Lady Be Reckless (Duke's Daughters #2)(75)

It was up to her. It was always up to her.

“Mother.”

She spoke loudly, but not loudly enough to drown out her mother, who was currently wondering if St. Paul’s could build a wing for the additional guests.

“Mother!” she said again, this time going up to place her hand on her mother’s arm.

“What is it, dear?” the duchess said.

Olivia glanced around the room, too small for all of its inhabitants. “Can we go somewhere where we can sit down?”



“Everyone is in the sitting room,” the butler told Edward as he returned to the house.

He burned with the urge to go find her, carry her off on his shoulders as he’d threatened, but since they were all there he probably couldn’t.

Not that he wasn’t tempted.

He strode into the room, his gaze finding her. She sat at the center of the group, her eyes meeting his and smiling.

His goddess. His warrior. His love.

“I wanted us all to be here before things got carried away,” she began. “I want to clear up the confusion that might have resulted from before. I am not betrothed to Lord Carson,” she said, and Edward looked at Bennett, who grinned back.

What had happened while he was away?

“Instead,” she continued, holding her hand out to silence the duchess, “it appears that I have fallen in love with Mr. Wolcott, and I have asked him to marry me.”

“You have—?” the duchess sputtered.

“I have.”

Edward advanced toward her as he drew the ring out from his pocket. Her eyes widened as she saw the box in his hand, and then her face lit up.

“It is true that Lady Olivia has done me the great honor of proposing,” he said. “And I have accepted. I would also, in the spirit of true equality, want to propose to her as well.” He lowered one knee onto the carpet in front of her, holding the box in his hand. “Lady Olivia—Olivia, my love—will you marry me?”

He flipped the box open and showed her the ring, watching as her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.

Not quite as welcome a sight as seeing her in his bed, but this was far more respectable.

“Yes,” she replied, her eyes getting bright. “I will marry you.”

He stood and took the ring out, placing it on her left hand before looking over at his father, who was beaming. “I found a proper Society lady to marry me, Father,” he said.

“But Lord Carson is to marry my daughter!” the duke said. Edward turned to look, seeing the duke’s face had gotten flushed, his mouth set into an unhappy line. “I will not have her marry a—” And then he stopped. Edward watched as the duke resolved to say it.

“A bastard!”

Olivia pushed past Edward to stand in front of her parents, and he could see the self-righteous anger in the set of her shoulders.

He loved how she was finally going to be able to stand up for herself as she’d stood up for so many others in need.

“It doesn’t matter if Mr. Wolcott was not fortunate enough to be born with the benefits of our Society,” she began. “What does matter is that I am in love with him. He is in love with me. He understands who I am, and what I want to do, more than anybody. He supports me, he fights with me, and he respects me.”

She turned to look at him, and he was reminded of that first time they’d met at the ball. She’d practically reverberated with emotion, but it was nothing compared to what she looked like now. Or at least how he saw her now. She sparkled, she blazed, she glittered with all of who she was and who they were together.

“But you will not go against my wishes!” the duke said.

Olivia straightened even further. “I will. I am not yours to be married off to someone who doesn’t love me. Who I don’t love. Apologies, Lord Carson.”

“No apology necessary,” Bennett replied in an amused voice.

“I am not Della, running away from an impossible situation. I hope one day we can get her back,” she said, her tone somber. “I am running toward something instead. Toward someone. Mr. Wolcott, who is the best man I have ever known and who says he wants me as well.”

The duke looked at Olivia for a long moment, and Edward’s chest tightened. He knew Olivia wouldn’t change her mind, but he also didn’t want her to lose contact with her sisters, if the duke stood firm.

“Fine,” the duke said in a snarl. “If this is what you want.”

“It is,” she said, raising her chin.



“You were tremendous.”

It was later that evening, and Olivia had once again snuck over to his bedroom. This time he’d been waiting for her, and he’d folded her in his arms and made short work of her clothing before losing himself in her softness, her skin, her cries of joy.

Now they lay in his bed, Scamp settled at the bottom, her head on his chest, her fingers in his hair.

“I was,” she said in a smug tone. “I have a lot of practice speaking out for what is right.” She propped herself up on her elbow and smiled down at him. “I know how to speak up, but I didn’t know how important it was to listen and ask questions until I met you.”

“And what questions do you want to ask?” he asked, sliding his hand on her naked back down to her arse.

She tugged on his hair, lowering her face in preparation to kiss him. “Will you kiss me for the rest of our lives?” And then she did kiss him, and it felt right. Perfect.