smiling brightly at the huge wardrobe Olivia had just commissioned her to sew.
“We can and we will. You are Lady Coventry and ’tis a disgrace you were left with no resources after your wedding,” Elizabeth sniffed, as she pulled her toward another shop.
“That’s not exactly true.” Olivia stopped, the milliner’s window catching her attention by a lovely pale green hat, with a saucy feather curling from the brim. “Mr. Meyer, Jason’s solicitor, sent me a letter while I was in Coventry and stated I had use of Lord Coventry’s funds for my purposes if I so wished.”
“See, there you have it. You have been given permission, so enjoy it.” Elizabeth turned to gaze at what had mesmerized Olivia, and gasped. “Oh, what a stunning hat. You must try it. It would be perfect with your new riding outfit.”
Olivia granted herself leave to try on several more hats, and then off to more shops as the day wore on. It was silly to feel guilty about all the money she spent, and she soothed her uneasy conscience by assuring herself Lord Coventry could certainly afford it. But somehow she couldn’t stop the niggling doubts and dismay at buying so much, and then charging it to a man who’d never wanted her for a wife. Indeed, didn’t even remember her.
“I think we deserve an ice at Gunter’s,” Elizabeth said as they left the small shop where they’d purchased cream colored kid gloves and white satin elbow length ones.
“Yes please, dearest, my feet have had enough.”
Gunter’s had a small crowd, but they were able to get seats close to the window. Olivia sighed as she sat, eased her shoes off, and bent to rub her heel. Truly unladylike to be sure, but it felt so good.
“Good afternoon, ladies. I’m guessing you have been visiting the shops?” Lord Coventry bowed slightly and smiled with his sensual lips at the two women enjoying their ices.
Olivia’s heart dropped to her stomach. The ice she savored turned to ashes in her mouth and she pushed it away.
“Yes, we have been. In fact, Lady Olivia has been having a wonderful time visiting the shops and replacing practically her entire wardrobe.” Elizabeth beamed at Jason.
Olivia put her spoon down, her eyes darting around the room, desperate for an escape.
“Indeed, have you, Lady Olivia?” He regarded her with a heart-stopping smile. “I hope you are feeling better today.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she snapped.
His smile faltered, but recovering quickly, he said, “I was on my way to an appointment when I spotted you through the window and just had to stop and give you my regards.”
“It’s always a pleasure.” Elizabeth gave him a tight smile.
Olivia nodded.
“Ladies.” Jason bowed once more and took his leave.
Olivia released a huge breath. “Elizabeth, what am I going to do about this? I spent the better part of the night tossing and turning. I imagined all sorts of reactions from him when we met, but I never expected it to be complete ignorance.”
Elizabeth considered her for a moment. “I really don’t know what to say. My suggestion is to let things go the way they are and see what happens. One day Lord Coventry is going to have to come to terms with the fact that he’s left a wife who he thinks is tucked away in the country.”
Olivia sighed and gazed out the window at women of the ton who passed by, elegantly dressed, bejeweled, powdered, and followed by maids struggling with packages. They belonged to this world of London society.
Where in the world do I belong?
…
What was I thinking, going into Gunter’s to speak with Lady Olivia? Jason chided himself as he stalked away from James Gunter’s Tea Shop. The problem was he hadn’t been thinking. Not with his brain, anyway. His attraction to the lady was far too dangerous. Even though he’d snapped at Drake when he’d reminded him of his marital status, his friend was right and Jason should stay far away from her. At least until he came to terms with what to do with
“We can and we will. You are Lady Coventry and ’tis a disgrace you were left with no resources after your wedding,” Elizabeth sniffed, as she pulled her toward another shop.
“That’s not exactly true.” Olivia stopped, the milliner’s window catching her attention by a lovely pale green hat, with a saucy feather curling from the brim. “Mr. Meyer, Jason’s solicitor, sent me a letter while I was in Coventry and stated I had use of Lord Coventry’s funds for my purposes if I so wished.”
“See, there you have it. You have been given permission, so enjoy it.” Elizabeth turned to gaze at what had mesmerized Olivia, and gasped. “Oh, what a stunning hat. You must try it. It would be perfect with your new riding outfit.”
Olivia granted herself leave to try on several more hats, and then off to more shops as the day wore on. It was silly to feel guilty about all the money she spent, and she soothed her uneasy conscience by assuring herself Lord Coventry could certainly afford it. But somehow she couldn’t stop the niggling doubts and dismay at buying so much, and then charging it to a man who’d never wanted her for a wife. Indeed, didn’t even remember her.
“I think we deserve an ice at Gunter’s,” Elizabeth said as they left the small shop where they’d purchased cream colored kid gloves and white satin elbow length ones.
“Yes please, dearest, my feet have had enough.”
Gunter’s had a small crowd, but they were able to get seats close to the window. Olivia sighed as she sat, eased her shoes off, and bent to rub her heel. Truly unladylike to be sure, but it felt so good.
“Good afternoon, ladies. I’m guessing you have been visiting the shops?” Lord Coventry bowed slightly and smiled with his sensual lips at the two women enjoying their ices.
Olivia’s heart dropped to her stomach. The ice she savored turned to ashes in her mouth and she pushed it away.
“Yes, we have been. In fact, Lady Olivia has been having a wonderful time visiting the shops and replacing practically her entire wardrobe.” Elizabeth beamed at Jason.
Olivia put her spoon down, her eyes darting around the room, desperate for an escape.
“Indeed, have you, Lady Olivia?” He regarded her with a heart-stopping smile. “I hope you are feeling better today.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she snapped.
His smile faltered, but recovering quickly, he said, “I was on my way to an appointment when I spotted you through the window and just had to stop and give you my regards.”
“It’s always a pleasure.” Elizabeth gave him a tight smile.
Olivia nodded.
“Ladies.” Jason bowed once more and took his leave.
Olivia released a huge breath. “Elizabeth, what am I going to do about this? I spent the better part of the night tossing and turning. I imagined all sorts of reactions from him when we met, but I never expected it to be complete ignorance.”
Elizabeth considered her for a moment. “I really don’t know what to say. My suggestion is to let things go the way they are and see what happens. One day Lord Coventry is going to have to come to terms with the fact that he’s left a wife who he thinks is tucked away in the country.”
Olivia sighed and gazed out the window at women of the ton who passed by, elegantly dressed, bejeweled, powdered, and followed by maids struggling with packages. They belonged to this world of London society.
Where in the world do I belong?
…
What was I thinking, going into Gunter’s to speak with Lady Olivia? Jason chided himself as he stalked away from James Gunter’s Tea Shop. The problem was he hadn’t been thinking. Not with his brain, anyway. His attraction to the lady was far too dangerous. Even though he’d snapped at Drake when he’d reminded him of his marital status, his friend was right and Jason should stay far away from her. At least until he came to terms with what to do with
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