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The fact that Olivia had taken a sudden interest in Bradshaw might have been a coincidence, but Bradshaw taking an interest in her attention might not have been a coincidence at all. Bradshaw might have had an ulterior motive for courting Olivia. And if that was true, it would mean that by giving up Olivia, Jarvis was still leaving her in harm’s way.
This was all just conjecture on his part. He needed more evidence. Jarvis narrowed his eyes in thought. If he needed the evidence, he’d find it. Hadn’t Olivia said she was going to a musical at Bradshaw’s house? Which meant only one thing.
Tonight, I shall break into Bradshaw’s house and find out if he’s the one after me.
Olivia sat at the musical listening to the beautiful voice of the opera singer before her. The lovely soprano lulled her into the state of contentment, so she didn’t even think about Jarvis and his infuriating words this afternoon.
How dare he insinuate he knew Olivia’s mind better than she did her own? She was not a naïve little girl anymore, unaware of dangers and difficulties in life. Did he think she was a doll to play with and discard at will? Did he think she did not have feelings of her own?
Olivia let out a huff and fidgeted in her seat. Perhaps she wasn’t as content as she thought.
“Would you excuse me for a moment? I need… fresh air,” Olivia ineptly excused herself from Bradshaw’s side and walked out into the corridor. She leaned her back against the cool wall and took a deep breath to calm her rioting nerves.
Bradshaw was a nice and kind gentleman. And if Jarvis didn’t want her, then Bradshaw would.
Who was she trying to fool? She would not accept Bradshaw’s proposal, no matter what Jarvis did. And she was not about to give up on Jarvis, either.
As pleasant as it was to feel the attention of a courting gentleman, she needed to be honest and tell Bradshaw that she would not marry him.
But it wasn’t as easy to reject the suit of someone you cared about. Of course, she did not love him, but she’d grown fond of Bradshaw. Olivia ran a hand against the cool wall as she walked along the corridor and away from the drawing room. She found conversations nerve-wracking as they were, but to actually reject someone would require quite a bit of fortitude.
Fortitude—she was afraid—she didn’t have.
She walked farther and farther away from the drawing room, farther from the sounds of the wonderful opera singer, unable to carry the weight of her thoughts. She wanted to run away, bury herself under the covers, and not go out.
Being an actual part of society had turned out to be a lot more daunting than she’d thought. She looked to the end of the corridor, and she thought she saw something dark run past the hall and down the stairs.
Was it her imagination running amuck or…?
She picked up her skirts and hurried toward the mysterious entity. Olivia flew down the stairs, then looked around and walked toward the west wing. She tiptoed silently, careful not to give herself away.
Near one of the doors was a dark figure, a silhouette of a man… a Shadow!
Olivia’s eyes widened at the realization, and she padded farther. The Shadow paused in the process of trying to unlock the door to one of the chambers and stared at her.
They stood like that, looking at each other for one long moment before he pulled the handkerchief down from his face.
“What are you doing here, Olivia?” Jarvis asked.
Olivia narrowed her eyes. “Is that the right question that should be asked in this situation?”
Jarvis turned to the door and fiddled with his instruments until the door inched open. “Come inside. We do not need to be caught out here.”
He waved her in, and Olivia followed.
“Yes, because God forbid we be caught in a compromising situation. You might have to marry me.”
“Do not be ridiculous, Olive. Don’t you see what I am wearing, what I am doing?”
“Do not call me Olive. I detest that nickname,” she said in anger. “And why is that every time I see you during a society event, you’re always breaking into closed rooms?”
“It wasn’t every time, just twice.” Jarvis shrugged and walked toward a large mahogany desk.
Olivia followed. “What are you looking for?”
“When Payne had disappeared two years ago, the people who captured him made a mistake. They were initially after someone else.”
Olivia cocked her head. She hadn’t anticipated such a rapid change in topics. That was usually what she did, not Jarvis. “That is quite unfortunate—”
