Page 90 of Managing the Major

“I don’t know, Alastair; perhaps you should ask half of London since I’m sure word has gotten around.” He was even more astounded when she added bitterly, “I’m sure Lady Crawford has made certain of that.” She turned around and kicked her horse into a trot.

“Wait…Octavia…what has Lucy to do with anything?”

She stopped again. “Of course, you are on a first-name basis with her, since you’re now in business together,” she said in freezing tones. “Do you really need to throw it in my face?”

He stared at her in bewilderment. “Octavia, I can see you’re upset, but I really have no idea what you’re referring to.”

“Are you actually going to lie to me, Alastair? I must confess, I expected better of you.”

His confusion turned to dismay, then anger. “Did you just call me a liar?” If her tone had been freezing, his was solid ice.

“Are you going to tell me you have no plans to build a hospital with Lucy Crawford—and my brother, who has sorely disappointed me? Are you actually denying it?”

“Well…no—I won’t deny that I’m going to establish a hospital, and your brother is involved, but—”

“And you never thought to tell me of your lifelong dream? But Lucy Crawford knows of it—in fact, her participation in the project is crucial!”

Enough was enough, and his temper was rising. “I don’t know where your information is coming from, Octavia, but you are entirely wrong.”

“Well, that is strange, since I heard it from the woman herself—and Lord Ehnes, and Genevieve! In fact, I may be the only person in London who did not know what you and Richard are planning. I’m ready to leave now, Major Fairfax.” She turned to Peter, who had parked the phaeton under the trees. “Peter! We are returning to Merrick House immediately.”

And with that, she broke into a canter, leaving him to follow, furious and deeply confused—and with an unopened ring in his pocket.

*

“What on earth was she talking about, Genevieve?”

Immediately after leaving Merrick House(and Octavia, who, after tying her horse in the barn, flew up to the house without a further word), Alastair had proceeded directly to the Hope residence without stopping home to change his riding clothes.

Genevieve proceeded to tell him about the astounding turn of events at Countess Lieven’s dinner, ending with Octavia sobbing in her carriage all the way home to Merrick House, and refusing any company as she alighted, her face pale and set, and her eyes red with tears.

Alastair paced back and forth, agitated and angry. “You mean you left her alone like that, Genevieve?”

“She refused my company. What could I do, Alastair? Why on earth didn’t she know about your plans for the hospital?”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know…it just never came up. And by the time I thought of telling her, it was at Epsom, and Richard had just started to lead the project. It seemed to make more sense to wait until something definite happened. We just made the final arrangements yesterday. How in God’s name did Lucy Crawford know of our plans? I never discussed my ideas with her…not twelve years ago and not recently.”

“Well, she knew everything. Perhaps Richard said something to her?”

Alastair shook his head. “As far as I know, they’re not even acquainted. But Kensington Street is my very next stop. I’ll come back by here after I speak with Richard.”

“Let me send a note to Dorothea Lieven. I’m very curious how the seating arrangements came about. The chances of the three of us sitting together—and Lord Ehnes, who is familiar with your plans—seem odd, to say the least. We’ll compare notes later. At least Octavia is angry now, rather than distraught. But if you had been there, it was truly horrible how everything came about. I can’t blame her reaction at all.”

Alastair picked up his hat and gloves. “Do you know, I was proposing to her today? I had planned it for our ride.”

Genevieve stared at him, aghast. “Oh, no! We wondered why you hadn’t asked her yet. I guessed that you were waiting to speak with Richard.”

“That, and purchasing a ring. Richard agreed yesterday.”

“Merciful heavens, Alastair. We have to clear this up as soon as possible.”

“Agreed. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

*

When Octavia reached the Spencer home, carrying Freya, she found Valentina in the drawing room with baby Vivian.

“You just missed Mother. She and Denys have taken the boys to Kensington Gardens.”