Page 30 of The Truth about the Marquess
A knock came at the door and Oliver practically cried out his encouragement to enter, only for none other than Lord Dunstable to walk through the door, a somewhat bemused expression on his face.
“My friend.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Are you quite all right? You look to be a little… well, I do not know what it is, but there is something about your expression that seems a little unusual.”
Oliver waved him in.
“Brandy?” Seeing his friend nod, he went to pour two measures. “I am waiting for a letter from The London Chronicle. I write too many to be responded to in the newspaper itself, youunderstand, though I believe that the letter-writer has taken pity on me, for the last reply I received was sent to my solicitors, just as I had requested. I am waiting now for my solicitor’s man to bring me another reply from the lady, should there be one.”
“The lady?” Lord Dunstable looked surprised. “How do you know–”
“Oh, I do not know for certain. I am only surmising. However, I wrote to ask what I must do next, for Lady Henrietta and Miss Leverton are both still in my consideration! Neither has asked me about my fortune, both seem quite content to be in my company. Our conversation was good – though Lady Henrietta’s was better – and I find them both quite lovely, though I confess to being drawn to Miss Leverton a little more in that regard.”
Lord Dunstable chuckled, swirling the brandy in his glass.
“I am glad to hear you say that you have not one, buttwoladies whom you are considering,” he said, now grinning ear to ear. “This is a vast change from the last time we spoke at length about such things!”
Oliver laughed.
“Yes, it is, I suppose!”
Another knock came at the door and Oliver called out again quickly, ignoring the way that his friend laughed at him. The butler came in with a letter, just as Oliver had hoped, though behind him then came another guest, someone that Oliver had not expected to see.
“Lady Harsham.” Blinking, Oliver set the letter behind his back and bowed. “Good afternoon.”
“I am sorry to call on you without warning,” she said, smiling a greeting to Lord Dunstable. “I need not stay if you have guests. I do not want to intrude, not in the least bit.”
Oliver spread out one hand towards an empty chair.
“Please, do sit down and join us,” he said as Lord Dunstable nodded. “We were not speaking of anything severe, I assure you, and we would be glad to have your company.” This was spoken with as much warmth as he could put into his voice, and he found that it was true, what he had just said. Hewasglad to have her with him, was delighted to see her in his townhouse, in fact. His heart seemed to have lifted, his smile was brighter, and he could not remove it from his face, not even if he tried. “Can I call for a tea tray?”
She shook her head.
“I will not stay long.”
“Please.” Oliver smiled as brightly as he could. “We would be glad of your company, I am sure. Please, stay if you would like and I can ring for the tea tray now. Look,” he continued, lifting the letter up, “I am sure that I have another reply from The London Chronicle, for this is my solicitor’s writing. Do you not want to know what is within it?”
This made Lady Harsham laugh, and she spread out her hands.
“I think that you have convinced me, though you do not need to tell me about the letter, if you do not wish to. I understand that you may wish to keep it to yourself.”
Oliver laughed and shook his head, going to ring the bell before breaking open the seal.
“Not in the least! Both you and Lord Dunstable are aware of my ongoing conversation with The London Chronicle, and I have no desire to hide it from you.” Unfolding the letter, he paused as the room fell silent while he read the few lines. Then, he looked up. “You see?” Grinning now, he waved the letter around as though Lord Dunstable and Lady Harsham would somehow be able to distinguish what was written there. “There is wonderful advice given here, just precisely what I needed to hear!”
“And what were you asking?” Lord Dunstable wanted to know, though Lady Harsham remained silent, no doubt too polite to ask. “What help did you seek?”
“It is about the two young ladies I have been pursuing,” Oliver explained, quickly. “Lady Henrietta is one and Miss Leverton the other. I find them both interesting, albeit in different ways and, given that neither of them has asked me about my fortune – or lack thereof – I have been uncertain as to what I ought to do next.”
Lady Harsham’s lips twitched.
“Then you have found the advice helpful, yes? You now know what you must do?”
Oliver nodded, still brandishing the letter.
“Yes, I do. I am to talk openly about my fortune and my struggles to each of them so that they fully understand my situation. I shall see their reaction and the reaction of their father or mother. That will help me a good deal.”
“And if both are as understanding as can be?” Lord Dunstable asked, a small smile on his lips. “What then?”
“Then I shall have to make a decision as to which lady I am drawn to more,” Oliver replied, thinking that the last few lines of the letter were most encouraging. “She – the lady who writes, for I am sure it is a lady – states that I am clearly in earnest and that my heart is very tender indeed. She suggests that I must make certain that whichever lady I choose is worthy of that, though I find myself a little flattered by that.”
