Chapter 29

Chapter 29

After supper, they gathered as a group on the terrace, with glasses of madeira wine or cognac. Everyone wanted to be in the open air after a long, anxiety-ridden day. Olivia came to join them, looking poised and refreshed after her ordeal.

Marcus took the seat beside her and reached for her hand. She smiled up at him. "We should have been married today," she said.

"It won't be long before we are married, and it gives time for a special celebration at Silverton. Time will fly by," he told her.

"I still think you should be resting, but as you insist on joining us. I confess I am desperate to hear your story,"said Marianne.

"Where's Marguerite?" Olivia asked.

"Playing in the garden with Hera. Our two dogs seem to get on very well together," Marcus replied.

"She tried to save me. She barked so loudly and tore a strip off Sir Jonathan's pantaloons," Olivia told them.

"He was there then?" asked Marcus

"Yes, but not alone. He had too burly accomplices with him. He gave them money when we arrived at his house," said Olivia.

"Tell us what happened," urged Uncle Harold. "We'll listen and then ask any questions."

Olivia proceeded to tell them what had happened. "Jonathan approached me while I was in the little park with Marguerite. He told me that Marianne had been taken ill. I suppose to be credible it had to be someone who lived in another house. I was wary, but it sounded plausible, so I began walking with him to his carriage. Looking back, I was foolish, as it would have made more sense for him to come here to find me, and how would he know Marianne was ill."

"Despicable wretch," murmured Marianne.

"When we were near the carriage I changed my mind, and tried to leave him, but one of the henchmen took my arm and bundled me into the chaise. I still can't believe my foolishness," continued Olivia.

"He wrong-footed you. By the time you saw through his story you were in his clutches," reassured Jocelyn.

"The rest is quite mundane. He told me that if I made a scene when we arrived at Lancaster Crescent he would find and harm Jocelyn. He locked me in that room, where I spent two or three hours working out how to escape.

"He is quite mad. He seems to have fallen on hard times and desperately needs money. What did he think he could do? Lock me up forever in his townhouse or country estate? He can't know me well, because it would never have worked as a plan," Olivia told them.

"I believe he thought that if he had access to your wealth, then he could have a doctor certify you were insane and commit you to an asylum. As your husband he would have had power to do that," said Marcus.

Olivia shuddered. "I think the cook had called for the constable. I must thank her as she was prepared to give up her livelihood for me."

"Erm, she has already found another position. I've taken her on as cook at Silverton Hall," said her uncle. "It seems there is one small positive to come out of today's events."

She smiled and continued her story. "I would have escaped. The room he locked me in was above the portico roof, and I had begun to knot sheets and curtains together for a makeshift rope, to tie to the bedstead and climb down. I planned to go immediately to St. George's for the wedding ceremony. How dare he make me late for my own wedding!"

She left out the part where Marcus had burst into the room, Colin close behind and swept her into his arms. His obvious fear at losing her had made her heart tremble. In the end Colin had patted him on the back and told him to stop kissing her, as the constables had arrived.

"And I hear you held a pistol to Sir Jonathan until the constabulary took him away. Thank you, Uncle."

"We all played our part in rescuing you," her uncle replied. "I'm just sorry you didn't get your wedding day. However, we have already started planning a very special day at Silverton Hall."

As darkness spread around them, and the moon began to shine in the night sky Marcus and Olivia took a walk in the garden. "The moonlight is so strong that it could almost be daytime," said Olivia.

"It's a full moon. Have I told you how beautiful you look in the moonlight?"said Marcus.

She shook her head and looked up at the night sky. "There's the first star. It shines so brightly."

"It's Venus, named after the Roman Goddess of love." He cupped her chin in his hands and gazed into her eyes.

"By the time of the next full moon you will be my Countess Cendrillon," he added.

"And I'm not going to miss my next wedding day. I'm determined to dance under a starry sky with the man I met in a woodland grove, not so very many months ago," Olivia replied smiling up at him.

"Your eyes sparkle even in the moonlight," he whispered softly as he drew her into a kiss.