Page 23 of Waiting for Love (The Taverstons of Iversley #3)

O livia decided that life was simpler when devoted to pleasing others. That was evidently her strength. When she’d tried seizing the initiative—demanding a kiss at the folly, throwing herself at Benjamin at the lakeside—she made everything worse. So now that they were all back at 8 Grosvenor Square, she would do only what was expected of her.

Thus, during her first ten days in London, she attended small breakfasts and teas held by very correct Society matrons, and she rode once in Hyde Park in the early morning, sedately, accompanied by Jasper. That was all.

Since she was not yet “out,” evening activities were not allowed. Except for one. The night after Hazard’s speech in the House of Lords—which happened to fall on April the tenth, the day before her presentation to the queen and debutant ball—he held a dinner party for his intimates. There were only eleven guests, of which the Taverston contingent comprised the majority. Reg was still at Oxford, so to even the numbers, Benjamin and Mr. Boring were invited. Lord Chesterfield, Hazard’s mother, and Mr. Hollywell, an elderly friend of hers, completed the list.

Visiting in the receiving room beforehand, Olivia made sure to congratulate Hazard. His bill had passed on the first vote.

“Thank you, my dear.” Dressed to the teeth in a black jacket, yellow trousers, and a striped waistcoat, he looked relaxed and pleased with himself. The scent of oranges and mint wafted from him. “Now let us talk about you. Are you nervous for tomorrow?”

“A little,” she confessed. “Not about making my curtsy to the queen. That is just performance. But I do have nightmares no one will ask me to dance.” She hurriedly added, “Not because of Vanessa.”

Hazard shook his head. “There will be a veritable stampede of men wishing to put their names on your card.” He studied her a moment. “I will not press my advantage tonight by asking you to commit to dancing the opening set with me. But if it will spare you a nightmare, I will rush into the breach should there be one. And you must save a dance for me at any rate.”

“The supper dance.”

“Olivia!” He laughed. “No. That is for an ardent suitor to claim.”

“I don’t want to be stuck with some ninny at supper. Please, Hazard? It will give me something to look forward to if I am bored out of my wits. And I should not have ardent suitors the first time I step onto a ballroom floor. I would not trust a one of them.”

“ Hmm. Very wise. Put my name down for the supper dance. But if you should have a better offer, feel free to scratch it out.”

Hazard moved away to speak with Alice.

When it was time to go into dinner, Hazard took Alice in on his arm and settled her on his right. Of course, Hazard could do as he wished at his own celebration. Yet clearly, he was unaware of her partiality for him, or he would not be encouraging her hopes.

Mama had a different complaint. As they went to take their places, Olivia heard her whisper with annoyance to Jasper, “Hazard should have given his arm to Vanessa. He knows the countess takes precedence.”

Jasper merely laughed. “Alice deserves it. She wrote the bloody speech.”

That dumbfounded Olivia. Maybe she was blind. She spent the evening rethinking everything she thought she knew.

At least she didn’t have to worry about what to say to Benjamin. He was at the opposite end of the table. She conversed mostly with Lord Chesterfield, a very soft-spoken man. He was sweet. She learned he rarely left his estate in Wales. And yes, he had two sheepdogs. She couldn’t wait to tell Reg.

All in all, the quiet evening among family and close friends was just what Olivia needed. She hadn’t told Hazard the whole truth. Which was that despite her Taverstonian bravado, she was more than a little worried how the ton would respond. Which would weigh more? The family clout or Vanessa’s past?

It might hurt to find herself shunned. But it would kill Jasper.

*

Olivia had imagined her presentation to the queen would be the lesser of the two evils, but the day started off so poorly she prayed she was getting the worst over first.

If only Crispin could have seen her in her very special gown. Nothing but his howling laughter could have made it all right.

The monstrosity was made of blinding-white silk. Its hoops—required by Queen Charlotte for debutantes presenting at court, even though no one had worn hoops for half a century—were enormous. She could have hidden a horse underneath her skirt. The waistline was so high it swallowed her up, leaving her head perched atop a large white dome. An ostrich plume rose from her tightly coiled hair, all held in place with Mama’s diamond tiara. Ridiculously, everyone said she looked beautiful. She looked stupid and felt it.

Nevertheless, with a hundred or so gleaming eyes upon her, she managed the long walk down the carpet of the queen’s drawing room. Performed the perfect curtsy. Backed out without tripping over her train. There were eight other trembling debutantes with her. The interminable ceremony must have bored poor Queen Charlotte, who gave each the requisite tiny nod. Back in the coach, Jasper handed Olivia a glass of champagne, which she promptly spilled all down her front.

She arrived home to find Reg had made it back from Oxford as promised. He snickered when she walked in the door.

“Nice dress. I especially like the liquid embellishment.”

She grinned. “Thank you!” At least someone in her family was thoughtful enough to mock her so she didn’t feel so pitied.

Now there was only the ball.

She went upstairs to her dressing room where Tansy and Mama’s lady’s maid fed her tidbits, stripped off one gown, helped her bathe, and began dressing her in another. Of course her hair had to be completely restyled and redecorated, this time with pearls to match her ballgown. She thought of Reg’s complaint about the tedious hours wasted having one’s neckcloth tied. He wouldn’t last one day as a debutante.

*

The Taverston ballroom had been transformed. Elaborate floral arrangements lined the walls and a complementing floral pattern had been chalked on the dance floor. But that was not all. To Olivia’s delight, half-hidden statues of horses poked out from the flowers, and horses were also stenciled in on the floor.

As Hazard predicted, Olivia’s dance card filled quickly. Jasper’s friends jostled each other to scribble their names. And so it began. Her entrée into the Marriage Mart. She had to do this right. For Jasper and Vanessa’s sake, she couldn’t fail. She had to shine.

Lord Carleton led her out for the first set. He was one of Jasper’s more frequent companions and also brother to the Duke of Dorchester. He danced well. Unfortunately, his conversation was polite rather than witty. And his cologne was gin scented.

Viscount Howerton was next. He had a pleasant laugh. But he stepped on her toes twice and the cuffs on his jacket were frayed.

Lord Friarby had an unnerving smile, glanced too often at her decolletage, and smelled of cheap perfume—ladies’ perfume.

Her fourth partner was unexpected. His Grace the Duke of Lythe. A solid old Tory. He had been a friend of her father. His duchess had died over the winter. His second. Or perhaps third. Olivia thought it was in poor taste for him to be out at parties so soon, but maybe he meant to honor Papa by accepting his invitation. He had a lively step despite his age, carried himself like a duke should, and made her laugh twice. The type of laugh that was no more than three “ha’s” and did not require catching one’s breath.

Hazard rescued her afterward when the orchestra took its rest, bringing her a glass of ratafia before the duke felt it necessary to do so. He bowed graciously and drifted away.

“I told you so,” Hazard murmured, escorting her to the window for a breath of air. “You, lady, are positively stunning. The most eligible gentlemen of the ton are beating a path to your door.”

“A drunkard, a gambler, and a rake,” she scoffed.

Hazard appeared taken aback. Then he grinned. “Just so. But also, a duke.” He reached for her dance card. “Let me see. Ah. Ebersom is next. Good chap. You will like him.” He grimaced. “Lord Bryant is a bit of an arse. Hums all the tunes. And Horstman!” He shook his head with mock horror. “Lady Olivia, my dear, the man is notoriously damp palmed. Sweats through his gloves.”

She punched his arm. “Stop. I won’t be able to keep a straight face.”

“Fortunately, you have me after that. I have no faults.” He looked at her drained glass. “You managed that one without dousing yourself. Shall I get you another?”

“No, thank you.” She sighed. If she needed to visit the necessary, it would take an hour and two maids to fix her skirt.

“Lady, if it will give you strength, I’ve kept my ear to the wind. You are succeeding. Mrs. Windermere called you a diamond. Moreover, Vanessa is on the attack, charming the hordes.” His eyes lit with admiration. “War stories and pretty boots. The biddies have no idea what has hit them. Ah. Here is Ebersom coming. Put your smile back on. Dazzle him.”

*

Olivia had always enjoyed dancing. It was one of the few forms of vigorous exercise permitted to ladies. But her heart wasn’t in it. She knew she was supposed to flirt lightly, but it felt false, and the words stuck in her throat. Worse, the men didn’t appear to notice. Either they were dancing with her at Jasper’s request, or they were dancing with an earl’s sister in a pearl-studded dress with the promise of an eye-wateringly large dowry. As a bonus, she was not wall-eyed and did not walk with a limp.

In truth, she could not stop thinking of the brief waltz she’d shared with Benjamin.

From what she’d overheard, the only invitation that had been declined was his. With regrets. Because he did not wish to provoke gossip. He was not a gentleman, and he should not be mixing with gentleladies. Bollocks .

She did have fun dancing with Hazard. She went with him into supper with a sense of relief. It was to be a formal, sit-down affair, not a buffet, and eating such a meal with any of her other dancing partners would have been torture.

“I danced with Georgiana earlier,” he said, pulling out Olivia’s chair. He chuckled softly. “How was Lord Horstman?”

“Damp.”

“I warned you.” He sat down beside her. “What about Ebersom?”

She shrugged. “He didn’t step on my feet.”

“You should marry the man.”

While waiters served the first course, a white soup, he took a pinch of snuff. She tried not to recoil when he sneezed. Then she thought of something and laughed.

“What is funny?”

“Oh, I remember seeing you take snuff at one of our house parties. Other men were doing it too, but none of my brothers ever did. It seemed quite the thing, so I asked Reg why he did not.”

“And?”

“He passed me a caster of pepper and told me to hold a pinch in my nostril and sniff it up.”

“Good Lord.”

“I know. You would think it of Jasper or Crispin, not Reg. Of course, I did it. My head burst into flames. Water streamed from my eyes. I sneezed for a good ten minutes.”

“Did the old earl take a belt to your brother, I hope?”

Olivia scowled. “I am not a tattletale, sir. I simply stole Reg’s spectacles. It was his very first pair and he wasn’t quite used to them, but he liked how clearly they helped him to see. I ground sand against the lenses, then replaced them before he noticed they were gone. For an entire day, he feared he was going blind.”

Hazard laughed. “Taverstons.”

“How is Georgiana holding up?” It was two o’clock in the morning. She must be dead on her feet.

“She said she would retire after supper. Perhaps during it. She said this is generally when Arthur wakes to be fed.”

“It is good of Georgiana and Reg to come to London. I never even asked Reg how his lecture went.”

“Splendidly, I am certain. And you know they would not have missed your coming-out. Not for the world.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t invite Lord Chesterfield.” Jasper said his name had somehow been overlooked. “You know you could have brought him along.”

A cloud passed over Hazard’s face. “It wasn’t necessary. He detests these sorts of things. Always has.” Then he blinked. “I don’t mean your ball, of course.”

He changed the subject. They spoke of Chaumbers. Then Hazard’s estate in Kent.

Over the next course—beef roast, savory pies, haricot lamb, jellies, and peas in sauce—he mentioned his country home in Cumbria. Olivia picked at her plate. She wasn’t at all hungry.

“Lovely place, but I haven’t been there in over a year,” he said, bunching his lips.

“Is it difficult to get to?”

“No. Not so very.” He took a sip of wine. “I banished my cousin’s son there, you see. Nasty fellow. But the duns were hounding him, and I told him I’d pay his debts if he rusticated for a while.” He gave her a stern look. “That is not to be repeated, naturally.”

“Of course not.” She knew Hazard had a relative that he was not fond of. And unfortunately, the young man was his heir.

Hazard sallied on to another topic. “Your mother is permitting no waltzes?”

Olivia shook her head. “I cannot dance a waltz until I receive permission at Almacks, and my invitation there is not until the end of the month. She thought it would be safer simply not to have any tonight.”

“Lest some villain force you to waltz in public?”

She giggled. “It is silly, isn’t it? All these rules?”

“Etiquette is what keeps civilization from collapsing.” He stretched out a leg as if he had a cramp. “Who are you dancing with next?”

She showed him her card and his eyes slid down the list.

“Hazard,” she said, suddenly suspicious. “Did Jasper put you in charge of assessing my partners?”

His gaze flicked up, then away. “Your mother would not have invited anyone inappropriate for you to dance with.”

“Is that what I asked?”

He cleared his throat. “No. And yes, Jasper asked me to stand sentry. He thought it less obtrusive than if he were to do it.”

She should have been annoyed. Or maybe she shouldn’t. What did it matter? The only man she cared to be with had already been ruled out.

Instead, she sighed. “So what will I be contending with the next few hours? Bores? Fortune hunters? Cacklers? Gropers? Men with two left feet?”

“No.” He handed back the card. “Perfectly suitable gentlemen.”

They were all titled. Not a mister in the lot.

Dessert was served. A cake constructed to look like their townhouse. It was a shame to eat such a work of art. Especially because it tasted bland.

Then they returned to the ballroom. Olivia’s feet hurt and she feared she would begin yawning. It was nearing four o’clock. The ball would last until dawn.

The Duke of Lythe strutted up to claim her for the next set. She curtsied, but on rising, said, “Your Grace, I fear you are mistaken. Lord Crawford asked for this dance.”

“He yielded it to me. Unless that is unacceptable to you?”

“Of course not, Your Grace.” Not unacceptable but terribly uncomfortable.

They formed their squares. From the corner of her eye, Olivia saw Benjamin enter the room. She watched him pause, scan the company, and then make a beeline for Jasper. He didn’t reach him before the music started, so he moved to the wall to wait. Olivia couldn’t concentrate. She missed a few steps. Worse, she missed what the duke was saying and had to ask him to repeat himself.

“I said,” he said with a wry face, “that you are extraordinarily pretty.”

“Oh, good heavens. I’m sorry to ask you to say that twice.”

He smiled. “I think the appropriate answer is, ‘Thank you, Your Grace.’”

She laughed. “Thank you, Your Grace. I’m afraid my brain is not working right. I am not used to keeping such hours.”

“Fresh from the country,” he said, his eyes darkening in a way that caused a shudder to run down the back of her neck. Surely she was mistaking that look. He was old enough to be her grandfather.

They parted for the next steps. When they returned to each other, he wore a lighter expression. “Lady Olivia, I hear you are an extraordinary horsewoman. Your brother boasts of you all the time.”

“How very kind of him.”

“I think you would like a mare of mine. A true goer. Comes from the same lineage as Wellington’s Copenhagen. Perhaps you will ride with me one morning.”

Copenhagen! She all but shouted, “Yes!”

“You have a stunning smile. Though I am heartbroken to think the smile is meant for Cassiopeia not for me.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. He was flirting. And she was smiling because of the horse.

The music ended and they changed lines for the next dance in the set. She glanced around for Jasper and Benjamin, and saw them conferring, very excitedly, in the doorway. The musicians started, but at a gesture from Jasper, they wheezed to a stop.

He marched up onto the platform. He didn’t need to call for silence because everyone had already quieted, curious to hear what the Earl of Iversley had to say.

“My friends,” he began in a clear, carrying voice. “The rumors we have all been hearing are true.”

Rumors?

A hum began and then ceased. Everyone strained to catch every word.

“The war is over,” Jasper said. “Napoleon has abdicated.”

A roar went up. Shouting. Clapping. Stomping. The duke snatched Olivia up and swirled her around. “Excuse me,” she shouted, pressing herself away. She abandoned him on the dance floor to make her way toward the orchestra’s platform. When she was halfway there, Alice caught up with her and grabbed her hand. Meanwhile, Jasper had the musicians strike up “Rule, Britannia!” The cheering went on and on.

Reg joined them as they made their way to Jasper and Benjamin. Hazard was already there. Vanessa and Mama came rushing toward them. In the midst of their laughing and crying and saying over and over “Crispin! Crispin will be coming home!” they embraced each other and spun about and embraced each other more.

Benjamin caught her in his arms. Held her. Then released her. She turned to hug Hazard again, but saw his arms wrapped around Alice. His eyes were closed and there were tears on his cheeks.

Jasper leaned toward her and yelled in her ear. “I believe your ball is over. But my God, Livvy-pet. What a blessed success!”