Page 42 of The Truth about the Marquess
Looking at Lady Henrietta and seeing how she pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve to dab at her eyes, Oliver frowned.
“What is this about?”
“It is to do with Lady Henrietta and her family,” Lord Dunstable answered. “You know that I have long been acquainted with them all and I must say, to hear what her father has done makes me greatly concerned for Lady Henrietta’s future.”
“I am sorry to hear that.” Keeping his voice quiet, Oliver looked back at Lady Henrietta, just as she brought her gaze to his. “It is as you feared, then.”
Lady Henrietta’s voice wobbled.
“It is. Though it is even worse than I was first told.”
Oliver waited to see if the urge to offer to court the lady rose up within him but instead, what came to him was a vision of Lady Harsham. It was most unexpected and took Oliver quite by surprise, making him shake his head to himself – though Lady Henrietta clearly took it to be his reaction to whatshehad said to him.
“It is quite dreadful,” she said, her voice breaking now. “I did not know what I was to do, quite certain that my future was bleak.” Her gaze drifted towards Lord Dunstable. “But then Lord Dunstable and I spoke and… well…”
“That is when I determined that we had to speak with you.” Lord Dunstable cleared his throat, his gaze dropping, a sudden tension seeming to flood through his frame. “I hope that you will understand. I do not want to make you angry or upset you in any way.”
Thoroughly confused, Oliver looked from one to the other.
“Why should I be angry?”
“Because I know that you were thinking of courting me,” Lady Henrietta answered, still looking to Lord Dunstable. “I was sure that you would turn from me once you had heard about my father, but Lord Dunstable reassured me.”
A small, wry smile touched Lord Dunstable’s lips.
“I reassured her, to the point that I realized that I would not be very pleased if you were to court her, Edenbridge.”
A knot forming at his brows, Oliver’s jaw set tight.
“Why ever not?”
“Because,” Lord Dunstable answered, reaching out one hand to the lady, “because I have realized thatIwish to do so.”
“You… you wish to court Lady Henrietta?” Oliver blinked furiously as Lord Dunstable nodded, glancing at the lady in question and then looking back to Oliver. “You, who have known her for such a long time but never once thought to do so before?”
Lord Dunstable nodded, closing his eyes.
“Perhaps it is because I have known her for so long that I did not realize what was truly within my heart.”
“I… we do not want you to be angry with us,” Lady Henrietta whispered, though she drew closer to Lord Dunstable. “We wanted you to know of our hopes before we made any approach to my father or mother.”
“I intend to obtain a Special License,” Lord Dunstable added, quickly. “It is not just courtship that I am considering, my friend. It is much, much more than that.”
“I can see that.” Oliver considered this for a few moments, a little surprised that he felt nothing but delight at this news. “My dear friend, though I am astonished, I confess that I am quite delighted to know that you want to court the lady… forgive me, tomarrythe lady.”
Lord Dunstable blinked rapidly, clearly surprised at the easy way in which Oliver had taken this news.
“You – you are?”
“I am.” Oliver moved closer and then took Lady Henrietta’s hand. “I am delighted to know that you have found a gentleman who will do nothing other than care for you just as you deserve. I know that you have been acquainted with Lord Dunstable for a long while and if it is that you have both truly found a new sense of happiness in your connection, then I certainly will not stand in the way of that. Instead, I will encourage it!”
Lady Henrietta’s eyes filled with tears all over again, though she smiled more brightly than Oliver had ever seen before.
“Thank you, Lord Edenbridge. You are truly a considerate, kind, and caring gentleman and I have been grateful for your company.”
“You are most welcome.” Oliver looked to Lord Dunstable and then shook his hand, firmly. “And to you, my friend, might I offer my most sincere congratulations?”
Lord Dunstable smiled, though he appeared a little dazed, almost as though he could not quite take in all that Oliver had said.
