Page 7 of The Duke's Stubborn Wallflower
“Come now, you cannot expect us to believe that? You here in your nightdress, and he…” Lady Cotswalts gestured to Nigel. “This is most dishonourable conduct, good sir, most unacceptable.”
Olivia glanced at Nigel, whose look of panic seemed only to intensify. She felt her own nerves heighten.There will onlybe one course of action if they think anything untoward has happened.
“Mother, Lady Cotswalts… please, listen to me. This is… some mistake. Perhaps a poorly thought-out joke.” Olivia looked at Nigel, hoping that he would aid her in her explanation. “Nothing has happened between us. Look, he is not even in his bed clothes!”
“Please, dear ladies.” Nigel took a step forward, his clothes distinctly rumpled and unkempt. “I would never,neverdo anything like you are suggesting withLady Olivia.”
The emphasis onneverstung, but Olivia let it pass.He is only trying to convince them of the truth. Olivia nodded, trying to ignore the prickle of irritation she felt.
“Duke Glassley, you cannot deny it. You have been found in her bedchambers; what other explanation can there be?” Olivia’s mother, the Dowager Duchess Emberly spoke softly, but Olivia could hear the fury in her voice. “You will make this right, Sir. I had not taken you for some dishonourable cad, but you will not dishonour my daughter further. You will marry her, at once!”
“Mother!” Olivia yelled. “Nothing has happened between us. I do not think of the Duke in that way.”
“Indeed, nor do I.” Nigel glanced at Olivia, panic still clear on his face although he tried to hide it with a smile. “Why! Just the idea that Lady Olivia and I would be involved in that way… Why,it is utterly preposterous! She is the younger sister of one of my oldest friends.”
Olivia felt a stab of rage and bit her tongue. “Indeed. There is nothing of that sort going on between Duke Glassley and myself.”
“Nor could there ever be.” Nigel added his look, confirming that clearly, he thought being married to Olivia would be a fate worse than death. “Olivia is far too open hearted, too young. She is naïve and wholly innocent. She has not even had her second season!”
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Olivia could not help but ask.Naïve? Too young? He knows nothing about me, and yet he has decided that I am not good enough for him?
“I… Well. I mean to say, you have seen precious little of the world. There is still so much you do not know, that you could not hope to know.”
“Because you are so worldly?” Olivia meant the comment to sound cutting, but Nigel clearly took her at her word.
“Exactly.” He wrung his hands. “We are worlds apart. We have… Well, we have no common interests. I… Well, we would be a most disastrous match. I would never, not ever, want for Olivia to marry me! It would be a terrible fate.”
Olivia’s rage threatened to spill over. “You see, Mother, Lady Cotswalts. There is nothing between us. Just… a misunderstanding. There is no honour that has been tainted, and I am sure Bridget will be most happy to never mention this situation again. Won’t you?”
The maid, Bridget, nodded. “Of course, M’Lady. I shall speak no word of it to any soul.”
“You see? Nothing to fret over.” Olivia refused to look at Nigel, not trusting herself not to throw something at him.
“Then you have no impure intentions towards Lady Olivia?” Lady Cotswalts fixed Nigel with a hard stare.
“I have no intentions of any kind towards her. She is the younger sister of my dearest friend, and that is the end of it.” Nigel swallowed. “I deeply regret the scene that I have caused, and I can only offer my most humble apologies. I fear I had rather too much to drink, and well, I was not myself when I returned to the castle. I had forgotten that wine can lead to sleepwalking.”
“You were asleep when you made the journey?” Olivia’s mother raised an eyebrow.
“Indeed, I was. I would never have journeyed here sober and awake. There would be no reason for me to seek out Lady Olivia’s company.” Nigel shrugged.
Olivia was fuming, but her anger was dulled by the faces on her mother and Lady Cotswalts. It was clear that the women believed Nigel. That they would not force a marriage between them.After that little display, I understand their conviction. It is as though he can barely stand being around me.
The thought stung, especially as Nigel had been one of the only men who had danced with her and not enquired about her brother.Perhaps it was only pity that made him be so kind to me.
“Very well.” Lady Cotswalts voice brought Olivia out of her thoughts. “See that it does not happen again, good sir, and we shall see that this… incident… does not spread throughout the Ton. Though I think it would be best if you left with the Dowager Duchess and myself.”
“Of course.” Nigel bowed to both women and practically ran from the room at their gesture.
The women swept out after him, leaving Olivia staring at her flabbergasted maid. Deciding that she was far too furious for breakfast, Olivia gestured to the wardrobe.
“Help me dress. I feel the need for a good, long walk.” Olivia scowled. “And hopefully I shall not run into Duke Glassley on my promenade.”
Bridget nodded. “Of course, My Lady. Perhaps the blue skirt? The weather is rather warm today.”
Olivia nodded and let Bridget dress her. As soon as they were finished, Olivia strode from her room and into the grounds of the castle. “Naïve. Pfft,” Olivia spat as she walked towards the maze.
“Oh, I’m Nigel Maxton, Duke of Glassley, and I’m soooo wonderful. Why would I want to be married to some silly little girl like Olivia?” Olivia made her voice a mockery of the Duke’s. “Oh, of course, there’s nothing going on between us; that would be utterly ridiculous.”
