Page 72 of A Lady’s Fairytale Come True
Lady Kirby took a breath in, but before she could speak, Olivia continued.
“You know, I did not seek any of this. I was not looking for a husband or a wealthy one at that. I am not the sort of young woman who runs around pining for men of good fortune and hoping that one might take pity on me.
“And when it was that your grandson treated me with such disdain upon our first meeting, was it not you who urged him to apologise? Was it not you that insisted he try again and make amends with me? You must tell me what your game is for I do not deserve this and I never did. You have shamed me, wounded me, and done all manner of ill to myself and my family.
“So, Lady Kirby, when I insist upon an answer, you ought to listen because I am not a woman to back down. I need to know the truth. I need to know why it is that you sought this union, why you encouraged it and forced it to move forward,” she said, out of breath by the time she finished.
Lady Kirby was calm and calculated, taking in all of the remarks and accusations. She had been prepared for this, despite not being aware that Olivia was coming, that much was evident.
“Miss Digby,” she began slowly, “what you demand is absolutely within your rights to know. I cannot imagine the pain that you must be feeling. Nor the confusion. I imagine that it is unclear to you as to why my grandson pursued you, why I initially insisted upon it. And surely you must be angered to have learned that there had been another before you.
“But you should also be aware that I am not the one to give you all the answers. True, I am the one who arranged for your union and I do have answers in regards to that. I could tell you all of it if I wished to. But I do not wish to.
“I, myself, have only just divulged the truth of that to my grandson and it is my wish that he should be the one to tell you that. And, as you know, he is the one to answer you in regards to the other matter, that you should be made aware of.
“So I fear that you have come here under the pretence of receiving truth when I shall give you nothing but the urge to speak with the Earl of Glauston on all of these matters,” she said, as if that settled things entirely.
Olivia felt her jaw drop in anger. She had come for answers. Things she was entitled to. The dowager owed her a reason for all of this and instead she had been shoved off and told to go speak with the earl.
“That is entirely unacceptable,” she seethed.
“I am sorry you feel that way, Miss Digby, but that is how I must leave it. You ought to speak with my grandson if you wish for answers. I can guarantee you that he shall divulge them in fulness,” Lady Kirby replied.
“If I wished to speak with your grandson I would have. I came to you, Lady Kirby, because you are the one who knows the truth of our union. I demand to know why you arranged this. I demand it,” she exclaimed, raising her voice and standing.
“You may demand all you wish, Miss Digby, but I shall reveal nothing. You must speak with my grandson for that,” she said again with calm determination.
Olivia wanted to scream and shout and cry all at once, but before she could speak further, the dowager opened her mouth again to say what more she had to.
“Now, Miss Digby, I understand your anger. And one thing that I should like for you to know is that I do, indeed, respect your desire for answers. You may not believe that, but I do. Nevertheless, I am truly not the one to give them. You deserve them, you shall have them, but only if you seek them from the earl, my grandson,” she reiterated.
“How dare you? You believe that because you are a woman of great means you may toy with me like this? Do you not know how deeply your grandson has wounded me and how much it should hurt to speak with him on these matters?” she asked, emotion choking her.
Olivia hadn’t wanted to confess that she was still sad and hurt. Anger was such an easy emotion to manipulate and mould. Sadness was an emotion that could control her and she had no desire to be controlled. No, this was unfair in its entirety. She had come here to be the strong one.
But Lady Kirby was even more determined than she.
“Miss Digby, I think rather highly of you. I would not have arranged the union between you and Nathaniel had I not. But that does not mean that I am going to bow to your angry wishes. I am not the one with whom you need to speak. My grandson now has all the answers regarding your union. And he has the answers regarding Miss Hawthorne.
“As you know, he ought to have told you of her already. But he did not. And it is up to you to decide whether or not you can forgive him for it. In the meantime, you should go to him and find the answers that you seek,” she stated with finality.
Olivia thought that she might boil over. It was all too much.
This was a game, after all. The dowager was trying to send her back to the earl all over again, to allow him to confuse her and use her in any way that he pleased. She was going to be stuck all over again in her confusion and feelings for him. Why was the dowager being so cruel?
“Lady Kirby, I do not understand your reasoning for any of this, but you must be aware that I shall not forget it. Your cruelty will be known. Perhaps none will listen to me, a poor young woman who is of so little consequence. But that does not mean that I shall stay silent,” Olivia threatened.
She had never been this sort of woman. Olivia had always tried to be strong and brave. But now she was learning to be bitter and in many ways that frightened her.
Threatening the reputation of a woman like Lady Kirby meant nothing. She knew that. But it didn’t mean she wouldn’t make every effort. And if she had to, she would show up at a ball hosted by the earl some day and inform his most recent interest about his history. She would repeat the actions of Miss Hawthorne if it spared another young woman from falling in love with him.
And if it wounded him in the process, all the better.
Without another word, Olivia stormed from the home. She considered for a moment whether or not she ought to, indeed, go to the home of the earl and demand answers from him as the dowager had told her she should. But it seemed like such a waste. It would be pointless to even try.
Instead, she forged quickly with determination along the path that led back to the main road. The whole journey had been a waste and nothing had come of it aside from scolding a woman who would evidently never be willing to listen to her. No, this had been simply another embarrassment in a long line of mistakes that Olivia had made in the course of her relationship with the earl.
It took only a few minutes before she was able to find another horse and cart that was making its way because towards the city and Olivia paid a few coins to be able to travel on it.
