Instead of feeling less of her pull each day, he’d thought of her more. He’d fought and won the battle to steer clear of her home for two afternoons.
He’d lost the battle today.
“Would you care for some tea?” She rose her brows, and it dawned on him that this was the first time he’d seen Olivia Redfield concern herself with the manners that came with genteel living.
She charmed him either way. “I would love some tea, if it isn’t any trouble.”
Olivia barely began to rise from her chair when the door opened, and her maid stepped in. “I’ll bring some right in, Miss Redfield.” She gave an awkward nod in his direction. “My Lord.”
Olivia dropped back into her chair and shuffled a few papers. “I was writing a letter to Louella. And then this evening, I planned on reading the last few chapters of Mary Shelly’s book. Have you read it?Frankenstein. I can only read it in the daytime, or when Mary is nearby to keep me from becoming jumpy. And yet the book is about so much more than the monster.”
He had read the book. Not anything he’d expect a lady to read.
He should know better where Olivia was concerned.
“I was most pleased to obtain one of the original five hundred copies printed.” He didn’t mean to sound boastful, but he’d considered it quite a feat. “Tell me, if it is not about a monster, and death and horror, then what is it about?”
“It is a warning. Not against progress but the motivation behind it.” She met his gaze, animated by the topic, and her left eye wavered in a distinctly different direction than her right, which seemed focused upon him.
And it struck him then that she didn’t often meet his gaze for more than a second or two.
“Progress is wonderful. It lessens the workload for some, and in medicine, can hopefully come to save numerous people’s lives. But it must be undertaken for the right reasons. Not for greed, or for fame, or evil. When it is managed for the good, it is good, but when done for the wrong purposes, it can result in something horrible.”
“Frankenstein’s monster.”
“Indeed.”
He asked her a few questions about passages she’d read that caused her to reason through the book thusly, and then he showed her a few of his own favorites. They continued right on talking after Olivia’s maid had delivered the tea and sandwiches and left. When he glanced out the window, he was surprised to see the sunlight glowing orange and purples and blues, already low on the horizon.
Olivia raised her hand to her mouth. “I didn’t mean to go on so,” she apologized, but he was just as guilty.
“I’m the one who has imposed.” The friendly comradeship they’d shared over the last hour turned into something less comfortable. Less comfortable but no less a result of the attraction between them.
But he’d promised himself he’d not make any further physical advances toward her.
When he rose, she awkwardly pushed her own chair back and followed suit. “You have not imposed.” And she smiled at him. “Friends cannot impose upon one another.”
He longed to reach out and touch the wayward hair that fell along the curve of her cheek. In the soft light coming from the window, her hair seemed to glow a golden color and her eyes reflected all the violets of the twilight sky.
And she met his gaze boldly. Unafraid and unashamed.
He swallowed hard. “Goodnight, Olivia.” At his backward step, she blinked and then shuttered her gaze once again.
“Goodnight, Gabriel.” He hated that she dropped her gaze to the floor. But if he were to take even one step toward her, he’d likely ruin everything.
He’d nearly ruined their friendship in the water. He’d nearly ruinedher.
And it had been exquisite but... he was in no position to offer promises… or even hint at any.
Already, Stanton would likely call him out for what he’d done.
“Don’t stay too late at Smith’s tomorrow. In fact, why don’t I collect you around noon? We’ll go on another picnic.”
She glanced up from the floor and tilted her head. “Why, Gabriel?”
He knew what she asked. And damn his eyes, he could never give her the answer she sought...
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.
