After last night, Olivia and Eloisa had mulled over Augustus’s conduct and been unable to find his angle. Eloisa had gently suggested that, perhaps, the man still held atendrefor her, but Olivia had insisted such a thing was impossible. She reminded her about the note and the ten guineas. Eloisa had thrown up her hands.Perhaps,she said,he has seen you again and you’ve merely caught his fancy once more. Olivia had insisted that was impossible. Now that he was here, though, Olivia felt a pang. She suspected that his ulterior motive was very close to being discovered and that it had nothing to do with regard for her.
Olivia watched Eloisa smile at Augustus. She knew her friend could do little else. Yes, Lord Montaigne was notorious, but he was still an earl, and he was friends with some of the most high-ranking, powerful men in London. His mere presence here gilded Natasha further in the eyes of the company. It was a boon, even if Eloisa had not wished for it and personally found the man repugnant.
Olivia had been so caught up in watching Augustus that, at first, she had not noticed the shorter, sandy-haired young man at his shoulder. With a shock, she realized it was Percy, Augustus’s younger brother, who she hadn’t seen since he was a boy of ten. A prickle of anticipation ran down her spine as she watched the young man cast a furtive glance across the room at Natasha. She saw Augustus, more discreetly, do the same.
Natasha came away from the cache of gentlemen with whom she had been conversing and began to make her way over to Augustus and Percy.
Olivia stood and waylaid the girl.
“How do you know the earl and his brother?” she asked, her voice low enough that only Nathanial and Natasha could hear her.
“That man is anearl?” Nathanial had stood to join their tete-a-tete. “He looks it—but I hadn’t thought—Natasha, how on earth did you meet an earl?”
“I don’t know the earl,” Natasha snapped, blushing furiously. “I met his brother three nights ago. At the Royal Theater.”
“I don’t remember Percy Carrington making your acquaintance,” Olivia said, her confusion mounting. She would have recognized him—she was sure of it.
“You have met him?” Natasha asked.
For a moment, Olivia paused. Of course, Nathanial and Natasha did not know about her prior relationship with the Earl of Montaigne—and she would like to keep it that way. There was no reason, however, that they couldn’t know that she had once worked for his family.
“I was a maid in their household years ago. But that does not explain howyoubecame acquainted with the young man.”
Natasha colored again. “When I was in the retiring room, a young lady was very vexed over a broken ribbon on her gown. I mended it for her. She introduced herself as Lady Petunia Carrington. When we exited the retiring room, her brother—Lord Percy—was waiting to escort her back to their seats. Thus, we made the acquaintance.”
Olivia had never seen Natasha look quite so flustered at the mention of a gentleman.Oh no, Olivia thought, this wasbad. For a thousand different reasons.
To make matters worse, Augustus and Percy were walking towards them.
“Miss Mapperton,” Percy bowed, his countenance indicating that he was alive to every charm that Natasha possessed, “I hope I have not presumed upon our acquaintance to call upon you here. My friend, Maurice Templeton, told me that he would be at home this afternoon. I hope that my presence is not unwelcome.”
Olivia was impressed. Percy had carried off the potential forwardness of their presence quite smoothly. Of course, he knew the Templetons, who were too rich to be denied anywhere. They were the hinge between the mercantile world and thebeau monde.
“I am very glad to see you, my lord,” Natasha said, a little breathless, but still maintaining her usual self-possession.
“And please let me present to you my brother, Lord Montaigne.”
“It is my pleasure, Miss Mapperton,” Augustus said. When Olivia saw the look on his face, her heart dropped into her stomach. The man regarded Natasha with unmistakable interest.
How naïve she had been. Augustus was not here because his brother had acquired a sweetness for a pretty girl. No, of course, he was here to see the pretty girl for himself.
“When my brother told me that he had met such a charming young lady new to England,” Augustus continued, “I had to make her acquaintance.”
Olivia felt her shock turn to indignation.
Natasha, however, seemed unaffected by such gallantry.
“It is an honor to have you visit our home, Lord Montaigne,” she smiled, her eyes darting back to the Percy, who seemed unable to remove his gaze from her face. “Can I offer you refreshment?”
“It would be our pleasure,” Augustus intoned, his deep voice welcoming and genial.
And that was how Olivia found herself seated at a tea table with Natasha and the two Carrington men. The quartet they formed was, immediately, a strange one. Not only was she drinking tea as relative equals with the family that used to employ her and not only was she drinking tea with her ex-lover, but the conversation was equal parts odd and infuriating.
“And tell us, Miss Mapperton,” Augustus began, his eyes hardly alighting on Olivia or Percy. “What amusements do you favor? Outside of setting the social world aflame with your charm and beauty, of course.”
Had he always been this nauseating? If Olivia didn’t suspect him of the worst intentions, she would have laughed aloud at his manner. The old madams at Golden Square could take notes from him on how to abandon subtlety.
“Yes, Miss Mapperton,” Percy echoed, seemingly oblivious to his brother’s flirtation with the object of his interest. “What are your passions? I suspect you of many accomplishments.”
