Lady Suzanna frowned. “Well, since even dear Trixie has noted that the Marquess is apparently less than trustworthy, it will not be long before our Claire catches up on the fact.”
“So you are saying that I should sit here and do nothing?”
“You want to drive an even bigger wedge between you both?” his sister retorted. “Are you certain you do not wish to confess to Claire of your feelings for her? You might very well be surprised with her thoughts on the matter.”
“She does not see me that way,” he said sadly. “And I do not wish to ruin our good friendship by making things awkward between us, should she not feel the same for me.”
His sister sighed and sat down from across him. “Then, what do you suggest we do about it?”
“Accept as many gentleman callers as possible. Perhaps she might like one of them more than she does the Marquess and we can rest assured that she chose someone better than him.”
“About that…” Lady Suzanna trailed off with a small frown. “I did notice that we seem to be receiving more cards requesting to pay a call toClaire.”
“Is that not how it is with Society?” Oliver grimaced. “They are always trying to outdo each other and this time, it just happens to be, who can be a better friend to lovely Claire?”
His sister looked at him oddly. “While that theory may hold water with the ladies, I am afraid I am receiving more cards from gentlemen.Unmarried gentlemen, for that matter. Do you think…do you think perhaps they know of her inheritance?”
“Claire is an exceedingly lovely young lady and I can very well attest to that fact,” he told his sister. “It is only natural that a lot of our peers will be smitten by her charms. In any case, it is also probably because that we have been so closed off ever since we started the mourning period. Given a few days, they should stop calling.”
“Lord Draydon has also taken to coming in regularly. Do you thinkheknows?”
Oliver shrugged. “Who can say what he knows? That man is as secretive as they come.”
Trixie was right in her assessment of him—the Marquess did, indeed, like to talk around in circles so that his answer was neither yes nor no. For someone as direct as Claire’s younger sister, this was absolutely maddening.
For her age, Trixie was also exceedingly bright, although unconventional in some of her views. When it came to her turn to make her curtsey to the Queen, Oliver had a premonition that it would take a lot more effort, for although she had the kindest heart of anyone he knew, she also had the highest chance of offending someone with her directness.
Well, at least somebody else was able to talk Claire out of her infatuation with the Marquess. I pray that it remains a mere infatuation, though, and not true love.
He could not imagine a world with Claire in love with a man who was absolutely wrong for her—one who could break her heart in so many ways— when all he wanted was to give her the sun, the moon, the stars, and beyond.
* * *
After dinner, Claire headed back to her rooms, feeling particularly disappointed that His Grace did not make an appearance. She had not realized how she had come to miss him these past few days so much that she was hoping for a glimpse of him every now and then.
Unfortunately, luck was not on her side and he was always in his study or out on business.
He had not even joined them for their meals the past few days.
Thinking that he was probably avoiding her made her sick to her stomach.
He could not be avoiding me intentionally,she told herself.It is not in his nature to be so. If he was disappointed in me, he would say it. That is the Oliver I know.
She blushed at the thought of addressing him so intimately by his first name but over the weeks since she had been in mourning, she had come to rely on his gentle, quiet strength and his kindness.
She ran a hand lightly over the book he had procured for her with great effort, knowing she and her father had been looking for it for a long time.
As if that was not enough, he had even taken her out on a carriage ride when she had no desire to even eat or move at all.
In that brief amount of time, she had felt herself coming alive again after feeling so bleak and sad when her dear Father died.
How beautiful London is and how grand!Claire mused to herself with a small smile as she recalled the feeling of her spirits lifting as His Grace took her to the grandest monuments, the architectural marvels all over the city. He had even shown her the new bridge being built across the Thames.
For Claire, she would always remember London in that one carriage ride with His Grace.
She did not know why but she felt like it was one of the most poignantly beautiful memories she had ever made in her entire life.
“He is a wonderful man,” she murmured to herself, thinking of her late father as she thought of Oliver. “You are both so very alike but I fear that His Grace does not see me in that way. Besides, there is the Marquess of Draydon and I feel that I should be happy that he has been paying more attention to me but…”
