Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

friends now. Who else knows you as well as I?”
    “ Then answer my question.”
    “ Very well, I have come to ask if it is true; has Hannish petitioned for a divorce?”
    “ Divorce? He certainly said no such a thing to me. What have you heard?”
    “ Only that he has no plans to return to Scotland and I hardly think you can have a marriage living in two different countries.”
    Olivia finally sat in a chair opposite her guest. “It is impossible. He left me to wonder of him for three years complete. Now, I am not married in the traditional sense, nor will he ever set me free. Hannish does not condone divorce.”
    “ How very cruel of him.”
    Olivia reached for the bell and rang for tea. “He is the cruelest of all men and has cut back my allowance so severely, I…do you know I am allowed a carriage but once a week? I can’t think what is to become of me and all because I do not want to live in America.”
    Lady Bayington had always found Olivia’s ability to twist every detail to suit her own desires fascinating, and could not help a slight grin. “I do not suppose you will be attending the balls for the rest of the season.”
    “ How can I, the invitations go to the Duke. On the other hand, that is my one delight. Can you not imagine how our society will be, once they see how plain and ordinary the new duchess is compared to me?”
    “ They will miss you madly, I am sure.”
    The tea didn’t come, so Olivia rang the bell again and sighed. “I shall miss them madly too. There is not a thing I can do about it now, I suppose.”
    “ Will Hannish come, do you think, when he is finished punishing you?”
    Olivia frowned. “He will not come. I am to live in solitude for the remainder of my life.”
    “ Olivia, darling, when have you ever lived in solitude? I know you too well. You will manage to live a very long, full life with or without Hannish MacGreagor.”
    “ Perhaps, but he opens many doors I alone cannot open.” She scooted back in the chair and crossed her legs. “I must do something about my dreadful circumstances, but what?”
    “ You might have told him the truth in the beginning, just as I did with my husband. He might have forgiven you.”
    “ It is far too late to regret that now,” said Olivia.
    “ Suppose you agree to live in America?”
    At last, the butler, who was now the footman, brought a tea tray and served both women. He moved too slowly, which irritated Olivia, but she waited until he was gone before she spoke again. “I have thought of going back to America, but my dear, Hannish has spent most of his fortune on that monotonous mansion. He has but twenty-thousand pounds left. Besides, I no longer have the funds to go back. I could not bear another appalling voyage across the ocean, and the trains, Lady Bayington, you cannot imagine the drudgery of day and night on a train.”
    “ You would go to America if you had the funds?”
    Olivia sipped her tea. “Hannish still loves me, I think. I hoped to be with child so he would have to come back to Scotland, but he would not and it did not happen otherwise either. I did my best, but…”
    “ He denied you? What man could refuse, no other man ever has. My dear, there must be someone else.”
    “ He admitted he has been unfaithful, but they were ladies of the evening. He could never love a woman like that, he is too proud. I forgave him, naturally, he is a man after all and it had been three years.”
    “ Olivia, what are you not telling me?”
    Olivia’s expression was sincere when she answered, “Nothing, I swear it.”
    Lady Bayington decided to let the obvious lie pass. “What will you do now?”
    “ What can I do? I cannot stay here much longer.”
    “ You will do what you always do, I suppose.”
    “ Lady Bayington, you’d not be willing to loan me a few pounds, would you?”
    “ I might. You have been very good at keeping our secret out of London society.”
    Olivia smiled finally, “I do believe it is the only pledge I have ever truly kept.”
    “ Indeed it is. Therefore, you deserved to be quite generously rewarded.” She opened her small handbag and withdrew a roll of bills.

    That night, Lady Bayington went to the room in her castle, where she enjoyed writing her many letters. She got out a clean sheet of monogrammed paper, found her fountain pen and began:
    Your Grace,
    Lord Bayington and I agree, as we are most fond of both you and your brother, and can maintain our silence no longer. There is