To Catch A Spinster (The Reluctant Bride Collection) (9 page)

Mrs. Blakesley walked to an empty stool and dragged it across the room, positioning it beside Olivia. She smiled stiffly and sat.

“I had thought Mr. Jenkins to have the approval of your brothers. Have you discovered some serious flaw in his character?”

Olivia muttered, “Brothers-in-law, Mother. You of all people should know I have no blood brothers.” Her mother’s forced
bonhomie
was more frightening than her anger.

Mrs. Blakesley ignored her. “Perhaps he has a gambling addiction?”

“I doubt it.”

“He lost his temper and frightened you?”

“Mr. Jenkins? Please, Mother. He’s certainly lost his patience with me, but never his temper.”

Her mother watched her for a moment, then turned to stare out the window.

“He’s kissed you, hasn’t he?”

Olivia couldn’t stop the blush from blossoming across her cheeks. She ducked her head, hoping her hair blocked her mother’s view.

“Oh, Olivia. He has!” She cleared her throat. “A man’s passions are not to be feared, Livvy.”

Olivia’s mouth dropped open and she stared at her mother in horror. “Moth-”

“No, it was not proper for him to kiss you, but not entirely unexpected. He has scared you.”

Olivia placed her paintbrush gently on the easel. Perhaps she could tiptoe out of the room and drown herself?

Her mother continued. “A man’s urges are sometimes wild and uncontrollable, Livvy. But a wife’s duty is not always a duty. It is possible to...to enjoy a husband’s embrace.”

Oh, dear God. “Mother, please! There is no need, really. Mr. Jenkins did not scare me!”

Her mother breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, good. Because there really is nothing to fear.”

Olivia turned to her mother and grabbed her hands, hoping to forestall any more embarrassing reassurances. “He did not scare me, Mother. And if I were to marry, I would be quite lucky to have him as a husband. But I am not wifely material. I would be awful! I do as I please and neither you nor Papa has ever been able to make me do otherwise. That is not a good quality for a wife. You must admit that.”

Her mother looked torn between a stubborn refusal to admit the truth and the dashed hopes of seeing all her daughters happily married.

Olivia squeezed her hands. “I respect Mr. Jenkins far too much to saddle him with me for a wife.”

“Perhaps you do not respect him enough to let him decide what he wants in a wife.”

Olivia stood, stowing her paints and brushes quickly. “He shouldn’t want me. I should never have accosted him. He is a good man, a decent man, an honorable man! And I, dear mother, am an idiot. I should have seen this.”

“Seen what? That a good, decent man would want to marry you? Of course he would! You have many good qualities to offer a husband.”

“Oh, yes? Do you think he would want me to take over the books for him? I shall certainly offer my services, but that does not mean he should marry me. I am what I am, Mother. A spinster extraordinaire.”

“Olivia Blakesley! Do not use that foul word in this household!”

“It is not a foul word. And just because you attack anyone who utters it doesn’t change the fact. Can you not see what I am, who I am? Nothing! Nobody! Five daughters married is enough! I am happy! I want nothing more! I do not want Mr. Nathaniel Jenkins!”

N
athaniel was unsurprised when his sister burst into his library. He’d expected her much earlier.

“Nathaniel.”

“Diana. How are you?”

“Good. Hold him, won’t you?” She thrust Nathaniel’s latest nephew into his arms. “He will not be put down and insists on crying in my ear.”

Nathaniel held his nephew expertly, jiggling the boy and making faces until he stopped his wailing. “What a mean mama you have, Jacob. Doesn’t she know that crying is simply your way of saying you want a biscuit?”

“Oh, Mama knows it. His fondness for biscuits is why my arms are about ready to fall off.” She eyed him. “It looks like children are in your future after all, hmm?”

“If Mother has anything to say about it.”

“She always does. She approves of the girl, at least. Not the usual shrinking violet and not a gold-digger.”

“No. Olivia is quite unique.”

“And older? I always thought an older girl would do better for you.”

“Yes, amazing how everyone comes to that conclusion after I’ve already found her, isn’t it?”

“Oh, shush. When am I to meet her?”

Nathaniel gratefully accepted a biscuit from his butler, offering it to a suddenly alert Jacob.

“That’s better, hmm little one?”

“Only if you’re not the one who has to carry him all day.”

“Where’s the nanny?”

“Left. He’s gone through four already. I’ve started offering three days off with pay to keep them a little longer. You didn’t answer my question.”

He grinned at her. “No? Well, I expect Mother has already told you.”

“That she won’t marry you? Have you mentioned your sizable fortune?”

“Thank you, Diana. I’m sure that will solve everything.”

She shrugged. “If the girl is over twenty-five, I don’t see what she is waiting for. Perhaps she is simply worried about the business end of marriage.”

“I’m not sure what she’s worried about.”

“Mother says she cried when she refused you.”

“Nearly cried. Was there anything Mother didn’t tell you?”

“She didn’t tell me when I could meet her.”

“I believe she is going to the Mayes affair tonight.”

“Oh, really? What extraordinary good luck.”

“Don’t scare her off, Diana.”

She gave a ladylike snort. “I assume you have not met her sisters. She has five, did you know? They can all hold their own quite well. The eldest came out the same year as I. I had thought her quite the original but each sister seems to surpass the others one way or another. I doubt Miss Olivia Blakesley would even blink at anything I said.”

“Nevertheless, I want her to join the family, not run screaming from it.”

Diana smiled. “She’s not met Mother, then? Perhaps Miss Blakesley is refusing because she is unsure of your sincerity. She’s not met any of your relations, after all.”

Nathaniel wiped biscuit crumbs from his knee and offered another to Jacob. “I fear she will find all too soon that I was showing her my fondest respect by keeping my relations from her.”

“I’ll endeavor not to overwhelm her, but I really don’t think you need to worry. I fully expect Miss Blakesley to be able to hold her own against me or Mother.” She picked Jacob up, preparing to depart, and raised an eyebrow at her brother. “She is, after all, holding her own against you.”

He grimaced, rising and kissing her cheek. “It is my greatest character fault- finding sweet, biddable women utterly boring.”

She laughed. “Then you should be grateful you have none in your life. Till tonight brother, dear.”

Mary burst into Olivia’s room, the bedchamber key dangling from her finger. “A little trick I learned from you.”

Olivia glared at her. “Go away. That door was locked for a reason.”

“Yes, I know. So you could mope about.
Oh, poor me. I have been proposed to; the horror of it all. However will I survive!
”

“Rot you, Mary. You don’t have Mother harassing you into an unsuitable marriage.”

Mary sat on the bed. “Oh. So you don’t love him then? Forgive us. We all thought you had formed quite the attachment. I suspect he thought it as well.” She watched Olivia intently. “Tell me you don’t love him.”

“I don’t love him. I should have cut it off but he is remarkably persistent.”

“And you are quite the accomplished liar. You should be treading the boards.”

“Must I fall in love with the first gentleman who comes calling?”

“I have never seen you happier. I have never seen a connection between two people as I see with you. It is as if you’ve known each other for years, grew up with each other.” She stood, taking Olivia’s hand. “Olivia. He is who you have been waiting for. Why do you say no?”

She whispered, “I tricked him. He is infatuated only. One day he will wake up and realize his mistake.”

Mary hugged her, squeezing hard. “You’re a ninny.”

Olivia tried to pull away, but Mary held fast. “He is not a boy, he is a grown man. I would expect he is remarkably hard to trick.”

“Then how do you explain this madness, hmm?”

Mary laughed. “He loves you, you silly twit!”

She shook her head. “We must disagree.”

“Let’s go ask him.”

Olivia reared back in horror. “What!”

“I’m sure he’ll be at the Mayes’ tonight. We’ll ask him why he insisted on doing something so foolish as proposing to you.”

“You have gone mad.”

“I don’t think I’m the mad one in this room.”

Olivia pointed her finger at Mary. “Do not dare embarrass me by asking him
anything
.”

“Oh, do you care then what he thinks of you and your family? Intriguing.”

“Mary.”

She shrugged, heading toward the door. “You’ll have to try and keep me from him this evening then. And Rufus.” She laughed. “That would be even worse, don’t you think?”

Olivia sat unseeing on the bed, imagining Mary and Rufus accosting Nathaniel and demanding his declaration of love. She whispered, “You are horrific.”

Mary stopped at the door. “I would do anything to secure the future happiness of my favorite sister. Anything at all.”

“I thought you would be the one person I could count on to be on my side.”

“Perhaps you should examine why I am not. Perhaps you are in the wrong, Olivia.” She waved. “See you tonight, my dear.”

Olivia lay back on the bed. For the first time in her life she felt outmatched by her family. She did not enjoy the experience.

“A Mr. Edward Blakesley to see you, sir.”

Nathaniel sat back unexpectedly. He had not spoken to her father about his intentions, mainly because he wasn’t certain Olivia would ever accept him.

“Show him in please.”

Her father entered his study dressed as the country gentleman he was. His spectacles perched on his nose, his graying hair clipped short. Olivia took after him with her willowy frame.

Mr. Blakesley reminded him of his own father. Quiet, calm, and ruled by the women in his life. Nathaniel’s mother and sister had run his childhood home and he could see a similar situation with Mr. Blakesley. He felt a twinge of camaraderie for another man surrounded by forceful women.

Mr. Blakesley smiled and took the seat Nathaniel offered. “Thank you, m’boy. Once a man becomes a grandfather it seems his energy is sucked away.”

“My father said something similar when my oldest nephew was born.”

“It reminds us how far away our own childhood was.” Mr. Blakesley cleared his throat. “I understand you have been pursuing my daughter.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry I have not spoken with you, but considering she hasn’t accepted I thought it prudent to wait.”

Mr. Blakesley chuckled. “Yes. That is what I came to speak to you about. I thought I’d warn you that once Olivia gets an idea in her head, it is notoriously difficult to get out. You have an uphill battle, I’m afraid.”

“I’ve noticed she does forge her own path.”

“That is certainly one way of putting it. I’m the father of six girls, Mr. Jenkins. They each have their own personalities and traits, it seems like from birth. I love them all dearly. But I must confess that Olivia has always had a special place in my heart. There are not many men who know exactly what they do and do not want, and go after it with single-minded abandon the way she does. It has turned my hair gray and given her mother apoplexy on many occasions.”

Nathaniel smiled. “I can certainly believe that, sir.”

“And I would not want anyone to change that about her.”

“No, sir.”

Mr. Blakesley stared at him, appraising him. Finally he nodded. “However, none of us are infallible. She has been wrong before and I think she is wrong this time. Olivia has never been so happy and I credit that to you. You seem to understand her and that is something we should all be so lucky to find.”

He stood to his feet, waving Nathaniel down. “I will give you a tip, m’boy. Force will only make her dig her heels in deeper. But she will listen and gather evidence, and when she has enough proof, she will change her opinion. Don’t give up. Have patience.” He winked. “You’ll need plenty of it.”