Page 28 of The Duke's Stubborn Wallflower
“Why? Are you planning on buying some for me?” Olivia teased. “Or are you simply gathering information for your cousin. Though I am not sure which would surprise me more.”
“You are avoiding the question.”What are you doing, Maxton? Stop this at once.Yet Nigel found he could not.
“Well, if you must know, I am not entirely sure that I am a flowers sort of woman.” Olivia’s cheeks reddened.
“What sort of woman are you?”
“I would just prefer a gift to be something that said something about both the giver and what they thought of the receiver.” Olivia bit her lip. “It is more about the thought, I suppose, which is why I do not care for roses.”
“I see the sense in that. It is nice to gift someone something that says you know them. Though how is one to do that without that knowledge?” Nigel’s eyes twinkled. “I fear you may disappointed if you are expecting my cousin to have some hidden depths.”
“I am sure there is more to him than I have seen. After all, your cousin is nice enough.” Olivia shrugged.
“Such high praise.” Nigel laughed. “Goodness, please stop; your praise of his virtues will have me quite overcome.”
“Well, I do not know him well. Not yet. And unlike some people, I do not judge based on fleeting interactions.” Olivia’s reply was pointed.
Before Nigel could answer, they swapped partners once more, and he found himself dancing with Jane again. Jane looked up at him, and he was acutely aware of how much shorter than Olivia she was, forcing him to adjust his stance.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Olivia and Lord Briston. With some satisfaction, he observed that she was slightly taller than his cousin.
“What do women see in a man like that?” Nigel asked, glancing at the two dancing.
“Women? Or Lady Olivia?” Jane’s voice was amused though there was a hint of another emotion that Nigel could not quite place.
“Well, I suppose Lady Olivia. It is rather surprising to see her with someone like that,” Nigel admitted.
“Like what?”
“Like my cousin. He is hardly well… anything really. He is ‘nice enough’…” Nigel couldn’t help but smile as he said the words, thinking of Olivia as he did so.What is wrong with me.“… but surely women want more than that?”
Jane pursed her lips in thought. “I think most women simply want to be with a man who makes them feel wanted. Who makes them feel seen. No one wants to be with someone who makes her feel as though he would rather be elsewhere.”
Nigel looked at Jane, guilt washing over him. “Oh, Miss Jane. I am sorry. I did not —”
“It is quite all right, Your Grace. I did not mean to imply you had made me feel this way. Simply stating that perhaps what draws Olivia to your cousin is that he has simply expressed an interest in being around her.” Jane smiled though Nigel saw a strange brittleness in the expression.
Before he could say anything further, they swapped partners for the final time. He felt the warmth of Olivia’s hand in his and could not help but appreciate the way they seemed to fit together.Stop it.
“You do not approve of your cousin courting me.” Olivia’s voice was flat, but Nigel detected some hint of emotion he could not quite place.
“I never said that.” Nigel shook his head.
“You did not need to. It is clear from your actions and words.” Olivia pursed her lips.
Nigel thought for a moment, thinking about his conversation with Jane, and asked with genuine curiosity. “Do you need my approval?”
“Goodness, you do think rather a lot of yourself, don’t you?” Olivia’s tone was teasing rather than angry. “Do you expect all women to need your approval?”
“I expect no one to need my approval,” Nigel countered. “Well, that is not entirely true — I should like to think that my approval is warranted in matters of my own estate. But not matters of the heart.”Particularly someone else’s.
“Well then, you shall be glad to know that I do not want nor do I need your approval.” Olivia sighed. “Whether or not you approve of your cousin and my courtship, we cannot keep on like this.”
“My cousin and yourself?” Nigel was confused.
“No, you and I.” Olivia shook her head.
Nigel’s heart sped up. “Keep on like what?”
