Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

A fter loading his plate, John sauntered slowly to the head of the table. Had his cousin, Lord Langford, not married three years ago and moved promptly into the family home in London with his wife, this spot would have been reserved for him. But since Lord Langford would not be in attendance this weekend, and all the other ladies and gentlemen were quickly finding their ways toward the exit, he took the choicest morsels from the buffet as well as the most comfortable seat.

As he settled himself into his cozy spot, John watched those leaving the room, and Lady Olivia was one of the last to vacate. When she spilled the cup of tea, she had narrowly escaped splashing some on her dress.

Too bad…it might have been nice to see what was concealed underneath that modest frock.

While most of the other young ladies wore white day dresses or ones that featured a simple pattern, Lady Olivia had elected to wear a frock that was a bold blue hue. It was cut in a way that entirely obscured her figure and even around the collar, where a gentleman might have been granted a peek at her fine, heaving breasts, she had prudishly secured lace with an oversized brooch.

His eyes stayed locked on her as she joined the queue to vacate the room and just as he was beginning to fantasize about her legs, which he was sure were long and shapely, he was torn from his daydream by the snickering of his friend, Frederick.

"If you stared after her any harder, someone might think you fancied Lady Olivia."

John dropped his fork, and it clattered as it collided with his plate. "What did you just say?"

Plopping into the seat next to John, Frederick plucked a strip of bacon off his plate and took a careful nibble. "I only meant that for someone who warned me to keep him away from the lady, you seem to be quite transfixed by her."

"I assure you that while I was admiring Lady Olivia's form, I am not transfixed by her ."

Frederick scoffed. "How can you make out her form in that dress?" He stuffed the rest of the bacon in his mouth and reached to steal a piece of toast from John's stack. "She is not quite dowdy but…"

"But what?" John's interest was piqued.

"But I do not understand why you are wasting even a moment gazing after Lady Olivia when there are plenty of other young women who are dressed in a rather becoming way this morning." He nodded his head across the room, and while John did not turn to see to whom he was gesturing, he heard a peal of giggles.

"Were you late to breakfast this morning because you were off, admiring some of the young ladies?"

Frederick snorted. "That could be the case…or I might have been giving my very special attention to just the one."

"Anyone we need to discuss?"

Waving away the question with an air of nonchalance, Frederick replied, "Just a lady. Just a friend. A good friend, mind, but no one who bears mentioning."

"Scoundrel," John said teasingly.

"It takes one to know one," Frederick countered. He picked up another piece of toast, promptly took a single bite, then placed the rest on John's plate. "But enough of this talk, we have got some fencing to do."

"You go on ahead," John urged. "I was considering skipping the fencing, so I might enjoy my breakfast in peace."

"But that won't do," Frederick cajoled as he clambered to his feet. "If you wish to catch the eye of an amiable young lady and prove to all the shrewd mamas in attendance that you are much more than the Charming Rake who wishes to seduce their daughters, you must play nice and join in the festivities."

"Oh," John groaned as he stood slowly. "Why must you speak so sensibly this early in the morning? Could you not just allow me to enjoy my breakfast in peace?"

"You will have all the peace you desire once this week is over, and you have found yourself a bride," Frederick reminded him. "But for now, we must try to revitalize your reputation." His smile disappeared and was replaced by a far more discerning look. "I understand that you have this odd fascination with Lady Olivia, but the two of you together are volatile. I heard whispers on my way in here of how you had another confrontation with her and…"

"I have no fascination with Lady Olivia."

Frederick arched his eyebrow cynically, rendering it unnecessary for John to proceed with any sort of argument.

"Fine," John conceded, "I will stay away from her…after I make one thing perfectly clear." Determined to act, he pushed away from the table and stalked toward the doors which were blessedly free from congestion now because everyone else had disappeared.

"Where are you going?" Frederick asked as he trailed behind. "The doors that lead to the lawn are on the far end of the house, and you are headed toward the wing where the ladies are staying."

"Correct," John confirmed. "I must have it out with Lady Olivia once and for all and make it plain that she is to let me be."

"Do you really think that is necessary?"

John scoffed. "It is what I should have done yesterday."

He stomped up the staircase, knowing fully that if anyone, especially one of the mamas in the bunch, should find him doing this, he would be in for a tongue-lashing, but John did not care. Instead of bantering with Lady Olivia and snidely teasing her this morning, he should have ignored her immediately.

So now, I will just remedy the situation by asking her to do me the same courtesy of letting me alone.

He was so lost in his thoughts that John forgot to watch where he was going. And, as he rounded the newel post, he collided head-on with a young lady who smelled strongly of roses.

"Heavens!" she muttered as her bonnet tumbled to the floor and came to rest against his boot.

"Apologies," he exclaimed before stooping to collect the bonnet and handing it to the lady. Instantly, he started to apologize for stomping about like a buffoon, but his tongue cramped and stilled when he realized who was staring back at him. "Why must you be everywhere?"

Lady Olivia glowered at him. "I ought to ask you the same thing. I have good reason to be in the ladies' wing, but you…you…"

"Do not say it," John ordered sternly. "I am not here for the reasons you may think. I only charged this way because I came to speak with you."

"Me?" Lady Olivia's surprise was evident by the way her expression changed from hostile to stunned in the flicker of a second. She took a step away from him, putting some distance between them. "What do you want with me?"

"Plenty," John answered because he just could not help himself. She inhaled sharply, obviously offended by his forwardness, and that was all it took for him to come to his senses. "Please," he said, mastering his own emotions and aiming to be courteous above all else, "allow me to explain."

"Do," Lady Olivia demanded. "For if you do not give just cause concerning why you have tracked me here, I shall scream so loudly that everyone at the event outside will hear me and come running."

"Do you think I mean to hurt you?"

"No," she answered quickly, "but my mother taught me to be wary of gentlemen like you and–"

"But what do you know of me?" John interjected. "What have you heard that makes you dislike me so much?"

Lady Olivia narrowed her eyes which no longer looked soft or jubilant but now seemed steely. "Plenty," she echoed his response from just a moment before, but it carried a much different meaning now.

He shook his head, slightly dazed by her audacity. Then, he took a deep breath, hoping to clear his thoughts, so he could proceed as planned.

"I know not what you have heard, Lady Olivia. It is likely that most of the rumors which have reached your ears have been true, but…"

"I do not listen to rumors," Lady Olivia interjected. "Rose and Benedict have done nothing other than sing your praises and yet…"

"Ah-yes! And yet !" He seized upon her words. "You have not a single reason to despise me, and yet I can see that you do. I knew it the first moment we argued at the dinner table and the same look of loathing has been scrawled across your face since we met again yesterday afternoon. Tell me what I have done to cause you offense."

"You…you…"

When it seemed that she was unable to rally an answer, John spoke again, "You can think of nothing? No injustice? No behavior that requires your censure?"

She gave an aggravated shake of her head then stepped to the side, moving right around him. "Leave me be, Lord Frontershire," she said as she descended the staircase. "I have no wish to continually quarrel with you."

"Nor I with you," John agreed as he galloped down the steps in her wake. "That was truly why I sought a private word with you."

They reached the landing then she paused and turned, giving him a skeptical stare.

"Yes?"

He nodded encouragingly as he took a step closer to her. There was very little distance between the two of them because John hoped to keep their discourse private and there was no telling when someone else might appear.

"I wish to put an end to this bickering between us. I would very much like to make a favorable impression on the ladies gathered here this weekend, and I can surmise you have come to Auntie Aggie's because you are hoping to engage the affections of a gentleman who is in attendance." She opened her mouth to say something, but he made a tutting noise so that he could continue his speech. "My wish is that you and I may call a truce, and you will end your campaign to humiliate me."

Lady Olivia had been standing at full attention, gazing at him with wide eyes, but at his words, her shoulders sagged. She leaned nearer so that her words caused a waft of her warm, sweet breath to drift over his face. "You think I mean to humiliate you?"

He shook his head, feeling a little dazed. "It seems so."

She squeezed her eyes shut tight then through a mouth that was puckered, she whispered, "Lord Frontershire, we shall burden each other no longer."

Her eyes flew open and as if, for the very first time, she realized just how close they were standing, she took one very large step backward. With determination, she added, "I will stay out of your way, so long as you do not situate yourself in mine."

"Done," John agreed then, for the sake of being obliging, he took two large steps to the side, giving her all the space she would need to walk away from him.

And just for good measure, as she gathered her skirts and glided toward the exit, he did her the courtesy of not watching her movements and thinking lascivious thoughts.