not pleased his mother when Lady Lawrence stiffened.
“I assure you, young lady, that my son bears not the slightest resemblance to your ramshackle brothers. He has an affection for his family, manages his estates with the expertise of a much older man, is not in the least a spendthrift where money is concerned, and handles his affairs with women discreetly.” The dowager glared uncompromisingly at Olivia.
“All that may be true,” Olivia retorted, “but I hold him responsible for leading all three of my brothers into their excesses on the turf.”
“Stuff! The Earl spent the Easter holidays from Eton five years ago at the Newmarket Spring Meeting with his brother Charles and won a thousand guineas. That was the start of his interest in the turf; I have heard him say so with my own ears. He did not even meet Noah until several years later.” Lady Lawrence sat back with the satisfaction of having delivered a justified reproof.
Olivia bowed her head and muttered stubbornly, “As you say, Lady Lawrence. Nonetheless they are not discouraged in their pursuits by him.”
Lady Lawrence leaned forward and tapped the younger woman’s wrist with her fan. “Noah is not responsible for the conduct of your siblings. We are distantly connected with your family, but there is no question of my son standing in the stead of a guardian to any of your brothers.”
“It is a matter of influence,” Olivia declared stoutly.
“And how do you suppose Noah has influenced them to their extravagances when he has not indulged in them himself? Oh, I do not wish to puff him off as a model of upright behavior by any means. But he has not the strain of profligacy in him which each one of your brothers possesses, Lady Olivia. I am well aware at all times of how matters stand with his estates, and I assure you that Noah has never been so self-indulgent as to draw my disapproval—well, not since he came of age at any rate,” she qualified.
Olivia was unable to make any rejoinder, but sat feeling miserable beside the older woman, aware of the justified criticism leveled at her brothers but much mortified by it. Lady Lawrence was not insensitive to Olivia’s distress and softened toward the young woman. She patted her hand kindly and said, “You must not feel the weight of your brothers’ indiscretions so much, Lady Olivia. There is little you can do to change them, heaven knows, and you will only be hurt by trying.”
“I cannot stop caring,” Olivia murmured, her lips trembling.
“I am sure it is very proper of you, my dear, but hardly appreciated.” Lady Lawrence sighed and gazed out the window. “You would do well to marry Noah.”
“Thank you, no, ma’am. I do not wish to do so.”
“Do you think to go back to Stolenhurst and continue as you were before? You cannot go to London.”
“My aunts were not willing to have me in any case,” Olivia admitted with a laugh, “and now they have disowned me.”
“Stupid women. It distresses me to be connected with them.”
“How are we connected, ma’am?” Olivia asked curiously.
“Your great-grandmother’s younger sister married my grandfather’s second wife’s older brother,” Lady Lawrence answered promptly.
“I should call that a very loose connection.”
“Indeed. But you did not answer me, Lady Olivia. Do you intend to return to Stolenhurst as though nothing had happened?”
“Yes, when Peter and his friends have left. By then the servants will know the actual situation, and I will not feel uncomfortable with them. But my companion has left, and I do not think it had anything to do with my behavior.” Olivia’s forehead wrinkled in a perplexed frown as she once again considered the problem.
“I suggest you think on Noah’s proposal. Now, run along. Julianna will be eager to press you for details of your conversation with me.”
“Everyone seems to suspect Julianna of inordinate curiosity,” Olivia said with a laugh as she rose. “I found her very
“I assure you, young lady, that my son bears not the slightest resemblance to your ramshackle brothers. He has an affection for his family, manages his estates with the expertise of a much older man, is not in the least a spendthrift where money is concerned, and handles his affairs with women discreetly.” The dowager glared uncompromisingly at Olivia.
“All that may be true,” Olivia retorted, “but I hold him responsible for leading all three of my brothers into their excesses on the turf.”
“Stuff! The Earl spent the Easter holidays from Eton five years ago at the Newmarket Spring Meeting with his brother Charles and won a thousand guineas. That was the start of his interest in the turf; I have heard him say so with my own ears. He did not even meet Noah until several years later.” Lady Lawrence sat back with the satisfaction of having delivered a justified reproof.
Olivia bowed her head and muttered stubbornly, “As you say, Lady Lawrence. Nonetheless they are not discouraged in their pursuits by him.”
Lady Lawrence leaned forward and tapped the younger woman’s wrist with her fan. “Noah is not responsible for the conduct of your siblings. We are distantly connected with your family, but there is no question of my son standing in the stead of a guardian to any of your brothers.”
“It is a matter of influence,” Olivia declared stoutly.
“And how do you suppose Noah has influenced them to their extravagances when he has not indulged in them himself? Oh, I do not wish to puff him off as a model of upright behavior by any means. But he has not the strain of profligacy in him which each one of your brothers possesses, Lady Olivia. I am well aware at all times of how matters stand with his estates, and I assure you that Noah has never been so self-indulgent as to draw my disapproval—well, not since he came of age at any rate,” she qualified.
Olivia was unable to make any rejoinder, but sat feeling miserable beside the older woman, aware of the justified criticism leveled at her brothers but much mortified by it. Lady Lawrence was not insensitive to Olivia’s distress and softened toward the young woman. She patted her hand kindly and said, “You must not feel the weight of your brothers’ indiscretions so much, Lady Olivia. There is little you can do to change them, heaven knows, and you will only be hurt by trying.”
“I cannot stop caring,” Olivia murmured, her lips trembling.
“I am sure it is very proper of you, my dear, but hardly appreciated.” Lady Lawrence sighed and gazed out the window. “You would do well to marry Noah.”
“Thank you, no, ma’am. I do not wish to do so.”
“Do you think to go back to Stolenhurst and continue as you were before? You cannot go to London.”
“My aunts were not willing to have me in any case,” Olivia admitted with a laugh, “and now they have disowned me.”
“Stupid women. It distresses me to be connected with them.”
“How are we connected, ma’am?” Olivia asked curiously.
“Your great-grandmother’s younger sister married my grandfather’s second wife’s older brother,” Lady Lawrence answered promptly.
“I should call that a very loose connection.”
“Indeed. But you did not answer me, Lady Olivia. Do you intend to return to Stolenhurst as though nothing had happened?”
“Yes, when Peter and his friends have left. By then the servants will know the actual situation, and I will not feel uncomfortable with them. But my companion has left, and I do not think it had anything to do with my behavior.” Olivia’s forehead wrinkled in a perplexed frown as she once again considered the problem.
“I suggest you think on Noah’s proposal. Now, run along. Julianna will be eager to press you for details of your conversation with me.”
“Everyone seems to suspect Julianna of inordinate curiosity,” Olivia said with a laugh as she rose. “I found her very
Similar Books
