by Lucy Adams
Perhaps he had been wrong in his assumption that no one had noticed his study of Lord Dayton that night.
“If I am to be honest, Lady Olivia,” Phillip told her, wincing inwardly at the lie that must now be spoken, “my mind was caught up on matters regarding my own heart.” Seeing how she stared at him, how her eyes flared and her cheeks began to burn hot, Phillip quietly tried to remember that, for future discussions, Lady Olivia could be removed from a particular topic of conversation if one began to mention matters of the heart.
“You have feelings for someone, Lord Monteforte?”
Now, a heat rose in his own face. “You are rather bold, Lady Olivia, to be asking such a thing!” he exclaimed, lowering his voice only when he realized he was catching the attention of other gentlemen and ladies around him. “Indeed, such a thing is a private matter of the heart, and I have no intention of sharing it with anyone.”
Lady Olivia smiled, shrugged, and made to step away, clearly not at all embarrassed by the reproof he had sent her way. “I do hope you enjoy the rest of the evening, Lord Monteforte.”
“Will you take a ride in the carriage with me, Lady Olivia?”
The question was out of his mouth before he could stop it, for his heart, upon seeing Lady Olivia turning away from him, moving to stand apart from him, had forced him to act. She was enchanting, even with her bluntness, and Phillip felt the urge to know her better begin to grow.
“I–I fear I cannot,” Lady Olivia answered slowly, turning back around to face him, questions in her eyes. “Besides, Lord Monteforte, I am sure there are other young ladies that you might see out. A great many.”
He shook his head, having never once had any particular interest in any young lady of note. “That matters not, Lady Olivia,” he told her, wanting to continue speaking to her with honesty and truthfulness. “There may be those who seek my company, but I promise you that I do not seek theirs.”
“Then you make some young ladies very unhappy,” she said, as though that meant more than his own original question to court her. “I could not allow such a thing to occur.”
He flushed then, dropping his head and realizing that she was making an excuse simply to refuse him. There was nothing more for him to say, nothing to add so that he might convince her to do as he hoped. Where such a hope had come from and why it had flared up within him with such force, he could not say, but it was all the more embarrassing now that she was clearly rejecting his offer.
“I cannot,” Lady Olivia said, a trifle more firmly as though she wanted to impart something of importance to him. “Although I am very honored by such a request, Lord Monteforte.”
Looking down at her, Phillip was struck by the sudden darkness in her eyes, the flattening of her mouth. What was it she was trying to tell him? Was there another reason for her refusal, or was she merely trying to find any excuse she could to keep herself free from him?
“Lord Monteforte!”
The chance to say more was taken from him by the sudden appearance of Lady Margaret, who practically bounded towards him the very moment she laid eyes on him. He greeted her as warmly as he could, all too aware of how Lady Olivia seemed to melt back into the shadows and seemed to shrink back away from her cousin. He wanted to tell her to stay; he wanted to tell her that he wanted to hear her speak and that she could converse with both himself and Lady Margaret, only for him to suddenly realize precisely what Lady Olivia had meant.
Lady Margaret stood in her way. She could not accept his offer to take a carriage ride without injuring her cousin’s feelings. It did not matter that Phillip himself had no interest in the lady at all, Lady Olivia would be bound by family loyalty.
Irritation swept over him. Thus far, he had done everything Lord Dayton had asked of him, but there was very little he had discovered. He had not managed to find any connection to the French, and all they had discussed was the Prince Regent’s antics and their concern for the monarchy. Cards had been played and the conversation had turned to mere gossip, which Phillip was not at all interested in. And now here was yet another situation where he could not get a firm hold on things. Lady Olivia was tied by family, whilst Lady Margaret was pushing herself forward without ever once thinking that he might not be at all interested in pursuing her.
“A carriage ride in Hyde Park,” he said loudly, before Lady Olivia could disappear. “What say you to that, Lady Margaret? Lady Olivia and Lady Louisa must join us also, of course!”
Lady Margaret’s face lit up. “I would be delighted!” she exclaimed, evidently ignoring the fact that he had included her sister and cousin in the invitation also. “Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” he agreed, holding Lady Olivia’s gaze and seeing the way her lips twitched, her eyes no longer holding the same dark greyness as before. “Lady Olivia?”
She did not hesitate. “But of course,” she answered smoothly. “I shall inform Lady Louisa also, and I am certain she would be more than content to join us.”
Phillip ignored the disappointed look on Lady Margaret’s face and beamed his approval. “Very good,” he answered, just as the bell sounded for the second half of the play. “I look forward to your company.” He did not direct this at either Lady Olivia nor Lady Margaret, seeing how Lady Margaret smiled, blushed, and moved away whilst Lady Olivia merely held his gaze for a moment or two before excusing herself. Smiling to himself, Phillip walked back towards his own box, sitting down quickly and feeling such a great sense of contentment that it did not leave him for the rest of the evening.
“I am surprised that you wish to speak to me, Lord Monteforte, when my cousins have much more to say than I.”
Phillip let his lips quirk as he looked down at Lady Olivia, most of her profile hidden by her bonnet as she kept her eyes fixed on the path ahead of them. Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa had spoken without any reservation or hesitation during their ride to Hyde Park, to the point that Phillip had found himself quite weary from their constant chatter. His plan to take them to Hyde Park in the hope that Lady Margaret, at the very least, might find some other acquaintances to speak to had gone very well indeed, however, for as himself and Lady Olivia stood quietly under a large tree, Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa were standing only a few steps away, talking eagerly with a group of young ladies, whose chaperones were nearby.
“You do yourself a disservice, Lady Olivia,” he told her, making her glance up at him. “I thank you for joining us today.” Serious now, he looked down into her face. “You refused me simply because of Lady Margaret, I think.”
Lady Olivia hesitated, then sighed and nodded. “Lord Monteforte, please do not think that I am not flattered by your offer, but I had already decided that nothing but a light acquaintance should exist between us.”
“Because of my lack of propriety and gentlemanlike qualities, which were so displayed to you the first time we met,” he said, seeing how her cheeks caught with heat. “That is a part of your reasoning, I think.”
A small sigh escaped her, but she looked back at him with a clear gaze. “You are correct, Lord Monteforte,” she told him firmly. “And I am not yet convinced that such qualities are not simply very well hidden.”
Something stung him hard, and he straightened up a little more. “You believe I might still be a cruel man,” he said, feeling quite insulted but trying to tell himself that there was reason in her suggestion. “That I might still be that fellow that treated you so ill.”
Lady Olivia nodded, her mouth a little tight. “I may very well be incorrect in such a statement,” she said quietly. “But I am not the sort of person to believe an apology simply because it is given.”
Phillip frowned, seeing how her gaze turned back to Lady Margaret and feeling himself grow suddenly tense. “You do not have a happy life with your aunt and uncle, I think,” he said, letting his skills as a gentleman of the League begin to shine out. “They do not treat you kindly, and whilst an apology has been made at times, they never hold true.” A smile touched his lips as Lad
y Olivia’s head twisted sharply around so that she stared up at him, a paleness about her cheeks now. “You have every right to be so mistrustful, Lady Olivia, especially since you know me very little, but I assure you that when I make an apology, I make it with nothing other than sincerity.”
“How do you know that?”
Lady Olivia’s voice was low, almost hissing at him as he looked back at her.
“How do you know I have a difficult time with my uncle and aunt?” she asked, narrowing her eyes just a little. “I have never spoken of it to anyone.”
“And yet, I am able to ascertain such a thing,” he said gently, trying to remove some of the fear from her eyes. “There is nothing to be ashamed of nor afraid of, Lady Olivia.”
She shook her head wordlessly, looking away from him, looking towards her cousins as though she were afraid they might have overheard him. Phillip said nothing further, watching her carefully but choosing to remain silent. Perhaps he had said too much. Perhaps he had frightened her without once having meant there to have been such an intention.
“My uncle and aunt treat me as well as they can for someone who is not their own kin,” Lady Olivia said quietly, not looking up at him. “I will not pretend that I have an easy life, but I am, I know, blessed to have a family willing to take me in as their own.”
Phillip heard his next question ringing in his mind but took a few moments to consider whether or not he ought to ask it.
“You wonder where my own dear parents are,” Lady Olivia continued, surprising him as she looked up into his face, clearly scrutinizing his expression. “My mother died when I was very young – much too young for me to remember her – and my father died some seven years ago.” She turned her head away for a moment and Phillip felt his heart twist with sympathy for her distress. “My uncle took the title, the estate and also the responsibility that came with taking me on.” Grey eyes fixed on his, her mouth trembling just a little but with a clear determination in her eyes. “My cousins must marry first, Lord Monteforte. I am to be the very last. That is why I did not accept you. My place in this family is clear, and I do not think I could bear any more strife.”
A slight burst of anger exploded in Phillip’s chest as he watched Lady Olivia turn her gaze back towards her cousins. That did not seem at all fair, and yet it was something that she simply had to accept. He wanted to find a way for her to be able to do as she pleased, perhaps so that she could accept him, but Phillip knew very well that such matters were not at all within his control.
“If there was a willingness to accept my offer of courtship,” he said slowly, seeing how Lady Olivia’s head jerked back to him. “Then might I not speak to Lord Dayton?”
“Oh, no,” Lady Olivia said quickly, her eyes flaring. “No, Lord Monteforte, you must not. My uncle will not take kindly to such a thing, especially when he has clearly some specific intentions for you as regards your association with both himself and his daughters.” She arched one eyebrow, making her meaning quite clear – and Phillip felt his stomach drop.
“You mean to say that Lord Dayton wants me to consider Lady Margaret,” he said plainly, as Lady Olivia gave him a small shrug in response. “Is that what it is? Is that the only reason I have been invited to such a gathering?”
Lady Olivia froze in place, the wry smile dropped from her face in a moment, her eyes rounding as she held his gaze.
“I apologize if anything I have said has upset you,” he stammered, now feeling his own surging embarrassment. “I did not mean–”
“Might I be blunt, Lord Monteforte?” Lady Olivia reached out, one hand on his arm and her eyes still fixed on his.
Nodding, he waited for her to speak.
“What is this ‘gathering’ you speak of?” she asked, sending a sudden chill down Phillip’s spine. “My uncle has invited you to join some of his acquaintances at times, I believe.”
“Yes,” he said slowly, dragging the word out and feeling a sudden sense of worry that Lady Olivia was not all that she seemed. A disenfranchised young lady, with no father or mother of her own and a difficult future that lay in the hands of her strong-willed uncle – might she not be someone worthy of consideration when it came to passing information to the King’s enemies? His immediate instinct was to ignore such a suggestion, to throw such a thought aside, but as he let his gaze travel across her curious face, Phillip knew that he could not easily discard her.
“I do not mean to pry,” Lady Olivia said, although her voice trembled with an eagerness that surprised him, “but I wonder if you might tell me whether or not anything of note takes place in such meetings.”
“I have only been to one,” he reminded her, with a wry smile, trying to ensure he remained just as conversational and as open as before, despite his many doubts. “And I must wonder why you ask, Lady Olivia.” He lifted his eyebrows and looked at her steadily, aware of how she blushed.
“You will think me much too forward, I am sure,” Lady Olivia answered, with a small shake of her head. “I ought not to have asked. It is only that…” Trailing off, she began to search his expression as he had only just done to her. It was as though she were assessing him, trying to work out whether or not he could be trusted.
“What is it, Lady Olivia?” he asked, despite his warring emotions. “You can trust me with whatever it is you wish to share, I assure you.”
Lady Olivia closed her eyes tightly and let out a long breath, screwing up her face. “I am being quite ridiculous,” she muttered, turning away. “My uncle and aunt both seemed very keen to ensure I had not overheard anything that had been said during your meeting, Lord Monteforte, and as such, I have begun to wonder what it was that was so very significant.”
“I see.” Phillip did not know whether he could trust that this was the truth, turning his head back towards the other two ladies and letting his thoughts come thick and fast. In the last few minutes, he felt as though himself and Lady Olivia had shared more and drawn closer, but at the same time, he now found himself afraid that he had said too much or given himself away. What if Lady Olivia was the one he ought to be seeking? What if she was the one to pass on information, perhaps listening at the door when such meetings took place or managing to somehow force the hand of one of the gentleman who attended. This concern over her uncle’s lack of consideration for her, for his supposed fear that she had overheard something she ought not to have done – it might all be a ruse. A ruse that could trap him, if he were not careful.
“I have told you the truth about my uncle, Lord Monteforte,” Lady Olivia murmured, as Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa began to make their farewells. “I must pray that you will not breathe a word of what I have said to him.” Her head lifted and she raised her chin a little higher, a faint trace of fear in her otherwise calm expression. “I have not spoken of my struggles to another living soul, and now that I have done so, I begin to wonder whether I have made the correct decision.”
“You have,” he reassured her, ignoring Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa as they turned back to walk towards both Phillip and Lady Olivia. “I shall say not a word to anyone.”
Lady Olivia nodded slowly, her eyes still intense in their study of him. “I must hope and trust that your word is your bond, Lord Monteforte,” she said, stepping away as Lady Margaret drew near. “For otherwise, my life shall become all the more difficult…and I shall know precisely who to blame.”
Chapter Seven
Ten days later
“Excellent port, I must say!”
Phillip said nothing as Lord Tullett picked up the port and poured himself another glass, smacking his lips together as he did so. This was now Phillip’s fourth meeting with this strange group of gentlemen, who seemed to have no discernable purpose and yet were surrounded by a good deal of secrecy. He was growing rather frustrated that he had nothing at all to report to the League and feared that, soon, he might have to turn his attentions elsewhere.
On top of which, Lady Olivia had barely spoken to him since th
eir conversation in Hyde Park. Lady Margaret and Lady Louisa had not permitted her to do so, and Lady Olivia had done nothing but agree to their requests for her to remain silent or too busy herself with her needlework whilst they conversed and took tea with Phillip. He had not made any sort of overt gesture to either Lady Margaret or Lady Louisa, for the only reason he came to the house was in an attempt to converse a little more with Lady Olivia. To see her was one thing and even to be in the same room with her brought him joy, but it was equally frustrating not to be able to share even a few minutes with her in conversation.
The desire to do so was growing steadily, fed by his frustration, and yet Phillip could do nothing to satisfy it. The thought that she might be someone involved with his enemies had not left him, although it had lost some of its strength. All in all, he told himself glumly, picking up his port, he was doing very badly indeed.
“Matters have come to a head.”
He looked up in surprise, astonished at the forcefulness with which Lord Lincolnshire suddenly spoke.
“The Prince has been chasing a married lady,” Lord Lincolnshire continued, “and has accrued debts that are so substantial, I do not think even his father would be willing to pay for it, should he be recovered enough to do so.”
Phillip blinked in surprise, trying to get his bearings and make certain that he understood precisely what was being discussed.
“We must act,” Lord Tullett said, with a small shrug. “What is it you suggest?”
Phillip pressed his lips together tightly, glancing around the group and suddenly becoming aware of the sharp look that was sent between Lord Dayton and Lord Cammish. Nothing was said, for both gentlemen remained entirely silent, but there was something in that look that captured Phillip’s attention.