Feeling uncomfortable at his sudden compliments, Olivia pushed at his shoulder in a playful manner. “Ha. You just want a chance to win back my vase.”
“Of course,” he said, taking her lead. “I shall be right back.” He strode from the room.
She couldn’t figure out what he was up to when he returned with a handful of spoons.
He retook his seat and set the silver on the table. “It’ll take the rest of the afternoon for you to win all of these.”
Olivia laughed. “I think the next time we play, you have to bring your own belongings to wager with.”
A commotion sounded out in the hall, and Mr. Finch stood. Olivia heard Jennings yelp, followed by a crash just as a man stepped into the doorway.
Will stood there taking in the two of them looking so comfortable with each other. Finch swore there was nothing between the two of them, but it was obvious he lied. Jealousy pushed him forward. “I told you to stay away from her.”
“Go to hell,” Finch bit out, stepping in front of Olivia as though he needed to protect her from him. Him of all people.
“She’s mine. She will always be mine.” Will lashed out, punching his former friend in the jaw.
Finch staggered back but didn’t raise a hand to defend himself. “I’ll not fight you.”
“Good.” Will landed another punch to the side of his head, and Finch fell to his knees.
“Stop it.” Olivia crouched beside him, her hands held above them in protective gesture. “Stop it.”
Will froze, his chest heaving as his anger fled in the face of her fear.
“Why are you forcing your way into my home?” she demanded as she helped Finch to his feet. “You’ve said everything I would ever want to hear.”
Her servants must have gathered behind him because her gaze went somewhere over her shoulder, and she gave a small shake of her head. He heard the sound of retreating footsteps.
“I’ve come to explain,” he said, knowing in trying to protect her from the likes of Hammond he had to give her up.
“And what would you explain?” she snapped. “How much I meant to you?”
“Obviously not very much if you are already keeping company with another man,” he snarled. Already jealous at finding her laughing with Finch, his own temper flared back to life.
“I guess we were both mistaken then.”
“Olivia.” Finch laid a hand on her arm.
The sight of him touching her made Will see red. “Remove your hand from her, or you’ll lose it,” he growled.
“Why?” she demanded. She moved closer. “I thought you didn’t care about me. For me. Yet, you act the jealous suitor. Did you lie before?” she asked, an unspoken plea in her voice.
He remained silent. He wanted to tell her the truth, but it would only put her in danger if Hammond thought he could use her against him. No, she was better off hating him.
The hope in her gaze dulled and disappeared. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled over. “I will have you know I am not crying because of you.” She dashed a hand across her cheek, pushed by him, and ran from the room.
Of that he was certain; he doubted anyone had shed a tear over him in his entire life. But he wished it were different. He had never wanted anyone to cry over him until he met Olivia. He wanted her to love him, not the man he was trying to be, but the man he was right now. He wanted to spend his nights with her lying soft and warm beside him. He wanted her to tell him about her day and he doing the same. He wanted them to share their secrets together. He wanted so much more, but he’d learned that that kind of life would never be his. Mary’s death only proved he failed those he wanted to protect the most.
And if he had to hurt Olivia’s feelings to keep her safe, he would, over and over again. It was the only thing he could do to keep Hammond from using her against him.
“You are the biggest horse’s ass I have ever met.” Finch leaned against the table. “And if you hurt Olivia again, you’ll answer to me.”
“You do know how I feel about idle threats.”
“It’s not a threat. You broke her heart, humiliated her, and now you think you have the right to tell her who she can associate with?”
“Not with you. I told you before to stay away from her.” Will grabbed Finch by the collar and slammed his upper body against the table. “Stay away from her. Do you understand me?”
He told himself it was to protect Olivia. Jealousy had nothing to do with it. He knew what kind of man Finch was. He would never settle down with one woman, and Will wasn’t going to stand by and watch him break Olivia’s heart. Hadn’t he just done that?
“I can’t,” Finch said, his voice muffled by the table linen.
“Why not?”
“She’s teaching me to read.” He angled his head to look Will in the eye.
“What?”
“She’s teaching me how to read.”
Stunned, Will released him and stepped away.
Finch stood, straightened his waistcoat, and shot his cuffs. “I asked her not to tell you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? We’ve been friends since we were lads?” Will couldn’t believe he’d never known. Finch had hidden his secret well. He looked at the man with a new-found respect.
“I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t handle my end of our business dealings.”
He nodded and turned to go. “Promise me you will take care of her.”
“You really do love her, don’t you, Lazarus?”
“She’s like magic,” Will whispered, unable to turn around and face his friend. “She makes me believe anything is possible. That I can leave my past behind, become a better man. A man she deserves.”
“How can a man as smart as you are, surviving the childhood you did, be so damn stupid?” Finch asked, disgust dripping from every word. “She cares for you, don’t you know that?”
Will spun around. “It doesn’t matter. How I feel for her, or she for me doesn’t matter. If Hammond finds out, he’ll use her against me.” He closed his eyes against the tide of anguish rolling over him. “He’ll hurt her to get to me. I can’t risk that. I failed Mary. I won’t have Olivia suffer because of the life I’ve led. I rather have her hate me.”
“Then I suggest you find a way to take care of Hammond so he’s no longer a threat.”
****
“You have a visitor.” Jennings held out the silver salver, a gold embossed card in its center.
Olivia knew without picking the calling card up who it belonged to. She set aside the letter she’d spent the last three hours trying to compose with a sigh. “Please show her in.”
“Very well.” Jennings withdrew only to return seconds later. “Lady Riverton,” he announced.
“Thank you, Jennings.” Olivia stood, not at all certain why Amanda had come. After their conversation at her birthday ball, she was the last person Olivia expected to come calling.
Amanda swept into the room looking quite fashionable in a pale blue gown and glanced around as though she expected to find someone else present.
“Shall I ask Bridget to bring us tea?” Olivia asked, gesturing for Amanda to take a seat.
“No. I’ve had more tea and biscuits than I can stand today.” She patted her flat stomach. “I don’t want people saying Riverton’s wife has gotten fat.” She sat on the edge of her chair and arranged her skirts so they fell over her shoes. She looked at Olivia through her lashes. “I’ve spent the morning making excuses for your early departure from my birthday ball. Some people said they saw you standing on the edge of the balcony railing.”
Realizing Amanda hadn’t come out of concern but to gather gossip to spread, Olivia gave her a puzzled look and took a seat opposite her. “How strange. You know I dislike heights, so it’s rather absurd to believe I would be standing on a balcony ledge.”
“Yes, that’s what I told them.” Lady Riverton sounded disappointed.
“I’m sorry you felt you needed to explain my departure the other evening. I was taken with a headache and didn’t want to ruin your celebration.” Olivia leaned forward as though to impart something important.
Amanda leaned toward her, anticipation lighting her eyes.
“To be honest, I didn’t think anyone would notice. Most of your guests suffer my company only because of you.”
Lady Riverton let out a deflated sigh and sat back. “Are you still keeping company with Mr. Prescott?” she asked under the guise of adjusting her skirts.
Every single night when I shut my eyes
Olivia wanted to answer but knew better. Deciding she wasn’t going to be manipulated by Amanda any longer, she gave the other woman a hard stare. “No one has the right to decide who makes us happy. Who we can be happy with. If you’ve come to give me another ultimatum, you’ve wasted your time.”
“So you are still spending time with him.”
“No, I’m not. And not because you told me I must choose between your friendship and him.”
“Do you love him?”
Agitated by the question, Olivia rose and moved toward the bell pull. “I think I shall have Bridget bring tea after all.”
Amanda stood in front of her, halting her progress around the room. “Olivia, do you love him?”
“Yes, yes. Is that what you want to hear? It doesn’t matter, so why make me say it? Are you that eager for gossip to share with your friends?”
A wounded look on her face, Amanda took a step back. “I would never do that. I know you don’t believe it, but I do value our friendship.” She resumed her seat. “Do you know there are times I am quite jealous of you,” she said in a soft voice.
“Jealous of me?” Olivia could hardly believe it. “Why? You are a darling of London society. People clamour for invitations to your entertainments. You’re married to an earl. A very wealthy earl, I might add. You want for nothing.”
“I want for a great deal,” Amanda whispered, running a finger across the arm of the chair. “I want to be married to a man who loves me, not tolerates me because I trapped him into marriage, not someone who pretends to care when we are being watched and ignores me when we are alone.” She took a shaky breath. “I want to be able to share things with him…the good things…the bad things…I want him to tell me about his day, to be able to tell him about mine.” She lifted her head and looked at Olivia. “I want what you seem to have with Mr. Prescott.”
Olivia laid a hand over Amanda’s. “I had no idea you were so unhappy. But I fear you are seeing something between Mr. Prescott and myself that doesn’t exist.”
“Are you certain?” Amanda’s voice took on a pleading quality. “He seems to enjoy your company, to enjoy just being in the same room with you.”
“It was a sham. He needed access to the
Ton,
and by pretending an interest in me, he got what he needed.”
“I’m sorry he used you that way. But it was better you found out before it was too late.”
It was already far too late, but Olivia didn’t bother correcting her.
“Will you forgive me for being so cruel to you at times?” Amanda asked, tears in her eyes. “I don’t think I can bear to lose the one true friend I have.”
“I forgive you.” Olivia hugged the younger woman. “Just remember I will still not allow you to manipulate me.”
Amanda leaned back and grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Knowing her friend couldn’t help but try to do so in the future, Olivia burst out laughing.
Chapter Twenty
Olivia frowned and stepped out into the hall for the second time in ten minutes. Mr. Finch was late. He hadn’t been late for any of their lessons after that first time. Of course, she had agreed to hold them in the late afternoon which probably made all the difference.
Was it possible he wasn’t coming? She hadn’t seen or heard from him since Lazarus had interrupted their last lesson nearly a week ago. She should have stayed in the room after Lazarus had attacked him, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t stand there and pretend indifference after she had humiliated herself by all but begging him to say he cared for her. She had laid her soul bare, and he hadn’t cared, hadn’t even had the decency to ask for forgiveness. He’d been so calculating in his pursuit of her and just as callous when he’d told her she had been “convenient.” He couldn’t have hurt her more than if he’d stabbed her in the heart.
She hugged her arms to herself against the sudden ache in her chest and turned back to the library. She’d send a note to Mr. Finch’s establishment and asked if he intended to keep their appointment.
The door knocker sounded two hard knocks, followed by a strange noise. She moved further into the hall as Jennings headed toward the door. If that was Mr. Finch on her doorstep, he was going to get an earful. She had better things to do than sit around and wait for him to arrive.
Or worry over him.
Jennings opened the door, and Mr. Finch fell against him. The butler caught him but sagged under the weight. He sent Olivia a frightened look and held up a bloody hand.
“Get him inside.” She flew down the hall. “Close the door and lock it.”
Laying the injured man on the floor, Jennings quickly latched the door.
She dropped to her knees beside her student. He’d taken a beating; blood seemed to be everywhere but mostly on his shirtfront where two crimson stains continued to grow. “Who did this to you?”
“Lazarus,” Mr. Finch said as he struggled to sit up.
“Will did this to you?” Olivia recoiled in shock.
He grabbed the front of her gown and pulled her to him. “Get Lazarus.”
“We will,” she soothed, easing him back to the floor.
“Send for him,” he said, his voice an urgent whisper. “Yer not safe.” His eyes rolled back in his head, and his hand fell limp against his chest.
“Daniel,” Olivia yelled, checking Mr. Finch’s breathing.
The footman came running.
“Find Lazarus. Hurry. Tell him to come. Tell him we need him. Tell him Mr. Finch has been attacked.”
“I’ll use the private lane and cross over Lady Bagley’s property in case the house is being watched.” Without waiting for a response, Daniel spun on his heel and ran toward the servants’ entrance.
“Help me move him to the patient room,” Olivia ordered as she grasped Mr. Finch’s arms. “Jennings,” she commanded when the butler hadn’t moved.
He grabbed Mr. Finch’s legs, and between the two of them, they managed to maneuver him into the small examining room and onto the cot. Olivia quickly washed her hands never taking her gaze from the unconscious man before her. Who could have done this to him? And why? But those were questions to be pondered later.