needed to find the best way to tell him their special evening would include another man.
The loud knock startled her out of her thoughts. Colette made her way around the colourful confection of slippers that were scattered about the room, and opened the door. Past her maid’s shoulder, Olivia spied her husband’s powerful frame encased in blue and brown. She wasn’t certain if she was excited to see him or disappointed that it wasn’t Bennett with a note from Janvier saying he was unable to attend this evening. When their eyes met, she decided excited was closer to what she felt.
He entered the room with commanding strides and glanced around before he clasped his hands behind his back. Had he ever witnessed her dressing room in such a state? She was certain none of his garments had ever been treated so carelessly. He was the very picture of masculine elegance and, surrounded by all her finery, she couldn’t have felt more feminine.
‘Forgive me, I hope I am not interrupting anything important,’ he said, stopping in front of her. ‘I was hoping to beg a moment of your time.’ He reached for her hand and circled his thumb along her palm.
‘Of course, would you care to sit?’ she asked, signalling to Colette over his shoulder that they were to be left alone.
He eyed the various colourful silks, muslins and satins melting over every available surface and arched his brow. ‘Your dressing room appears to be occupied with colourful gowns at the moment. I imagine there is a semblance of order to them that I cannot fathom, so I shall remain standing.’
‘We can easily move one. There truly is no order that must be maintained.’
The idea that her gowns were placed about the room in a willy-nilly fashion seemed to both amuse and astonish him. Looking around her messy room, he shifted uncomfortably and she brought her hand to her lips to stifle a laugh.
‘I came to speak with you about tonight,’ he said, rocking on his heels.
So he was eager to announce to the ton their reconciliation as well. ‘What exceptional timing you have. I’ve been trying to decide which gown to wear. Perhaps you could give me your opinion.’
He lowered his gaze and began to spin his ring.
‘Is something troubling you?’
He shifted his stance again. ‘No, not at all. All is well.’
It was apparent all was not well and his thoughts were elsewhere. The spinning of his ring hadn’t stopped and his attention was focused on her celery-green silk gown that was spilling onto the floor from the chair on her right. That wasn’t a good sign. If only he would unburden himself to her... The best she could do was to offer him comfort and hope he would eventually confide in her.
Stepping closer to him, she combed her fingers through his thick hair by his temple. She thought she saw a flash of regret in his eyes, but it was gone before she could be certain. Reaching up on her toes, she brushed her lips along his cheek that was slightly rough with early evening whiskers.
‘You can tell me anything,’ she said, hoping that would spur him on.
He pulled her body into his. ‘You are all that is good,’ he replied, placing his lips to her forehead. A warm puff of his breath danced across her eyelids.
The lovely gesture touched her heart, even though unease swept through her. Hoping his warmth would ease the chill that ran along her spine, she brought his palm up to her cheek and burrowed her nose in the cuff of his coat.
Her body froze at the familiar cloying scent lingering there.
Victoria’s words came back to her, echoing loudly in her head. ‘Men cannot remain faithful. It is not their nature. He will never be satisfied with just your bed.’
It had been too easy. He had agreed to remain faithful too quickly. He didn’t even love her. She wanted to vomit.
Dropping his hand as if she had been burned, she stared at the traitor before her.
‘How could you?’ she choked out. ‘My God, I am so stupid.’ Covering her lips with her hand, she backed up a step.
The confused expression on Gabriel’s face was not helping the matter. Did he think she was so naïve that she would not find out?
‘Olivia, I do not understand—’
A cold sweat spread across her skin. ‘You went to see that harlot again. Even after you promised you would remain faithful! You went to Madame LaGrange!’ She pushed against his marble-like chest with all her might.
‘Olivia—’
‘I smell her on you...on your coat! I will never forget that scent. It is the same horrid smell you stank of when you came to my bedside after Nicholas was born. How could you?’ Her voice wavered and she took another step back, needing to distance herself from him. ‘How could a man appear honourable one minute and so selfish the next? Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that you were not with her today?’
‘I cannot.’
‘My God! What is wrong with you? How many women do you need? Or is it just that you do not want me? I have heard about her. They say she does not take the men who come to her establishment to her bed except for you. Does she know that you were in my bed again? Or did you reassure her the same way you reassured me, that she was the only one you wanted? Do you offer her pretty sentiments to ensure that she is available when your needs arise?’
Her nails were cutting into her palms and she wouldn’t have been surprised if they were bleeding. ‘Do you have a lover’s eye of her tucked away somewhere?’
‘Olivia, stop.’
He went to grab her forearms, but she stepped back. ‘Do not touch me! I cannot believe a word you say. I was a fool to think I could trust you. Rest assured, it will never happen again.’
He opened his mouth to continue, but she couldn’t bear to listen to any more of his lies. And she needed to stop talking before her voice would catch and he would see just how close to tears she was.
‘Get out of this room, Gabriel.’
‘We need to talk about tonight—about the theatre.’
Had he even heard a word she said? A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. ‘Do you honestly believe I would be seen anywhere with you now? After this, the last place on earth I care to be is surrounded by the very people who probably watched you leave her house, or should I say brothel?’
‘If you would just listen to me for a moment—’
‘I am done listening to you, Gabriel. We have nothing more to say to one another.’ Walking towards the door, so he would not see her face, she opened it with a flourish.
‘We are not finished here, Olivia.’
‘Yes, Gabriel. Yes, we are.’
He hesitated before giving her a quick nod and striding out of her dressing room like a man with a purpose.
Slamming the door behind him, she collapsed to the floor, silently sobbing and wondering what it was about him that made her lose all rational behaviour and slip blindly back into wanting to trust him. Now she knew for certain, she could never trust him again. This was the last time she would allow herself to be hurt by him.
Entering his study to wait for Andrew was one of the hardest things Gabriel had ever had to do. He was fighting the need to turn around and march up the stairs to settle matters with Olivia. Things were not over between them. They couldn’t be.
She just needed time to calm down. When he spoke to her next, he would find a way to smooth things over between them. At the moment Prinny’s life was in eminent danger. That had to be his priority. And yet, his heart felt torn to ribbons at the pain he had inadvertently caused her. She didn’t