helen’s sitting room. Lady Greentree had asked that she see the other woman alone, without Vivianna present, and now she didn’t know what to say.
Earlier, she had explained to Vivianna, “It will be difficult enough for your mother and I, my dear, without you being there biting your nails. I have sent Marietta off with Mr. Jardine and Lil—I think it best if she is kept out of this as much as possible. Let me speak to Aphrodite alone, and then if you wish you can join us.”
