Read Online Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness by Deb Marlowe - Free Book Online
Authors: Deb Marlowe
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to write to her and invite her to an interview.”
“In my office.” Hestia stood. “I’ll write you out a copy.”
After she’d gone, Liberty got to her feet as well. “I’m sorry, Jane. I must move about a little.” She was happy enough to help Hestia and her mother, but her own problems loomed large. She crossed the room to examine a small landscape, a lovely historical landscape in the Baroque tradition. But not even the niggling idea that it was quite a valuable original could hold her attention. She moved to the window next, and stared out, unseeing.
Jane watched steadily. “Are you going to tell me what is wrong? Or should I ask instead—what he’s done?”
“Is it so obvious?” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Ah, so that’s it.” Hestia had returned, a folded paper in hand. “It is obvious that you are distracted.” She took her seat. “Come, sit. Tell me who the gentleman is, and what he’s done.”
“There is no gentleman,” Liberty declared, folding her arms in front of her. “There is only my opponent .”
Jane quickly sketched in the details for Hestia.
The older woman raised a brow when she’d finished. “I like you, Miss Liberty Baylis, and I like you more upon further acquaintance. That doesn’t happen often, I promise you.”
“Thank you. Perhaps you will help me plot, then.”
“I’d be glad to. Safe and comfortable, he said? After kissing you ? Clearly the man is deluded.”
“Worse, he’s conniving. He’s interfered again, the lummox. I know he has. Felicity came to me directly. Her aunt has curtailed their social activities, forbidding them any but a few small gatherings. And she’s asked Felicity not to dance at all. For her mother’s benefit, she says, but the servants told the girl that Brodham visited her aunt and spent an afternoon closeted with her.” She abandoned the window to move across the room again. “The bounder!” she exclaimed on an exasperated breath.
“Hmmm.” Hestia sat a moment. “I have not met the young man—Mr. Gardiner. But I did know his father before his unfortunate death. It does seem as if Lord Brodham would do better to encourage the young couple to spend more time together, not less.”
“What do you mean?” asked Liberty.
Hestia hesitated. “Only that you might think to schedule an outing outside of the usual social milieu.”
“Oh, but we already have! Jane has convinced her friend Lord Ashburn to host a picnic at his house in Richmond.”
“Exactly the thing. His mother’s gardens are legendary.” Hestia paused. “And is it not rumored that she has a very fine hedge maze?”
“She does, indeed.” Liberty grinned. “Who knows what might happen in such a spot?”
“Well, if your Mr. Gardiner is clever, he should have ample opportunity to declare himself.”
“That is the hope.” She sighed. “And then I will have beaten Lord Brodham at last.”
“Are you sure you want to beat him, my dear? Conquering him is something altogether different.”
“No, I’m not sure.” Liberty sat again, suddenly glum. “Not at all. But I’m not to have the chance to find out, either. He wants a lady who is safe and comfortable—and I am about as far from either of those as you can get.”
“Oh, dear,” said Jane.
Hestia merely smiled. “Most men have no idea what they want, dear Miss Baylis, until a woman shows him.”
She sighed. “He’s such a dense block of glorious and stubborn male—I’m afraid it will take a good deal of effort and more time than I have to conquer him.”
“There must be something we can do,” said Jane.
Liberty narrowed her eyes. “Yes, there is. I know how the English see me, you understand. I am a bit too loud and a deal too brash—but I am also determined. Perhaps I will not get the chance to conquer the viscount. But I vow to you both, here and now—I will be
“In my office.” Hestia stood. “I’ll write you out a copy.”
After she’d gone, Liberty got to her feet as well. “I’m sorry, Jane. I must move about a little.” She was happy enough to help Hestia and her mother, but her own problems loomed large. She crossed the room to examine a small landscape, a lovely historical landscape in the Baroque tradition. But not even the niggling idea that it was quite a valuable original could hold her attention. She moved to the window next, and stared out, unseeing.
Jane watched steadily. “Are you going to tell me what is wrong? Or should I ask instead—what he’s done?”
“Is it so obvious?” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Ah, so that’s it.” Hestia had returned, a folded paper in hand. “It is obvious that you are distracted.” She took her seat. “Come, sit. Tell me who the gentleman is, and what he’s done.”
“There is no gentleman,” Liberty declared, folding her arms in front of her. “There is only my opponent .”
Jane quickly sketched in the details for Hestia.
The older woman raised a brow when she’d finished. “I like you, Miss Liberty Baylis, and I like you more upon further acquaintance. That doesn’t happen often, I promise you.”
“Thank you. Perhaps you will help me plot, then.”
“I’d be glad to. Safe and comfortable, he said? After kissing you ? Clearly the man is deluded.”
“Worse, he’s conniving. He’s interfered again, the lummox. I know he has. Felicity came to me directly. Her aunt has curtailed their social activities, forbidding them any but a few small gatherings. And she’s asked Felicity not to dance at all. For her mother’s benefit, she says, but the servants told the girl that Brodham visited her aunt and spent an afternoon closeted with her.” She abandoned the window to move across the room again. “The bounder!” she exclaimed on an exasperated breath.
“Hmmm.” Hestia sat a moment. “I have not met the young man—Mr. Gardiner. But I did know his father before his unfortunate death. It does seem as if Lord Brodham would do better to encourage the young couple to spend more time together, not less.”
“What do you mean?” asked Liberty.
Hestia hesitated. “Only that you might think to schedule an outing outside of the usual social milieu.”
“Oh, but we already have! Jane has convinced her friend Lord Ashburn to host a picnic at his house in Richmond.”
“Exactly the thing. His mother’s gardens are legendary.” Hestia paused. “And is it not rumored that she has a very fine hedge maze?”
“She does, indeed.” Liberty grinned. “Who knows what might happen in such a spot?”
“Well, if your Mr. Gardiner is clever, he should have ample opportunity to declare himself.”
“That is the hope.” She sighed. “And then I will have beaten Lord Brodham at last.”
“Are you sure you want to beat him, my dear? Conquering him is something altogether different.”
“No, I’m not sure.” Liberty sat again, suddenly glum. “Not at all. But I’m not to have the chance to find out, either. He wants a lady who is safe and comfortable—and I am about as far from either of those as you can get.”
“Oh, dear,” said Jane.
Hestia merely smiled. “Most men have no idea what they want, dear Miss Baylis, until a woman shows him.”
She sighed. “He’s such a dense block of glorious and stubborn male—I’m afraid it will take a good deal of effort and more time than I have to conquer him.”
“There must be something we can do,” said Jane.
Liberty narrowed her eyes. “Yes, there is. I know how the English see me, you understand. I am a bit too loud and a deal too brash—but I am also determined. Perhaps I will not get the chance to conquer the viscount. But I vow to you both, here and now—I will be
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