Page 18 of My Secret Duke
B reakfast was far from a pleasant meal despite everyone being at the table. The tension in the room was tangible. Gabriel was speaking in monosyllables, and Vivienne was listless. Felicia was relishing their falling-out, a satisfied smirk on her lips as she watched them over the brim of her cup.
“Such a pity the prince had to leave so suddenly,” she said with insincere dismay. “I wonder if he will return?”
The dowager shot her daughter-in-law a look of dislike. “Eat your breakfast, Felicia.” She looked as if she would have liked to say more but restrained herself, viciously slicing her toast into smaller pieces.
Last night, Olivia had sought out Vivienne to offer her the support the other woman had always given to her. Vivienne had been upset about the damage to the relationship with her husband. “I should have told him,” she admitted. “He feels I have deceived him, but… everything was going so well. I didn’t want to cause any upsets. Especially after the awfulness of my family and then coming to live at Grantham. We had enough to contend with, or so I thought. I was always going to tell him; the right time just never presented itself.”
Olivia had comforted her. “Gabriel will understand. He probably read your book and loved it. He is a great reader of romances.”
Vivienne gave a wan smile. “He has read it. I saw it on his bookshelf at Cadieux’s.”
Olivia had chuckled, and then Vivienne had giggled.
“It will be all right,” Olivia had said as she gave Vivienne a hug. “Gabriel loves you so much. He’ll realize this is but a minor bump in the road.”
However, at breakfast, she had to wonder just how wide the rift between them really was. Her brother was hurt—he did not like secrets. Well, he would just have to get over it. Matters were much worse for Annette. She had left first thing this morning with her parents for their home in Devon, the viscount and viscountess grim-faced while their daughter’s eyes were red from weeping. Olivia hoped things would calm down, but while she had sympathy for Annette, surely it was her own fault for blurting out the truth about the book’s authorship in front of everyone.
The dowager finished mangling her toast and seemed to come to a decision. She looked up, her gaze traveling around the table at the subdued breakfasters.
“I have decided I will return to London.”
There was a gasp. Olivia’s fingers closed so tightly on her teacup she feared it might crack. London? Was her grandmother going alone? Please, please, take me! She bit her lip before the words could escape.
The dowager was continuing. “Gabriel and Vivienne will remain here with the younger girls. Gabriel tells me he has estate matters to deal with, and Vivienne has much to learn about running a household like Grantham.”
Vivienne’s shoulders stiffened, but she did not respond. Grandmama’s gaze found Olivia.
“Olivia and Justina will come with me.”
Olivia set down her teacup with a clatter, but no one seemed to notice.
“It is time Olivia resumed her Season, and…” The dowager bit back a sigh. “I had hoped that Olivia would be settled before Justina had her coming-out, but that now seems unlikely.” Her dark eyes rested censoriously on her eldest granddaughter, and Olivia, remembering the approval she had so recently basked in, tried not to flinch.
“So I will be coming out?” Justina said, eyes wide with trepidation.
“I see no reason for us to wait any longer,” the dowager retorted. “Unless…” She looked questioningly at her grandson. “Gabriel? Can we afford another debutante ball so soon after the house party?”
Gabriel cleared his throat. “We can. A small one.” He grimaced at Justina. “I’m sorry, the coffers are running low. There is never enough to do everything I want to do at Grantham.”
He sounded downhearted, and Vivienne placed her hand over his. Gabriel seemed surprised. Olivia held her breath, hoping he would not pull away. Gabriel’s eyes met Vivienne’s, delving deep, and then suddenly, they were both smiling. The relief around the table was palpable.
Justina’s smile was undimmed. “I don’t mind, Gabriel. As long as the people I love the most are at my coming-out, I will be happy. Oh, and if I have a new dress for the occasion.”
Gabriel’s dark eyes were warm. “Then you will have your wish.”
“What about me?”
Roberta’s question shattered the harmonious moment. All attention turned to her, but she only lifted her chin and stared back, unfazed. “You have mentioned everyone else, Grandmama, but what about me?”
Olivia gave an inner sigh as she looked properly at her sister. Roberta’s hair was hastily bundled up into a chignon, wisps falling everywhere, and her dress had a stain on the sleeve. She had probably been down at the stables already this morning—the girl seemed to live there.
“How old are you?” their grandmother demanded.
“She’ll be seventeen in two days’ time,” Vivienne replied mildly, with a smile for Roberta. “She is no longer a child.”
“Despite behaving like one,” the dowager said. Then, in a testy voice, “Very well, she will come with me to London, and if she misbehaves at all, if she disobeys even one of my directives, then she will be sent home in disgrace.”
Roberta bit her lip and tried hard not to smile.
Olivia couldn’t help but smile too. She felt like skipping around the room. London! There would be some invitations, surely? And even if she received only one, she would use it to win everybody over so that soon there would be more. Olivia would be sensible and serious, she would make the most of this chance, but she was also going to enjoy herself like there was no tomorrow, because with Roberta accompanying them, there may very well not be.
The dowager was issuing orders. The governess would remain here at Grantham with the younger members of the family, while the companion, Miss Starky, was to come with them to Ashton House. Their companion was young and amiable, although she was understandably anxious when in the company of their grandmother.
Rides and strolls in the park would be in order. Visits to their dressmaker, and the theater, and all the other entertainments London had to offer. So much to look forward to. Olivia could hardly wait. Finally, she would be able to resume her Season. She hadn’t realized quite how low her spirits had fallen until they started to lift. And no, she refused to believe that had anything to do with Ivo’s hasty departure.
With breakfast finished, the three girls went upstairs to pack. Justina was still wide-eyed from the news of her coming-out, while Roberta was dancing as she climbed the stairs, swirling her skirts around her until she stumbled and nearly fell over the bannister.
“You realize you will not be able to walk around looking as if you’ve been dragged through a bush backward,” Olivia said, catching hold of her sister’s arm to hold her upright.
Justina shot her a worried look and, startled, Olivia realized her voice had sounded as testy as Grandmama’s. Was she being horrible again?
Roberta seemed to think so, her eyes flashing. “I can be a lady,” she retorted, and curtsied low. “See? There’s nothing to it.”
Olivia shrugged. “Passable, I suppose.”
Roberta curtsied again, and skipped away to her room, her untidy hair tumbling down around her.
Justina caught Olivia’s hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “She does try. She’s just so… so—”
“Annoying?” Olivia finished for her.
Justina gave a little smile, and her eyes sparkled. “Prince Nikolai didn’t know what to make of her. We were walking in the garden with him, and suddenly, she turned a cartwheel. Right in front of him!”
Olivia stared in horror. “Her skirts…”
“She was wearing pantaloons. We all saw them. The prince turned as red as a beet and almost ran away.”
Olivia didn’t mean to laugh. It shouldn’t have been funny, but the feeling bubbled up inside her, and a moment later Justina joined her. Until the thought of such a thing happening in Hyde Park terrified her into silence.
Justina seemed to read her mind. “We’ll just have to keep her in check.”
Easier said than done, but she made a sound of agreement. It was so nice to be on good terms with Justina again—it was to be hoped nothing else occurred to cause them to fall out.
Charles Wickley, for instance. Olivia had restrained herself from mentioning him, but his wicked reputation was still on her mind. If he dared to hurt her favorite sister…
But for now, she set aside her fears. It was a time for celebration. Life was good, and if Olivia had her way, this would be the first step on the pathway to her new life.