Page 20 of The Truth about the Marquess (Whispers of the Ton #3)

Chapter Nineteen

“ T here is something I must tell you.”

Oliver blinked as a lady sailed into his study, her eyes bright with passion, her voice seeming to echo around the room. It took him a moment to take her in, such was his surprise.

“Lady… Lady Guilford, good afternoon.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” She waved a hand, clearly dismissing the formalities. “As I said, there is something that I must tell you. It is wrong of me to do so, no doubt, but I shall do so all the same.”

A frown pulled at Oliver’s forehead.

“If it is wrong, then I do not want to know of it, Lady Guilford.”

She tutted.

“That is not to say that it is wrong , only that I am sure she would wish to tell you herself but, given the circumstances, she has not been able to do so.”

“Circumstances?” Oliver blinked, his frown lifting. “I am unsure as to what you mean.”

Lady Guilford threw up her hands.

“Are you not listening to me, Lord Edenbridge? This is of the greatest importance!”

Trying all the more to understand, Oliver gestured to a chair.

“Might you wish to sit down, Lady Guilford?”

“No.” She took a deep breath, then lifted her chin. “I am sorry if I appear a little fraught, Lord Edenbridge. There is a good deal of weight in this and that is why I have now come to speak with you.”

“I see.” Not understanding in the least, Oliver put a smile on his lips and silently prayed that the lady might soon start speaking in terms that he could understand. “What is it that you wish to tell me, Lady Guilford?”

She took a breath, then let it out slowly, closing her eyes for a moment as though to calm herself.

“Lord Edenbridge, at your masquerade ball, I believe that you were in conversation with the lady who writes for The London Chronicle.”

A sudden thrill ran up Oliver’s spine.

“Yes, I was. Why, do you know of her?”

The lady smiled.

“I am acquainted with her, actually. That is why I have come to speak with you. I believe that the conversation you were having with her was brought to a rather swift end, leaving it unfinished.”

Oliver nodded, a little surprised at how much Lady Guilford knew.

“Yes, that is so.”

“Might I suggest that you continue that conversation with her?”

Oliver’s shoulders dropped.

“I cannot, given that I do not know who she is, Lady Guilford. Unless it is that you wish to tell me?”

Lady Guilford opened her mouth, closed it again, and then frowned.

“I – I am not sure that it would be right for me to do so. Believe me, Lord Guilford, I came here in the hope of telling you everything, but now that I am standing with you, now that I am in your company, I begin to see that this must be something she does on her own.”

“But you think that there is more that she might wish to say.”

It took a moment, but Lady Guilford not only nodded but smiled.

“More that she wishes to say, but also more that you will wish to share with her, I am certain.” This was greatly confusing and though Oliver appreciated the lady’s visit, he still could not understand what it was that she meant. “You should write to her, as you have done before,” Lady Guilford continued, waving one hand in his direction as though she expected him to go and fetch his quill at that very moment. “Insist on speaking with her and, if she does not soon appear, then you must inform me, and I will bring you to her.”

Oliver blinked in surprise.

“You will?”

“I will. It is vitally important to me that you meet the lady,” she said, with a firmness that made Oliver’s eyebrows lift all the more. “It must soon happen. It must be soon, for I fear that she will lose all hope otherwise.”

It took all of Oliver’s strength not to ask what hope it was that this mysterious lady might lose, but realizing that he would not be given a simple answer, he merely nodded.

“You will do it, then?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Might you do it now?” she asked, astonishing him. “I will take it myself to The London Chronicle so that it might be delivered to her.”

“I am grateful for your willingness, but I am expecting Lord Dunstable and his betrothed to call very soon,” Oliver answered, seeing the frustration fill Lady Guilford’s expression. “But I shall write this very afternoon, I promise you.”

Lady Guilford took a step closer to him, her eyes sharp.

“You swear it to me?”

“I do.” Oliver put one hand to his heart and then bowed. “You have my word.”

This seemed to satisfy Lady Guilford and, with a nod, she swept from the room, leaving Oliver staring after her. Whatever it was that she knew, whoever this lady was, it was clear that Lady Guilford was quite determined that she and Oliver would soon meet. With a shake of his head, Oliver sat back down, feeling the urge to pull out a sheet of paper and begin his letter, only for a knock on the door to interrupt him.

“Come in.” He beamed as Lord Dunstable walked into the room, reaching out to shake his hand quickly. “My friend. I am glad to see you.” His smile faded just a little as the door closed behind Lord Dunstable without Lady Henrietta coming into the room. “Your betrothed?”

“All is well, have no fear,” came the reply. “She was unable to call upon you with me, for she is preparing her trousseau.” Perhaps seeing Oliver’s surprise, Lord Dunstable shrugged. “Her father has been good enough to keep back Lady Henrietta’s dowry, it seems. He has not gambled it away, as she feared, and thus, there is enough for her to spend on the trousseau before we wed.” His shoulders fell. “I did tell them all that I had no need of her dowry, but her father was quite insistent. Mayhap he feels a little ashamed after all he has done, I do not know.”

“Then I am very glad for you.”

“You will come to the service, will you not?”

Oliver threw out his hands.

“Of course I will! Nothing could prevent me from joining you on your wedding day.”

His friend tilted his head just a little, his gaze steadying.

“I am sorry that you are not to have such a day yourself. I know that you are glad for my sake, and for Lady Henrietta’s, that we have found such a connection, but I did hear about Miss Leverton also.”

Oliver looked away.

“It is unexpected, certainly, to be left without any young lady in my consideration. It is not what I expected!”

“And is there no other?”

A frown darted across Oliver’s forehead.

“Another? Another lady I have been considering, you mean?”

Lord Dunstable nodded.

“No, there is not. You know that I was only seeking out Lady Henrietta and Miss Leverton. Who else could you be thinking of?”

“Lady Harsham.”

Lord Dunstable did not hesitate, speaking quite plainly and making Oliver’s heart leap in surprise.

“She does not… that is to say, she will not be considering any gentleman in such a light,” Oliver answered, ignoring the way that his heart ached as he spoke. “I did not mean to overhear, but overhear I did, and she made it quite plain that she had no intention of ever marrying again.”

Lord Dunstable’s eyebrow lifted.

“Then might I ask, if she was willing to consider you in that light, would you then find yourself more amenable to the idea?”

Oliver swallowed, hard, aware of just how much that would mean to him, should he permit himself to think of it. Lady Harsham had often come to his heart and mind, particularly of late, and he had to admit to himself that their strong connection was one that he valued.

“I – I cannot say.”

“Yes, you can. You simply do not wish to.”

“Well, what is it that you want me to admit?” Oliver asked, suddenly agitated, throwing up his hands. “Should you like me to say that yes, I find Lady Harsham more delightful than any young lady of my acquaintance? That our connection is so strong, I cannot think of it weakening without great pain?” He began to walk about the room, gesticulating as he went, heat burning through him. “Would you like me to confess that, had I any hope of a return of my feelings, I would declare myself interested in furthering our connection? There is no hope, my friend, and thus, I have no thought of such things.”

Lord Dunstable blinked furiously, and Oliver ran one hand down over his face, feeling a little embarrassed. He had said more than he intended, revealed more than he had realized was within his heart – and Lord Dunstable seemed to recognize that.

“You have an affection for her then, yes?” Lord Dunstable spoke quietly but his words were like thunderclaps, forcing Oliver to consider his own heart with a frankness he had not done before. “I have seen your connection to Lady Harsham grow these last few weeks and, truth be told, I did wonder if your interest in her might overshadow your pursuit of the other two ladies in question. I hoped that you would realize that your interest in Lady Harsham was more than just a friendship, before you even thought of asking one of the others to court – and indeed, I would have spoken to you about all of this, should you have told me of your intention to do so.”

“I – it does not matter how I feel.” Oliver’s chest was tight and his voice a little strained. “She has already made it clear that there can be no connection between us, aside from friendship.”

“But she did not say that directly to you.”

Oliver shook his head.

“But she does not need to. I am glad that I know of it for then it meant that I would not make myself foolish in seeking out something which she could not, or did not want to offer.”

“Yet that also means you have not been honest with yourself and your own heart,” Lord Dunstable said, quietly. “And though you might have been a fool in speaking honestly, you might also have found something rather surprising in your connection to the lady. Mayhap, despite what you overheard her say, she might have her own feelings which she is battling with.”

Closing his eyes, Oliver let out a slow breath.

“I cannot be sure of that.”

“That is why you must take a risk. Though I will say, what I have seen of her when she is with you tells me that there might be something more there. Something that you, as yet, have not seen.”

Oliver blinked, then frowned, wanting to refute his friend’s words but, at the same time, surprised at just how much his heart leaped with the sudden hope that was offered him.

“Will you think about what I have said, at least?” Lord Dunstable asked as Oliver rubbed one hand over his eyes. “I should like to see you happy, and I am sure that Lady Harsham would be the one to make you so – just as you might make her happy in return.”

Nodding, Oliver cleared his throat rather gruffly, feeling a trifle uncomfortable at having spoken so honestly but also a little confused with all that he had revealed – even to himself.

“I will think about it, yes.”

“Good.” Lord Dunstable winked. “And mayhap there will be two weddings very soon, instead of just the one.”