before speaking. “I will tell you what I told the Duke and Duchess, my lord. We are not their subjects, or in need of charity, and are more than capable of looking after ourselves.”
Will grabbed her arm as she reached for another flower, he pulled her to face him and her eyes widened as she took in his anger.
“That is insulting to both you and my brother, Olivia. Joseph has never thought of you as his subject, or anyone else for that matter,” Will said softly. “We are friends, Olivia, of long standing. I hope I can offer my support to you without you taking offence, especially after the loss of both your parents.”
She tugged her arm free and began once again to arrange the flowers, her long elegant fingers twisting a stem or leaf until she was happy with the result. He couldn’t see the emotions that undoubtedly flitted across her face, only the side profile of her cute little nose and full lips and of course the stubborn thrust of her chin, he wondered why he hadn’t noticed that before. She then sighed as she took a step back to look up at him.
“Please accept my apologies, my lord; it was not my intention to insult you.”
“It certainly sounded like an insult.”
“I have apologized, my lord. It is not only men who have pride,” she muttered, tweaking a petal. “Thank you for your concern but we are quite well and have no need of your assistance. Now I have work to do, so please do not let me detain you further.”
Will studied her face and realized he had yet to see her laugh like she once had, with unrestrained abandon; it had been one of the things he had loved about her.
“There you are, my lord.”
Will watched Phoebe walk into the church followed by Freddy.
“Miss Olivia Langley, Miss Phoebe Langley and over there sitting down is Miss Isabella Langley, please allow me to introduce Mr Frederick Blake to you all. He and I have travelled together these past five years.”
Olivia curtsied as Freddy bowed to her and her sisters and then he said something in his booming voice that made her smile. Will’s man of affairs was good at that, making people feel comfortable.
“It is lovely to meet you, Mr Blake, are you happy to be back in England?”
Freddy nodded his head. “Very happy, although the weather takes a bit of getting used to, Miss Langley.”
“Will you ever get used to it do you think? I know I still shiver all winter and I’ve never left here.”
Will wanted that smile on him, gentle and almost playful. Olivia let Freddy see the soft side of her but not him.
“And now you must excuse us, Mr Blake, as we are due home,” Olivia added, moving back to the flowers.
“Will you allow us to take you home?” Freddy said before Will could open his mouth. “The weather has turned and the wind has a bite to it now.”
Olivia looked to where Isabella was slowly getting to her feet before answering.
“I would be grateful if you could take my sisters home, Mr Blake, and I will follow shortly as I still have things to do here.”
“Freddy you take Phoebe and Isabella to the carriage and I will wait for Olivia to finish and we will join you shortly,” Will said, helping Isabella to her feet. He then handed her over to Freddy who, followed by Phoebe, left the church.
“I can walk home, Lord Ryder, please join the others.”
“We will wait for you, Olivia,” Will said, aware of the fact that being alone in his company unsettled her. “If you keep frowning that line will become permanent,” he added. Reaching over her head as she turned to pick up the vase, he beat her to it.
“Where would you like to put it?”
He kept his face expressionless as she gave him a look that told him she would like to smash it over his head and then followed as she led him to the pedestal it was to sit on.
Quickly pulling on her cloak, bonnet and gloves she then made for the door with Will on her heels.
“We’ll have snow by morning.”
She looked silently up at the
Will grabbed her arm as she reached for another flower, he pulled her to face him and her eyes widened as she took in his anger.
“That is insulting to both you and my brother, Olivia. Joseph has never thought of you as his subject, or anyone else for that matter,” Will said softly. “We are friends, Olivia, of long standing. I hope I can offer my support to you without you taking offence, especially after the loss of both your parents.”
She tugged her arm free and began once again to arrange the flowers, her long elegant fingers twisting a stem or leaf until she was happy with the result. He couldn’t see the emotions that undoubtedly flitted across her face, only the side profile of her cute little nose and full lips and of course the stubborn thrust of her chin, he wondered why he hadn’t noticed that before. She then sighed as she took a step back to look up at him.
“Please accept my apologies, my lord; it was not my intention to insult you.”
“It certainly sounded like an insult.”
“I have apologized, my lord. It is not only men who have pride,” she muttered, tweaking a petal. “Thank you for your concern but we are quite well and have no need of your assistance. Now I have work to do, so please do not let me detain you further.”
Will studied her face and realized he had yet to see her laugh like she once had, with unrestrained abandon; it had been one of the things he had loved about her.
“There you are, my lord.”
Will watched Phoebe walk into the church followed by Freddy.
“Miss Olivia Langley, Miss Phoebe Langley and over there sitting down is Miss Isabella Langley, please allow me to introduce Mr Frederick Blake to you all. He and I have travelled together these past five years.”
Olivia curtsied as Freddy bowed to her and her sisters and then he said something in his booming voice that made her smile. Will’s man of affairs was good at that, making people feel comfortable.
“It is lovely to meet you, Mr Blake, are you happy to be back in England?”
Freddy nodded his head. “Very happy, although the weather takes a bit of getting used to, Miss Langley.”
“Will you ever get used to it do you think? I know I still shiver all winter and I’ve never left here.”
Will wanted that smile on him, gentle and almost playful. Olivia let Freddy see the soft side of her but not him.
“And now you must excuse us, Mr Blake, as we are due home,” Olivia added, moving back to the flowers.
“Will you allow us to take you home?” Freddy said before Will could open his mouth. “The weather has turned and the wind has a bite to it now.”
Olivia looked to where Isabella was slowly getting to her feet before answering.
“I would be grateful if you could take my sisters home, Mr Blake, and I will follow shortly as I still have things to do here.”
“Freddy you take Phoebe and Isabella to the carriage and I will wait for Olivia to finish and we will join you shortly,” Will said, helping Isabella to her feet. He then handed her over to Freddy who, followed by Phoebe, left the church.
“I can walk home, Lord Ryder, please join the others.”
“We will wait for you, Olivia,” Will said, aware of the fact that being alone in his company unsettled her. “If you keep frowning that line will become permanent,” he added. Reaching over her head as she turned to pick up the vase, he beat her to it.
“Where would you like to put it?”
He kept his face expressionless as she gave him a look that told him she would like to smash it over his head and then followed as she led him to the pedestal it was to sit on.
Quickly pulling on her cloak, bonnet and gloves she then made for the door with Will on her heels.
“We’ll have snow by morning.”
She looked silently up at the
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