A Dangerous Game (Regency Spies & Secrets Book 2), Laura Beers [i read books TXT] 📗

A sigh escaped her lips. “That sounds wonderful.”

“I assumed as much,” Harriet remarked. “I shall see to the preparations, then.”

As Harriet walked away, Emmeline turned to Oliver and asked in a low, hushed voice, “Your mother does realize that this is a marriage of convenience, doesn’t she?”

Jane spoke up. “I didn’t have the heart to inform her of that,” she revealed. “I just told her that you two had eloped.”

Oliver muttered something incoherent under his breath before he brought a smile to his lips. “Then I will have to be the one to inform her.”

“Thank you,” Emmeline said.

Jane looped her arm through Emmeline’s. “Let me show you to your bedchamber,” she offered.

Emmeline felt a rush of panic at Jane’s words. “Oliver and I won’t be expected to share the same bedchamber, will we?”

“Of course not,” Jane assured her. “You do, however, share a sitting room between your two bedchambers.”

Letting out a sigh of relief, Emmeline said, “That won’t be an issue.”

Oliver arched an eyebrow. “Is sharing a room with me so repulsive to you?”

“That’s not what I meant—” she rushed to say.

He put his hand up, stilling her words. “I am just teasing you, Emme.”

“Oh, I should have known.”

“Go enjoy your soak,” he said, placing a hand on the small of her back, “and I will see you soon enough.”

Oliver smiled at her, and she felt her stomach flutter in response. Dear heavens, she thought. It would not do if she started developing real affection towards her husband. This was a marriage of convenience, nothing more.

Oliver stopped outside of his mother’s bedchamber door and let out a sigh. He was dreading this most assuredly difficult conversation, but he knew it must be done. He brought his hand up and knocked on her door.

“Enter,” he heard his mother order.

He opened the door and stepped inside. “Mother,” he greeted as he closed the door behind him.

“Oliver,” his mother said from her dressing table chair, “what a pleasant surprise.”

“I wanted to thank you for seeing to Emmeline’s needs.”

“That is kind of you to say, but I assure you that it was entirely my pleasure.”

Oliver hesitated for only a moment before saying, “I did want to speak to you about something.”

“What would you care to discuss?” his mother asked, giving him her full attention.

“It is about Emmeline.”

She smiled up at him. “I think I know what you are going to say.”

“You do?”

“I do,” she replied, “and I promise you that I do not think any less of you or Emmeline for eloping.”

“I am pleased to hear that, but—”

“I always knew that you two would suit,” she said, speaking over him.

“You did?”

His mother bobbed her head. “I did,” she replied. “And to celebrate your union, I think we should host a ball.”

“Pardon?” He had not expected her to say that.

“You won’t have to worry about a thing,” his mother encouraged. “Emmeline and I will plan the whole ball.”

“If Emmeline would like a ball, then I am not opposed to having one,” he replied.

“That is most gracious of you, Son,” she gushed. “After all, if the ton sees that our family supports your marriage unequivocally, then it would go a long way to ensuring Emmeline’s place among Society.”

“I agree.”

His mother bobbed her head. “Wonderful. I shall see to the invitations right away.”

Oliver walked over to an upholstered armchair and sat down, then said, “I need for you to understand something, Mother.”

She shifted in her chair to face him. “Which is?”

“Emmeline and I are not a love match,” he stated.

Surprise resonated on his mother’s features. “But you eloped with her.”

“I did, but that was only to save her from a marriage with the Duke of Billingham,” he explained.

“You must have some feelings towards Emmeline, then,” she pressed.

“We are friends, nothing more.”

His mother frowned. “How is that possible?” she questioned. “Jane mentioned that she saw you and Emmeline kissing in the drawing room.”

Oliver shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “We were just sealing our agreement with a kiss.”

“That is nonsense,” his mother declared. “I don’t go around kissing people when we reach an agreement.”

“Regardless, we both willingly entered into a marriage of convenience with one another.”

His mother reached for a bottle of lotion on her dressing table. “I am not entirely convinced that you don’t hold Emmeline in some regard.”

“We are friends—”

She cut him off. “I always knew that you two would suit admirably, much more than you and Charlotte.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Charlotte was a pleasant enough young woman, but you have always laughed much more freely around Emmeline.”

“That may be true, but Charlotte was much more serious than her cousin,” he replied.

“That she was.”

“It matters not, because I loved Charlotte, wholly and unconstrained.”

His mother gave him a sympathetic look as she rubbed lotion on her hands. “And she broke your heart.”

“That she did,” he agreed, “which is why I will not make the mistake of falling in love again.”

“That is a shame.”

“Perhaps, but I am not willing to risk being rejected again.”

“Emmeline is not like her cousin,” his mother pressed.

Abruptly rising from his chair, Oliver declared, “Quite right, but we are just friends.”

“Oliver—”

He put his hand up, stilling her words. “I am not here to debate with you,” he said. “I just wanted you to know that Emmeline and I are married in name only.”

“And what of grandchildren?”

Oliver stiffened. “I suppose you will have to be satisfied with the children that Baldwin and Jane will have.”

“I think you are making a terrible mistake.”

“In what way?”

“I truly believe that you and Emmeline could be a brilliant match, but it would take some work on your part.”

He shook his head. “I fear you are not listening to me.”

“I am,” she replied, “but I am also listening to what you aren’t saying, as well.”

“Which is?”

Rising, his mother walked over and stopped in front of him. “You are scared to open up your heart again.”

“You are reading too much into this.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice rising. “Emmeline and I have only ever been