Angelo chuckled. "That would be impossible."
Chapter 24
Angelo had been correct, Octavia could seduce and did so the very next night and over the next weeks. He sometimes wondered who was seducing whom, though it really did not matter.
For three weeks he visited each night after the servants retired. They loved, talked, and lay in each other’s arms until it was time for him to go.
They also spent a few evenings playing chess, or sharing dinner, and even debating. Further, not all their evenings involved intimacy. Sometimes they were content to simply lie in bed, clothed, and talk.
Angelo worried that he would fail his father as the next Marquess of Dargate. He knew his duty, knew the estate, and believed himself ready to take the seat in Parliament, yet the responsibility was also daunting. It was Octavia who assured him that all would be well and that he would make a fine marquess.
She spoke of what she may do when the Season was over. She had funds to travel but did not wish to do so alone as experiences should be shared. Lavinia would not leave England, especially since His Grace relied on her for so much. Octavia couldn’t travel with her younger sisters as they would need watching and take away much of the pleasure while exploring the Continent. She had also considered purchasing a cottage in a pleasant village in Westmoreland so that she could be near her family but had no desire to reside in Clarington Abbey with the rest of her family. Besides, Leopold would need to eventually marry, and she was certain his new wife would not want four sisters underfoot.
Angelo wished that he and Octavia could travel and that he could share the Italy he loved with her. They could stroll vineyards, shop along Pont Vecchio, visit the cafés, and spend their evenings alone, under the stars in a private villa.
Of course, he said none of this to her. To do so might reveal the depth of his emotion. Yes, he had fallen in love with Octavia and would do nearly anything to keep her by his side, but it could not be. Instead, he let her know that he cared and that he treasured the friendship they formed.
She, in turn, was clear that she appreciated all that she had learned and enjoyed with him, and that she appreciated having a confidant when they were so difficult to find in London, and even within a family. She often mentioned that she would treasure the memories for when their time together came to an end. It also didn’t seem to bother her that there would be an end, which convinced him that Octavia had held to one of the rules that remained—no emotional attachment.
He had failed in that whereas she had not.
Nearly a month he had known her and so much had changed, and mostly within him. And now, everything was about to change again.
He turned as the door to the parlor opened. His mother’s teacup rattled in the saucer and Dr. Valentine stepped into the room, his face grim.
No other words were needed, and Angelo knew what he must do.
Each day Octavia learned something new and fell a little deeper in love.
This was not what she wanted. She had sought a lover and found a friend, but now she also knew that her heart would be broken when it came time to end her affair with Angelo.
As a favor to her, he also called on the misses that remained on his much shorter list and she watched him dance with them at balls. The ton was atwitter, wondering which miss he would settle upon.
Octavia knew that he had not made a decision, nor did he intend to do so. If any had captured his heart or attention, he would have ended his association with her. Instead, he did just enough to keep his mother happy, but was not overly attentive so as to offer hope to any miss while he visited Octavia at night.
She was grateful to have this piece of him and even though she would be sad when it was over, these memories she would hold close and dear. She also was not certain if she could remain in London once their association came to an end because she wasn’t certain she could watch him court another. Yet, what excuse could she give for leaving? Leopold expected her to act as chaperone of Aurora and Sabina and not burden Lavinia with being forced to attend every entertainment. Octavia could remind her brother that as he was their guardian, he should be the one watching over his younger sisters but knew that he would not take that reminder well. She was lucky that Leopold still attended the four functions a sennight.
However, one thing that she knew for certain was that she’d not attend another Season. Next year Angelo would return with a wife, and she wasn’t certain she could watch him with her.
“Your half mask does not truly disguise your appearance,” Angelo said as he came upon her in the gardens. She had come out here to escape the heat of the ballroom and found a place away from the crowd to be alone with her thoughts.
“I did not wish to hide my appearance,” she answered. “You are not wearing any mask at all.”
“In truth, I am only here because I needed to see you.”
His hand came up to cradle her jaw as his thumb caressed her cheek. They’d been careful not to show affection in public, especially at a ball, even though they were very much alone in the garden.
When his arm went around her back to pull her close, Octavia looped an arm about his shoulders and stared into the dark depths of his eyes. Something was different about him tonight. “What is wrong?”
“Would you mind leaving the ball early this evening?”
Octavia searched his eyes. They were sad, or worried, and her heart sank.
This was the moment she had been dreading. Angelo was going to bring their association to an end, and she must prepare herself.
They had been together for nearly a month, the amount of time that she had originally asked of him, and he either was tired of their association, or wished to have the freedom he planned to enjoy at the beginning of the Season, or one of the misses now held his affection.
“I will plead a headache. Both my brothers are here, and they can see to my younger sisters.”
