AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His face was hard now. “What is love? I am sure I could have made you happy, Olivia. But since you are not interested in the good life I can give you, then so be it.” His face twisted. “I shall take my leave of you.”
Olivia was crying now. “Oh, Bertie! Please, can we not part so harshly? Could we still be friends? I am not being dishonest—I truly do care for you. And I am terribly sorry I have disappointed you.”
“No, I do not think we can be friends,” he said in a harsh voice. “What is the point? I have wasted all this time pursuing you. Now I need to recoup my losses and see if I can find another lady who will not lead me along in such a callous manner. Good day to you.”
Before she could say another word, he walked stiffly away. Her mother, who was hovering in the distance, looked alarmed. Bertie did not even stop to greet her or say farewell. He was gone.
Olivia sunk down on a seat, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand. The next moment her mother was there, sitting down beside her, one arm around her shoulders.
“What happened, dearest?” she whispered. “Bertie looked thunderously angry.”
“Oh, Mama,” she cried, leaning her head against her shoulder. “He proposed and I rejected him! He was not pleased. In fact, he was furious.”
Her mother bit her lip. “Yes, he was. I do not understand, daughter. You have been quite vocal that you would accept his proposal. You acted as if you enjoyed his courtship. What has happened to change your mind so suddenly?”
Olivia sniffled. How could she tell her mother that Captain Fletcher was the reason? Her mother would be shocked, just like Emma had been. And there was no point to it anyway. It was not as if the Captain loved her or was intending to marry her. Olivia had just ruined her own life for exactly nothing.
A corrosive self-loathing entered her soul. She did not know herself any longer. She had just rejected a good man, who would have given her a fine life, because she could not forget how another man had kissed her.
“I do not love Bertie, Mama,” she said, in a faltering voice. “I tried so hard to fall in love with him, but I just could not! I know he is a fine man and would have given me a good life, but it is not enough.” She started crying anew.
“Oh, Olivia,” said her mother, in a gentle voice. “You cannot force yourself to love someone. It either happens or it does not. There are greater forces at work. You cannot click your fingers and summon it at will, my daughter.”
Olivia nodded tearfully. “Yes, I see that now.”
“All the longing in the world will not change your feelings,” continued her mother. “I know that you have had your heart set upon marrying for love quickly, in order to avoid a marriage of convenience with Captain Fletcher, but you are trying too hard, daughter. Love arrives of its own free will.”
Olivia nodded again. Her throat was thick with tears, and she did not think she could talk at all anymore.
“You are putting too much pressure upon yourself,” said her mother, frowning. “You must believe that your grandfather and I would never force you to marry the Captain. You do not have to madly rush around trying to find a love match to avoid it. Just let yourself breathe a little, Olivia.”
Olivia looked up. To her dismay, her grandfather was walking swiftly down the path towards them. He looked concerned.
“What is going on?” he asked. “Lord Bertram Langley just stormed through the house and left abruptly.” He studied Olivia’s face intently. “What happened? Did he upset you? I shall have his head on a pike!”
Olivia shook her head quickly. “No, Grandpapa. It was all me. I turned his proposal down and he was disappointed. I feel dreadful.”
The Earl raised his eyebrows. “A good thing if you ask me.” He hesitated. “I had decided not to tell you because you seemed so intent upon the fellow, but I have no hesitation now. The Langley’s are severely in debt, Olivia. That is the reason Langley Park is falling to pieces. And it is in no small measure because of Bertram Langley’s gambling.”
“What?” Olivia looked incredulous. “How do you know?”
“I told you I would investigate him,” said her grandfather grimly. “I was willing to turn a blind eye to it if you had your heart set upon the fellow, fancying yourself in love, but there is no reason you should not be aware of it now.
I would have settled an exceptionally large dowry on you to keep you in the comfort you deserve if you had married him, but I feared him and his family might continually have their begging bowl out to me.”
Olivia’s face twisted. This was appalling. And her dear, sweet grandfather had been willing to fund the Langleys if it had made her happy to marry their son. He was not going to tell her because he thought she truly loved Bertie and could not live without him.
She had been an utter fool, she thought, taking a deep breath. And now, she wondered if Bertie had deliberately targeted her because her grandfather was so wealthy. She wondered if he had ever liked her at all. She wondered if Bertie Langley was, in fact, a fortune hunter.
Humiliation swept through her like a bitter wave. Bertie had questioned her closely about her grandfather’s fortune, but she had not thought anything of it.
And now, she was remembering Captain Fletcher saying that she should go slower with the gentleman, that she was moving too quickly. That she really did not know the man’s character at all.
And he was right. They had all been right. Bertie had hoodwinked her, well and truly. But at least, she thought, with a sigh of relief, she had not agreed to marry him.
And now, she did not know whether to laugh or to keep crying.
