dictate a rather large step.
“Olivia’s my responsibility, and I can keep her safe.” Marcus pushed onward.
And before Nick knew exactly what he was doing, he tumbled headlong into a future with Olivia’s continued presence. “The two of you would kill each other before it was over, if I didn’t help.”
“Perhaps,” Marcus allowed. He sat back, relaxing into his seat. And Nick hadn’t realized until then how much Marcus was dreading hearing his answer.
A waiter arrived with their food, and after depositing the china plates on the table, he faded away.
“I will say, though, that I hope your assistance in this matter is not going to cause problems for you on the marriage mart,” Marcus commented.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcus shrugged. “I didn’t know if you came to London because you were ready to settle down and find a wife. Are you looking? For a wife, that is.”
Nick didn’t know if he liked Marcus’s overly unconcerned manner. The nonchalance made him feel as if there were several layers to the question he couldn’t understand.
“No. Not right away. Eventually, of course,” Nick knew he was rambling but didn’t stop. “I’m happy to help as long as it’s needed.”
Marcus’s speculative look wasn’t making Nick feel any more at ease.
“What about you?” Nick asked, hoping to deflect some of the attention, and heat.
“What about me?” Marcus asked, returning to the plate of food in front of him before changing the subject.
Nick didn’t have time to answer before Marcus was speaking again. “Well, again, I appreciate your help with Olivia, but youcan consider yourself on vacation this evening. I’m escorting Olivia to the theater, and I doubt Finley will show for that. I don’t think he could afford the box.”
“He might be with friends.” Nick didn’t know why he was trying to talk himself into an invitation.
Marcus shrugged off the concern. “Eh, I don’t really see Finley as a fan of Shakespeare. I certainly wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to. Olivia will be safe enough. I didn’t mean for this venture to take up all your time.”
Nick wanted to argue…insist he should come. He knew Marcus was trying to give him a break, but Nick wanted to see Lady Olivia, to experience her reaction to watching the work of her favorite playwright brought to life on the famous Drury Lane stage.
But he said nothing.
What was wrong with him?
Nick studied his plate in order to hide his tumult of thoughts. Perhaps he was getting sick. That would explain the pang in his chest at the thought of missing an evening spent with Olivia.
Perhaps he was simply losing his mind.
Chapter Ten
“A re you almost ready?” Marcus called from outside Olivia’s bedroom door.
“Nearly,” she returned. She scrutinized the dress, deciding she rather liked the deep blue with the ivory gloves. And Sarah had spent what seemed like hours pulling and tugging her hair into place.
She should feel silly for caring about how she looked. Finley wouldn’t be at the theater—not that she would dress to impress him anyway—and attracting the attention of other men would get her in trouble.
Although, she thought—as a certain marquess came to mind—if things were different, she might not object…
She cast one last look in the mirror before leaving her chambers and descending the steps.
“You look wonderful,” Marcus said as she joined him.
“I must say, you don’t look too poorly yourself.” Olivia took his arm, allowing him to lead her outside to their carriage.
“I hope we can have a pleasant evening,” he said, no doubt frustrated that the past several days—since their disagreement and return to London—had been spent in a kind of tenuous but still strained peace.
“I don’t see why we can’t.” In truth, she was in a rather goodmood. Although, she wasn’t quite sure what contributed to her sudden change in disposition. “Marvelous.”
As they arrived outside the
“Olivia’s my responsibility, and I can keep her safe.” Marcus pushed onward.
And before Nick knew exactly what he was doing, he tumbled headlong into a future with Olivia’s continued presence. “The two of you would kill each other before it was over, if I didn’t help.”
“Perhaps,” Marcus allowed. He sat back, relaxing into his seat. And Nick hadn’t realized until then how much Marcus was dreading hearing his answer.
A waiter arrived with their food, and after depositing the china plates on the table, he faded away.
“I will say, though, that I hope your assistance in this matter is not going to cause problems for you on the marriage mart,” Marcus commented.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcus shrugged. “I didn’t know if you came to London because you were ready to settle down and find a wife. Are you looking? For a wife, that is.”
Nick didn’t know if he liked Marcus’s overly unconcerned manner. The nonchalance made him feel as if there were several layers to the question he couldn’t understand.
“No. Not right away. Eventually, of course,” Nick knew he was rambling but didn’t stop. “I’m happy to help as long as it’s needed.”
Marcus’s speculative look wasn’t making Nick feel any more at ease.
“What about you?” Nick asked, hoping to deflect some of the attention, and heat.
“What about me?” Marcus asked, returning to the plate of food in front of him before changing the subject.
Nick didn’t have time to answer before Marcus was speaking again. “Well, again, I appreciate your help with Olivia, but youcan consider yourself on vacation this evening. I’m escorting Olivia to the theater, and I doubt Finley will show for that. I don’t think he could afford the box.”
“He might be with friends.” Nick didn’t know why he was trying to talk himself into an invitation.
Marcus shrugged off the concern. “Eh, I don’t really see Finley as a fan of Shakespeare. I certainly wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to. Olivia will be safe enough. I didn’t mean for this venture to take up all your time.”
Nick wanted to argue…insist he should come. He knew Marcus was trying to give him a break, but Nick wanted to see Lady Olivia, to experience her reaction to watching the work of her favorite playwright brought to life on the famous Drury Lane stage.
But he said nothing.
What was wrong with him?
Nick studied his plate in order to hide his tumult of thoughts. Perhaps he was getting sick. That would explain the pang in his chest at the thought of missing an evening spent with Olivia.
Perhaps he was simply losing his mind.
Chapter Ten
“A re you almost ready?” Marcus called from outside Olivia’s bedroom door.
“Nearly,” she returned. She scrutinized the dress, deciding she rather liked the deep blue with the ivory gloves. And Sarah had spent what seemed like hours pulling and tugging her hair into place.
She should feel silly for caring about how she looked. Finley wouldn’t be at the theater—not that she would dress to impress him anyway—and attracting the attention of other men would get her in trouble.
Although, she thought—as a certain marquess came to mind—if things were different, she might not object…
She cast one last look in the mirror before leaving her chambers and descending the steps.
“You look wonderful,” Marcus said as she joined him.
“I must say, you don’t look too poorly yourself.” Olivia took his arm, allowing him to lead her outside to their carriage.
“I hope we can have a pleasant evening,” he said, no doubt frustrated that the past several days—since their disagreement and return to London—had been spent in a kind of tenuous but still strained peace.
“I don’t see why we can’t.” In truth, she was in a rather goodmood. Although, she wasn’t quite sure what contributed to her sudden change in disposition. “Marvelous.”
As they arrived outside the
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