Page 88 of Oz
He shakes his head, all business. “Shall we start getting everyone seated?”
I look around and gauge the mood. “Yes. Get Silas to make the announcement.”
He gapes at me. “Have you lost the power of your own mouth?” I glare at him and he shakes his head. “Men would pay for this moment of silence,” he mutters and stalks off.
I watch him edge to Silas’s side who is currently charming a group of people, one of the women hanging on his arm. Silas bends to listen as Milo talks and then his head shoots up and he looks straight over at me. I sigh.Bloody interfering Milo.
I straighten as Silas walks over to me. “Is there a particular reason why you are hiding behind this lemon tree?”
“I like the scent of the leaves,” I say feebly, and he shakes his head.
“What is going on right now? I thought you were going to be by my side for the evening and it appears that I’m dating The Invisible Man.”
“Perhaps you’d be better off with him,” I mutter.
“What?” he says sharply. He tries to take my hand, then steps back with a hurt look all over his face as I wriggle out of his grip and step back. “What is going on?” he asks hoarsely.
“Nothing,” I say, panicked. “I just don’t think we should be seen holding hands. That’s all. It’s silly to be all over each other anyway.” I nod to make my statement more emphatic.
He stares at me for a long moment with turbulent eyes and then without another word he turns and walks away.
“Shit!” I say. “Oh fuck, Silas.” I’ve just hurt him. With a sinking heart I remember him talking about how he’s never had anyone to stand up for him and be with him. He wants that. He’s given me everything and I just behaved like a stupid fucking kid and hurt him by throwing it back at him and telling him he’s silly.
I go to walk after him but there’s a rustle of silk behind me and I turn, knowing who I’m going to find.
“Oz,” Olivia says smoothly. “Surely you can see that this infatuation of my son’s is absolutely ridiculous. He’s a very important figure around here. People look up to him to set the tone. It’s bad enough that he has a male lover. It’s an absolute joke that he’s picked you. He could have had other men. I know that. Men much better than you.” She shakes her head, the poison falling smoothly from her lips. “The whole county will be laughing at him. He’ll be the subject of whispers and jokes.My son. The Earl of Ashworth. A man who can trace his lineage back hundreds of years sleeping with a man who can’t trace his back more than two minutes because he doesn’t even know his own father.”
I stare at her. “How do you know that?”
She shakes her head and sips her champagne. I notice her hand is absolutely still, unlike mine. I’m shaking slightly with an outraged tremble. “Darling, I know everything that happens around here. When I found out my son was jaunting all over South Cornwall in the company of someone very undesirable and upsetting neighbours of ours who’ve been friends for years, I knew I had to have someone look into you.”
“You had me investigated?”
“I did.” She smiles. “And I found a young man who really doesn’t have much going for him. A good brain, but it’s rotting because he’s drinking too much and sleeping with his bosses and getting fired.” She looks me up and down. “Hardly what a peer of the realm needs as his companion. Silas needs someone from a good family. Someone able to entertain in this sort of setting. Someone who will never embarrass him by dressing in cheap clothes and talking with that awful common accent. Ashworth House needs someone better.”
“But doesChi an Mor?” She looks at me in confusion. “You’ve spoken a lot about what you think Silas needs. Have you actually asked him?” I say hoarsely.
All my words that would normally come flowing out when confronted with someone like this have gone because she’s voicing my inner fears. I don’t think I’m good enough to be here at his side and I really am scared stiff of disappointing him. This is what happens when people make themselves so nice that you fall in love with them and bend yourself backwards to avoid hurting them.
She looks at me steadily, her eyes full of a cold disdain. “I don’t need to ask Silas. He was a silly boy and he’s grown into a foolish man who obeys his heart in everything. I speak because I know the world you’ve fallen into. It will reject you, Oz, as surely as the sun will rise.”
I look back at her, dumb for once in my life, and Martin calls her name. She smiles at me and without another word brushes past me and goes towards her husband.
I look up and Niall is coming towards me. He looks after her departing figure and concern flares in his eyes. I hold up my hand to stop him. “I’m going to see how the caterers are getting on,” I say hoarsely and hightail it out of the tent.
Chapter
Eighteen
I went looking for my courage and common sense
Oz
I march quickly up the steps towards the house and then in through the main door. I just need to get my breath back and think because my mind is fucking whirling, but at that point I hear Niall call my name.
“Absolutely not at the moment,” I mutter, and spotting the door to the coat cupboard in the hall, I whisk in and shut the door. A second later I hear scratching and a deep whine that’s familiar.
I huff and open the door a crack. “Get in here,” I hiss at Chewwy, who is looking at me in a slightly accusing manner. “How did you get out of the kitchen?” I ask the dog, grabbing his collar and tugging him into the cupboard.
