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“Is that so?” Olivia’s lips twitched.
“Most certainly.” That red head bobbed adamantly, but Olivia wasn’t convinced. “But enough about life in London. You didn’t come all the way back here to discuss town, did you?” She stood up and grabbed her hand. “Besides, I believe there are some things in the attic that we need to go through, isn’t there? All of our mother’s things are there, and if you are wanting to wear her wedding dress, or have it altered to suit your taste, then we should dig it out immediately. There is no time to waste!”
Olivia couldn’t help but laugh in the face of her sister’s enthusiasm. It had always gone far to lift her lagging spirits.
As they left her bedchamber, they started to scurry off to the attic in the same manner they had recently rediscovered the secret passages in the manor, but Isadora’s firm voice halted their progress in the hallway. “I hope you two aren’t going anywhere special at the moment. The duchess would like a word with all of us.” She lifted a brow at Olivia. “And I imagine it would be poor form indeed to keep your future mother-in-law waiting overlong.”
“Actually,” Calliope huffed irritably. “We were on our way to the attic—”
“I fear it will have to wait for a later time,” Isadora said evenly, her gray eyes assessing and appearing to find their current manners lacking. “Olivia is soon to be a wife. If she hopes to retain her good favor with the duchess and comport herself as one as well, she can’t go traipsing about in a stuffy, old attic with forgotten relics of the past.”
Olivia wondered when her eldest sister had become sostuffyherself. Granted, she hadn’t always acted as the mother hen. She was generally content to let Araminta take the lead. However, with Minty’s recent engagement, she likely thought the responsibilities had fallen back on her shoulders. “We had a purpose for our visit. You see—”
“Nevertheless.” Isadora turned to the side and lifted a dark brow. “Your current duties require you elsewhere at the moment.”
Olivia lifted her chin, but obediently walked forward. “Very well.”
Isadora said nothing as Olivia swept past her and made her way to the parlor.
Araminta and the Duchess of Gravesend were seated across from one another and chatting amicably when they walked in, but their conversation abruptly came to a halt at her entrance. “Ah, Lady Olivia,” the lady said brightly. “It’s unfortunate you weren’t downstairs when Miles left for London. I’m sure he would have liked to see you before embarking on such a long journey. But I have no doubt the recollection of your romance will keep him warm enough.” She laughed. “Well, I suppose that as well as the earl’s company. Lord Somers was kind enough to offer to join him.”
Olivia offered a polite smile as she sat beside the duchess, although she said nothing in return. In truth, she wasn’t sure how to respond to such a comment. It wasn’t as though there was much ‘romance’ with her association with the duke. Perhaps a bit of a shared comradery, and an exquisite passion that even she couldn’t deny, but it wasn’t as though he was completely besotted with her and prepared to fall to his knees and confess his undying love.
“Have you given any thought to the preparations for the upcoming wedding, my dear?” The duchess asked as Calliope and Isadora took a place opposite them near Araminta. “I daresay we don’t have the time to visit the modiste in London, but perhaps Canterbury might offer a solution to outfit you with a proper trousseau.”
“I shouldn’t think that would be necessary,” Olivia intoned. “It wasn’t so long ago that I was outfitted for several new gowns when we moved to London.”
“I have no doubt that will get you through the winter,” the duchess returned. “But a duchess must be artfully decorated. We are a reflection of the Crown.”
Olivia lowered her eyes contritely. “Of course.”
“Now about the wedding dress, I thought—”
“Actually,” she spoke up. “I was hoping to wear something that belonged to my mother. Calliope and I were planning to look in the attic—”
“Oh, dear heavens!” The lady put a hand over her heart. “Some moth-eaten, dusty garment from years past would not be suitable for a woman in your position.”
Olivia frowned, her lagging spirits starting to falter once more. “Why should it matter if we are holding the wedding here among family?”
“Because word will reach the papers and we don’t need the scandal rags to mention that you were dressed less than you deserve.” The lady patted her hand. “Perhaps we can find some bits of lace or ribbon to satisfy your sentimentality for the occasion, but a new gown is a must if one wants to portray that the ceremony wasn’t rushed because of some dastardly scandal.”
Olivia reluctantly nodded, although disappointment shot through her. It would have been a way to honor her mother’s memory if she could have repurposed one of her gowns, but perhaps a few delicate trimmings would be good enough, as the duchess suggested.
“Now about the ring,” she added. “Of course, you shall have mine. It has been in the Gravesend line for generations and every bride for the past several decades has worn it.”
Olivia took a deep breath. “If I might make a suggestion, Your Grace?” The lady looked at her expectantly. “Since there is the possibility that Gravesend might prefer the Marlington title, I thought I might wear something original.”
The duchess appeared to be taken aback. “Oh. I see.”
“Livy,” Araminta intoned. “The duchess is offering you a very generous gift, one that is part of a family tradition. Are you sure you might not want to reconsider?”
According to the expression in her sister’s eyes, Olivia knew that she should do just that, but after being denied one of her mother’s outdated gowns, she wanted to have a say in something. It was stillherwedding day, was it not?
She got to her feet. “Maybe after you see it, you’ll find out why I suggested it.” With that, Olivia quit the room and headed for her chamber. Once she was there, she
opened her jewelry case and removed the sapphire ring that Miles had found in the study. She held it up to the light. It caught the rays of the sun and shown with a brilliant hue. It was almost too enchanting to be called a gemstone. It appeared to sparkle with its own sort of mystical aura.
Olivia returned to the parlor where all the ladies were waiting patiently for her return. She handed the ring over to the duchess and said, “I should like to wear this.”
