Page 70 of The Butterfly
“Two more things,” he said. “Firstly, Niall, you are released from my service, effective immediately. You are no longer my butler, Stablemaster, or anything else. From now on, you are simply my brother.”
Niall opened his mouth to protest, to insist that he must be able to provide for Olivia in whatever way he could, even if that meant continuing his duties. He’d never been a man to shun work, having been born for it.
But Adam held up a hand as if to silence him and then went on.
“Secondly, you ought to know that upon your marriage, the two of you will become the owners of Dunvar House. As well, Olivia’s dowry will be released to you to live off of. If you manage it well, it should last you a lifetime with enough to settle on Serena and any future children.”
“M-my dowry?” Olivia blurted, at the same time Niall practically bellowed, “Dunvar House?”
Adam smirked, raising an eyebrow at them. “Aye. Olivia’s always had a dowry. When Father lived, it stood at twenty-five thousand pounds. I doubled it when I sent for the ring. The deed to the house will be signed over to Niall, as it is mine to do with as I please. It pleases me to give it to you. Call it a wedding gift.”
Niall’s hands shook, his gut twisting and churning as he tried to digest all of this. He was not taking it as well as he should, feeling as if he might faint dead on the spot. Not only was he getting Livvie to have and love for the rest of his life … he was also the owner of the finest home in Edinburgh, and would become a wealthy man, to boot. A world of endless possibilities stretched out before him, in which there could be more for him than grooming horses or keeping a wine cellar. One in which he was now the master and others would serve him, work for him, cater to him, Livvie, and his little Serena. He fought the urge to pinch himself, Olivia’s solid presence beside him proving a good enough reminder that this was not a dream.
Adam slipped from the room without another word, leaving them to look at one another with varying degrees of shock and excitement in their eyes. Niall felt certain he must look quite the bumbling fool, his mouth still hanging open, his eyes glazed and unfocused.
Olivia broke the spell, jumping into his arms with an excited laugh, her arms and legs wrapping around him in a way that made him forget everything else. She was his, and that was all he needed. The rest of it was simply the cream on top of an already delicious and wonderful dessert.
“Oh, Niall, I am so happy,” she said, laying her forehead into his and holding his gaze. “We can do anything we want,haveanything we want. We’ll get to live in the home we grew up in, the place where we fell in love.”
He clung to her, one hand stroking up and down her back in a soothing caress. “Ye aren’t angry at Hart for putting the deed in my name instead of yours? It should be yours, Livvie, as should the money.”
She shook her head. “It will be ours, because anything that is yours, I will live in and share with. And it is the sort of thing I’ve always hoped for you … the sort of thing I’ve known you were born for. You weren’t meant to be a Stablemaster or a butler. Now, we can discover what you can be, free from all the things that held you back. The world is ours, Niall.”
“All I ever wanted was you,mo gradh.”
Tightening her hold on him, she smiled. “You have me, Mr. Gibbs … forever and always.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Six weeks later …
Edinburgh, Scotland
livia rested her head against Niall’s shoulder with a contented sigh, shifting her hands deeper into her fur muff. Winter was upon them, and the chill in the air permeated the carriage, making her glad they had almost arrived at Dunvar House. After a long, tiring journey, the Gibbs family was now coming home.
Touching the fingers of her right hand against her left, she found the gold, pearl, and diamond ring Niall had slipped onto her finger six weeks ago. Had it really been so long? They’d been wed the day after Adam had given them the license and the ring, in a lovely hotel room in Mayfair. By the time the vicar had come to perform the ceremony, they’d vacated Fairchild House and taken up residence in the suite of rooms.
With the light of the morning sun streaming through the windows, she and Niall had spoken their vows with Adam, Maeve, and Serena looking on. Olivia had adorned herself in powder blue for the occasion, one of the best gowns that had been brought with her from Dunnottar. Not her finest frock by far, but that did not matter with Niall looking upon her as if staring at some sort of angel, his eyes open and clear with the devotion he felt for her. Serena had clung to her hand during the ceremony, holding on to the hastily gathered flowers that had been tied together for a bouquet. She’d taken the occasion quite seriously, declaring it the happiest day of her life. At last, the man who’d been helping to raise her would become her father in truth … and only days before her fifth birthday. She’d declared it the greatest birthday present ever—until Uncle Adam had presented her with the puppy she’d been coveting for months.
Said puppy rolled about on the seat beside her—ginger brown fur covering its plump, adorable body. Serena was almost as enamored with the dog—a girl whom she had named Daphne—as she was with Niall.
Kneeling on the seat across from Olivia with Niall at her side, she peered through the window at the passing landscape. “Papa, are we almost there?”
Olivia’s heart warmed at how easily the endearment fell from her lips, as if she’d been calling him that her entire life. Niall had not insisted upon it, but Serena had asked to be allowed to call him Papa, and of course, he had been happy to hear it. She’d never before questioned her parentage, but Olivia knew the day might come when she did. It worried her, of course, but she could put that aside for the time being. Serena only knew that she was loved and indulged, and had been given a new papa who made her mama very happy.
“Almost,a bhobain,” he replied, reaching out to fix the perpetually crooked bow atop her auburn curls.
His fine leather gloves went with the rest of his elegant ensemble—his wool greatcoat covering clothing as fine as anything a London lord might wear. Adam had accompanied him to Bond Street on the day after the wedding to see him outfitted with an entire wardrobe filled with new coats, waistcoats, boots, cravats, and the other trimmings. Niall confessed that he did not always feel himself in the attire and that he still did not feel like that he had any right to spend a cent of her dowry. Olivia knew it would take time for him to grow used to the way things were now. This was how it worked on her level of society—a woman married a man, and everything that was hers became his. Only now, because she adored the man she’d married, she wanted nothing more than for him to own everything she owned, to share in her wealth and status.
He’d been to a barber, too, having his overgrown hair trimmed and styled in the latest whimsically tousled fashion. She had tried to talk him into a valet, but he had rejected the idea, not at all comfortable with someone else dressing or shaving him. Thus, the shadow of a day’s worth of stubble peppering his jaw. Olivia liked it, naturally. It reminded her of who he really was, along with the scar on the left side of his face. It helped him to retain his rugged air, even while he wore the finery of a gentleman.
After the wedding, they’d remained in London just long enough to receive news of the end of Bertram’s trial. Adam had attended the daily sessions and returned to the hotel to report the events to them. Olivia did not wish to emerge into society yet—wanting more time alone with Niall and Serena first—and so did not care to attend the trial. As well, she had no wish to lay eyes upon Bertram ever again. It was enough for her to know that he could not hurt another soul again. As expected, the testimony of the six victims, as well as Daphne’s account of Bertram’s attempt on her life, had been enough to see him convicted. They had left London immediately after the sentence had been passed down: Lord Fairchild was to be executed by hanging. Adam had stayed back, determined to see it through to the end. After witnessing the execution for himself, he would return to Scotland.
And so, as they returned home, Olivia left behind the final ghost of her past—the demon who had been the source of her torment. He no longer had the power to hurt her, and in truth, hadn’t had that power for some time.
“When we get to Dunvar House, may Daffy sleep in my bed?” Serena asked, cutting through the path of her thoughts.
Olivia exchanged glances with Niall, then peered down at the dog, who was still learning not to piddle all over the rugs.
