Page 29 of My Secret Duke
Her grandmother pinned her with a look that would have sent most people to their knees. “Are you sure? Because it seems to me you have an unhealthy obsession with Northam, and he has done nothing to dissuade you. He is a reckless fellow, just like his father. I remember the late duke well; he was a notorious seducer. Do you really think the son is any different? And Ivo will probably die the same way, thrown from his mount while trying to win some ridiculous wager.”
Olivia swallowed. “I’ll stay away from him,” she spoke through dry lips.
The dowager glared. “No. I don’t want it said the two of you acted like guilty children. You will dance with him, one dance, and you will behave as if it is nothing more than a duty dance. Appear as if you are bored. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m sorry—”
But the dowager hadn’t finished. “I will not be here forever to guide the family in the right direction, and I had hoped that when the time came, you would take over my role, Olivia. Do not disappoint me again.”
Tears burned Olivia’s eyes. “I won’t,” she whispered in a wobbly voice.
“Speak up!”
She lifted her chin and straightened her back. “I won’t,” she said firmly. The tears were gone.
“Very well.” The dowager’s gaze swept over her, and now it was approving. “Return to the ball and play your part, child.”
On shaky legs, Olivia did as she was told.
By now, Gabriel and Vivienne had finished their dance, and the ballroom was once more full of elegantly dressed guests enjoying themselves. “Olivia!” A loud and excitedwhisper came from the gallery above, and Olivia spied her younger sisters, enjoying the scene below. Roberta was there too, a far more subdued Roberta than usual, and Olivia discovered she had some fellow feeling for her tonight. It seemed that the Ashton girls were forever destined to muck up. Well, she reminded herself, that was in the past now, and she had much work to do to redeem herself in the prince’s eyes.
With her smile firmly in place, she moved toward the prince, who was now in conversation with Viscount Monteith. About horses, no doubt. She reminded herself to make a study of horses and the sport of racing so that she could converse intelligently about it. Perhaps Roberta could help her? She seemed to live and breathe the creatures.
At her approach, the prince looked up, his face politely blank. He was very proud, she already knew that, and very aware of his consequence. His wife must never put a foot wrong. She would need to stay within his strict guidelines and deport herself as one of those lucky few who belonged to the very upper echelons of society. Could Olivia be that woman?
You will be abandoned by society and grow old and alone.
Her grandmother’s words made her even more determined to rise to the occasion.
“Sir,” she said, curtsying low. “I do hope you are enjoying the music.”
“Music?” He looked about as if he had forgotten he was attending a ball, and wasn’t particularly pleased to be hunted down in this manner. “Ah, yes, it is very, eh…” Clearly the prince knew as much about music as Olivia knew about horses.
Monteith, bless him, clapped the younger man on the shoulder. “Dance with the beautiful Lady Olivia, sir. Enjoy yourself. We can talk later.”
The prince seemed on the verge of refusing, butslighting her before her family and friends would have been both callous and rude, and she did not think protocol would allow him to be either of those things. He bowed stiffly and held out his hand. “May I?” he asked.
With a relieved smile, Olivia placed her gloved fingers in his.
He was a handsome young man and a good dancer, every step precise and practiced. All the same, there was something unemotional about the prince’s performance—as if it was just that, a performance, made because it was necessary and not with any pleasure.
When the silence between them had lasted longer than she could bear, Olivia sought to make conversation. “Are you enjoying your visit? Apart from my sister purloining your stallion.”
His lips twisted up slightly, as if her plain speaking amused him. “Apart from that, yes, I am enjoying my visit. Your family is very hospitable.”
“Is yours not hospitable too?”
“My father died when I was young, and my mother is rarely at home, but I prefer my own company.”
Should she say she was sorry to hear that? It didn’t sound as if he wanted her pity.
“I ride a great deal when I am at home. It is my solace.”
“Are there mountains?” Olivia realized as she said it that he probably did not ride up and down mountains, but although he raised his eyebrows, the prince did not ridicule her question.
“There are mountains, yes, but my home issurrounded by forests.”
He seemed to relax further as he described the countryside in Holtswig. It sounded chilly, but Olivia nodded and smiled enthusiastically, and by the time the dance had ended, the prince was once more sending her those flattering glances.
