Lady Olivia's Undoing (9 page)

“Are we ready, Andrew?” Olivia asked.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Set that box inside the carriage on the rear
facing seat. And yourself. I shall join you directly.” She looked
down the hall. John was nowhere in sight. Odd. He always saw her
off. She wrapped her cape around her shoulders and tied the
strings.

Outside, Olivia took the footman’s hand and
climbed into the carriage. She arranged her skirts and the fur coat
over her legs. She nodded to the footman to close the carriage door
and they were off within seconds.

Olivia looked at Andrew. “So Andrew, where
are your people from?”

“I do not have any, Your Grace. I am an
orphan.”

“Where did you grow up?”

“Outside Marylebone. St. Pancras
Workhouse.”

“And did they treat you fairly?” St. Pancras
was one of many charities Olivia supported.

“Yes. I was given fair schooling. They taught
me a trade. I served as footman to Viscount Throckmorton. But then
he left for the Continent and I applied here.”

Olivia nodded. “How do you like it at
Caymore?”

“Very much, Your Grace. You are a fair and
generous employer.”

Olivia smiled and glanced out the window.
There, walking along Albermarle Street was that young man again,
the one who reminded her of Fitzhugh. Could Fitzhugh be trying to
speak to her from the grave? What could he wish to tell her? She
put the thought out of her mind and turned to Andrew. “First the
post office, and then the florist shop.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Olivia looked at him. “Did Quiggins tell you
to do that?”

“Your Grace?”

“Say, of course, your grace, when I speak
more to myself than to you.”

Andrew blushed. “Yes, Your Grace.”

“Quiggins is a very good butler.”

After they sorted the pennies at the post
office, they drove to the florist where Olivia placed her orders
for fruit and nut baskets to be delivered for Christmas, and then
placed the flower order for the Boxing Day Ball. She was satisfied
her morning was not ill-spent.

The counter clerk sighed. “Your Grace, will
there be anything else?”

“I wonder if I should put up a Christmas
tree.” She looked at Andrew. “I think not. It will only be in the
way.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Andrew said.

Olivia looked at him. “However, the girls are
staying and they might like a tree considering they’re not going to
be in Cornwall.”

“That is true, Your Grace.” Andrew
nodded.

“Very well, then, let us speak with Quiggins
about…” John wouldn’t be here for Christmas. Tears erupted from
nowhere.

“Your Grace? Are you well?” Andrew asked.

Olivia took a deep breath. “Yes, very well,
thank you.” She glanced at the clerk. “You may send the bill to
Caymore House.” She left with Andrew trailing in her wake.

In the carriage, Olivia sniffed and looked at
her list to keep her mind off John.
Speak with Robert about the
little house
. Yes, she must do that. She looked at Andrew.
“Open the door and tell Hendricks to take us to St. Martin Street,
to Cantin’s.”

Since news of the baby, Olivia understood she
would have to move out of Caymore House. However, Caymore had been
her home for nearly forty years and she was unsure of whether she
wished to remain in London, or find something out in the country.
Until she remembered a little house on St. Anne’s Court. Small, yet
charming, within the city, but on a nice, quiet, street. It would
be a lovely place to stay until she found something larger, and a
house would be much more comfortable and private than staying at a
hotel. Olivia needn’t worry about finances with a huge hotel bill
either. The duchy could easily absorb the lease with part of the
household money. That small sum would never be missed She would
keep a few servants, but would have to give up entertaining on a
grand scale. Olivia sighed. She would miss the gardens at Caymore
very much, but it was time for her to move out so that Penny and
William could move in.

The carriage pulled up to St. Martin Street.
Andrew jumped out and set the step. Olivia gathered her cape and
took Andrew’s hand. She descended the carriage and walked to the
house. The door swung open.

“Edwards,” she said to the butler. “Please
tell His Grace that I wish to speak with him for five minutes.” She
stepped over the threshold, pulled off her gloves, and handed them
to Edwards.

“Good morning, Your Grace. You are looking
very well.”

Olivia glanced at Edwards. He stoically
waited for Andrew’s coat. Her life spent ignoring the hired help
had turned her into such a snob. To imagine she had first seen John
that way as well. As a servant, not a person. “Thank you, Edwards.
How do you do?”

Edwards quirked a brow. “Very well, Your
Grace. Thank you. If you would follow me.”

Olivia followed Edwards down the hall to the
library.

“Her Grace, the Duchess of Caymore, requests
five minutes of your time,” Edwards said, and then proceeded with
Andrew down the hall. Andrew would sit in the kitchen with the
other servants.

“Lady Olivia, how do you do?” Robert Carlton,
Duke of Caymore, stood from behind his desk. “It has ever been an
age. You are looking lovely, as always.”

“If you do not sound like your father,”
Olivia said.

Robert came from behind the desk and kissed
her on the cheek. “I shall take that as a great compliment. What
can I do for you? Are you sure it is me you wish to see and not my
mother?”

“It’s you, dear boy. It’s you.” Olivia closed
the door and then led Robert to the chairs by the windows on the
other side of the room. Ever direct, she asked, “Do you remember
the little house Fiona ran away to this summer?”

“Yes, what of it?” Robert’s face held
surprise.

“I wish to buy it.”

Robert’s mouth fell open. “I’m not sure it’s
for purchase, Lady Olivia. Greenleigh related it was a long-term
lease. I’ve been so busy I haven’t really thought about it. We may
even still be in possession of the house. You wish to buy it? Why,
may I ask?”

“No, you may not ask. But if you are still in
possession of the lease agreement, let me take it over for you. I
will square everything away with Greenleigh.”

Edwards brought in a small tray and set it
down on the table.

“Thank you, Edwards,” Olivia said. “That was
very kind of you.”

He nodded and left the room.

“Shall I pour for you?” Olivia asked. She
didn’t wait for his reply and dropped two sugar cubes into each
cup.

Robert turned from his pacing. “Forgive me,
Lady Olivia, but I must enquire. Has something happened?”

She looked at him. He was an attorney. He
would never stop questioning her until he found the truth. “Yes and
no. I’m sure you are well aware by now that William and Penny have
lost the baby.” She poured the cream and added the tea. She placed
a spoon on the saucer and handed it to Robert.

“Yes, I spoke with Will.” Robert sighed as he
took the tea.

“I wish to leave Penny and Will alone at
Caymore, and having no dower house, I need somewhere to live.”

“And you want
that
house?” Robert
asked. “Surely, we can find a bit better accommodation for you. I
know of several houses to let in Town.”

Olivia took a sip of tea and thought about
it. She could never tell him the truth. “Forgive me Robert, I
misspoke. As you may well imagine, I’ve amassed quite a bit during
my tenure as Duchess, and I do not wish my items to be locked in a
warehouse collecting wood-rot and vermin. After the holidays, I
plan to travel extensively and I do not wish to incur an
astronomical hotel bill just to store my things. The house is the
perfect solution to my current dilemma.”

Olivia held up her hand. “I will say no more
on the subject.” She took another quick sip of tea, and then placed
the cup in the saucer. She rose. “Thank you, Robert. I will speak
with Greenleigh. When you find the key and the agreement, will you
send them to Caymore as soon as possible? I wish to move my things
immediately.” She walked to the door and then turned back. She
opened her reticule, pulled out a ten-pound note, and handed it to
him.

“What is this?” Robert asked.

“A retainer as my attorney. Now you are in my
employ and everything we have spoken of is confidential.”

“You wound me, Lady Olivia. Surely, you must
know there is no need to buy my silence.”

“Yes, I know. I do not mean it as such.
However, I may need your services in the future. Do tell your
mother I will see her tomorrow. Ta.”

Olivia strolled up the hall and met Edwards.
“My coat, Edwards, if you please. My business has concluded.”

“Of course, Your Grace.” He stepped into the
anteroom and gathered her things.

Andrew ran up the hall. “Your Grace, are we
leaving?”

“Yes, Andrew. Fetch your coat. We must go
home.”

In the carriage, Olivia mused. “It is
remarkably easy to accomplish whatever you wish, Andrew. As long as
you have a list.”

If John had been helping her with the party,
she would not have half so much to do. He would have taken care of
everything on that list and more. But there was nothing for it. He
was leaving.

Olivia had taken John once, to see the little
house. He had loved it as much as she did. “If we could no longer
live at Caymore, this is where I want to live with you,” she had
said. John kissed her in the carriage on the way home.

Olivia needed that house. Just as much as
William and Penny deserved Caymore without her interference. Penny
was the Duchess now and should run things the way
she
wanted. Not the way Olivia preferred.

That afternoon, Olivia glided through every
room with a keen eye, deciding on what to take, and what to leave
behind for the Caymore legacy to continue. Olivia was enormously
proud she had preserved Fuzzy’s title for the next generation.

She stepped into the morning room and found
John and Manning discussing the silver.

“Your Grace, would you care for luncheon?”
Manning asked.

John’s lip twitched.

“Yes, that would be very welcome, Mr.
Manning. Thank you.”

Manning slipped through the butler’s pantry
to the kitchen. Olivia walked across the hall to the yellow salon.
John followed.

“How was the morning?” John asked. “Did you
finish everything you set out to?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. However, I need to
send someone over to Greenleigh’s. If you could find a footman who
is not engaged to Constance…”

“Her Grace is not here. She and the duke left
this morning. However, the young ladies remain. The duchess left
you a note.” John walked to the credenza in the hall and picked up
the folded note.

Reginald and I have taken a room at the
Bainbridge. He feels he is in the way with so many women. Forgive
me, Olivia. I will speak with you about it tomorrow. Constance

“I suppose I must be grateful to Reginald he
did not deny all my visitors,” Olivia mumbled. Depriving her of
Constance’s company was a slight she would forgive, but never
forget.

“You mentioned a boy for Greenleigh?” John
asked.

“Oh, yes, give me a moment. I need to write a
note.” Olivia untied her cape as she walked and threw it over the
sofa in the yellow salon. John walked behind her and picked it up.
She sat at the table, picked up her pen, and dipped it in ink. She
quickly wrote, and then sanded the note, folded it, and sealed it
with wax. “Tell him to wait for a reply. I need to speak with
Greenleigh post-haste.”

John cocked his head but said nothing.

She would tell John about the little house
when they had a quiet moment. “Who is tonight? Do you know?”

“Tonight is the Marquess of Emmons, Earl of
Endicott, and Duke of Straford.”

“Straford is giving a ball? How unusual. Do
you know why?”

“His brother’s engagement to Lady Dorcas
Cadoret. The girl who fainted at your birthday dinner.”

“Oh, yes.” Olivia had known nothing of the
event that night. John informed her two days later of what had
happened. “And Straford is giving him a ball. How lovely.”

Olivia looked at her tray of correspondence
on the table. How she wished it had nothing on it but dinner.
“Thank you, John. Shall I see you before I go out? Late afternoon
perhaps. You may wake me from my nap.” Olivia deliberately made her
voice come hither.

“There are many things I must attend before I
depart, Olivia. I want to make sure everything is running smoothly
while I’m away.”

“Five o’clock,” she said.

John smiled. “Very well, Your Grace.”

Olivia snapped the jewelry case closed and
turned to John. “Do be a dear and fasten these.” She handed him a
double strand of pearls.

John draped them over her throat, fastened
the clasp, and laid his hands along her waist. His lips grazed her
shoulder. “You are like no other woman I have ever known, Olivia. I
do think you are a mighty good chum.” He stared at her reflection
in the glass. “I’m going to miss you.”

Olivia turned and melted into his embrace.
“I’m going to miss you.” She kissed his cheek. “I will be home at
the earliest convenience. I promise.” She twirled in front of him.
“How do I look?”

“Lovelier than I have ever seen you. Have a
wonderful time.” John kissed her once more.

Olivia opened the door and stepped out into
the hall. She heard the small
snick
, as John locked it
behind her. He was barely half-dressed and if Jennings walked
in…well, there would be talk aplenty below stairs.

Manning stood in the hall as Olivia descended
the stairs. “Shall I call for the carriage, Your Grace?”

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Manning. Have you seen
the girls?”