Page 26 of The Truth about the Marquess
“That is good.” She glanced at him. “And Lady Bridget?”
“Yes, Lady Bridget.” Oliver cleared his throat, recalling the interaction that had happened only a few minutes before he had come to stand at the back of the ballroom to collect his thoughts. “I was previously acquainted with her father it seems, though I confess that I did not recall our introduction! He is the Earl of Marchfield and a very fine gentleman I think.”
Lady Harsham stopped suddenly, pulling Oliver back. When he looked at her, her eyes had widened, her mouth forming a perfect circle.
A knot tied itself in his stomach.
“What is wrong?”
“Lord Marchfield?” she repeated, as Oliver nodded. “Then he must be wed to Lady Marchfield, I presume?”
“Yes,” Oliver agreed, “though I do not recall being introduced to her. Why? Are you acquainted with her personally?”
At this, a hint of a smile broke out across her expression though she pulled it back very quickly indeed.
“Yes, I am afraid that I am.”
“Afraid?” Oliver repeated, the knot growing tighter. “Why?”
Lady Harsham opened her mouth, closed it again, and then shook her head, frowning.
“I mayhap should not say. After all, it is not the mother that you are considering, but Lady Bridget herself! I do not want to alter your opinion of anyone, simply because their parents might be a little… difficult.”
Oliver leaned a little closer to her, a sweet scent of oranges drifting towards him as he did so, making his stomach tighten all the more – though this time, for an entirely different reason.
“Please, do not hide this from me. If there is something about the lady’s parents that I ought to know, then I would be grateful if you would share it.”
Lady Harsham studied him.
“I do not want to take your interest from the lady, however.”
“But it would not be doing so,” he promised. “All it would do would encourage me to be cautious, that is all. You know that I do not want to fail yet again and therefore–”
“Very well, very well, you have convinced me!” Lady Harsham laughed softly and caught his hand for a brief moment, silencing him. “Tell me, do you recall when you came to save me from thatdireconversation at the theatre?”
A frown tugged at Oliver’s forehead.
“Yes, of course. There was a lady asking you some deeply personal and improper questions and in a manner which I thought to be very rude indeed.”
Lady Harsham’s lips pulled into a small, sad smile.
“That was Lady Marchfield.” The knot in Oliver’s stomach yanked so hard, he caught his breath in a small gasp. “I do not know what I can say of her character, for it is not all that well known to me,” the lady continued, speaking a little more quickly now, as though she were doing her best to make what she had said a little sweeter. “All I know is that her words to me were a little sharp, and her conversation impolite, but that doesnot mean that she will always be so.” Her shoulders lifted. “It might be that she is nothing short of delightful when it comes to conversing with a gentleman.”
Oliver did not know how to respond. His first thought was that he had no desire to be in company with Lady Marchfield at all, and that meant forgetting about Lady Bridget entirely, only for the next thought to be of Lady Harsham herself. If he were to continue with his interest in Lady Bridget, would that not mean that his friendship with Lady Harsham would have to begin to fade? After all, he could not have her spoken to like that again, nor did he want any sort of question thrown tohimby an improper Lady Marchfield about the lady.
“You are frowning rather heavily.” Lady Harsham let out a small sigh. “Mayhap I ought not to have told you. I did not mean to react as I did, but you must know that I care about you. I care about what happens in this situation. I do not want you to be miserable and frustrated all over again!”
Oliver’s eyes darted back towards her, a sudden leaping in his chest chasing away the tightness in his frame and the heaviness in his heart. Lady Harsham cared for him? Reminding himself of the conversation he had overheard, Oliver tried to dismiss it, tried to tell himself that he was being foolish and reading too much into what she had said, but that hope lingered there regardless. Lady Harsham’s gaze held his, her eyes searching his as she bit her lip.
“I – I am glad that you told me.”
Oliver took a deep breath and then released it, forcing a smile as he quietened the swirling emotions within his heart. He could not be foolish in this, not now. He had already heard that Lady Harsham would not take another husband, so the care she spoke of must be that of friendship, nothing more.But why, then, did I find myself so fiercely hopeful?
“Edenbridge?”
Oliver started lightly, realizing that he had said nothing more but had, instead, simply been staring at the lady. Clearing his throat gruffly, he shrugged and then looked away.
“I am glad you told me,” he said again. “I will have to consider whether or not to continue in my pursuit of the lady. I have three that I am considering, after all, and to remove one is no bad thing.”
