contrary, it was by far the most complimentary offer I received, my lord. Do send my well wishes to your grandmother.” Then she started to tow Livi around the man, but he stopped them when he placed his hand on Lady Sophia’s arm.
“I had hoped you’d change your mind about that.”
“Alas, I never shall, my lord. Please do let us pass. You are making a scene.”
He released his hold on her arm and finally turned his attention to Livi, as though he had just realized she was there. It must have been the “us” that had clued him in. “We have not had the pleasure.” He tipped his head in greeting.
“If you would like the pleasure,” Lady Sophia began, “then I suggest you present yourself to the Earl of Holmesfield. If he deems you worthy, I’m certain he’ll make a proper introduction between you and his granddaughter.” Then she lowered her voice to a hiss, “Let us pass, Robert.”
He did step aside, though a wounded look flashed across his face. “Always so wonderful to see you, my lady.”
“Who was that?” Livi asked as soon as they were far enough away that she didn’t think the gentleman could hear them.
“Lord Robert Hayburn.”
That was all she intended to say? “He called you Sophie.”
Lady Sophia closed her eyes for a moment as though to compose herself. “He’s known me a very long time. His sister is one of my dearest friends.” Then she looked over at Livi. “Lady Madeline is now married to one of the Hadley brothers.”
Ah, the brother her grandfather had sneered about and referred to as a kidnapper. “Oh.”
“Whatever you’ve heard, Madeline is very happy and very much in love.”
“How lucky she is then.” Livi smiled at the thought. “Any hope I had for happiness or for finding love ended the day Papa put me on one of his frigates and shipped me away from my home.” And if there had been any doubt about her future, her grandfather had made it perfectly clear that he would secure her an advantageous match. Happiness and love be damned.
“Mine ended the day my father died,” Lady Sophia said quietly. Then she seemed to shake the unpleasant thought from her mind. “But, please don’t think that your future is so bleak. You may be on a different continent than you’d like, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find love here.”
“But my grandfather—”
“Is not in complete control,” Lady Sophia interrupted. “We are just starting the process. You don’t know who you’ll happen to meet. Just keep an open mind, Miss Mayeux. That’s all I ask.”
For the first time since she stepped off that frigate in Bristol, Livi felt a ray of hope. Perhaps Mr. Hadley was correct. Perhaps Lady Sophia could use a friend, and honestly so could Livi. “Please,” she looked at her companion and smiled, “call me Livi and I’d like to call you Sophie if that is what your friends do.”
Lady Sophia smiled in return and squeezed Livi’s arm. “I think I would like that, Livi.”
“Lord Robert would be handsome if he didn’t have a predatory look about him.”
Sophie scoffed. “Lord Robert is not the sort I have in mind for you.”
“What sort do you have in mind?”
“The sort who can make you happy.”
“Lady Sophia!” barked an old woman a few feet away, seated at a table.
Sophie groaned. “I didn’t realize all the Hayburns were on holiday here. Robert should have given me fair warning.” She cast a sidelong glance at Livi and whispered, “The Duchess of Hythe is a bit of a dragon. Take my word for it, don’t open your mouth unless absolutely necessary and unless you’d like her to jump down your throat.” Then she turned a dazzling smile on the old woman. “Your Grace!” she gushed. “I had no idea you were here in Bath.”
The old woman, who looked kindly despite Sophie’s warning, gestured them forward. “Come and sit with me.”
Sophie groaned again but made no attempt to take as much as a step toward the duchess.
“And be
“I had hoped you’d change your mind about that.”
“Alas, I never shall, my lord. Please do let us pass. You are making a scene.”
He released his hold on her arm and finally turned his attention to Livi, as though he had just realized she was there. It must have been the “us” that had clued him in. “We have not had the pleasure.” He tipped his head in greeting.
“If you would like the pleasure,” Lady Sophia began, “then I suggest you present yourself to the Earl of Holmesfield. If he deems you worthy, I’m certain he’ll make a proper introduction between you and his granddaughter.” Then she lowered her voice to a hiss, “Let us pass, Robert.”
He did step aside, though a wounded look flashed across his face. “Always so wonderful to see you, my lady.”
“Who was that?” Livi asked as soon as they were far enough away that she didn’t think the gentleman could hear them.
“Lord Robert Hayburn.”
That was all she intended to say? “He called you Sophie.”
Lady Sophia closed her eyes for a moment as though to compose herself. “He’s known me a very long time. His sister is one of my dearest friends.” Then she looked over at Livi. “Lady Madeline is now married to one of the Hadley brothers.”
Ah, the brother her grandfather had sneered about and referred to as a kidnapper. “Oh.”
“Whatever you’ve heard, Madeline is very happy and very much in love.”
“How lucky she is then.” Livi smiled at the thought. “Any hope I had for happiness or for finding love ended the day Papa put me on one of his frigates and shipped me away from my home.” And if there had been any doubt about her future, her grandfather had made it perfectly clear that he would secure her an advantageous match. Happiness and love be damned.
“Mine ended the day my father died,” Lady Sophia said quietly. Then she seemed to shake the unpleasant thought from her mind. “But, please don’t think that your future is so bleak. You may be on a different continent than you’d like, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find love here.”
“But my grandfather—”
“Is not in complete control,” Lady Sophia interrupted. “We are just starting the process. You don’t know who you’ll happen to meet. Just keep an open mind, Miss Mayeux. That’s all I ask.”
For the first time since she stepped off that frigate in Bristol, Livi felt a ray of hope. Perhaps Mr. Hadley was correct. Perhaps Lady Sophia could use a friend, and honestly so could Livi. “Please,” she looked at her companion and smiled, “call me Livi and I’d like to call you Sophie if that is what your friends do.”
Lady Sophia smiled in return and squeezed Livi’s arm. “I think I would like that, Livi.”
“Lord Robert would be handsome if he didn’t have a predatory look about him.”
Sophie scoffed. “Lord Robert is not the sort I have in mind for you.”
“What sort do you have in mind?”
“The sort who can make you happy.”
“Lady Sophia!” barked an old woman a few feet away, seated at a table.
Sophie groaned. “I didn’t realize all the Hayburns were on holiday here. Robert should have given me fair warning.” She cast a sidelong glance at Livi and whispered, “The Duchess of Hythe is a bit of a dragon. Take my word for it, don’t open your mouth unless absolutely necessary and unless you’d like her to jump down your throat.” Then she turned a dazzling smile on the old woman. “Your Grace!” she gushed. “I had no idea you were here in Bath.”
The old woman, who looked kindly despite Sophie’s warning, gestured them forward. “Come and sit with me.”
Sophie groaned again but made no attempt to take as much as a step toward the duchess.
“And be
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