“Only she can answer that, Your Grace.”
Olivia smiled and ventured, “It is my first season, and I confess I am no different than any other young lady, Your Grace. I must do as commanded.”
“Ah,” her brother said gently, “but do you like the command?”
“I don’t know,” Olivia returned, tilting her head back to make better view of the gentlemen. “I’ve never been married. It is impossible to know if I shall like the state of affairs.”
Alexander blinked, then laughed, a deep booming sound.“Well said. How can we know if we will enjoy it? It is a mystery to all who are unwed. But a club we are all destined to join.”
“Exactly so!” Olivia agreed.“They are terrible about keeping their halls secret, are they not? Perhaps they know that if they did, no one would wish to join.”
Alexander winked.“Oh, I don’t know. My parents were quite happy. I can tell you that much.”
“Do you hope to be as happy as they?”
“If I find the right lady, anything is possible,” he said.
The Duke of Stone swung his glance back and forth between the two, and Jack met his eyes. They held a long look, and she could have sworn that an entire conversation took place between them.
Why had she never seen it before? The suitability of her friend and her brother?
Because clearly, from the look on the Duke of Stone’s face, he was seeing it, too.
Olivia required a husband with a significant title.
Her brother needed a wife with a fortune.
They were perfect for each other.
Why in God’s name had she not seen it? Was she now to turn into the duke? Would she, too, begin to pair up the world? Well, she supposed it wasn’t the worst possible thing.
And if Alexander and Olivia could marry, that would be one fortune acquired!
And once she had married well, her mother might not look quite so harried.
The duke abruptly declared, “Since we make such merry conversation, I propose a trip to Vauxhall Gardens. I have not been so entertained in months. What say you to a visit in three days’ time? I have a few things to take care of before then, but it would do us all wonders to get away from the pressures of town ballrooms, don’t you think?”
Alexander drew in a breath, as if he was about to refuse, and the pleasant expression that had softened his strong face faded, but then he caught Olivia’s bright, enthusiastic expression.“Miss Olivia, you should like to be away from such things?”
“I should like it above all else.”
Her brother looked at Stone as if he might strangle him, clearly annoyed at having been wrangled into an entertainment.
Why was he suddenly resistant?
He’d seemed to enjoy their discourse.
Alexander blew out a breath, and his earlier amusement vanished. He all but glowered at them.“If it pleases the ladies, of course, we must go.”
But then Alexander’s gaze narrowed at Stone. “When did you two rediscover your old friendship?” he asked abruptly.
“What?” Jack yelped most impolitely.
Even Olivia looked alarmed, since she knew the truth about her clandestine meeting with the duke.
“Oh, we ran into each other just the other day on the street, if you must know. Bumped into each other.”
“You bumped into each other,” her brother echoed, pulling the reins of his horse.