Page 36 of The Truth about the Marquess
“Lady Henrietta?”
She looked up at him again, a vague smile on her face.
“Yes?”
“You seem… distracted.” Choosing again to be honest with her, Oliver watched her face, seeing the way that her eyes rounded and her mouth opened just a fraction. “I have spoken to you of a serious matter and yet, you do not appear to have the least bit of interest in it. Surely you must know that I have particular intentions, should all go well between us! I must wonder at your lack of remark over what I have shared.”
Lady Henrietta opened and then closed her mouth again, swallowing hard as she gazed up at him.
And then, she closed her eyes.
“Forgive me, Lord Edenbridge,” she whispered, hoarsely. “I am not meant to speak of this, but it is my father.”
“Your father?”
She nodded and when her eyes opened, there were tears there.
“I have heard that he has gambled a great deal of our fortune away,” she whispered, leaning closer to him as sympathy poured into Oliver’s heart, leaving him a little embarrassed that he had spoken so bluntly when it was now clear that she was in some sort of distress. “I am sure that it will push a good many gentlemen away from me and, truth be told, Lord Edenbridge, I can understand if you do not wish to even beconnectedwith me in any way, any longer.”
Oliver shook his head.
“I shall not step away from you, Lady Henrietta, simply because of your father’s gambling. I would not do such a thing!”
“But my family might well be just as impoverished as you once were!” she answered, blinking quickly to push the tears away. “I will bring no income in with me, I will barely have a dowry, if what has been said of my father proves to be true. What then?”
Pausing for a moment as he thought, Oliver then smiled briefly.
“Lady Henrietta, given all that I have endured myself, all that I have had to suffer as a result of my own father’s foolishness, I can well understand what you have said, and the pain that you must be enduring. Rest assured, I will not end our acquaintance because of this. And it may prove not to be as bad as you have heard! It may prove to be quite the opposite.”
Lady Henrietta closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath, just as a tear dropped to her cheek.
“I do not think that it will be,” she answered, tremulously. “I fear that it will be worse than what we have been told!”
“Even if it is, then you are not without hope,” Oliver told her, firmly. “I am sure–”
“How can you say such a thing?” Lady Henrietta interrupted him, her voice loud now, loud with fear and upset. “You have seen how thetonturned from you because of your lack of fortune, have you not? I am sure that it will be the same for me! You cannot reassure me, Lord Edenbridge, for I am all too aware of what will happen.”
Trying to find something to say, Oliver let out a slow breath, recognizing that what she said was quite true. Thetonwould turn their back on the family, even on those who had done nothing to deserve their censure. Lady Henrietta would find herself without a future, without hope.
He hesitated.I could court her. I do not care about what her father has done, nor do I care about the size of her dowry.
Opening his mouth to say that very thing, Oliver’s heart squeezed tight, refusing to let those words fall. Frowning, he cleared his throat, seeing Lady Henrietta searching his face, perhaps hoping for some wonderful promise that would solve all of her difficulties.
“Lady Henrietta,” he began, still uncertain about what he ought to say now, and wondering why the thought of courting her sent his heart tumbling low. “I am sure – ah! Lord Dunstable, good afternoon! How pleasant to see you.”
His friend bowed towards Lady Henrietta though, as he lifted his head, a somewhat quizzical look was sent in Oliver’s direction, indicating that perhaps he was a little surprised at how glad Oliver seemed to be to be welcoming him into their company. Perhaps he thought that Oliver wanted nothing morethan to be alone with Lady Henrietta when, much to Oliver’s surprise, it was a welcome relief to have his friend present.
“Good afternoon,” Lord Dunstable said, directing the words towards Lady Henrietta. “I do hope that I have not interrupted you?”
Lady Henrietta blinked, closed her eyes, and then broke into sobs, her gloved hands covering her face and Lord Dunstable immediately took a step back, a panicked look coming into his eyes.
“Lady Henrietta has been telling me about some difficult news regarding her father,” Oliver explained, feeling a little helpless and wondering if he ought to put his arm around the young lady’s shoulders. He glanced behind him, wondering if her mother was present and willing to come to her daughter’s aid, but the lady was herself engrossed in conversation with another lady near them. “Lord Dunstable has long been acquainted with your family, has he not?” When the lady nodded, Oliver gestured to his friend, hoping that Lord Dunstable might find the words to reassure her. “Then you know that he is an excellent fellow and will not share a word of your present difficulty to theton,I can assure you.”
“Certainly, I will not!”
Lord Dunstable pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Lady Henrietta, making Oliver realize that he ought to have done such a thing himself. He glanced at Oliver who shrugged lightly, and spread out his hands, silently asking his friend to help him calm the lady. Lord Dunstable gave a small nod and then looked again at the lady, who was now dabbing at her eyes.
“If you wish, you may tell me all of it, Lady Henrietta.”
