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Chapter 7
Oliviastoodinalarge ballroom decorated in mild blue and silver colors the next evening. The ballroom walls used to be white and golden, as far as Olivia remembered, but this night, all the golden hues were painted over with silver, and the rest of the room was filled with light blue cloths hanging from the ceilings in the most enchanting manner, reminding her of waterfalls. The flower arrangements had variations of blue in them. Arranged in narrow, oblong flower beds, they mimicked waves while white daisies took the place of the foam.
The invitation for this opening ball called for guests to dress in blue and silver, or at least have one piece of clothing in those colors. The guests and the musicians completed the soothing ambiance.
Olivia watched as people mingled, weaving their way through the crowd, reminding her of the ocean as well. Caroline always had an eye for decorating—she was undoubtedly the one to transform this ballroom into an enchanting land beyond the seas. Olivia was grateful that Caroline used soothing colors. It was easier for Olivia to concentrate in this atmosphere.
“Here’s your drink, my lady.” Jarvis appeared at her elbow with a cup of ratafia.
“Thank you, my lord,” she replied with a smirk.
She and Jarvis had agreed to practice polite conversation among each other so that she’d be able to shift easier into the conversation with Bradshaw, or anyone else for that matter.
“Although you don’t need to play a gracious suitor just yet, not until Bradshaw gets here.”
“I thought we agreed to act as though he was here?”
“Speak, not act.” Olivia heaved a sigh and scanned the room once more.
“He might turn up this very second. It is better to be on alert.” Jarvis grinned and sipped his wine.
“I wouldn’t want you to overexert yourself on my behalf, my lord,” Olivia said with a smile.
“Anything for you, my dear,” Jarvis said and winked.
“You’re too kind, sir.” Olivia laughed. She took a sip of her drink and scanned the room again. “Ugh, I wonder if Bradshaw is even going to show.”
“Gentlemen prefer to avoid gatherings such as this,” Jarvis said absently, eyeing the crowd. “Especially if they are not set on getting married. Young ladies and their eager mamas are a tedious company.”
Olivia threw him a startled gaze, but he didn’t notice. Did he find her company tedious, too? If that were so, then she had no hope of catching a suitor. Because even her best friend wanted nothing to do with her.
“I apologize that you have to endure this gathering on my behalf,” she said. “I know you would rather be somewhere else.”
Jarvis’s attention returned to her face then. “What makes you say that?” he asked with a frown.
“You,” Olivia answered, unperturbed. “Didn’t you just say young ladies were a tedious company?”
“Well, I didn’t mean you. I meant all the other ladies intent on catching a suitor.”
Olivia directed a stony gaze toward her friend.
Jarvis grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. “I meant… Apologies. I just meant all the ladies intent on ensnaring me. You, I can tolerate with great enthusiasm.”
Olivia feigned a smile. “What a compliment, my lord,” she said tightly and turned back to the crowd.
“I beg your pardon, my lady,” Jarvis said in a low voice. “I have offended you, and it was not my intent. But there is a reason I avoid crowded gatherings.”
“Am I to assume, then, that every gentleman present in the ballroom is not averse to the idea of marriage?”
“Not necessarily,” Jarvis answered, unperturbed. “Some are dragged here by their childhood friends to help ensnare an unsuspecting prey into marriage.”
Olivia laughed loudly, and a few heads turned her way. She covered her mouth and leaned closer to Jarvis. “All right, what if you were not here? What would you be doing?”
Jarvis shrugged. “Attending to business matters.”
She scoffed. “I doubt it.”
“Reading a book.”
