Miss Susan shook her head, tears starting to her eyes. “You don’t see at all!” she burst out. “This is their home. We have a garden, we have woods to walk in. Fresh air! Where can we find air to breathe in London?”
“I breathe in London.” Oliver’s face was implacable, his mouth had turned mulish, and Vivianna knew with despair that he had not changed his mind. And he would not. They were wasting their time.
She rose to her feet. “I think we should leave,” she said, trying to stem her anger. “Perhaps Lord Montegomery would benefit from time to think—”
“I do not need time to think,” he retorted, also standing. “You have a little over seven weeks to evacuate these premises and find another. My offer still stands.”
No one said a word.
Outside, Vivianna climbed numbly into the coach where not so long ago she had felt wildly alive. The children were now busy at their lessons, but there were plenty of faces at the windows, and plenty of hands waving. Oliver waved back, but he had lost his spontaneity. It was his attitude toward the children that Vivianna had found most surprising. Instead of merely tolerating them, or ignoring them, or treating them with disdain as for some reason she had expected him to do, he had smiled at them and made them laugh, and treated them as if they were interesting and pleasant company.
She had not expected to see that side of him, and now her heart was aching. Just a little. But then again, she reminded herself angrily, some men had the knack of making others feel special. That did not make them paragons of virtue. In his younger days, Toby Russell had been known for his charm, and look at him now. No, she could not trust Oliver Montegomery further than she could throw him.
She dared not.
The coach lurched forward, and soon Candlewood was behind them.
“I am very disappointed,” she said quietly. “Despite your assertions, I had thought you might finally see the error of your ways.”
Oliver gave an exasperated bark of laughter. “Vivianna, I would like to please you, but in this matter I must say no.”
“But—”
“I must have Candlewood back. I must demolish it. There is no other option.”
He looked grim. The lazy indolence was gone from his blue eyes. She knew then that there was something more to this than he had told her.
“No other option?” she repeated, narrowing her gaze at him. “You sound as if you are on a mission, Oliver. Surely the guilt you feel for your brother’s death cannot be extricated by demolishing his house?”
“You do not know anything about the guilt I feel,” Oliver said bleakly. “And you are wrong if you think I hope to cleanse my soul by removing the house,” he went on, bitter self-mockery in his smile. “I hope to avenge my brother, Vivianna, not placate his restless spirit.”
“Avenge him?” Vivianna frowned.
Oliver shot her a cold look full of Montegomery arrogance. “Enough. I have said too much. You have that effect on me, Vivianna. The matter is closed.”
As if to prove his point, he shut his eyes and pretended to go to sleep.
Vivianna glared at him, fuming, as the coach made its way home. As if that would stop her! She was not in awe of him, and that tone of voice would not prevent her from doing what she must. She clutched her bag in her hands and heard the rustle of Aphrodite’s letter. The sound was not exactly comforting, but it helped to remind her that she was not beaten, not yet. Not by a long way.
As the coach dwindled into the distance, Eddie watched from the window, rested his chin on his hands, and sighed. He had hoped to show the gentleman the stone lion. The gentleman had seemed interested and Eddie needed to tell someone. He couldn’t tell the two old ladies. Oh, they were nice enough, and he liked them, really, but they would flap about and say it was dangerous. Miss Greentree would scold, too, but in a kind way because she was a kind lady.
Eddie didn’t want them to stop him exploring.
He had a feeling the gentleman would understand, and that he might even do a bit of exploring, too. For several weeks now Eddie had gazed down into the black hole beneath the stone lion, noting how the stairs vanished into the darkness. There were things down there, interesting things, he was certain of it. The next chance he got, he’d creep down those stairs and see what he could see.
At least he would if he wasn’t so afraid of the dark.
On second thought, maybe he’d take Ellen with him. For a girl, she wasn’t too bad. He could hold her hand and pretend he was looking after her.
Eddie smiled, already feeling braver.
Chapter 10
“It’s nice to see you again, Miss Greentree. Miss Aphrodite is expectin’ you.”
Vivianna smiled at Dobson a little nervously. “I received her message this morning. Is she recovered?”
Dobson winked. “I told you she’d be right as rain in no time, miss. She’s waiting for you, if you’ll come this way.”