“He did tell me that, and I shall tell you what I told him—it is utter nonsense!” she shot back. “You think you might die young, so you decide to crush my friend’s heart? Your fears give you no right whatsoever to be so cruel. I canunderstandthe fear—certainly, I can—but you bloody well choose someone else, even if it is a difficult task! You do not choose her sister, for pity’s sake! You do notkeepchoosing her sister, though it is clear to everyone—including her sister, I should imagine—that you are in love with her! The moment you knew you were falling in love with Phoebe, you should have ended your pursuit of Joanna. Not doing that was heinous, quite frankly.”
Daniel could not argue, considering he had been thinking the exact same thing not half an hour ago, on the bough of the cedar tree. Hedidneed to put an end to his pursuit of Joanna, though it would not clear his path to pursue Phoebe, for he still could not choose love. It would have to be someone else, or no one else.
However, his missteps did not answer the question that needed to be answered, and he could not leave Olivia until she told him.
“Is that why Phoebe left with her sisters?” he asked plainly.
“What?”
“Is it because of the partial confession I made last night that Phoebe and her sisters have gone?” Daniel took a breath. “Did Phoebe take Joanna away so I could not proceed with my admittedly foolish plan?”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “No. It has nothing to do with you, in truth, but… when I asked her when she would be returning, she said she would not be. She said she would explain everything when I next saw her. I asked if it was because of you that she would not be coming back here. She nodded. I asked if Joanna would be returning. She told me, ‘Never. I will not allow my sister to marry a man who has explicitly stated that he cannot love her, nor someone who is capable of toying so casually with a woman’s heart.’ That was all I needed to hear.”
“Toying with her heart?” Daniel shook his head, hating that she thought that of him.
“And now that you have just informed me that you made a partial confession to her last night, I truly understand what she meant by that!” Olivia huffed and puffed, anger flashing in her eyes. “What is the matter with you? So what if you only have ten years together—five, even? That is better than none. And if it is her pain that you are so worried about, you have already inflicted a hefty amount, so you cannot bethatconcerned.”
Daniel flinched. “You do not understand.”
Olivia ignored him. “Not to mention the fact that there is no one stronger in this world than her. She has carried great grief with grace before, and she would do it again if she had to, but she would not regret being loved by you. She would not regret one moment, even if a moment was all she had.”
As he listened to Olivia, her words spreading a strange balm on the aches and troubles of his heart, his mind reeled back to something she had said earlier. Something he had missed, for he had been too distracted by her fury… and the hard truths she had been pummeling him with.
“Did you say Phoebe’s departure had nothing to do with me?”
Olivia froze. “Pardon?”
“If it is not because of what I said and how I have behaved, then what is it? Why has she taken her sisters away from the manor?”
Olivia’s throat bobbed, her gaze flitting away anxiously. “I am not telling you. Phoebe swore me to secrecy. I was to pass a message to Amelia, nothing more. And as she does not intend toreturnbecause of you, I should think you are the last person who should know where she has gone and why.”
“But I am right that it was not her father who summoned them home?” Daniel searched Olivia’s face, seeing that same sharp refusal to meet his gaze. A sure sign of deception.
She shrugged, saying nothing.
“Olivia.” His voice hardened. “Where is she? Is she in danger? Issomeonein danger? My mother said you looked terrified when she spoke with you. Why would you be terrified if it was nothing to be concerned about?”
Olivia expelled a rush of breath that, presumably, she had been holding in. “I… cannot tell you. She will hate me for it.”
“If she is in trouble, Olivia, then you must!” Daniel urged, stepping closer to her. “Do not be foolish for the sake of keeping secrets, for if sheisin trouble and something happens to her, you might wish you had told me. I shall bear her hate. I shall swear to her that I forced you to tell me, but I cannot leave this spot until I know.”
He could not explain why, but he sensed that the tightness in his chest had not been entirely the fault of his coughing fit. Instead, he realized that he had been worried from the moment that his mother had informed him that Phoebe and her sisters had left early in the morning. After all, the sun had not yet fully risen. Fleeing a manor earlier than dawn was the territory of something so urgent that it had to be achieved under the cover of darkness.
“It is Ellen,” Olivia said quietly, after a few moments. “She fled in the night, leaving a note behind. She has eloped with the Baron of Harburgh. Joanna found the note, went straight to Phoebe, and they left shortly afterwards. They came to Daisy House on their way to tell me what had happened, so I could make up a story for your mother. They have gone to try and stop it.”
Daniel’s blood ran cold with dread. “The Baron of Harburgh? You are certain?”
Olivia nodded, her shoulders slumping.
“I hate to do this to you again, asking you to lie,” Daniel said, straightening up, “but might you tell my mother that I have gone to visit Lord Woodholme, to see if I might be of service?”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “You are not following them! You cannot.”
“I know the Baron of Harburgh. We went to school together, and that acquaintance has continued, albeit distantly. However, I am more than familiar with his reputation—it is why I steered Ellen away from him in the first place,” Daniel replied. “He has done this before, countless times. And, if I remember correctly, he does not like to be told that he cannot do as he pleases. He has a ruthless streak, Olivia, and I do not want to hear, too late, what he might do if Phoebe tries to stop him alone.”
Olivia trembled as she gave the smallest nod of her head. “Then… go. I will make up a story for you.” She paused, her eyes gleaming. “Bring them all back safely, Daniel. I beg of you. If you can do this, I shall consider forgiving you for breaking her heart.”
“I would be grateful for that,” he replied, neglecting to add,though I shall not forgive myself so easily.“Now, if you would not mind quickening your pace, I cannot have you walking back to Westyork by yourself. Please, do run if you can.”
