Lady Olivia's Undoing by Anne Gallagher

portmanteau’s lined the front hall. Voices
echoed in the hall from the yellow salon.
    “Penny has come to her senses?” Olivia
asked.
    John shook his head. “Your cousin has arrived en familia . Where were you so early?”
    “I took a drive through the Park to clear my
muddled thoughts.” There was no reason to tell him she had seen
Henry. Olivia took off her coat and gloves and handed them to John.
“Would you mind fixing me a cup of tea?” She smiled and walked to
the salon.
    “Cousin Olivia, how well you look,” Ariana,
the eldest of Constance’s two girls walked with a cane across the
room. “It is so good to see you again.” Ariana kissed Olivia on the
cheek. “Thank you so much for putting us up,” she whispered. “Do
forgive us for intruding.”
    “Nonsense, dear girl. That is what family is
for.” Olivia turned and smiled at Constance. “How are you feeling?
Have you acquired your land legs back yet? How do you do, dearest?”
Olivia hugged Constance, perhaps a little tighter than she usually
did. She had missed her.
    “I am very well,” Constance said, and sniffed
into a handkerchief. “And the girls are well you see, as is
Reginald.”
    Olivia hadn’t noticed him lurking in the
corner and gave a slight start at the sight of him. “Reginald,
awfully lovely you to have you here.” Her gaze caught Arabella’s
across the room. “Bella, how tall you’ve grown. Must be six inches
since the last I saw you.” Olivia walked across the room and linked
her arm through Bella’s. She said, “I know you only just arrived,
but what say you to a ball? I have an invitation to Winsbarren’s
tonight and I thought to show you off. After a proper rest of
course.”
    “Oh yes, Mama,” Bella said. “Let’s do go to
the ball. I long for a ball. Father, may we?”
    “The trunks have not even been brought
upstairs,” Constance said. “How will we ever be ready in time?”
    “It is eleven o’clock in the morning,
Constance,” Reginald said. “If you cannot be ready for a ball in
ten hours time, then I have married the wrong woman. If you will
excuse me ladies, I have several commissions to attend.”
    He nodded once to Olivia, kissed his wife and
daughters, then left the room.
    “He’s a very busy man,” Constance said.
    Olivia smiled at the girls. “Let me find
someone,” she walked to the bell pull, “to help you sort through
the luggage and find your ball gowns. We’ll send them downstairs
for a quick press, have a nice luncheon, and then we shall all take
a good long nap.”
    John stepped into the room.
    “Quiggins, we are going to need several
footmen to transport this luggage upstairs. The girls are going to
sort it for their evening gowns. And ask Cook to put on extra bath
water.” She ushered Ariana and Arabella out the door. “If you
direct Quiggins, he will separate the bags and show you to your
rooms.” Olivia hurried the girls out, shut the door, and turned to
Constance. “How are you truly, darling?”
    “I am very well,” Constance said. “However,
the trip was dreadful. I shall never sail again.” She leaned into
the back of the chair for support. “The bright spot I have not told
you is that Bella is engaged.”
    “Engaged? To who? She is just a baby.”
    “Ten-and-nine this past summer.” Constance
put her handkerchief to her nose and sniffed. “Stephen Summerville
is an American millionaire. Took one look at Bella and never
glanced at another. Truthfully, how could he? American girls are so vulgar.”
    “I take it Ariana did not have her pick of
suitors.” Olivia asked. A fall off her pony when she was twelve had
left her with a disfigured leg. It did not bode well for her
chances in finding a husband.
    “She says she is content for now. I think
that will change after Bella is married and has a child. Ariana
will see what Bella has and make up her mind and marry a gentle
young man.”
    “Wishful thinking on your part.” Olivia
walked to the table, picked up