Reluctant to run into Mr. Smith—her fiancé—again, she waved a quick goodbye to Eliza and practically sprinted out the door and down the path toward the main road.
She’d made the right decision. She had!
Then why were her hands shaking and why had her mouth gone dry? Cold feet already?
A wave of dizziness had her stopping and leaning against the trunk of a large tree. This would pass. She hadn’t eaten anything yet today. She’d been too distraught initially, and then later too busy, and too…
She didn’t know what she’d been.
With her eyes closed, she leaned into the tree, undaunted by the sharp edges of bark biting into her hands.
She could run away to London. Or farther. She could board a ship for America.
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
“Olivia?”
Please, no!
“Go away.” She didn’t want to see him right now. She didn’t want to see him ever again. Hadn’t he done enough to upend her life already? The last person she wanted to talk to, in the world, at this moment, was the one person who would cause her to question the decision she’d made today.
The one person who’d essentially compelled her to make it.
Before he’d kissed her at the mine, he might have stepped closer, perhaps placed a hand upon her shoulder. He had been a friend. She practically choked on the sob that threatened to escape.
Because theyhadbeen friends.
Chapter 13
Temptation
At first,he’d thought she was ill. But her shoulders were shaking slightly. And she’d begged him to go away between a few poorly disguised sniffles.
He’d been on his way to Luke Smith’s home—legitimate business today—but could not leave her alone like this.
At times, he wondered if he would be able to leave her at all… when the time came. Only he hadn’t a choice.
“Olivia.” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
“Don’t.” She wiped at her eyes but refused to look him in the face.
“You are upset.” A brilliant observation on his part. “Has someone caused you offense?” And then, feeling a moment of black anger, asked, “Smith?”
At last, she raised her gaze to meet his. “No one has caused me grief,My Lord.”
“How is it you can make those two words sound more insulting than anything I ever called you in the past?” He narrowed his eyes. “If that’s the case, why are you crying?” It wasn’t fair of him to demand any sort of explanation from her, and yet, he couldn’t help himself.
“I’m crying.” She lifted her chin obstinately, the same as she’d done on numerous occasions with him before. “I am crying because I am… happy.”
“Right.” He stared at her levelly, noting that her left eye was moving more than usual. “If this is your idea of happiness, I’d certainly hate to come upon you when you’re upset.”
She sent him an annoyed scowl and then went to pass by him.
Not thinking if it was proper, or even fair, he reached out and grasped her arm. He did not expect the violent outburst of her response.
“Let me go!” She tugged away with surprising strength. “Can you not simply leave me be? I’m a person, you realize? Not a toy, or, or some lowly creature here on earth to entertain you while you’re not otherwise occupied with that blasted mine. I do have feelings, you know. You inconsiderate, addlepated, arrogant…!”
Her face had flushed red, causing her eyes to flash brighter than normal. Her chest heaved as she blasted him with her anger. What kind of a man was he that she aroused him even now while pummeling him with her insults?
