Page 28 of Waiting for Love (The Taverstons of Iversley #3)

A fter this last bit of business, Benjamin would be done with his London tasks. He could leave straightaway, except that his new shirt and jacket would not be ready until the next afternoon, and he could not start a lengthy journey so late in the day. Not with Hannah.

He didn’t know what he’d been thinking, ordering new clothes.

The longer he stayed in London, the more he watched Olivia draw away from him; the sadder she appeared, the more determined he was to go. If he did not, he risked pulling her into his arms and begging her to elope—and there was nowhere to run away to.

He carried a handful of papers to Jasper’s study. The door was open, but this time, Benjamin heard no voices coming from inside. He stood in the doorway and cleared his throat. Jasper looked up from his desk where a few books and pieces of paper lay spread before him.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you, my lord.”

Jasper shook his head and waved Benjamin in. His mouth twisted as though he were about to say something sarcastic, but he said only, “What do you need me to sign?”

“Payments.” He set the sheets in front of Jasper. “The caterer. Orchestra. And the mason fixing the cellar.”

Jasper’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Already? Bills don’t usually come—”

“Bills come. They are just ignored. Your books would be a lot tidier if you’d pay people—”

“Yes, yes. Another of your pet peeves. Show me where.”

Benjamin pointed and Jasper scrawled his signature without looking at what he signed. The room blurred for a moment and Benjamin had to press his fingers hard against the desk to stave off dizziness.

“Do you know how easy it would be to embezzle from you?” he said, hearing the scratch in his own voice.

Jasper glanced up with an expression of mild annoyance. “I know it would be easier if you would simply sign these drafts with my name.”

Benjamin snatched up the papers. This trust was killing him. He turned to go.

“Benjamin, wait.” Jasper pulled his hands through his hair, then rested his elbows on the desk. Head in hands. He looked up. The blue of his eyes appeared dulled.

“You have known us a long time. You’ve known Olivia…” He flushed as if remembering Olivia’s obvious youthful infatuation, but pressed on. “How have I gotten this so wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what I mean.” He brushed aside the papers he’d been looking at. “Only that I wanted her to have a perfect Season, especially after waiting so long for it. I thought I could do that for her. But I don’t understand females and I certainly don’t understand Olivia.”

“I don’t…” Don’t what? Understand Olivia? He understood her too well.

“I’m sorry. This is not…I’m sorry. I dump everything else on you and now, Olivia.”

Benjamin pulled his usual chair over to Jasper’s desk and sat down.

“I can’t help. But I can listen.” And then go drown himself in the Thames.

“Maybe hiring Boring was too much. Maybe it’s all too much. Olivia isn’t happy. That much is obvious. I don’t know what makes Olivia happy. I still think of her as our giddy Livvy-pet. She isn’t.”

“No. She isn’t.” He hesitated, then asked, “Why do you think something is wrong? I thought she was—what did the countess say—a rousing success?”

Jasper sniffed. “I thought she was. She danced every set. Everyone said she was beautiful. Isn’t that the definition of success? But she is moping, and Olivia does not mope. She droops around bored, and Olivia is never bored. And now, have you looked…” He stopped and muttered, “No, of course you haven’t. What am I saying? Benjamin, if you were to look in the parlor today you would see two floral arrangements. Two.”

Benjamin’s heart sank. Every man she danced with, if they were interested in pursuing her, should have sent flowers.

“Do you know what that means?”

Benjamin said, “Only that two admirers sent her flowers.”

“ Only two admirers sent her flowers.”

“She has had mountains of flowers.”

“Fewer each day. After last night, the room should be full. It was her first waltz at Almack’s!” He shook his head. “This must all seem ridiculous to you.”

The rules did. But given leave, he would fill her rooms with flowers every day.

“Who sent the bouquets?”

“Ebersom and Lythe.”

“Lythe? I thought…”

Jasper raised an eyebrow. “Thought?”

“I thought that your mother might forbid him to call.”

Jasper sniffed. “She told him she would not permit Olivia to go riding alone with him in the wee hours and that he should know better than to ask. I think she even rapped his knuckles.” He didn’t laugh. He glowered. “If he had asked to pay court, I would have said no. But he didn’t ask. He just came. I couldn’t turn him away at the door.”

Benjamin didn’t challenge him on that. He merely said, “And Ebersom? He is a marquess?”

“Yes, and he would be perfect. That is, I think he would. Olivia seems…”

“Seems?”

“Lukewarm.” He stood up abruptly and went to his cabinet. Then he slapped his hand against it and returned to sit back down. “I know I don’t need to say it, but this is confidential. I had few words with Carleton last night. I thought he wanted to ask if he stood a chance against Ebersom. But instead, he told me he had to reluctantly withdraw. He said Olivia was a beautiful woman and he liked her very much but—” He stopped and looked at Benjamin with a bewildered expression.

“But?”

“He said he feared she had a melancholy disposition and there was too much of that in his family already. A melancholy disposition! Olivia!”

Gritting his teeth, Benjamin said, “She does not.”

“Of course she does not. Carleton’s defection means nothing. I would not have wanted her to encourage him anyway. She danced with several better. Not just the marquess, but two earls and a baron. But two flower baskets? Two?”

Names didn’t matter? Only titles? Bile rose in Benjamin’s throat. He ignored his own anger. That resentment he should not allow himself to feel.

“Iversley, it hasn’t been a full month since her ball. Surely, you didn’t expect to have her married off in three weeks. She will have more earls and barons at her feet.”

“She could. If she were to walk into a ballroom and shine like she can. Olivia is not a melancholy person, but I cannot deny she is acting that way.”

Benjamin didn’t respond. He knew what was wrong. But he could not tell Jasper. Jasper with his marquesses and his earls.

“I thought you might shed some light,” Jasper said.

Benjamin started. “Me? Why?” His voice cracked with guilt.

“The other day, when I saw you two at the foot of the stairs, you both looked…downcast. I thought she might have confided something to you. She certainly wasn’t asking you to find her fan.”

“She—she didn’t say anything.” He could not look Jasper in the eye.

“I don’t know how to ask this, Benjamin.”

Benjamin’s pulse pounded in his neck. “What?”

Reg entered, knocking on the door as he did. “Jasper, you need to hear this.”

Hazard followed on his heels. He scraped over a chair and sat down. “Were you two discussing Olivia?”

Benjamin did not move a muscle, but Jasper nodded.

“Well, then, this may not come as much of a surprise. I was at Lady Marpleton’s breakfast this morning. She asked me if it was true that Lady Olivia was consumptive.”

“Consumptive!”

“Apparently, she heard that Olivia was listless last night at Almack’s. Lady Marpleton had a cousin die of consumption and she said it started with listlessness.” Hazard’s nose wrinkled. “I had to hear all the gory details.”

“Good God,” Jasper groaned. “Listless and melancholy?”

“Melancholy?” Reg asked.

“Carleton thinks she is.”

Benjamin saw the baffled men look to one another for some sort of answer. Thank God it had not occurred to any of them to simply ask her.

“She is not consumptive,” Reg said.

“Of course not.” Jasper sounded hoarse.

“But what is the matter with her? Something is. Something real. She is not given to hysterics. Do you think someone might have insulted her? Hurt her feelings?”

“Maybe. But I would expect her to fight back. Enlist us if need be.”

Reg pinched his jaw. “Should we take her back to Chaumbers?”

Hazard said, “That is an option. But you should consider it will only fan the rumors. And frankly, a man will be leery of a wife who runs back home whenever she is sad.”

“The deuce,” Jasper said. “I wish Crispin were here.”

Benjamin eased himself out of his chair. “This is family business. Perhaps I should not…”

Jasper reached for his arm. “Actually, I was going to ask you if you would stay.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Before Reg and Haz got here, I was about to ask you to stay. I know you need to be at Chaumbers. But I thought maybe Hannah…I’d hoped more time with Hannah might cheer her. Olivia adores her so.” He pleaded with his eyes. “Can I persuade you to stay until we figure this out? For Olivia’s sake?”

Benjamin let out a long breath. Heaven and hell.

“Yes. Yes, of course, I will stay.”

*

Jasper’s solution was Vauxhall Gardens. That very night. Benjamin stood in front of his mirror in a shirt he’d borrowed from Reg, cravat in hand, and attempted a knot he’d seen on others that did not look as difficult to tie as it was.

Jasper had always been a the-more-the-merrier fellow. It never seemed to register with him that not everyone felt the same. At least tonight, the outing was only for family. Family. Benjamin was touched that he was included along with Hazard and Alice.

But to speak as though the only people at Vauxhall would be family? The Pleasure Garden was where people went to see and be seen.

He frowned at his knot— the hell with it —pulled on his jacket, and went to find the others.

The men were gathered in the receiving hall. For partygoers, they looked a bit grim. He thought it was because of Olivia until he got close and saw that the skin around Hazard’s eye was darkened. Benjamin stared.

Hazard screwed up his mouth. “Yes, yes. I had a bit of misfortune.”

“Haz,” Jasper started.

“Yes, all right. As I was explaining, I arrived home to find my parlor a shambles. Bertram was entertaining—I don’t know who. They were not gentlemen. Two were passed out on the floor. The third was playing cards with Bertram. I can only assume the stakes were high and Bertram was losing. I told them to get out.”

When he did not continue, Jasper said, “His cousin insulted him. Hazard hit him.”

Benjamin swallowed hard. He didn’t press for more, but Hazard picked up the tale.

“I did not hit him hard enough. We got into a scuffle. The other fellow picked up a poker.”

“Good God!” Benjamin exclaimed.

“Yes, well, fortunately James burst into the room. He’d heard the noise.”

Jasper said, “His butler.”

“James is a young fellow. Robust you might say.” Hazard huffed as though amused. “He knocked the poker from the ruffian’s hand.” Hazard swung his arm, demonstrating. “Then he laid the fellow out flat with one punch. With my permission, he called in the footmen, and they threw everyone out.”

“Everyone?” Jasper pressed.

“Bertram, too. I was angry enough not to question the wisdom of such a move.” Then he drew himself up. “And this is not something we will discuss any further.”

Perhaps Hazard had heard footsteps, because at that inconvenient moment, the ladies entered the hall all together. If anything could have diverted attention, it was this. They stunned. All so different, they seemed to represent beauty in all its myriad manifestations: Georgiana’s red-blonde, Grecian perfection; Vanessa’s dark, mature sensuality; Alice’s sharp-eyed intelligence and a buxomness that hinted at more. Still, it was Olivia who drew Benjamin’s eye. Her evening dress was a pale shade of turquoise. With her hair piled atop her head, her neck looked long and graceful. He had a fierce desire to press his lips against that neck.

The ladies lined up along the wall. At a signal from Vanessa, they lifted their hems a few inches, demonstrating that they were not wearing dainty shoes but boots. Their Christmas boots. Hessians decorated with flowers.

“Very lovely,” Hazard said, skepticism thick in his voice. “But can you dance in them?”

“We mean to prove that we can,” Vanessa said.

“We’ve been practicing,” Olivia said with a giggle. She hopped foot-to-foot as though stepping in an Irish jig.

Benjamin knew he was not the only man beaming at her, but he was the one she beamed back at.

Jasper laughed. “They will have to open a second factory in Cartmel. Come along. We’ll need to take two carriages.”

Jasper took Vanessa’s arm and gave her a very public kiss before leading her from the room. Reg swept Georgiana after them. He didn’t kiss her, but the look in his eyes was every bit as…heated. Hazard glanced at Benjamin, then offered his arm to Olivia. Benjamin escorted Alice.

As they stood in the drive, waiting to sort themselves into carriages, Olivia continued giggling and skipping in her boots.

This was what made Olivia happy. Taking part in a scheme with her sisters-in-law. Not worrying about courting for one night. The promise of an evening with her brothers. Did they not see it?

Then she skipped right up to Benjamin. She put her hand on his neckcloth. To his…shock, she untied it. His knees almost buckled. Then she tied it again, murmuring under her breath, “You are staying. I am so glad. So glad.” She patted the knot and said aloud, “There.”

“Olivia!” A very indignant chorus cried out.

Jasper sputtered, “Livvy, you cannot do that.”

She shrugged. “It was crooked. I fix Reg’s all the time.”

“Yes, but…” Jasper cast a helpless look about.

Hazard said, nose in the air, top-lofty voiced, “My dear Lady Olivia, a lady does not touch a gentleman’s clothing except a few light fingers on the sleeve when she takes his arm.”

Benjamin’s face felt hot. And not only his face. He didn’t dare try to speak. Or move. He should try to make a joke of it. That was what Taverstons did. But his mind would not function. He could think of nothing but…being undressed by Olivia.

“Oh, bosh,” Olivia said. “Well, then, lend me your sleeve, my lord, Viscount Haslet. My carriage awaits.”

As Hazard handed her up to the carriage, she spun around and patted his neckcloth. Hazard laughed and shouldered her inside. Benjamin joined in the laughter. Everyone was boisterous. Too pleased to see Olivia being herself to scold her for it.

Only Benjamin saw the obvious. It was not an outing with the Taverstons reviving her joy. It was him . He could make her happy. He could make her very happy. And he knew, deep in his heart, she had just challenged him to do so.