“Are you that ancient?” Crawford joked from his position on the sofa beside Louella.
This time, Olivia laughed. Because she knew as well as anyone that the duke and Gabriel were the same age.
“Miss Redfield?” Lord Lockley said. “I hope you’ll do me the honor of a dance as well.”
If Olivia were to refuse, she could not dance with any of the other gentlemen present. She knew that much. And she would have enjoyed dancing a country dance or two with Nathaniel or even Gilbert.
Louella watched her expectantly.
Olivia waved her fan in front of her face. She could not abide having to dance with Lockley. “I’m afraid I must decline. I’m dreadfully weary this evening, and we have a long journey tomorrow. I believe I shall retire early.”
Louella’s brows rose.
Olivia sensed approval in Gabriel’s expression, whereas, Lord Lockley scowled.
“But thank you, My Lord, for the kind offer.”
She was rescued from having to make any further explanations when a few footmen arrived at that moment and began moving the furniture around. They were equally as efficient rolling up the gigantic carpet that appeared more work of art than something to soften one’s steps.
Olivia sighed. She’d not really wanted to go to her bedchamber early. It was her last night at Sky Manor. Her last night to watch Gabriel from across the room.
She would likely torture herself thinking about him until the early morning hours. Even worse, she’d need to lie in her bed feigning sleep, since she shared a room with Mary.
Mary, who’d spent hours and hours in the kitchen with Lady Kingsley’s cook. She’d chastised Olivia for attempting to include her in the party. “I’m not quality. Plain and simple as that.” She had, she promised Olivia, learned dozens of delightful recipes that she’d like to attempt when they got home.
Home.
The prospect was welcoming and yet somewhat disheartening at the same time.
Perhaps she’d go with Louella to London this spring after all. There would always be men like Lord Lockley, and ladies such as those who’d gossiped about her in the retiring room last spring. She was not one to delude herself. But there might be others like Miss Shipley, and Lady Priscilla and Gabriel’s mother and brothers as well.
She might not be the outcast she’d been raised to believe herself, after all.
She rose from her seat, having given herself no choice but to retire for the evening.
Likely, the next time she saw Gabriel, he’d be a married man. Miss Shipley would carry his children. He’d have a family.
She excused herself and slipped into the foyer.
But she did not go directly to her chamber. She made her way to one of the other drawing rooms, one where the ladies had spent so many hours arranging ribbons on vases.
She slipped out into the garden.
A wrap would have been nice, as spring hadn’t arrived in truth, quite yet, and she would have asked one of the servants, but then she’d risk her intentions becoming known to the others. And they’d insist she had a chaperone.
She took a deep breath.
Oh, Gabriel.
She’d already spent a good deal of time walking in this garden and knew the exact path she’d take. One, in particular, led up a gentle slope. At the top, one of the previous earls had had a small folly built and it looked down on the trees and shrubs that grew almost naturally.
Not nearly as grand as Crawford’s sprawling gardens, Olivia preferred them, nonetheless. It gave particular meaning to the name ‘Sky Manor.’
She’d quite fallen in love with this estate. And Lady Kingsley, who’d somehow managed to show her more kindness than her own mother ever had.
Olivia lifted her gown, a bright yellow muslin with a high waist emphasized by a lemon-colored satin bow.
She loved the delicate lace on her sleeves and at the hem. In fact, she was coming to feel quite proud and pleased with most of the gowns Louella had insisted they order.
