Page 23 of The Truth about the Marquess
“You must excuse me for interrupting your conversation,” Oliver replied, looking around at the other ladies. “I do believe that the play is soon to start again, however, so mayhap my interruption will not be taken as too dreadful a thing!”
One of the other ladies – one he knew to be Lady Wincott – laughed softly and, relieved, Oliver offered his arm to Lady Harsham.
“I thank you, Lord Edenbridge, for coming in search of me. I was telling Lady Guilford before I came through for the interval, that I thought the play the most excellent thing I have seen in some time! She knows how much I enjoyed it and will have wanted to make certain that I do not miss even a moment of it.” She inclined her head. “Good evening to you all. I hope you find the second half of the play to your liking.”
“I am sure we shall,” Lady Wincott said, before too turning to take her leave. The moment Oliver had Lady Harsham’s hand on his arm, however, he led her away from the group as quickly as he could, heedless as to where they were going.
“Thank you, Lord Edenbridge.” Lady Harsham looked up at him, her eyes bright with all manner of emotions, though she was not smiling. “I presume you heard a little of what was being said to me?”
Oliver nodded.
“I was in conversation near you, and heard some of the questions that were being asked. I must say, I was not only astonished, I was shocked by the lady’s brazenness.”
Lady Harsham grimaced.
“Indeed. I was so overcome that I did not manage to form a single sentence by way of answer, which is why I was all the more relieved by your interruption.” She set her other hand on his arm, pausing in her walk and turning to look up at him a little more. “I am truly grateful. Thetonis, no doubt, fully aware of my late husband’s character but I did not think that, so long after his passing, there would be such questions!” Oliver said nothing, thinking silently to himself thathedid not know anything about the late Lord Harsham nor did he have any desire to ask. From what had been said in that brief conversation he had overheard, it seemed to him that the gentleman had been of a somewhat selfish disposition and had certainly not been well thought of. To know that Lady Harsham’s father had arranged the match filled his heart with sorrow for her, wondering what it must have been like to hear that the arrangement had been made while, at the same time, knowing there was nothing she could do about it. “You do not know.”
The softness of her voice caught him by surprise, and he looked at her.
“No, I do not. I confess. I have been so caught up with remedying my lack of fortune, and with my late father’s poor investments, I have not had time for gossip.” His lips quirked ruefully. “Not that I have much time for such things in any case. But no, you do not need to tell me about him, I assure you. It isnot something that I have any desire to learn about. Your past is your own, just as mine is my own, and we speak of what we desire to speak of, nothing more.”
Lady Harsham’s eyes grew gentle and for a moment, Oliver was quite lost in them. The room seemed to fade away, the voices growing faint and even the caller announcing that the second half of the play was about to begin grew very quiet indeed.
“Thank you, Lord Edenbridge.” Lady Harsham closed her eyes for a moment, pressed his arm, and then let out a small sigh. “I am sure that whichever young lady you decide upon will find themselves quite enthralled by you, once they learn your character.” She tipped her head and let out a quiet laugh and the moment faded. “Tell me, have you found any to consider?”
“I have, I think.” Oliver smiled as Lady Harsham’s eyebrows lifted. “Two, in fact! Though quite what I am to do next now that I have two that I am to consider, I do not know.”
Lady Harsham chuckled softly.
“I presume that you are meant to get to know them a little better at the first, that is all.”
“Mayhap.” A slight worry began to niggle at his heart. “I might write again to The London Chronicle.”
At this, Lady Harsham’s eyebrows jumped even higher.
“You would seek out the advice from their writer again, over something so simple?”
A flush of heat rose in Oliver’s chest and made its way up to his neck.
“I know I might seem a little ridiculous, but you do not know how afraid I am of making yet another mistake!”
“Another mistake in your pursuit of the young ladies of London?” Lady Harsham shook her head. “From what I understand of the situation with Miss Dutton, it was not as though that was your fault. You simply did not know the rumors about her.”
“But before that, I thought to pursue a young lady and came to take tea with her. I had been considering her seriously, only for another gentleman to enter the room and declare his intentions directly in front of me! I do not think I have ever felt more embarrassed.”
Lady Harsham let out a strangled noise and Oliver, looking at her sharply, saw her waving one hand furiously in front of her face, the other hand pulling from his arm to cover her mouth. Oliver blinked in confusion, only to then realize that she was trying her best not to laugh.
“I am terribly sorry,” she squeaked, her face flushing hot as she closed her eyes in clear embarrassment. “I do not mean to be laughing at your discomfort. It is only that… well, the way that you described it made me…”
Oliver began to chuckle, seeing the mirth in the situation for what was the first time since it had occurred. Seeing him laugh, Lady Harsham dissolved into giggles and Oliver began to roar with laughter, a great sense of relief and sheer pleasure beginning to wrap all around him.
And it was all because of her.
Chapter Ten
‘Iunderstand that you have a great many letters to respond to and I, who have already had a letter answered, must appear very rude indeed to be writing to you again but, all the same, I must ask for your advice.’
Jane’s lips tilted upwards as she continued to read, knowing full well that this anonymous letter was from Lord Edenbridge. He had done as he had said he would andhadwritten to The London Chronicle, seeking now what he ought to do since he had singled out these three young ladies.
