Lady Be Reckless (Duke's Daughters #2)(60)

“Don’t look at me like that,” Mr. Beechcroft said in a mock growl. “It is not as though you don’t want it also. I have seen how you regard Lady Olivia.”

And now that his father was not, in fact, going to die, he wouldn’t be under the same pressure to marry. He’d have to tell Lady Olivia—he wouldn’t want her to continue thinking his father was in ill health—but then she would know he wasn’t under such pressure to marry.

So if she were even slightly inclined to be interested in him, she wouldn’t have the same incentive. She could just wait until she realized she felt differently.

“Lady Olivia might still be determined to marry Bennett, Father,” Edward explained. “Although Bennett most definitely does not wish to marry her.”

Mr. Beechcroft beamed. “So there is no impediment to your marrying her! Go on, my boy, I believe in you.” His father finished his words with a worrisome cough, and Edward released his hand, rising as he did so.

“You should rest. I will go see to our guests. I know you won’t miss dinner, and I will speak with Cook about the meal.”

Mr. Beechcroft’s expression revealed just what he thought about all of that. “Ask Lady Ida to come see me in about an hour? We were having the most interesting discussion, and I want to get her opinion on some of the globes I’ve been working on.”

“Of course.” Edward would not be able to stop his father from working entirely, but he could ensure it was work that wouldn’t tax him too much.

He walked out of the room, feeling even lighter than when he’d entered. He might not have any idea of what his own future would hold, but at least he would have his father for a bit longer.





Chapter 20




I have no idea anymore.

Lady Olivia’s Particular Guide to Being Reckless



“Hunting? You’ll be sending dogs after innocent foxes?”

Olivia directed her question at Edward across the breakfast, who met her gaze with a wry smile.

Olivia had slept restlessly, her dreams filled with images of him and how he’d looked when she’d stepped away from him. Waking up to hug the idea that she loved him close to her chest, only to feel devastated as she realized she had no idea what to do about it.

Ask him, Pearl had said. It sounded so simple—and it have been when she’d asked Bennett the same thing—but she had no idea what Edward might say.

Which was entirely the reason she should ask, she heard an irritated Pearl say in her head.

“Hunting is one of the nation’s most revered traditions,” the duke said, making all of his daughters stare at him in surprise. It was an entire sentence not punctuated with a grunt, after all. “Mr. Wolcott’s skill in judging horses is well-known, and I for one, want to see his expertise firsthand.”

The duchess didn’t seem to notice that her normally recalcitrant husband had seen fit to utter an entirety of two sentences. “Yes, hunting is one of the things that make life worth living, after all,” she said, even though she’d never hunted in her life.

“Like bed sheets and tea?” Ida muttered so that only Olivia could hear.

Olivia clapped her hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh, and caught him looking at her. Again.

She’d have to talk to him soon; she couldn’t keep wondering what was in his thoughts.

“What are your objections to the hunt, Lady Olivia?” Edward asked.

As though he didn’t know. Did he enjoy seeing her get self-righteous? Perhaps he did, though nobody else ever seemed to like it.

“I find it reprehensible that people will set dogs on a fox that just wants to take care of its family and live its life, all for the sake of sport. It’s not even sporting, honestly. I mean, there is one fox and how many hounds? And how many people on horses adding to the cacophony?”

“So you would be fine with it if the odds were more even?” Edward asked, still with that smirk on his face. “When we release the hounds, perhaps we could release an equal number of foxes?”

“That is not what I am saying at all,” she replied, feeling her cheeks start to burn. As they always did when she was encountering injustice. “It’s not fair.”

There was a moment of silence, or there would have been if the duke hadn’t grunted disapprovingly.

“I understand what you are saying, Lady Olivia,” Edward said at last, the wry smirk no longer on his face, but something—something warmer.

Something that made a tiny glimmer of hope kindle inside her. Perhaps this conversation would go a bit better than the last time she’d asked a gentleman what he thought of her.

“Instead why don’t we take the horses out without the hounds? We could go for a vigorous gallop rather than chasing down foxes.” Edward nodded toward Olivia. “I know how you feel about fairness in the animal kingdom.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said in a soft voice. Quite unlike her usual tone, but then again, nothing about her now was usual.

“And then when we’ve returned, perhaps you would like to take a walk to the village?” This time it was clear Edward was speaking to her, although the invitation was a general one.

“I would love to,” Olivia said.

Her sisters agreed also, although their mother demurred, perhaps because that would mean she might miss tea.