Chapter Three

A RUDE AWAKENING

O livia was on the edge of consciousness as early morning birdsong filled her room. She stretched in her bed, luxuriating in the unexpected warmth of it. Perhaps one of the maids has prepared a hot water bottle. Surprising, given the time of year, but pleasing, nonetheless.

She was just debating opening her eyes and accepting the reality of waking when a piercing scream forced the issue. She sat up, heart hammering in her chest, and smacked into something hard and warm as she did so.

Nigel Maxton stared sleepy eyed at her, the confusion replaced by horror. Olivia leapt from her bed hastily grabbing for a robe. The maid was still screaming or was that Olivia herself. No, no. Get a hold of yourself.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia yelled to make herself heard over the hysterical maid. "Why on earth are you in my bed chambers?"

Nigel opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment, two more people burst into Olivia's room. To her immense relief and horror, Olivia turned to see her mother and Lady Cotswalts staring at the pair of them, looks of utter indignation and confusion evident on their faces. At least it is not Alexander.

The maid was shaking her head, looking in horror from Olivia to Nigel to the two women in the doorway. For a moment, nobody spoke. Lady Cotswalts moved to the door and closed it.

"What is the meaning of this?" Olivia recognised the tone in her mother's voice. Dangerously quiet — fury sitting behind a tightly walled dam. "How can you have acted so recklessly? Have I taught you nothing?"

Olivia held up her hands trying to calm the situation as her sleep addled brain tried to make sense of it all. "It is not what it appears. I mean. I have no idea how Nig- Duke Glassley has ended up here. I am as surprised as you are."

"Come now, you cannot expect us to believe that? You here in your nightdress, and he…" Lady Cotswalts gestured to Nigel. "This is most dishonourable conduct, good sir, most unacceptable."

Olivia glanced at Nigel, whose look of panic seemed only to intensify. She felt her own nerves heighten. There will only be one course of action if they think anything untoward has happened.

"Mother, Lady Cotswalts… please, listen to me. This is… some mistake. Perhaps a poorly thought-out joke." Olivia looked at Nigel, hoping that he would aid her in her explanation. "Nothing has happened between us. Look, he is not even in his bed clothes!"

"Please, dear ladies." Nigel took a step forward, his clothes distinctly rumpled and unkempt. "I would never, never do anything like you are suggesting with Lady Olivia ."

The emphasis on never stung, but Olivia let it pass. He is only trying to convince them of the truth . Olivia nodded, trying to ignore the prickle of irritation she felt.

"Duke Glassley, you cannot deny it. You have been found in her bedchambers; what other explanation can there be?" Olivia's mother, the Dowager Duchess Emberly spoke softly, but Olivia could hear the fury in her voice. "You will make this right, Sir. I had not taken you for some dishonourable cad, but you will not dishonour my daughter further. You will marry her, at once!"

"Mother!" Olivia yelled. "Nothing has happened between us. I do not think of the Duke in that way."

"Indeed, nor do I." Nigel glanced at Olivia, panic still clear on his face although he tried to hide it with a smile. "Why! Just the idea that Lady Olivia and I would be involved in that way… Why, it is utterly preposterous! She is the younger sister of one of my oldest friends."

Olivia felt a stab of rage and bit her tongue. "Indeed. There is nothing of that sort going on between Duke Glassley and myself."

"Nor could there ever be." Nigel added his look, confirming that clearly, he thought being married to Olivia would be a fate worse than death. "Olivia is far too open hearted, too young. She is na?ve and wholly innocent. She has not even had her second season!"

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Olivia could not help but ask. Na?ve? Too young? He knows nothing about me, and yet he has decided that I am not good enough for him?

"I… Well. I mean to say, you have seen precious little of the world. There is still so much you do not know, that you could not hope to know."

"Because you are so worldly?" Olivia meant the comment to sound cutting, but Nigel clearly took her at her word.

"Exactly." He wrung his hands. "We are worlds apart. We have… Well, we have no common interests. I… Well, we would be a most disastrous match. I would never, not ever, want for Olivia to marry me! It would be a terrible fate."

Olivia's rage threatened to spill over. "You see, Mother, Lady Cotswalts. There is nothing between us. Just… a misunderstanding. There is no honour that has been tainted, and I am sure Bridget will be most happy to never mention this situation again. Won't you?"

The maid, Bridget, nodded. "Of course, M'Lady. I shall speak no word of it to any soul."

"You see? Nothing to fret over." Olivia refused to look at Nigel, not trusting herself not to throw something at him.

"Then you have no impure intentions towards Lady Olivia?" Lady Cotswalts fixed Nigel with a hard stare.

"I have no intentions of any kind towards her. She is the younger sister of my dearest friend, and that is the end of it." Nigel swallowed. "I deeply regret the scene that I have caused, and I can only offer my most humble apologies. I fear I had rather too much to drink, and well, I was not myself when I returned to the castle. I had forgotten that wine can lead to sleepwalking."

"You were asleep when you made the journey?" Olivia's mother raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed, I was. I would never have journeyed here sober and awake. There would be no reason for me to seek out Lady Olivia's company." Nigel shrugged.

Olivia was fuming, but her anger was dulled by the faces on her mother and Lady Cotswalts. It was clear that the women believed Nigel. That they would not force a marriage between them. After that little display, I understand their conviction. It is as though he can barely stand being around me.

The thought stung, especially as Nigel had been one of the only men who had danced with her and not enquired about her brother. Perhaps it was only pity that made him be so kind to me.

"Very well." Lady Cotswalts voice brought Olivia out of her thoughts. "See that it does not happen again, good sir, and we shall see that this… incident… does not spread throughout the Ton. Though I think it would be best if you left with the Dowager Duchess and myself."

"Of course." Nigel bowed to both women and practically ran from the room at their gesture.

The women swept out after him, leaving Olivia staring at her flabbergasted maid. Deciding that she was far too furious for breakfast, Olivia gestured to the wardrobe.

"Help me dress. I feel the need for a good, long walk." Olivia scowled. "And hopefully I shall not run into Duke Glassley on my promenade."

Bridget nodded. "Of course, My Lady. Perhaps the blue skirt? The weather is rather warm today."

Olivia nodded and let Bridget dress her. As soon as they were finished, Olivia strode from her room and into the grounds of the castle. "Na?ve. Pfft," Olivia spat as she walked towards the maze.

"Oh, I'm Nigel Maxton, Duke of Glassley, and I'm soooo wonderful. Why would I want to be married to some silly little girl like Olivia?" Olivia made her voice a mockery of the Duke's. "Oh, of course, there's nothing going on between us; that would be utterly ridiculous."

Olivia kicked at a clump of dirt, picturing Nigel's face. "Oh yes, silly little Olivia. She needs pity to even get asked to dance. Why would anyone want to marry her."

Olivia felt her chest tighten. He is just one man. And not even a man you are interested in. He's just your older brother's friend. A man who you thought was kind. "It's not as though I would even want to marry Duke Glassley. Who would want to marry a man who thinks so much of himself? Worldly? Pfft."

She scowled. "Just because men go on some grand tour of the continent, he thinks that makes him better than me? He is no better than me. No, in fact, he is less than me."

As she rounded the edge of the lake, Olivia's stomach gurgled. She glanced up at the sun, guessing that it would be around noon. She had been walking for hours, absorbed in her fury and embarrassment. And though her mind had forgotten this fact, it was clear her stomach had not.

Sighing, she turned on her heel and decided to walk back to the castle. She wasn't sure if she was dreading seeing the Duke or if she wanted to see him and give him a piece of her mind. Perhaps now that Alexander is more social, he will get some better friends.

She decided to take one of the lesser-known entrances into the castle which would take her by the outside of the dining room so that she might see if the dratted man was in there. I am not someone to be pitied.

To her relief, the dining room was devoid of the Duke of Glassley. Her spirits buoyed, Olivia made her way to the nearest entrance, fully intending to find a servant and request lunch. However, as she passed the drawing room on the way to the dining room, she was pulled up short.

"I simply cannot keep up. I am at my wits end, dearest Charlotte. What with the twins so ill and with Olivia's rather unpromising first season…" Olivia's mother was saying.

Olivia hesitated, glancing up and down the corridor. I should not listen. That would not be proper. But she found herself moving closer to the door anyway.

"I understand completely, Christine. A season is hard work, and with two sick children to balance as well… why, anyone would be at the end of their rope!" Lady Cotswalts sounded sympathetic.

"It is utterly exhausting. I have not even managed to arrange the dresses for the season, let alone help Olivia prepare." Olivia's mother sighed. "There is so much to do, and after the troubles she had last season…"

"You poor thing. I am sure Olivia understands that you are doing your best. And you have two very sick children," Lady Cotswalts said consolingly.

"Even without the twins… I… Olivia needs support, more support than I can give her. I want this season to be different from her first, I wish for her to have every success." Olivia's mother's voice was growing quieter, forcing Olivia to move closer to hear her next words. "Would you… Would you — No, I cannot. It is too much to ask."

"Christine, come, we are old friends. You know I would do most anything to help you and your family, and I am rather fond of your daughter," Lady Cotswalts replied.

Olivia smiled, finding it oddly comforting that the woman cared for her. Her heartbeat quickened, and she wondered what favour her mother would possibly ask.

"I wondered if perhaps, well if you would be willing to host Olivia for the season." Olivia had to stifle a gasp at her mother's words.

A tingle of excitement rose in her. Lady Cotswalts is a matchmaking savant. Could she give me the season I so desperately want? In her excitement, Olivia almost missed Lady Cotswalts' reply.

"Of course. I would be happy to have Olivia stay with us at Pembleton for the season. I am sure Jane would be most appreciative of a companion for her season." Lady Cotswalts sounded excited. "Often, two girls can be such a support to each other, and Jane… Well, Jane can be rather shy, so perhaps Olivia will draw her out of her shell."

"Oh, Charlotte! I cannot thank you enough! In truth, I had rather hoped you could use some of your matchmaking prowess to help secure her the perfect match." Olivia's mother's voice was barely above a whisper. "If anyone could, it would be you."

"Of course." Lady Cotswalt's voice was also soft with an edge of excitement and mingled smugness. "In fact, I think I have already found the perfect gentleman."

"Already?" Olivia's mother asked. "Who?"

"Aren't you a little old to be listening at doors?" a voice behind Olivia murmured.

She jumped, her heart racing as she whirled around and found herself staring into the face of Nigel Maxton. Her cheeks reddened, and fury overcame her.

"And what business is it of yours?" Olivia knew she sounded petulant but could not help it. The memory of his over enthusiastic denials and now this inadvertent thwarting of her eavesdropping was the last straw.

"You have made it abundantly clear that you want nothing to do with me. And I have no desire to be around anyone who finds my company quite so tiresome." Olivia tried to keep the hurt from her voice. "Good day, Duke Glassley."

She swept away from him with as much dignity as someone who has been caught eavesdropping could muster. She slammed the door into the dining room, making her sister jump as she entered.

"Goodness, what has put you in such a mood?" Marie asked.

"Nothing." Olivia began to stab violently at the sausage one of the servants had just put on their plate. "Nothing at all."

"If you insist," Marie sounded unconvinced.

"If I never see Duke Nigel Glassley again, it will be too soon!" Olivia exclaimed.

Even as she said the words, she couldn't help but feel that her chances of never seeing the man again were vanishingly small. Well, I may see him, but just wait until he sees me with the man Lady Cotswalts has chosen. I'll show him exactly what he's missing!