Lady Olivia's Undoing by Anne Gallagher Page B

weary of playing upstairs, downstairs.
I feel like I am sneaking around on poor Fuzzy even though he has
been dead a decade. John refuses to marry me, says we would become
a laughingstock, that he would tarnish my reputation.” Olivia did
not wish to think so and remained steadfast in her belief that he
would be accepted into Society, but seeing Henry again brought up
the demands of being bound to her title. Would she rather marry for
love or money?
    “That is true, dearest. The great Olivia
Leighton… married to a butler. That would just be too outré.” Constance rubbed her fingers on the furrows in her
forehead.
    “John is not a butler. He holds the
rank of Colonel in His Majesty’s Army.” Olivia did not sound as
convincing as she once had. Even to herself.
    Constance took a sip of tea. “Perhaps if he
were Pitt, or Grenville, with a family name, he could rise above
his station, but who are John’s people? Humble missionaries. He has
no connections. He has nothing but his reputation as a
soldier.”
    Olivia pushed back her chair. She had thought
about that as well. “Yes. And that is something I can say for few
men of my acquaintance. John Quiggins is the very best of men and
has done nothing to be ashamed of.” At least that was true.
    “Olivia, please, I did not mean to start a
quarrel. I agree with you. However, there is something
sordid about sleeping with a man you are not, at least, engaged to. Goodness me, you cannot even share dinner
together. Honestly, Olivia, what will people think?”
    “There is more.” Olivia cut a slice of cake
and placed it on a small plate.
    “More? How can there be any more? Is
that not enough?” Constance took the cake and began to eat it.
    Olivia cut another slice. “John is to go to
Spain on some kind of diplomatic mission.”
    Constance choked and reached for her tea.
“What?”
    “John told me not two days ago. I spoke to
Richard Wellesley, the Foreign Secretary. He claims once he
finishes their mission they will be extricated and brought back to
England post haste.” Olivia stabbed her fork into the cake, pulled
off a large chunk, and stuffed it into her mouth.
    “Well, that does not sound so serious.”
Constance took a delicate bite.
    “What if he does not return? I am helplessly
in love with him.” Olivia threw her fork across her plate, the cake
half-eaten, and pushed it away. Tears pricked the corner of her
eyes. “Oh, Constance, my heart wants John. However, in my head I
know I can never be free of Society’s chains. I am sick of living
this charade all for the sake of upholding someone’s ancestry. I
just want someone to love who loves me, and not have to worry about
my family name, Fuzzy’s title, or who I shall become next. Can you
understand?”
    “Of course, dearest.” Constance took Olivia’s
hand. “That is what we all want.”
     
    After a leisurely lunch, Constance went
upstairs to her bedchamber for a lie-down and the girls asked for
the small carriage to take them for a drive to Piccadilly. Olivia
sat in her room in the chair by the window. She liked to look out
over the tree tops. John’s footsteps sounded outside the wall.
    He stepped into the room. “I am staying in
the room closest to the attic if you would like to visit after your
return.”
    “Good heavens, why? Secure yourself another
room, on the third floor. Surely, this mausoleum has enough
bedrooms to support everyone comfortably.”
    “And how will you explain your presence on
the other side of the house?” John asked.
    Olivia shook her head. “I do not understand
why you are being so tedious about your room situation. You will
sleep with me as you always have.”
    John shot her a look. “I do not think the
Duke of Hargrave would approve of me bedding his late uncle’s wife.
I shan’t take the chance he could catch us. He does not seem a
particularly jovial fellow and I would hate to see what he would do
to your reputation.”
    “Yes, I know. Constance tells me he