Olympia
said comfortingly, ‘and if anybody says anything, stare through
them. Just… think of Lord Howe when he cuts some poor soul and you
should be fine.’
They set off ten minutes later for Upper
Grosvenor Street where Endymion Falstaff lived, along with his
parents. Olympia allowed that she had mixed feelings about the
evening ahead. On one hand, she was pleased that Luc would be there
to share in the ridiculous nature of the entertainment for there
was nothing worse than being full to bursting with words that one
could not express. But this was not like most other evenings they
had shared together. For one thing, he was there to make an
impression on a woman he wished to marry, something Olympia still
harbored grave reservations about. And on the other, he was
changed, at least superficially and she found she was not quite as
comfortable with the new Luc. If circumstances had been different
she would have teased him about his dress and his demeanor but she
did not want to throw him out of character.
As it turned out, almost
as soon as the carriage started forward, he asked her a question
that flustered her .
‘Has Freddy Featherstone been making up to
you?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘He told me before I went away that he was
hoping to pay his address. I told him that it was ridiculous -’
‘And why is that?’
Luc looked at her in surprise. ‘Because you
would not suit at all.’
‘And why is that?’ Olympia repeated, lifting
an eyebrow.
‘Well because… he isn’t in the least bit
serious. He has a very lightweight attitude to life, you know.
Always larking about.’
‘I rather think that’s exactly the kind of
fellow I should marry. I dislike serious.’
‘Do you now.’ He frowned at her. ‘He isn’t
very flush. Not that I think you care about money, but he’s got
some ramshackle place in Northumberland that he never goes to
because the roof leaks.’
‘That hardly matters. One of the great
pleasures about having an excellent dowry is that I have enough
money to fix a roof. Or any number of roofs, I suppose.’
‘Northumberland is a nasty place. Cold and
damp.’
Olympia shrugged. She did not like this
conversation. Luc seemed to think that he not only needed to deal
with his own love life, but hers as well. And as far as she could
recall, their friendship did not mean that he had a say on who she
chose for a husband. She liked Freddy Featherstone but she had not
seriously considered him marriage material because there was no
spark between them. As far as Olympia was concerned, marriage was a
long, long time and if one were going to enter into it, one should
at least start off, not only liking one’s spouse, but having some
prospect of some attraction in the bedchamber. But that had nothing
to do with Luc.
‘I have not ruled Freddy out as a possible
candidate,’ she said firmly, ‘and that is all I am saying on the
subject.’
‘He gambles deep and is rarely lucky.’
‘Lucien St James. You need
to mind your own affairs.’
‘Yes, but you are my friend. I want you to
be happy.’
Suddenly touched, she sighed and took his
hand in her own. ‘And for that I thank you. But I do not think that
you have a clear idea of who it is that might make me happy. So in
this matter, you are not the best judge.’ When he would have
spoken, she held up her free hand. ‘I mean it. I know that your
intentions are kind but it is a choice I have to make myself.’
‘With the help of your parents,’ Luc
muttered, clearly none to pleased with having his opinions
rejected.
‘Of course.’
Although Mama and Papa would accept her
choice, she knew they would. She was truly blessed in that they
wanted only her happiness although Olympia had to admit that she
herself did not know who would make her happy. Of the gentlemen
that courted her, none stood out in any way. Some were pleasant,
some were ghastly but none were the sort who she wanted to spend
the rest of her years with. Still, as she was but
said comfortingly, ‘and if anybody says anything, stare through
them. Just… think of Lord Howe when he cuts some poor soul and you
should be fine.’
They set off ten minutes later for Upper
Grosvenor Street where Endymion Falstaff lived, along with his
parents. Olympia allowed that she had mixed feelings about the
evening ahead. On one hand, she was pleased that Luc would be there
to share in the ridiculous nature of the entertainment for there
was nothing worse than being full to bursting with words that one
could not express. But this was not like most other evenings they
had shared together. For one thing, he was there to make an
impression on a woman he wished to marry, something Olympia still
harbored grave reservations about. And on the other, he was
changed, at least superficially and she found she was not quite as
comfortable with the new Luc. If circumstances had been different
she would have teased him about his dress and his demeanor but she
did not want to throw him out of character.
As it turned out, almost
as soon as the carriage started forward, he asked her a question
that flustered her .
‘Has Freddy Featherstone been making up to
you?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘He told me before I went away that he was
hoping to pay his address. I told him that it was ridiculous -’
‘And why is that?’
Luc looked at her in surprise. ‘Because you
would not suit at all.’
‘And why is that?’ Olympia repeated, lifting
an eyebrow.
‘Well because… he isn’t in the least bit
serious. He has a very lightweight attitude to life, you know.
Always larking about.’
‘I rather think that’s exactly the kind of
fellow I should marry. I dislike serious.’
‘Do you now.’ He frowned at her. ‘He isn’t
very flush. Not that I think you care about money, but he’s got
some ramshackle place in Northumberland that he never goes to
because the roof leaks.’
‘That hardly matters. One of the great
pleasures about having an excellent dowry is that I have enough
money to fix a roof. Or any number of roofs, I suppose.’
‘Northumberland is a nasty place. Cold and
damp.’
Olympia shrugged. She did not like this
conversation. Luc seemed to think that he not only needed to deal
with his own love life, but hers as well. And as far as she could
recall, their friendship did not mean that he had a say on who she
chose for a husband. She liked Freddy Featherstone but she had not
seriously considered him marriage material because there was no
spark between them. As far as Olympia was concerned, marriage was a
long, long time and if one were going to enter into it, one should
at least start off, not only liking one’s spouse, but having some
prospect of some attraction in the bedchamber. But that had nothing
to do with Luc.
‘I have not ruled Freddy out as a possible
candidate,’ she said firmly, ‘and that is all I am saying on the
subject.’
‘He gambles deep and is rarely lucky.’
‘Lucien St James. You need
to mind your own affairs.’
‘Yes, but you are my friend. I want you to
be happy.’
Suddenly touched, she sighed and took his
hand in her own. ‘And for that I thank you. But I do not think that
you have a clear idea of who it is that might make me happy. So in
this matter, you are not the best judge.’ When he would have
spoken, she held up her free hand. ‘I mean it. I know that your
intentions are kind but it is a choice I have to make myself.’
‘With the help of your parents,’ Luc
muttered, clearly none to pleased with having his opinions
rejected.
‘Of course.’
Although Mama and Papa would accept her
choice, she knew they would. She was truly blessed in that they
wanted only her happiness although Olympia had to admit that she
herself did not know who would make her happy. Of the gentlemen
that courted her, none stood out in any way. Some were pleasant,
some were ghastly but none were the sort who she wanted to spend
the rest of her years with. Still, as she was but
Similar Books
