Page 14 of My Secret Duke
T he first face Olivia saw through the blur of well-dressed guests was her mother, wearing that little satisfied smile that caused her eldest daughter so much consternation. The second was Prince Nikolai’s, and his expression was the epitome of disgust, his nostrils flaring as if he had scented a mate who was disappointing. Her heart sank, but before she could react, her grandmother bustled toward them, shooting a questioning glance at Gabriel, which he answered with a nod.
“There you are, Gabriel,” she said, completely ignoring Olivia. “Vivienne, where are you?”
Hearing her name, Vivienne glanced up from her conversation with her cousin. She was particularly beautiful tonight in an apricot silk gown, her hair arranged simply, and the famous Ashton emeralds about her neck. She looked more like a duchess every day. When the dowager beckoned her impatiently, she sent Gabriel a wry look before moving to join them.
The dowager took their hands in both of hers and raised her voice. “Everyone! Everyone, please pay attention!”
The music had stopped, and now there was a murmur of anticipation before silence fell. Servants hurriedly carried around trays of champagne for the toast.
“We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the marriage of my grandson, Gabriel, the Duke of Grantham, to his duchess, Vivienne. Let us wish them every happiness.” She joined their hands together before stepping away.
There was a rousing cheer. Olivia joined in, and Gabriel put his arm around his wife’s waist and leaned down to kiss her chastely on the lips. They shared a look that made Olivia’s chest ache a little, because it said so much about their feelings for each other. It made her wonder if such happiness could ever be hers before she reminded herself that she wasn’t looking for that sort of happiness. She had made her choice—if she hadn’t botched it up.
The prince stood alone with a champagne glass in his hand. He was looking bored. She needed to speak to him, she needed to… Her disobedient gaze slid to Ivo. He was with his mother and sisters, all raising their glasses to the happy couple. But he wasn’t looking at Gabriel and Vivienne. Instead, he was watching her, a frown upon his handsome face. He seemed to be asking her if everything was all right. Her lips tingled, reliving that kiss, and something about the sudden gleam in his green eyes made her think he was remembering it too.
Her arm was taken in a painful grip.
“Ouch!”
Her grandmother was beside her, and there was no doubting her displeasure. As the orchestra struck up again, Gabriel and Vivienne began to dance before the interested eyes of the guests. Once everyone was otherwise occupied, the dowager tugged Olivia away into a private alcove by the windows.
“Don’t you realize the chance I have given you?” Her whisper was low and angry, as if even in the midst of her fury, she was conscious of listening ears and potential gossip. “Don’t you care that you will end up as soiled goods? That no gentleman will offer for you? That you will be abandoned by society and grow old and alone?”
The picture she painted came from Olivia’s worst nightmares, and she suspected it was meant to. She felt ill as she forced herself to meet those dark eyes. “I am so sorry, Grandmama. I apologize. I… It won’t happen again.”
Her grandmother pinned her with a look that would have sent most people to their knees. “Are you sure? Because it seems to me you have an unhealthy obsession with Northam, and he has done nothing to dissuade you. He is a reckless fellow, just like his father. I remember the late duke well; he was a notorious seducer. Do you really think the son is any different? And Ivo will probably die the same way, thrown from his mount while trying to win some ridiculous wager.”
Olivia swallowed. “I’ll stay away from him,” she spoke through dry lips.
The dowager glared. “No. I don’t want it said the two of you acted like guilty children. You will dance with him, one dance, and you will behave as if it is nothing more than a duty dance. Appear as if you are bored. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m sorry—”
But the dowager hadn’t finished. “I will not be here forever to guide the family in the right direction, and I had hoped that when the time came, you would take over my role, Olivia. Do not disappoint me again.”
Tears burned Olivia’s eyes. “I won’t,” she whispered in a wobbly voice.
“Speak up!”
She lifted her chin and straightened her back. “I won’t,” she said firmly. The tears were gone.
“Very well.” The dowager’s gaze swept over her, and now it was approving. “Return to the ball and play your part, child.”
On shaky legs, Olivia did as she was told.
By now, Gabriel and Vivienne had finished their dance, and the ballroom was once more full of elegantly dressed guests enjoying themselves. “Olivia!” A loud and excited whisper came from the gallery above, and Olivia spied her younger sisters, enjoying the scene below. Roberta was there too, a far more subdued Roberta than usual, and Olivia discovered she had some fellow feeling for her tonight. It seemed that the Ashton girls were forever destined to muck up. Well, she reminded herself, that was in the past now, and she had much work to do to redeem herself in the prince’s eyes.
With her smile firmly in place, she moved toward the prince, who was now in conversation with Viscount Monteith. About horses, no doubt. She reminded herself to make a study of horses and the sport of racing so that she could converse intelligently about it. Perhaps Roberta could help her? She seemed to live and breathe the creatures.
At her approach, the prince looked up, his face politely blank. He was very proud, she already knew that, and very aware of his consequence. His wife must never put a foot wrong. She would need to stay within his strict guidelines and deport herself as one of those lucky few who belonged to the very upper echelons of society. Could Olivia be that woman?
You will be abandoned by society and grow old and alone.
Her grandmother’s words made her even more determined to rise to the occasion.
“Sir,” she said, curtsying low. “I do hope you are enjoying the music.”
“Music?” He looked about as if he had forgotten he was attending a ball, and wasn’t particularly pleased to be hunted down in this manner. “Ah, yes, it is very, eh…” Clearly the prince knew as much about music as Olivia knew about horses.
Monteith, bless him, clapped the younger man on the shoulder. “Dance with the beautiful Lady Olivia, sir. Enjoy yourself. We can talk later.”
The prince seemed on the verge of refusing, but slighting her before her family and friends would have been both callous and rude, and she did not think protocol would allow him to be either of those things. He bowed stiffly and held out his hand. “May I?” he asked.
With a relieved smile, Olivia placed her gloved fingers in his.
He was a handsome young man and a good dancer, every step precise and practiced. All the same, there was something unemotional about the prince’s performance—as if it was just that, a performance, made because it was necessary and not with any pleasure.
When the silence between them had lasted longer than she could bear, Olivia sought to make conversation. “Are you enjoying your visit? Apart from my sister purloining your stallion.”
His lips twisted up slightly, as if her plain speaking amused him. “Apart from that, yes, I am enjoying my visit. Your family is very hospitable.”
“Is yours not hospitable too?”
“My father died when I was young, and my mother is rarely at home, but I prefer my own company.”
Should she say she was sorry to hear that? It didn’t sound as if he wanted her pity.
“I ride a great deal when I am at home. It is my solace.”
“Are there mountains?” Olivia realized as she said it that he probably did not ride up and down mountains, but although he raised his eyebrows, the prince did not ridicule her question.
“There are mountains, yes, but my home is surrounded by forests.”
He seemed to relax further as he described the countryside in Holtswig. It sounded chilly, but Olivia nodded and smiled enthusiastically, and by the time the dance had ended, the prince was once more sending her those flattering glances.
Relieved, she left him with his next partner and made her way to Gabriel and Vivienne, only to find Ivo bowing before her, and asking her to dance.
A duty dance, she reminded herself as she agreed, to kill off the speculation. As he took her in his arms, his hands were firm and warm, his steps fluid and elegant. This time, it was Olivia who was stiff and ill at ease in her partner’s arms. Then he smiled at her. A warm, genuine smile. She could not help but smile back, until she remembered the part she was meant to be playing, and hastily wiped it from her face. Perhaps it was better not to look at him at all. She fixed her gaze on the dancers over his shoulder, and she spotted Justina in the arms of Charles Wickley.
“No!”
The word was muffled, but Ivo heard her and glanced around. “Whatever has made you look so fierce?” he asked curiously.
“I think my sister has a tendre for Charles Wickley.” Olivia answered before she could think to stop herself.
“And that is something to be discouraged?” Ivo asked in a puzzled voice.
“I know he is Gabriel’s friend, but he has nothing else to recommend him. And he has a reputation. Justina is too silly to realize he is playing with her.”
At that moment, a smiling and blushing Justina noticed her sister was watching her. She leaned in to speak with Charles. He promptly whirled them away through the crowd and out of sight. Olivia sighed. She needed to mend her fences with Justina, but she didn’t know how. Without her sister to share confidences with, and with Ivo forbidden to her, she felt very alone.
“I apologize for earlier.” Ivo’s soft words interrupted her thoughts.
“It wasn’t your fault. Someone was trying to make trouble for us. Well, me.”
“Georgia looked a little guilty when I escorted her back to the house,” he offered.
Nothing would surprise her about Georgia, but to be fair, her sister could not have done this alone. The letters, the assignation…
“Georgia is a puppet, and someone else is pulling the strings.” And Olivia thought she knew who that “someone” was.
“That sounds very ominous. Who is this puppet master?”
“My mother,” she blurted out. “At least I think so.”
“Ah.” He frowned down at her. “Can I help?”
Surprised, she met his eyes and was momentarily dazzled by their green depths. “No. Thank you. Though that is very generous of you, after…” After his treatment at Gabriel’s hands, and her own.
“I am a very generous person.” He was laughing at her. His mouth twitched, and she tried not to remember kissing those lips. The way he had tugged on her lip so gently, causing an ache of need deep in her belly. It was still there, and this wasn’t helping. The feel of her hand in his, the closeness of his body, the tilt of his head… Dancing with him had been a mistake. She opened her mouth to make some excuse, but he was already speaking.
“Have you repaired matters with the prince? I noticed him giving me dangerous looks.”
Olivia almost tripped, forgetting to concentrate on her steps, but Ivo was such a good dancer, he smoothed over her fumble. “What do you mean?”
“He’s jealous,” Ivo said. “Or at least he thinks he is. Maybe he’s the possessive type.”
“I don’t…” Olivia was about to say, “I don’t know him well enough to tell,” but she guessed what Ivo would think of that.
“Did your grandmother scold you?”
“She reminded me of my priorities.”
Ivo tightened his grip on her hand. “Well, you’re safe for the moment.”
It was an odd thing to say, and yet it was the truth. With him, she did feel safe. Ivo lifted her spirits, made the world a not-so-alarming place. She knew she needed to push him away once and for all because her future was with the prince in chilly Holtswig. Although she would make certain that they spent a good part of the year in London, because what was the point in marrying well if one could not show off one’s good fortune?
Just for a moment, she saw herself in the future, snuggled in a fur-lined cloak with diamonds at her throat and the prince at her side—although he was far more at ease than he was now. Perhaps he had even put on a little weight and was laughing jovially.
“You are plotting something, Olivia,” Ivo spoke close to her ear, his warm breath stirring the curls that lay against her cheek. “You have that dreamy look that bodes ill for someone.”
Olivia gave a brittle laugh. “You have a vivid imagination, Northam.”
He smiled down at her, not believing her for a moment, and once again, she remembered their kisses. It really wasn’t fair that he had this effect on her. And why did he have that warm, intimate note in his voice? As if despite this room full of people, they were the only ones in it?
A glance about showed her that her grandmother was watching. Another glance, and she saw Prince Nikolai was watching too.
Olivia knew she needed to put an end to the sense of intimacy that was developing between Ivo and herself. She needed to stop it once and for all.
Desperately, she said, “If you must know, I was wondering what the prince’s castle in Holtswig is like. Castles, I should say, because I believe he has several. I imagine they are quite luxurious.”
His smile faded, and the warmth left his handsome face. “Is that really what you want, Olivia? A luxurious castle and a cold husband?”
He made it sound wretched, but her smile grew brighter. “Nothing would please me more!” she said enthusiastically.
His gaze delved into hers, as if he was trying to discover whether she was being truthful, and then he nodded decisively.
“Then I wish you luck. I fear you will need it.”
The music ended and he stepped back with a polite bow before walking away. She watched his back, aware of an aching emptiness inside at his departure. Sensing someone’s gaze upon her, she turned, and once again, there was her grandmother. The dowager nodded her head in warm approval.
Olivia did not remember anyone ever showing her that sort of approval. Not her mother or her father, and not her grandmother until recently. It felt good. As if she was doing something right at last. She was determined to keep winning those looks from the dowager. And eventually, she hoped, that hollow ache in her chest would go away.