exclaimed, thrusting the bag at Oliver. “Mr. Birmingham is demanding your attention at once, which means you really do need to wrap matters up with Miss Peabody.” Mrs. Rollins crossed her arms over her ample chest. “Mr. Blodgett has filled me in about what you’re up to, young man, and I must tell you right now, your grandfather would not approve.”
“We’ll leave my grandfather out of this, Mrs. Rollins,” Oliver said before he turned to Harriet and handed her the bag. “You won’t have time to have clothing made up for you, but I’m hopeful you’ll be able to find a few ready-made items that willdo in a pinch. Use this money to purchase three dinner dresses, one or two day dresses, and whatever accessories you need to complete those outfits.”
The weight of the bag sent fresh apprehension rushing through Harriet’s veins. “I don’t think I’m comfortable accepting this much money, Mr. . . . er, Oliver.”
He narrowed his eyes. “While I admit it’s refreshing to meet a young lady who doesn’t seem to want to spend my money, you will go out and buy yourself appropriate clothing, and you will use the money in that bag to pay for that clothing.”
“I’m not very good at taking orders either, Oliver, especially when they’re delivered in that particular tone of voice.”
Mrs. Rollins sent a smile Harriet’s way. “That’s the spirit, dear.”
Oliver arched a brow at Mrs. Rollins, then looked back at Harriet. “For three thousand dollars—money you’ll be paid once my negotiations with the Duke of Westmoore are completed—I would think you’d be able to learn to take orders, and take them with a cheerful smile on your face.”
“I suppose I could give that a try, but I’m not promising anything,” Harriet muttered as a carriage pulled up next to her. Oliver practically shoved her into it and then surprised her when he pulled out a lap robe and wrapped it around her. She began feeling all warm and fuzzy inside until he stepped back and opened his mouth.
“We can’t have you taking a chill. You’ll be of little use to me if you get sick.”
“Mr. Addleshaw,” Mrs. Rollins admonished. “What a thing to say to the poor dear.” She smiled at Harriet again. “He’s normally very pleasant.”
“No I’m not,” Oliver argued. “And it would be in your best interest, Harriet, to remember that.”
“Not pleasant,” she repeated back.
“Exactly,” he agreed. “Now then, I’ll need your address so I can tell Darren, my driver, where to take you.”
Harriet rattled off her address, and the more she rattled, the more the vein on Oliver’s forehead throbbed.
“Am I to understand that you live on the Lower East Side?”
“Someone has to live there.”
He scowled at her for a second, then turned and whistled. A moment later Buford bounded into the stable, tail wagging furiously as mud dripped from his fur. “You may keep Buford with you for protection.” Oliver snapped his fingers, and Buford leapt into the carriage, splattering the beautiful green velvet upholstery with bits of muck when he shook himself before climbing up on the seat opposite her.
“There’s no need for me to take your dog,” she began. “I’ve lived on the Lower East Side for years, and nothing horrible has happened to me yet.”
“I thought we agreed you’d start accepting my orders and do so cheerfully.”
Harriet forced a smile she knew full well did not appear all that cheerful. “I said I’d try, but I didn’t promise anything. But as you are paying me a fortune, I suppose it would be churlish of me to refuse to take your dog with me. You should know, though, that I’ve never owned a pet before, which means there’s no guarantee Buford’s going to be happy with me, so . . . how long should I expect to keep him?”
“I’ll call on you two days from now, and we’ll reassess your situation. If I feel you truly are safe in your home, I’ll collect Buford at that
“We’ll leave my grandfather out of this, Mrs. Rollins,” Oliver said before he turned to Harriet and handed her the bag. “You won’t have time to have clothing made up for you, but I’m hopeful you’ll be able to find a few ready-made items that willdo in a pinch. Use this money to purchase three dinner dresses, one or two day dresses, and whatever accessories you need to complete those outfits.”
The weight of the bag sent fresh apprehension rushing through Harriet’s veins. “I don’t think I’m comfortable accepting this much money, Mr. . . . er, Oliver.”
He narrowed his eyes. “While I admit it’s refreshing to meet a young lady who doesn’t seem to want to spend my money, you will go out and buy yourself appropriate clothing, and you will use the money in that bag to pay for that clothing.”
“I’m not very good at taking orders either, Oliver, especially when they’re delivered in that particular tone of voice.”
Mrs. Rollins sent a smile Harriet’s way. “That’s the spirit, dear.”
Oliver arched a brow at Mrs. Rollins, then looked back at Harriet. “For three thousand dollars—money you’ll be paid once my negotiations with the Duke of Westmoore are completed—I would think you’d be able to learn to take orders, and take them with a cheerful smile on your face.”
“I suppose I could give that a try, but I’m not promising anything,” Harriet muttered as a carriage pulled up next to her. Oliver practically shoved her into it and then surprised her when he pulled out a lap robe and wrapped it around her. She began feeling all warm and fuzzy inside until he stepped back and opened his mouth.
“We can’t have you taking a chill. You’ll be of little use to me if you get sick.”
“Mr. Addleshaw,” Mrs. Rollins admonished. “What a thing to say to the poor dear.” She smiled at Harriet again. “He’s normally very pleasant.”
“No I’m not,” Oliver argued. “And it would be in your best interest, Harriet, to remember that.”
“Not pleasant,” she repeated back.
“Exactly,” he agreed. “Now then, I’ll need your address so I can tell Darren, my driver, where to take you.”
Harriet rattled off her address, and the more she rattled, the more the vein on Oliver’s forehead throbbed.
“Am I to understand that you live on the Lower East Side?”
“Someone has to live there.”
He scowled at her for a second, then turned and whistled. A moment later Buford bounded into the stable, tail wagging furiously as mud dripped from his fur. “You may keep Buford with you for protection.” Oliver snapped his fingers, and Buford leapt into the carriage, splattering the beautiful green velvet upholstery with bits of muck when he shook himself before climbing up on the seat opposite her.
“There’s no need for me to take your dog,” she began. “I’ve lived on the Lower East Side for years, and nothing horrible has happened to me yet.”
“I thought we agreed you’d start accepting my orders and do so cheerfully.”
Harriet forced a smile she knew full well did not appear all that cheerful. “I said I’d try, but I didn’t promise anything. But as you are paying me a fortune, I suppose it would be churlish of me to refuse to take your dog with me. You should know, though, that I’ve never owned a pet before, which means there’s no guarantee Buford’s going to be happy with me, so . . . how long should I expect to keep him?”
“I’ll call on you two days from now, and we’ll reassess your situation. If I feel you truly are safe in your home, I’ll collect Buford at that
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