Page 24 of An Alliance with the Earl (Marrying for Love #5)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

T he moment Olivia saw her former fiancé standing across the street, her heart did not flutter. It did not seize with old longing or rekindle forgotten affection. No, it did quite the opposite—it sank.

Mr. John Rotwell had been the last person she ever expected to see, and certainly the last she had wanted to see. He had left her waiting at the altar without so much as a word. And yet, there he stood, his familiar brown eyes fixed upon her with such easy confidence and that smirk she’d once found endearing, was now only infuriating. An unexpected chill ran through her. He bowed as if nothing negative had ever transpired between them, as if she had been waiting for him all this time.

She could set the record straight. She had not. Nor would she contemplate such a thing again.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek without any care for propriety. “Olivia, my love,” he greeted, stepping forward far too familiarly with a gloved hand extended as if he expected her to take it.

She did not.

Her spine straightened, a cold clarity settling over her. Absolutely not.

“You have no right to call me that, Mr. Rotwell,” she said coolly, her tone even but firm, keeping her hands clasped before her, her spine straight.

His smile faltered for half a second before he masked his surprise. “Come now, there is no need for such formality. I dare say we are better acquainted than that, are we not?”

She held his gaze, unflinching. “We were once, Mr. Rotwell, but I believe we have long since forfeited any such intimacy. What are you doing here?”

He gave a casual shrug. “Your brother invited me. He was most eager to surprise you. And when I heard you were leaving for the continent, I could not let you go without seeing you again.”

Her hands curled into fists at her sides. She had no illusions about how her brother saw the situation. He had always believed her former betrothed to be charming and an excellent match. But Olivia saw the truth now—Edward had been instrumental in her seeing things as they should have always been perceived. She deserved better than this man before her, and now she believed it. “How very unexpected.”

And entirely unwelcome.

Her brother stepped forward then, his face bright with enthusiasm. “Is this not a fine surprise, Olivia? When I mentioned that I was collecting you from Ivy Manor, John asked if he might accompany me to see you. He wanted to explain—”

“There is nothing to explain.” Olivia’s tone was sharp enough to cut glass.

She turned back to Rotwell. “We are not engaged. We are not even acquaintances. There is no attachment to be mended here, nor is there any affection to rekindle. I hope I make myself plain. Whatever you hope to rekindle, whatever plans you have, you should abandon them now.”

A flicker of irritation passed through his expression before he covered it with charm. “You’re still cross with me Olivia, you must know that I have regretted the way things ended between us.”

“It’s Lady Olivia to you, Mr. Rotwell. Do not presume to be so informal with me.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “I made a mistake, and I see that now.”

“You made a choice,” she corrected, voice sharpening. “And so did I. And I have no desire to revisit the past.”

His mouth tightened. “You shall not find another match like me, I assure you. A woman of your station—”

“I hope that is true that I shall not find another match like you,” she cut in, her voice steady. “I have no wish for a man who values my dowry above my person, who leaves me waiting at the altar, and then has the audacity to presume that he may waltz back into my life as if I have been waiting for him all this time. I have not, Mr. Rotwell. I have been living.” Resolve filled her. How had she ever found the man in front of her to be charming? How had she pined for what she’d lost when she’d been left at the church on her own. She should be praising heaven that things had worked out exactly how they had. She’d found something with Lord Cheshire. It was a bond that had been much more rewarding, even if it had only been brief. She wouldn’t settle for less than a love match. She knew that now.

His expression darkened, his mask of charm slipping. “You have been playing at independence, but you shall tire of it. A woman needs a husband, and you shall regret rejecting my renewals to you.”

“I shall not. My heart belongs to someone else.” The words were not planned, nor were they calculated. They were true. And Olivia knew it the moment she said them.

She had known it long before now, but saying them aloud made it real in a way that no quiet reflection or lingering glance could have done.

His expression darkened, the false charm slipping. “I don’t believe that you have formed an attachment. Your brother has made that quite clear, and that is why I am here. I will accompany you on your tour. We can be married before we sail.”

Before she could reply, Mrs. Morris, having overheard, stepped in with a scandalized look. “I beg your pardon, sir, but Lady Olivia’s heart belongs to another.”

Olivia turned to her chaperone in shock, her lips parting. Was Mrs. Morris really coming to her defense or did she believe the words as well?

Mr. Rotwell’s brows furrowed. It looked as if he would respond, but Mrs. Morris cut him off.

“She has found someone far more worthy of her affections.” Mrs. Morris lifted her chin. “Lady Olivia is no longer available, sir, and I suggest you take your leave before you embarrass yourself further.”

“Good day, Mr. Rotwell. I have nothing further to say to you.”

Her brother looked after him, then back at Olivia. “Well, that did not go as I imagined.”

“Did you truly imagine anything different?” she asked, arching a brow.

He had the decency to look abashed. “I thought perhaps you might have softened over time.”

She exhaled. “Time does not soften resolve, Brother. It strengthens it. Let us go and get a table in the tea shop. If Lady Lansdowne is true to her word and her plan from this morning, I am to be expecting someone.”

An hour passed, yet Lord Cheshire did not come into the tea shop. She had sat with a sense of triumph over her ghost from the past as she waited patiently in the tea shop. But as the minutes ticked by, and the tea became cold, still Lord Cheshire had yet to arrive. It was no matter. Perhaps he was just delayed by something.

Mrs. Morris had given her encouragement that he would be here soon, but she could not know that. She wanted to introduce him to her brother. She wanted to talk through the difficulty of their relationship and what it looked like. This morning’s time with her former fiancé made it clear that she was ready for a new path.

Her time with Lord Cheshire though brief was so strikingly different from her time with Mr. Rotwell. She saw that now.

How she could compare the outcome of one with the timeframe of another was absurd. There was more wrong with her fast engagement with Mr. Rotwell than simply how quickly it had transpired. She could trust that Lord Cheshire was a man of his word. And she saw her own feelings on the situation in a much different light. How had she not seen it until now?

Thankfully, Lady Lansdowne had promised Olivia that she would send Edward to the tea shop post haste when she saw him. It couldn’t be long now before he would arrive. But still the minutes ticked by.

“When you are ready, we will depart,” her brother said.

She nodded. Their tea had been finished for quite some time. They would soon need to vacate. “If he doesn’t show up in a few more minutes, then we will leave.” She knew they were on a tight schedule.

After waiting another quarter of an hour, they headed toward her brother’s carriage. Miss Harper approached her with a small parcel in her hand.

“What is this?” Olivia asked. She had not thought to get gifts for the other houseguests, and now she was feeling as if she’d missed a social step.

“I saw Lord Cheshire earlier,” she said brightly, “but he was in such a hurry to leave that I barely had the chance to speak with him. He did, however, ask me to give you this.”

Olivia’s breath caught as she took the small wrapped package and a small carved wooden duck, her fingers curling around it with surprising trepidation.

“Did he say anything else?” Olivia asked, voice careful.

Miss Harper shook her head. “Only that he was anxious to see his brother. He made it quite clear that he had no intention of lingering, but he seemed well enough. I believe he’s already gone.”

Gone. The word felt heavier than it ought to.

Her breath hitched. He left already, and without saying a word? Not even a goodbye. Her chest tightened, but before she could open the parcel, her brother called to her from the carriage.

For a brief, maddening moment, she thought of her ex’s words—you’ll regret this—and a sinking feeling swept over her. Had she truly let Edward go without a word? Had she misread everything between them?

“Olivia, we must make haste! We have a long journey ahead of us!”

She nodded, swallowing her disappointment.

For one fleeting moment, she had contemplated staying behind. One fleeting moment where she thought perhaps she should let go of her carefully laid plans and take a chance.

But no.

She had vowed never to wait for a man again.

And Edward—Lord Cheshire—had not waited for her, though he said he would.

She stepped toward the carriage, clutching the parcel close.

She hesitated. Everything she had worked for—her plans, her freedom—was in that carriage. The life she had promised herself, away from expectations, away from heartbreak.

Yet something inside her pulled in the opposite direction.

She had been so determined to protect herself, to avoid the pain of another disappointment. But what if, in doing so, she had just lost the one person who made her feel something real again?

Her fingers pressed into the edges of the package.

“Wait,” she said abruptly.

Her brother frowned. “What?”

“I must speak with Lady Lansdowne before we leave. I must bid her farewell,” she said. And she needed information from her.

She found Lady Lansdowne in one of the ribbon shops. She thanked her hostess, and Lady Lansdowne was generous in her praise.

“I trust you had a wonderful time at the house party,” Lady Lansdowne said.

“I did, but there is something I must know.”

“What is that?” the woman smiled kindly.

“Where did Lord Cheshire go? I wasn’t able to say goodbye to him.”

“Goodbye? I sent him to the tea shop, as we discussed. I didn’t think you’d be saying goodbye at all.” Lady Lansdowne raised an eyebrow.

Olivia nodded. “Neither did I. I must speak with him. Do you know where he went? Miss Harper said he went to go and see his brother.”

Lady Lansdowne looked at her ponderously. “His brother? Are you sure he didn’t say his sister?”

Olivia blinked. “I’m quite sure Miss Harper only referenced his brother.”

Lady Lansdowne’s eyes twinkled with something unreadable. She smiled. “In that case, I can tell you exactly where he went.”

“You can?” Olivia was surprised.

“Of course. Edward’s brother has been in Bath for a fortnight.”

Olivia’s breath caught. “Bath?”

Lady Lansdowne nodded. “Indeed. Though I daresay you’re rather late in asking, my dear.”

Olivia bit her lip. Bath was on their way. Perhaps her brother wouldn’t mind a small detour …

She turned and her brother was behind her, watching the exchange.

Her brother sighed. “Olivia, if you’re about to tell me you don’t want to travel—”

She shook her head quickly. “No, I do. But may we stop in Bath before we set sail?”

Her brother glanced at her with interest. “Bath? Whatever for?”

“There is someone I need to speak with.”

Her brother studied her for a long moment, and then—infuriatingly—he smiled. “I was planning to stop in Bath before we depart, so it seems you shall have your wish.”

Her heart thudded against her ribs.

“Then it is settled,” Lady Lansdowne declared, looking far too pleased with herself. “He’s at my place on the Royal Crescent. It is not hard to locate.” She gave them the number.

“Thank you,” Olivia said, then followed her brother outside. As she climbed into the carriage, she held the package close to her chest.

Perhaps she should not get her hopes up. Perhaps she was being foolish.

But for the first time in years, she was willing to take the risk.

And this time, she would not leave without saying what was truly in her heart.

Olivia settled back against the seat, the gift still wrapped on her lap. She opened it—a new sketchbook. It was very thoughtful of Edward. Because Edward was thoughtful.

He was kind and considerate. He’d come to know her. He knew that she would need a new sketch book. She laced her fingers over the book, holding the duck in her hand. Her brother asked her a myriad of questions as they traveled, but Olivia was too tired to think straight, and closed her eyes as the carriage bumped along.

She would see Lord Cheshire again.

And this time, she would not waste the opportunity.