A Lord for Olivia by June Calvin

Author:June Calvin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2002-09-27T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The ladies followed Mrs. Herville into her salon, named rather grandly the Queen Elizabeth drawing room, though it was doubtful the great queen had ever been near Norvale. There the conversation quickly turned to the eligible men present that evening. Olivia learned that the Swalens were former army officers who had recently purchased the Smithfield place. She parried a spate of pointed questions about her relationships with Lord Corbright and Lord Edmund, then spent the next half hour listening to the praises of both men being sung by young ladies and their mothers. Clearly her announcement that she had no claim to either of these gentlemen, nor wished to have any, had relieved them a great deal.

Mary Benson particularly sang the praises of Lord Edmund, whom she declared all that a gentleman should be. “He told the most exciting war story at dinner,” she said.

This surprised Olivia, knowing how unpleasant a topic the war was to him. She is fairly smitten, Olivia thought. I do hope her father isn’t too rude in letting Edmund know his suit is unwelcome. Mr. Benson was a wealthy man, heir to a fortune made in India by his uncle. Mary had many suitors, though at the advanced age of eighteen she still languished unmarried, as her father had refused all offers for her hand. She was a featherheaded young woman, as was quickly proved when Jane Herville asked her to retell Lord Edmund’s war story.

Mary waved her hands distractedly. “Oh, I can’t remember it all. Something about his horse joining in the fighting. It left me quite breathless, but you must ask him for the details.”

It looked as if they would have the chance to do so immediately, for the gentlemen began filtering into the room just then, obviously intent on dancing with the young ladies rather than spending their time together over the port. Corbright made directly for Olivia, which she could not understand, as he had no dance to claim. Just behind him Edmund and Mr. Benson entered together, and to Olivia’s surprise the men seemed on extremely good terms with one another. The older man steered Edmund straight toward Mary, and though she could not hear what was said, Olivia concluded it contained nothing to dampen Mary’s spirits, and Edmund took his seat beside the girl while the father joined his peers by the fireplace.

“Looks as if Eddy has made a conquest,” Corbright murmured into her ear, startling her a little, for her attention had been entirely focused upon the same little saga.

“It does indeed, and with her father’s approval, more’s the surprise.”

“Doubtless he is unaware of Edmund’s penniless status. Or perhaps Mr. Benson is becoming desperate to marry off the little hen-wit.” He smiled down at her, then sat by her side. “I cannot tolerate hen-witted females, you know. Intelligent ones are much more to my taste.”

She felt a wave of the old magic sweep over her as Franklin looked into her eyes, his warm approval softening the heart

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