Page 45 of Love in the Time of Scandal
“Olivia, that’s lunacy,” she protested. “Run off with Clary nipping at your heels, and refuse to tell anyone where?”
“I don’t intend for him to follow me,” she said bitterly. “Not him, nor any one of his—” She stopped, to Penelope’s frustration. “I would prefer no one know; the truth about Henry, if my suspicions are correct, is shameful, and I would rather not brave the scandal if it became well-known.” She took a deep breath. “But first I need two hundred pounds.”
Penelope blinked. “For what?”
Olivia flushed. “I would ask anyone else if I could.”
“I don’t have two hundred pounds,” Penelope told her. “I would give it to you if I did...” She frowned. “Did Henry owe Lord Clary some debt you have to pay back?”
That seemed to fluster Olivia. “Oh no, no, it’s not that, not precisely...” She got to her feet. “Forget I asked. It was a mad idea.”
“I’ll ask Jamie,” Penelope said quickly. “He’ll give it to me.” Her brother would want to know why, but she could make up some story to persuade him. At least he knew Olivia and could be trusted to keep her secret.
Olivia turned away. “He’s not in London,” she said, her voice higher pitched than usual. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Pen. I shouldn’t have asked it of you.”
“No, wait!” Penelope scrambled after her as Olivia turned toward the door. Reluctantly Olivia stopped and waited. “Will it truly help free you from Clary?”
Her friend nodded. “I think it’s my only chance.”
“Then I’ll get it,” Penelope promised, even though she hadn’t the slightest idea how she would accomplish that. Jamie would be the easiest person to ask, but it appeared Olivia had already tried him. Abigail might have it, but she might well not, with all the repair needed at Montrose Hill House after years of neglect. She shied away from asking her father; she had disappointed him enough already of late, and didn’t need to make him think she’d been hiding other ignoble deeds from him.
And that left Atherton, her husband of less than a day. Did she dare ask him? Her jaw firmed. He’d wanted money, and he had it because of her. It was only fair that she be allowed to have some of it, and since the money came from her family, she didn’t even see why she owed him an explanation of what she meant to do with it.
“I will repay it,” Olivia began, her voice breaking, but Penelope waved one hand.
“I don’t care about that. Just swear to me—swear it—that you won’t let that toad Clary harangue you anymore. Promise me you won’t endanger yourself to protect Henry’s good name. And promise me that if anything goes wrong with your plan, you’ll ask for help immediately,” she said, adding once more for emphasis, “immediately.”
Olivia was still for a moment, her eyes soft with gratitude. “You’re the most loyal friend I have, Penelope.”
“Huh! You mean the most devil-may-care,” she said, trying to tease, but her friend didn’t smile.
“Perhaps that, too. I don’t know who else I could turn to.”
Any glib reply about Abigail being as trustworthy died in her throat. Olivia meant it, which gave Penelope an odd feeling. All her life she’d been Abigail’s younger sister, the wilder, less polite Weston sister. No one considered her more reliable than Abby. But instead of saying any of that, she just nodded. “You can always count on me.”
Olivia’s smile was wistful. “I know.” She threw her arms around Penelope. “Thank you. I hope I can be as helpful to you one day.”
“You could shoot Lord Clary,” Penelope suggested. “That would please me immensely.”
“I wouldn’t mind doing it, either,” said her friend wryly. “But neither of us deserves to go to prison for shooting a viscount, so I fear we’ll have to settle for something less.”
“When—when are you leaving?”
Olivia paused, hand on the doorknob. “As soon as I can.”
Penelope nodded. She’d have to get the money quickly.
After her friend had left, once Penelope promised not to call on her but to send the funds by a reliable messenger, she went back up to her room, considerably less eagerly than she’d gone down.
What was Clary holding over Olivia’s head? And what had Henry done? Henry had been a scoundrel, and not terribly clever, but surely even he knew better than to tangle with that horrid man. For the first time she felt real fear for Olivia’s safety. Before she could think better of it, she sat down at the desk and dashed off a note to her brother, James, asking him to call on her the moment he returned to London. Papa would know where he was. Penelope sealed the note and set it aside, feeling a bit better already.
It was odd that Olivia hadn’t turned to Jamie at the start; they were nearly the same age, and had been playmates as children. Penelope’s first memory of Olivia was of Jamie bringing her home and announcing that he’d found someone to play at dolls with them, sparing him the indignity. Once upon a time, she’d even thought Olivia would marry Jamie, mostly because she couldn’t imagine any other girl wanting her staid, unimaginative brother, but Olivia had married Henry instead.
Still, things would be so much simpler if Jamie were in town. She was confident he would give Olivia the money she needed, or failing that, he’d give it to Penelope for her. He might be dull and obstinate, but his heart was as loyal as Penelope’s. All she would have to say was that someone deserving needed it and that he must trust her. Jamie might tease her, but he would help her.
Atherton, on the other hand... She worried at a loose ribbon on her dress, trying to plot how she should approach him. Asking him to trust her might not go over well. Demanding the money was probably not the best choice, either. How did Mama get something from Papa? She probably just asked, Penelope thought sourly. Papa was so easygoing and indulgent, and he’d adored Mama from the moment he saw her, at least in his telling. If he’d ever denied her anything, Penelope had no memory of it.
Very well; how would Abigail persuade Sebastian to give her money if she needed it? Penelope thought of her sister and her brother-in-law, and concluded that Abby would likely explain everything simply and honestly, and then Sebastian would move heaven and earth to give her whatever she wanted. Because he adored her.
