Page 57 of Her Heartless Duke

“I think I would like a new hat to go with that lilac dress,” Fiona mused. “What do you think, Livvy?”

“Oh, Fi, you should wear it to the Park one of these days. You would look as pretty as a flower in it!”

“Yes,” her cousin blushed. “I was thinking of wearing precisely that dress to promenade this week.”

“What about you, dear?” Aunt Joana turned to Olivia. “Is there anything you want?”

“I was thinking of getting a new pair of riding gloves. Mine look dreadfully worn out.”

“I was about to remark on that, too,” Fiona told her. “Perhaps you might also want a ribbon for your hair as well. Something that would go with that beautiful rose dress delivered three days ago.”

A ribbon would give her a more festive look compared to jewels and while she liked to dress in shades of pink and blue, pink was much better at allowing her to hide her pallor.

That and the rouge and lip salve.

“A fine idea, dear,” she smiled at Fiona.

Both girls stood up together in excitement. However, while Fiona managed well, Olivia felt her whole world dip and sway as she clutched desperately at the back of her chair to keep herself from falling.

“Livvy! Are you alright!?” her cousin rushed over to her.

Olivia shook her head, feeling as if it had somehow become a large boulder sitting on her neck as she did so.

“I think I might have stood up a little too quickly—” she murmured faintly.

But then, darkness quickly swallowed her vision, and the last thing she heard was Aunt Joana screaming for the physician as Daniel rushed over to catch her…

* * *

When her eyes fluttered open, she first saw Fiona hovering over her with tears in her eyes. To the side, she saw Aunt Joana looking rather fretful, and then, her brother, who looked as if all emotion had been drained from his entire body.

“Am I back in bed?” she groaned, struggling to sit up.

“Oh no, you donot!” her aunt chided her, gently pushing her back into her pillows. “You have just had another fainting spell.”

“What about Bond Street?”

“Dearest, Bond Street can wait,” Fiona told her. “It will still be there tomorrow, next week, or next month.”

Olivia smiled weakly at her cousin. “But you need your bonnet for your promenade this week. And I want my riding gloves.”

Fiona laughed hoarsely. “Well, it can all wait until you are feeling better, cousin dear.”

She looked towards the other occupant in the room whom Olivia had not noticed at first. A kindly-looking man with wire-rimmed spectacles was neatly packing up his bag.

“Dr. Edwards,” she called out softly. “I am perfectly fine, am I not? I can go to Bond Street, right?”

At that point, she heard Aunt Joana choke back on what seemed to be a sob.

“Not so soon, young lady,” Dr. Edwards replied with a stern look on his face. “Your family tells me that this was not your first collapse. I think that it is about time you take your health a little more seriously.”

“I do take my health seriously, Dr. Edwards,” she protested.I just want to be happy while I still can.

The poor physician gave her a stern look. “Youknowwhat I mean, young lady.”

“All right, all right,” Daniel finally stepped in. “We shall follow Dr. Edwards’ advice and you—” he directed his glare at Olivia “—you will stay in bed until the good doctor gives you clearance to leave it.”

Olivia was horrified. “Am I to be confined to my own bed?”