Page 25 of A Lady’s Fairytale Come True
As he prepared for bed, Nathaniel allowed his thoughts to linger on her. And once the thoughts began, he found that they would not cease.
Miss Digby had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, that was for sure. He couldn’t deny it and he didn’t want to. The clearness of their pale green with a greyish hue to them, it was as though he could see himself reflected back. Of course, that day he had seen only the ugliness of his own behaviour.
And the way her dark hair shone in the sunlight, it had captivated him despite himself. He wished now that he could run his fingers through it.
Try as he might to push the image of her from his mind, of her pouting lips that tightened in the midst of his behaviour, of the gentle blush of her cheeks and pertness of her nose, these were not the thing that had truly caught his attention.
No, indeed, it was her spirit. Olivia Digby was not a painted doll as he had assumed she would be. He knew little of her history as he had never before seen her in society, but from what he gathered, she was not of a titled family.
This made her stronger, he found. She was quick in her wit, brave in her speech. She was far from the petty women he had so often met at balls and in society. Nathaniel still wondered why he had never seen her amongst them.
Of course, he was still convinced that he had done the right thing. After all, he was a mess of a man. Still in grief, regretting the course his life had taken, dreaming of a future he could never own, there was nothing of him that she could love.
He had done her a favour, he reasoned. It was for her own good as well. She should not be forced into union with a man like him. He was hardly what she might want or even deserve.
Feeling that it was a lie of a reason, Nathaniel continued to recite it to himself. He had to. Otherwise he might have to face the reality that he knew deep in his heart, that he had made a mistake in pushing her away so soon before getting to truly know her.
Besides, she could likely take her pick of suitors. She was beautiful, strong and brave. Certainly she did not need him when there were dozens of men in London who would jump at the chance to wed a lady like her.
From their previous meeting, Miss Digby had been well-dressed, but evidently not wealthy. So perhaps that was why she had not wed yet. Perhaps her family was old money, but not currently wealthy and they wished for a bright match for their daughter. Had they some ties to his grandmother?
How did his grandmother know of this young woman, anyway? Had she, too, been struck by Miss Digby’s beauty and chose her for such a reason?
The wondering was driving him mad. But through it all, he still could not get the image of the young woman out of his mind as she stood seething before him. Her tongue quick to respond to his rudeness and her coloured cheeks adding an innocent loveliness that any man would find irresistible.
No, he had been right to do this. He had been right to give her a chance for happiness with a man who could love her as she deserved. And he would not forget that.
Chapter 14
When she stepped through the door of her home, Olivia felt the distinct presence of her failure. Grateful that none of the neighbours seemed to notice her coming and going, she couldn’t shake the shame she felt for having been treated so shabbily.
Her father was still out, and that was quite a relief, but she knew that she was hardly alone in the home.
Louise entered the small parlour in the same moment that Olivia did and she felt her cheeks heat at seeing her sister. Louise knew her well, there was no chance of hiding this.
“Oh, hello,” she greeted nervously.
Louise was trying not to laugh but rather responded with a dramatic, low curtsey and the fluttering eyes that young women were trained to use when faced with royalty.
“Your Grace, forgive me for daring to enter your presence,” she teased.
Olivia tried to cover herself with her arms. She knew that she looked quite ridiculous in her gown and all of its finery. It was not the sort of thing that a young woman of her station ought to be seen wearing. She could get accused of imitating a noblewoman or even of theft for having such a fine dress.
“Do not be such a bore. Show me your gown. Tell me, did your fairytale come true? Is the nobleman going to sweep you away to his palace?” Louise asked in excitement.
“The only fairytale I shall be writing from now on is that of a girl who is entirely humiliated for ever believing that she might end up with a prince,” Olivia spat back.
Louise eyed her with reservation. “But, you are dressed as a princess and you have had such an opportunity as shall never fall to another. What are you talking about?”
“Oh, just stop it. You know as well as I do that I look perfectly foolish, trying to be considered a woman of some import like this,” Olivia retorted bitterly.
Louise stood to her full height and Olivia felt herself being stared at with concern and compassion.
“Liv, what is it? This isn’t what I might have expected from you, looking so beautiful and assuming you’ve gone where you weren’t supposed to go,” Louise surmised.
“I was a terrible fool for going, Louise,” she confessed.
“You are never a fool. I can’t imagine anyone ever thinking so. What happened, Liv? Do tell me. What has you so upset? What did they do to you there?”
