Emily had a full, happy life and Olympia admitted to a fleeting twinge of jealousy. Her friend’s husband was a good man, faithful, kind, and madly in love with his wife. They already had two beautiful, healthy children, a boy and a girl. It was all Olympia had once thought would be her future. Despite the dismal fortune her family had with husbands and wives, she had never let go of that dream, not until the night Maynard had destroyed her innocence.
“So, is the marquis courting you?” asked Emily and then she blushed at the startled look on Olympia’s face. “I realize he is but newly widowed but from the whispers I have been hearing it was an ill-fated match, unequal if you will, and the wife was, well, ill.”
Since Stone had given her permission to speak of it all if asked directly, Olympia told her a very discreet version of what had happened. Henry had just been tossed out in the city, not sold, and Polly had committed suicide but not in the rather gruesome way she had. She made sure she also left a large hint of extreme marital discord woven into the tale.
“So sad. He is a very good man. He has never acted as if he is too far above us to bother with us as many of his rank would and I know he loves his boy. I believed he loved his wife but if she had been ill for a long time . . .”
“She was. And, it wears on one, Em. Wears on one every day and night for as long as the couple remains together. He is a good man, and there was still some love there, but there was no chance of fixing what ailed that marriage for she was sick in her mind and there is rarely a cure for that. What she did to Henry killed the last vestiges of that love.”
“I can see how it would. Well, go join the marquis as my footmen just gave me the signal that my guests are arriving.” She winked at Olympia. “I think the marquis will appreciate a little protection.”
Olympia went to sit with Stone and almost laughed at the sigh of relief he gave. He might not be in mourning but he was not ready to be looking for another wife. She hoped he did not give up all thought of one for she had the feeling that Stone was one of those men who liked to be married. Subtly patting his hand and grinning when he chuckled, she turned her attention on the guests arriving.
It did not take long for Olympia to sense that a few of the guests were cool to her. They did not openly snub her because she was a friend of the hostess and the marquis. For a moment she wondered if they feared she had already taken the excellent marriage prize off the market but soon realized it was more. Lady Mallam had turned her slanderous talents her way.
“I will not stand for this,” Stone said in a cold voice that starkly reminded her that this man was one step away from being a duke. “Do they think I cannot see what they are doing?”
“Take no mind of it, Stone. She is still trying to separate me from her son, to steal away what appears to be his only ally. This will not work for long if I keep from being seen with Brant very often.” She sighed as a worried Emily hurried to her side.
“What is wrong?” Emily whispered and slipped her arm around Olympia’s waist. “Who has been saying things about you that have these silly cows acting as if they might catch some dreaded disease if they get within feet of you?”
“It is nothing, my friend.” She kissed Emily’s cheek. “Someone wishes to send me running home and I refuse to do so. I will tell you the why of it all when I can.”
“I know who spreads the tales. It is that nasty Lady Mallam. She wishes you to be barred from all the best homes and that means it is something that would be to her advantage. Everything she does is to better herself or fatten her purse. I have never understood why anyone listens to her. My darling tells me that she has destroyed several good men and then slipped right into the investments or business they had before she began her hateful campaign against them.”
Seeing a wonderful source of some of the best gossip, Olympia pressed her friend for more. As the afternoon wore on, Emily divided her time between seeing to her guests and filling Olympia’s ears with all kinds of fascinating information. By the time Stone settled her in his carriage and they started on their way to the Warren she was eager to get it all written down. There was some pattern there she was not seeing yet and she was certain it would lead her to a way to cut Lady Mallam off at the knees.
“A fruitful day, I gather,” said Stone.
“I think so but I need to study it for a bit before I can be sure. How is Henry?”
“He sleeps with me every night. I will allow it for now as he wakes terrified if I am not close at hand but I shall have to break him of it eventually. He does not miss his mother much at all. I realized that he loves his nursemaid, Moira. My wife must have ceased to care for her child a lot earlier than I had thought.”
“It will pass, Stone. He is little more than a babe and he was terrified. He was also deeply hurt. I am glad he has his Moira even though it is sad that he turned to someone else for the caring he needed. Being with her again will soften some of those hurts he suffered.”
“I hope you are right. Henry would like to come and visit you. He says he misses Enid’s scones and playing with the boys.”