No gentleman of any worth will make a respectable offer to a cockeyed gel.
“It’s nothing, Eliza. I came across him while I was walking home yesterday and we… talked. I think perhaps Louella has put him up to it. Either that or he feels sorry for me.” The minute the words left her mouth, she wondered if that wasn’t what was behind all of this.
Of course. One or both of these reasons likely explained the attention he was paying her. It was good that she’d not deluded herself into imagining he… liked her.
“He’s offered to pay Freda until she is no longer needed. And it must be a tidy sum, if her enthusiasm is any indication.”
Olivia bit her lip.
She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to go on a picnic with a handsome gentleman. She wanted to pretend she was like any other daughter, deserving of her father’s pride and affection. But she was not, and she should not allow her thoughts to travel in that direction.
Because, unfortunately, she also knew what she ought to do. She ought to send Freda back to town. She ought to don her apron and begin peeling potatoes.
Olivia backed toward the door and shrugged. “I imagine I’ll have to be more insistent this time.”
But did she want to be?
* * *
“I almost didn’t come.”Perched high above the ground on the shiny red vehicle pulled by two of the loveliest horses she’d seen in a long while, Olivia figured she ought to make some sort of protest. Oh, but above them, only a few dainty clouds dared to block the brilliance of the sky. The treetops rustled in a warm breeze and fragrant wildflowers blossomed everywhere.
Making any sort of complaint was going to be difficult.
She’d gone home, changed into her favorite day dress and tried to convince herself she would remain there with Mary. She’d picked up a book she’d been reading,Frankenstein, a new novel by Mary Shelley, but even that had failed to draw her in.
She been worried that he wouldn’t come but also worried that he would. Her gaze never strayed far from the window.
And now, here she sat, like a perfectly normal lady being escorted by a fine gentleman on a beautiful day.
Unchaperoned.
There hadn’t been room for Mary to accompany them on the small conveyance that Lord Kingsley had said he’d borrowed from Louella’s husband.
Would her parents even care that she’d gone on an excursion alone with the earl? They’d allowed Louella to go for a drive unchaperoned with Lord Stanton but the two of them had been as good as betrothed at the time.
Which was hardly the case today.
“I would have been disappointed.” His voice sent a chill of pleasure dancing down her spine.
He didn’t sound as though he was joking or condescending to her. Was this what it was like to have a male friend? An attractive male friend? One who happened to also be an earl? But then he added, “After all the trouble I’ve gone to.”
Lord Kingsley baffled her.
Today, he’d rejected his normal black clothing, which normally consisted of a black coat, pants, and waistcoat in favor of buff breeches, an olive waistcoat, and a fine evergreen woolen jacket. Rather as though he were attending a country house party and planned on walking about the grounds.
“You did not go to the mine this morning?” she couldn’t resist asking. Louella had hated hearing about the mining operations. She’d hated that her betrothal contracts had listed their father’s mining rights along with her hand in marriage, in exchange for a title, wealth, and influence.
Olivia resented the mine for other reasons. It was cursed. She was cursed. Together, they amounted to her father’s greatest failures.
“I had a few matters to settle. Afriendof mine required assistance in extricating herself from a rather sticky situation.” He obviously felt no shame inserting himself into her affairs.
“Did you not think to ask thisfriendof yours whether she wanted your involvement?”
He sent a snide glance in her direction. “She admitted she’d like to go on a picnic. I merely made arrangements so that it would be possible for her to do so.”
He had a fair point there. She’d admitted to wanting to go on a picnic. And she had, especially with him. She’d also told him she couldn’t. Olivia bit her lip. She couldn’t help wondering why he had offered in the first place.
“Did Louella set you up to this?” she asked, already resigned to what his answer would assuredly be. “Because it really isn’t necessary.”
