Page 35 of My Secret Duke
Olivia came out of her reverie with a start. Hercompanions, whose conversation had become nothing but background noise to her private thoughts, had fallen strangely silent after the viscountess’s furious question.
All eyes were on Vivienne, and her usually calm face had taken on a strained, pinched look. At the same time, Gabriel was staring at her in disbelief, and Annette had risen to her feet, her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide. Her gaze flickered to her mother and away again, as if whatever she saw was too frightening to be borne.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, and with a shake of her head, she turned and walked away. Behind her, the viscountess struggled to her feet, her face puce with anger, and stumbled after her daughter.
Olivia clutched hold of Justina’s arm and leaned in close to whisper, “What? What just happened?”
Justina looked as pale and shocked as the others as she put her lips to her sister’s ear. “The viscountess kept saying that only fools read romances, and even bigger fools write them, and suddenly, Annette blurted out that she must be a fool, and so must Vivienne, because they wrote that book. The one about theWicked Princethat everyone is talking about. As soon as she said it, she tried to take it back, but it was too late.”
“Theywrote it?” Olivia hissed. “Did Gabriel know?”
“I don’t think so. He doesn’t look as if he did.”
No he didn’t. Her brother looked as white and as shocked as the rest. Vivienne had written that silly book? And Annette had helped her? It seemed too ridiculous to be true, but Olivia could see from the guilt in Vivienne’s eyes, and Annette’s rigid back as she stood by the carriages being berated by her mother, that it was indeed the truth.
“Is that the only novel?” Lexy asked, agog at the idea. “Have you written any more, Vivienne?”
“No,” Vivienne gasped, seeming overwhelmed. “Oh please, can we not talk about it?”
Abruptly, Gabriel stood, beckoning to the servants to begin packing up. Any sense of lazy relaxation was gone as the others also stood. There would be no more picnic today.
“I had no idea,” Justina said, eyes wide on Olivia’s. “Did you?”
“No. It never occurred to me. Although…” The cousins were best friends, and there had been moments… hints, that there was some secret between them. But who would have thought it was something like that? And why on earth hadn’t Vivienne told Gabriel before they married?
“I doubt he would have cared,” Justina responded, when Olivia asked the question in a whisper. “He loves her more than anything.”
Well, that was true, although at the moment he didn’t appear to be very loving. But if Vivienne had said something, warned them, then they might have avoided what had just happened.
Another scandal.What did the prince think about a duchess writing romance novels? Would he laugh and shrug it off?
Maybe he had not heard?
But when she looked over at him, it was apparent he had. His face had that haughty look, and his mouth was a hard line of disapproval.
What must he think of them, a family that was embroiled in scandal after scandal? Olivia was sorry for Vivienne, she truly was, and she would be very upset if Gabriel and his new wife fell out over this. Her brother and Vivienne were a love story she felt she had had a part in, and seeing them happy together gave her hope that one day, perhaps, she could be happy too. But as shewatched Nikolai swing himself up onto his stallion and set off back to Grantham without a word to anyone, she rather thought she had enough problems of her own.
“Oh no, they’re arguing!” Justina nudged her.
Gabriel was saying something in a hushed, angry voice, and Vivienne was responding apologetically, on the verge of tears.
As if by mutual agreement, everyone had moved away to allow them some privacy. As Olivia approached the carriage, she saw that Annette was seated, her shoulders bowed, while the viscountess continued to berate her.
“Maybe we should tell her the book was a hit?” Justina said.
“I doubt it would matter. In the ‘real world,’ ladies of quality do not do such things.”
Justina looked flustered and cross. “It was a wonderful book. I loved it. I can’t tell you how many times I have read it. Instead of telling Vivienne and Annette off, Gabriel and the viscountess should be telling them how proud they are.”
Olivia gaped at her. Clearly her sister did not understand the consequences of such an action, or perhaps she just didn’t care.
Justina was wearing a dreamy look and then she giggled. “That part where the prince tries to ravish her! Oh dear, imagine Vivienne and Annette writingthat?”
Olivia decided she would rather not think about any of it. If only she could pretend it had never happened, but she feared she was going to hear a great deal more about Vivienne and Annette’s book before the day was out.
After a journey spent in chilly silence, the subdued party arrived back at Grantham. Gabriel and Vivienne retired to their suite, while Annette disappeared to herroom with her mother still in hot pursuit. Olivia saw her grandmother and Humber with their heads close together—of course the servants had overheard, and the news had spread. There was no hope of keeping matters en famille.
“What a to-do!”
