The earl looked intently at Marcus, and Marcus knew he meant to fight for his family honor, and rescue Olivia and Jocelyn from this predicament. “We both know Olivia is innocent and she hasalready gone through considerable trauma in her life. Jocelyn, it seems, is at risk of being ruined simply by association. I cannot stand by and see my nieces ruined.”
***
On the other side of town, Lady Cressida prepared to retire for the night. Yesterday she had enjoyed a soiree, and tonight there had been dancing at Almack’s Assembly rooms.
That was where she began to feel triumph that her plan to discredit Lady Olivia Sherwyn had been successful.
Gossip flew around Almack’s that Viscountess Leighton had been formally asked by her sponsor, Lady Golightly, not to attend any functions at Almack’s.
Cressida gazed into the mirror and knew she was beautiful. She had no disfigurement. She hid no scars.
There was no need for any of her grandmother’s charms tonight. Everything was in place and working well. Soon Lady Olivia Sherwyn would be back in the shadows, hiding away in the country, and no one would see her disfigured face in society again.
She held her head high and laughed, before blowing out the candle and retiring to bed.
Chapter 17
“I can’t believe he’s doing this. How dare he go and speak to the Earl of Hatfield and insist that he marry me.” Olivia looked toward Marianne with anger in her eyes.
Olivia continued, “I am confused and bewildered how this situation has developed so quickly. This gossip, which has no foundation in truth, has spread through all levels of theton. It’s as if someone, and we believe it to be Lady Cressida, has planned this and is working hard to make sure the rumor mill stays running all the time.”
Marianne looked at Olivia with concern. “I’ve never known anything like it. Even though your uncle prevented the last scandal sheet from being circulated, there is a new aspect to this story that emerges every day. Someone is working tirelessly to ensure your complete ruin.”
“What are they saying now?” asked Olivia.
“Oh, Lord Hatfield has purchased an estate in France, which indeed he has, but the main purpose of this estate is to set you up as his mistress. The estate will be a sort of love nest for the two of you,” Marianne told her.
“Marianne, this is ridiculous.”
“I know,” said Marianne, with anguish.
Olivia stood and walked around the room unable to hide her agitation. “I still don’t quite comprehend this. I seem the most unlikely person to be the victim of gossip and slander. And yet it appears there is nothing I can do. I hide here and know that these lies are circulating, and some people must believe them. Lady Golightly clearly did.”
“I’m not sure about that. I think she excluded us because it was ‘the right thing to do’ according to their unwritten rules. I’ve known her for years, and she is not an unkind person. I can only reinforce to you my dear, that these rumors have a strong force behind them. Your uncle had hoped they would die down. Instead, the opposite has happened.”
“It is incredible how my reputation has been ruined and I’ve done nothing, nothing at all,” said an exasperated Olivia.
“I know you have a stormy relationship with your uncle, but I can see the logic in his actions. He did the right thing in setting investigators to track down the source of the scandal sheets. He had the right motives in speaking to the Earl of Hatfield. There is little else he can do,” reiterated Marianne
“I should go and speak to Lady Cressida myself. I long to tell her just what I think of her,” snarled Olivia.
“Oh no, Olivia, that is the one thing you cannot do. I beg you, do not consider that plan a moment longer,” Marianne responded.
“I know. Don’t worry. I’ll be a dutiful niece and get ready for a visit to Belvedere Abbey,” Olivia reassured her.
“Charles and I will return to our estate at Leighton Manor, and it is less than 5 miles from Belvedere, so I shall be close to you. As soon as the house party finishes you and Jocelyn will join me at the Manor.”
“It will help to know you are there. I can only be honest in saying that I dread this visit to Belvedere. It isn’t just the scandal. It’s more than that. Before this happened, I felt something, a sensation of close connection, when I was with Lord Hatfield.
“Now I feel embarrassed and uneasy about seeing him again. How will it be when we meet, and we don’t just continue where we left off? He’s been pretty much ordered to marry me by my uncle.”
She continued walking around the room, unable to be still, but she stopped to gaze out of the window. “Oh Marianne, It’s such a mess and I’m so confused.”
“I don’t think you can be otherwise. We’re all bewildered by events. You mustn’t worry about meeting the earl again.”
“I started to hope there might be something between us, yet now I’m not sure I can bear to see him.”
Marianne beckoned her to come and sit beside her on the velvet chaise longue. Olivia sat down next to Marianne, and she patted Olivia’s hand. “I’ve seen you together and there’s a strange sort of natural chemistry between you. There is an affection there. You must not worry.”
