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eryone 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 consider 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.”
