Page 80 of Legacy of Glass
Finally finding his legs, he hurried to her side. He reached her as she swept the two lords the last of the way into the waiting room. Once they were through, she hesitated in the doorway.
Julius put a light hand on her back and felt the tremble he hadn’t been able to see across the room. She threw him a look of relief.
“Are my parents really coming?” he asked.
Her mouth twisted slightly. “I hope so. I sent a footman running for them the moment Lord Emerson started shouting.”
“You’re incredible,” Julius murmured, still awestruck by her.
She laughed self-consciously. “Hardly. But I have been watching you for months.”
“Me?”
She nodded. “I told myself that I just needed to copy you—that if I acted with enough confidence, people would respond to my words without thinking. It was all a show, though. My legs were shaking so hard I could barely walk.”
“But you did walk.” Her confession had done nothing to diminish his admiration. “I was too shocked to do anything but stand and stare along with everyone else.”
“Yes, well.” Her mouth twisted further. “Since it was my fault for setting him off, I knew I had to do something.”
“You told him Lord Strathmore abducted Marigold?”
“No, of course not! I barely said anything before he stormed off and—” She sighed. “I knew they were rivals, of course, but I had no idea Cade’s father had gone to Lord Emerson before the ball and pleaded on Cade’s behalf.”
She threw a pained but sympathetic look in Cade’s direction, and he met her gaze with an apologetic grimace. Another explosion went off inside Julius’s brain.
Olivia had known. She had known about the information that was still robbing him of coherent thought.
Cade loved the missing noble girl, and Olivia knew it. Which meant there had never been thoughts of love between Cade and Olivia. Their connection had always been because of Marigold.
The lightness of extreme relief made it hard for Julius to think clearly. Knowing he wasn’t in danger of losing the woman he loved to his best friend changed everything. And seeing Olivia step fully into her royal role only confirmed it. She was clearly more than capable of taking on the crown at his side. Even his parents couldn’t doubt her now.
A door on the other side of the waiting room opened, revealing the king and queen. Olivia let out a small sigh of relief, and he could have echoed it. He had no desire to be responsible for sorting out the conflict between the two powerful lords.
His father dismissed them with a small gesture, and Julius closed the door with alacrity, shutting them off from his parents and the two lords.
“I know you have every right to be in there,” he said to Olivia, “but I get the impression you’re just as glad as I am not to be.”
“More than glad,” she assured him. “I’m sure Their Majesties will have better luck navigating that delicate situation without us.”
“I had no idea life at court was so exciting,” Daphne said wryly from behind them.
Olivia gave a shaky laugh. “It isn’t usually.”
“No.” Julius grimaced and glanced around the room. “This reception will be talked about for years, I warrant.”
Olivia bit her lip. “Should we send everyone away?”
Julius considered. “There’s no stopping them talking,” he finally concluded. “It’s probably best to let them get some of it out of their systems now.”
The three of them were silent for a moment before he burst into speech again. “But I still can’t believe it. Cade, of all people, in love withMarigold!”
“Why not?” Olivia sounded defensive. “Marigold is stunning and kind, and I’ve never met anyone so full of life.”
“She really does sound exhausting,” Daphne muttered.
Olivia threw her an amused look. “You have no idea.”
“All right,” Julius conceded. “Maybe someone might love Marigold—there are all kinds of tastes. But why did Cade never say anything?”
