Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake

by Janice Preston

‘What made you ask Lady G. about Lord Clevedon?’

  ‘Oh...’ Papa stared at her, a distracted frown on his face. ‘It was...someone warned me to watch out for his lordship, that is all. You have good birth and a large dowry. There will be fortune hunters among your suitors—you know the ways of our world and I know your aunt has warned you of such men. They can be charming and declare their undying love, until they have their hands on your dowry. Such marriages, where one spouse cares more than the other, can be...lonely.’ The fleeting sorrow that crossed Papa’s face told Olivia that he was remembering her mother and his first marriage. ‘I have been warned Clevedon is one such man.’ He shrugged. ‘Who knows if it is true, but as you do not care for him it is, I am pleased to say, immaterial.’

  ‘Yes, but who would tell you such a thing, Papa? Do I have a guardian angel?’

  He barked a laugh. ‘Angel? He is no angel, sweetheart, believe me. And it’s best you do not know his identity. I don’t know why he chose to warn me, but I shall be keeping my eye on him as well as on Clevedon, you may be sure of that.’ He stared at Olivia and the harsh planes of his face softened. He rounded the desk in long strides and pulled her into a fierce hug. ‘No one will harm you, sweetheart. Not while there is breath in my body.’

  Olivia left the study, her thoughts in a whirl. It had to be Hugo. Who did he think he was, kissing her one minute and then lecturing her about Lord Clevedon the next and even warning Papa against him? It seemed he did not want her—unless it was to kiss her in dark corners—but he did not want anyone else to show an interest in her either.

  That was called being a dog in a manger.

  Unless, of course...hope sprang to life again, deep in her heart.

  Unless he did want her for himself.

  * * *

  The following few weeks soon disabused her of that notion.

  Following Papa’s return, it proved nigh on impossible for Olivia to contrive a private encounter with Hugo—Papa and Rosalind were more mobile than Lady Glenlochrie and it was hard to give them the slip. And then Aunt Cecily came home as well—well, Papa had stormed off to Oxfordshire to fetch her and there was definitely something wrong, but no one would tell Olivia what had happened. Aunt Cecily was tight-lipped and unhappy as she tried to pretend everything was normal and whenever Olivia tried to talk to Papa about it, he just chucked her under the chin and told her it was nothing to worry about. Why could they not understand that telling her that made everything worse? Caused her to worry all the more?

  And so now there were three of them to watch her. It was so frustrating. Dominic and Alex never had this trouble. Anxiety was her constant companion, her insides winding tighter and tighter with every day that passed, until she felt ready to explode. Why did everyone treat her as though she was a child not to be trusted with the truth?

  And trying to accept that Hugo simply didn’t care a jot for her made her feel infinitely worse, particularly when she couldn’t fully bring herself to believe that either. With his brother and sister-in-law in town, Hugo now attended many of the same events as Olivia, but he avoided her; he never asked her to dance or engaged her in conversation or asked to escort her to supper. And none of that really surprised her, but it still hurt. If they did happen to meet face to face, he bowed and greeted her politely, but he sent her no secret signals to encourage her to still hope.

  And yet...and yet...there were times—many times—when she caught him watching her as she talked and laughed and danced with other gentlemen. He would quickly avert his eyes when she saw him, but those times kept alive a tiny flicker hope in her heart.

  * * *

  ‘Dominic?’ Olivia ignored her brother’s blatant exasperation as he looked up from the book he was reading. ‘I desperately want to go for a ride in the Park, but there is no one to accompany me. Please, Dominic. Say you will go with me.’

  ‘Ask Alex. I’m in no mood and, besides, it is starting to rain.’

  Olivia peered out of the library window. The sky was grey and it was true that one or two drops had spattered on to the glass.

  ‘Alex is out.’

  ‘Are you certain? I heard him not ten minutes ago.’

  ‘Yes, I’m sure.’

  She’d watched him leave, after overhearing him tell Freddie he was riding in the Park with Hugo—something about one of Hugo’s stepfather’s horses that Alex had been helping him with. She needed to go the Park and see Hugo and, hopefully, talk to him. She missed him.

  ‘Please, Dom. I am bored and I want to do something. Please take me. Stepmama and Aunt Cecily are too busy with the preparations for tonight.’

  Papa had managed to persuade the renowned opera singer, Angelica Catalani, to sing at Beauchamp House that evening, but that had meant a mountain of last-minute preparations, even though the guest list had been kept short and very select—intimate and exclusive, according to Aunt Cecily. It seemed everywhere Olivia went, she was beneath somebody’s feet.

  Dominic’s attention was fixed once again on the book in his hands.

  ‘Ask Lady G. to take you in the carriage,’ he said without looking up. ‘You’ll keep dry that way.’

  ‘But you aren’t busy and I want to ride. You have no idea how frustrating it is, not to be able to go anywhere or do anything on my own. You are so lucky. Ple-e-ease, Dominic, my darling, my most favourite brother.’

  He looked up again at that, but only to purse his lips and shake his head at her. She felt like stamping her foot, but she refrained. If she fell out with him, he’d never agree to escort her.

  ‘Papa says I have too much energy and I shall be expected to sit still tonight when Signora Catalani performs, and no one will allow me to help them. Please, Dominic.’ Olivia eyed her handsome brother as he turned a page and reached for the glass of wine by his side. ‘Surely you are not afraid of a few spots of rain? What would your harem of admirers make of that, I wonder? The bold Marquess of Avon afraid of getting his hair wet.’

  That caught his attention.

  ‘Firstly, I am not afraid of getting wet and, secondly, my hair would be protected by my hat, as you well know.’ He put a mark in his page and laid the book aside with a sigh. ‘You are not going to give up until I agree, are you?’

  Olivia hid her triumphant smile as he unfolded his tall frame from the chair.

  ‘Come along then.’ He looked her up and down. ‘You are already changed, I see. I’ll tell Grantham to send word for the horses to be brought round.’

  Olivia let her grin spread at that. ‘No need,’ she flung over her shoulder as she exited the library ahead of him. ‘I already did that. The horses should be ready and waiting for us outside.’

  ‘You little—!’

  Olivia laughed and skipped quickly out of her brother’s reach as he swatted at her backside.

  * * *

  Olivia soon spotted Hugo and Alex, together with four other riders, who were grouped together in a quiet corner of the Park. Alex was riding a beautiful black horse in a large circle while the others watched.

  ‘Why is Alex doing that?’ she asked Dominic, turning her own horse’s head in their direction. ‘Is that the horse that belongs to Hugo’s stepfather? What is wrong with it—it looks like Alex is schooling it.’

  ‘He is.’ Dominic reached across and grasped Olivia’s rein, halting her mare. ‘Hugo?’

  Blast.

  Dominic frowned at her. ‘Hugo?’ he repeated.

  Olivia shrugged. ‘Slip of the tongue. I heard Alex call him that. I meant Lord Hugo, of course.’

  ‘You are not to go over there and disturb them,’ said Dominic, releasing her rein. ‘The horse is a bit wild from what Alex told me. It’s taken him several days to persuade her to trust him. This is the first time he’s ridden her out.’

  ‘Well, I had no intention of riding up to Alex. I just wanted to go a little closer to watch. You
know how I love to watch him working the horses.’

  Olivia nudged Sprite with her heels and simultaneously tickled the flank of Dominic’s horse with her whip. The horses ambled forward. Dominic, his attention on Olivia, did not halt them again.

  ‘Since when?’

  ‘Since...well, since Papa has promised him Foxbourne, that’s since when, clever-boots. It’s important to me to see Alex settled and happy. Isn’t it important to you?’

  ‘Of course it is. But we do not need to mix with Alastair’s sort to do that.’

  ‘Alastair’s sort? Why, whatever do you mean?’ They were now close enough to the group watching Alex for Olivia to recognise the men who were with Hugo. ‘Do you refer to Lord Clevedon? Or perhaps it’s Sir Horace himself that you object to. Or the Marquis of Rothley?’ The fourth man was a stranger, but from his clothing she guessed him to be a groom. ‘Really, Dominic. You can be obnoxiously top-lofty at times.’

  ‘And you are a manipulative minx,’ grumbled Dominic. ‘Do not think I haven’t noticed what you are up to—and don’t think I don’t realise that Clevedon has been paying you court of late. Although why such a sensible chap should be interested in a little menace like you, I quite fail to understand.’

  Olivia elevated her nose. ‘I always did think you somewhat slow on the uptake, Brother,’ she said, safe in the knowledge that they were now too close to the others for Dominic to clip her around the ear as he used to when they were younger. ‘I, in case you have failed to notice it, have been declared Catch of the Season. That is why Lord Clevedon is interested in me.’

  ‘I’d be doing him a favour if I set him straight,’ Dominic muttered as they drew even closer to the group of men. ‘No one deserves a lifetime with you, you little madam.’

  Olivia huffed, but could not reply as they were now within hearing distance.

  Maybe she was manipulative, but it had been seven days since that kiss and she had not once had an opportunity to even speak to Hugo. It was up to her to make sure they met and had the opportunity to speak, or how would he ever realise...?

  Her thoughts stuttered to a halt. Realise what?

  That we are made for each other.

  She swallowed. She was a scandal waiting to happen. She knew it. And yet...she simply could not help herself. Her restlessness grew by the day as the end of the Season approached. Her family was changing and she felt as though she did not quite belong anywhere any more. Quiet dread churned constantly, low in her stomach, and she simply could not meekly sit and wait for things to happen—she was compelled to get out there and move them along. She brushed aside her doubts, buried her fears. There would be time to nurse her wounded pride later, if Hugo continued to ignore her. For now, she owed it to herself to do all that she could to get him to notice her. Besides, she still owed him the final instalment of the money she owed him. That thought buoyed her. It was the perfect excuse.

  The men acknowledged their arrival with nods and smiles.

  ‘Good afternoon, sirs,’ said Olivia, smiling straight at Hugo.

  He simply looked bored and her hopes—so high a few minutes ago—were dashed.

  Clevedon reined his horse around to line it up on the opposite side of Olivia to Dominic. ‘Well met, Lady Olivia. Have you come to watch your brother work his magic?’

  She had little interest in talking to the Earl, but Hugo was now speaking in a quiet voice to his brother and taking no notice whatsoever of Olivia. Hmmph. What did she have to do to get his attention? It was ironic that she was surrounded much of the time by admirers, but the one man whose attention she craved seemed totally uninterested.

  ‘Indeed,’ she said in a bright voice. ‘Alex is such a marvel with horses. I simply adore watching him at work.’

  Attuned to Hugo and his every move, she noticed the swift sideways glance in her direction. Good. He wasn’t completely unaware of her then.

  ‘What made you come along today, my lord?’

  ‘Oh, I was merely passing and stopped to watch. Quite fascinating. I never suspected your brother possessed such skill. Sir Horace has been telling me about the trouble they’ve had with that mare since he bought her and how Alex has changed her. I understand from Sir Horace that your father has purchased Rockbeare’s place in Buckinghamshire with the intention that Alex will run it on his behalf?’

  ‘But I—’ Just in time, she stopped herself from reminding him that she had told him about Foxbourne after that fight at the Denby ball. Conscious of Dominic listening on her other side, she continued, ‘that is... I thought no one was to know about that yet?’ She glanced at Dominic for confirmation.

  He shrugged. ‘If Alex wishes to risk people knowing all about it when the entire deal might still fall apart, that’s up to him. He always treads his own path, you know that, Sis.’

  He then rode his horse over to join Sir Horace, leaving Olivia with Clevedon and thus affording them the opportunity to talk without being overheard. Not that she wished for such a thing. She bit back her humph of disgust. Trust Dominic! She’d wager a whole month’s allowance he wouldn’t have left her alone like this with Hugo.

  ‘Alex is a fortunate man,’ said Clevedon. ‘Many fathers would have withdrawn his allowance after some of the trouble he’s caused, let alone rewarded him with an estate and a thriving business. Let us hope he manages to keep his nose clean long enough for the deal to be finalised.’

  ‘Oh, he will.’ Olivia put her nose in the air. ‘I shall do everything in my power to keep him out of trouble for the next few weeks. In fact—’ she indicated Dominic with a flick of her head ‘—we both will. We stick together in our family.’

  ‘That is what family is for, is it not?’ he said. ‘Now, if you will excuse me, my lady, I spy Sudbury over yonder and I have a message for him. Until we meet again.’ He raised his hat and nodded before setting off at a trot.

  Olivia could not believe her good fortune. Here was the perfect opportunity and she rode over to Hugo and Rothley, her brain working furiously to think of an excuse for joining them. Hugo’s expression blanked as she halted Sprite facing them, but Rothley smiled and raised his hat again. Undaunted—well, a touch daunted, maybe, but she did not have the time to nurse bruised sensibilities when with each day that passed the end of the Season drew closer—she pressed ahead, a last-minute idea occurring to her just in time.

  ‘Excuse my interruption, gentlemen, but I wonder if you have heard about our musical soirée this evening? It is all rather last minute, but my father managed to prevail upon Signora Catalani to sing at Beauchamp House tonight.’

  ‘Catalani?’

  Good. At least Rothley sounds suitably impressed.

  Hugo, however, merely regarded her, one supercilious brow raised as if to say I see right through you.

  ‘It is years since I heard her perform,’ Rothley continued. ‘Is her voice as good as it was?’

  ‘Better, I should say,’ said Hugo.

  ‘I am persuaded Lady Rothley would love to hear her sing and I therefore invite you all to join us this evening.’ Surely it would not matter if the event was a little bigger than the gathering Rosalind and Aunt Cecily had planned? Surely they wouldn’t begrudge one or two additional guests?

  Hugo’s lips compressed and she saw his chest expand as he drew in a long breath. ‘You should accept, Luke. Mary will love it.’

  Rothley’s dark gaze flitted between Olivia and Hugo, and she swore she saw him bite back a smile before he said, ‘The invitation is for you, too, Brother. It would not be the same experience without you there, is that not correct, Lady Olivia?’

  ‘Indeed, sir.’

  ‘And Mama will be thrilled to have us both there together. You know how she always puffed us off in society, even when we were the biggest rogues out there.’

  Hugo laughed at that. ‘Dearest Mama. Always ready to defend her sons, no matter what.’
<
br />   ‘What’s that about your mother, boys?’

  Sir Horace and Dominic had joined them. Olivia’s heart sank. Would Dominic see through her ploy? She’d committed herself too far now to retreat and so she told Sir Horace all about Signora Catalani and repeated her invitation to Beauchamp House that evening.

  ‘Oh, that is most kind. Lady Todmorden is exceedingly partial to a spot of opera. I do wonder, though...such an invitation, proffered without your parents’ knowledge...?’ Sir Horace raised his grey, bristly brows at Dominic.

  Dominic, to give him credit, did not hesitate. ‘In my father’s stead, please allow me to confirm my sister’s invitation to you and your family, Sir Horace.’

  ‘Much appreciated, Avon. I accept on behalf of us all.’

  Pure delight spread through Olivia at the thought of the entire evening with Hugo in her own home. Now she must work out how she might speak privately with him without her family noticing. She had the perfect excuse—she had borrowed and scraped together enough money to pay the remainder of what she owed him.

  She knew she must take extra-special care to hide any interest in Hugo from her family this evening. The constant effort required to hide her aching heart behind a smiling face had proved exhausting and she suspected she was no more skilled than Aunt Cecily at disguising her unhappiness. She would be utterly mortified if any of her family were to guess it was Hugo who was the cause of her low moods.

  But Hugo would be there...tonight...in the same room as her. She hugged that little nugget close to her heart as anticipation swirled deep inside her. Her behaviour was outrageous, she knew, but the Season would soon end and then she would not see him again until next year. That thought wrenched at her heart. She could not bear the thought of not even seeing him, even though it was increasingly clear that he did not feel the same compulsion to see her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  You’re a damned fool.

  He knew it and yet still he would go tonight. And he would go because—ridiculous, lovelorn idiot that he was—he had missed her. Hugo stared unseeingly at his reflection in the mirror as his valet brushed off his black tailcoat in readiness for the musicale that evening. The past week had dragged unbearably, but he had consoled himself that it was for the best if he gave her a wide berth. Now at least he had the satisfaction of knowing that that decision had been wise—look at what had happened this afternoon when they had met quite unexpectedly in the Park. Her face was an open book and Lucas’s earlier suspicions of a mutual attraction had been confirmed as fact, but Mama, it seemed, had already noticed...