Page 14 of A Relentless Rake

Yet if they were, Henry Everett would swing at the gallows, along with his sister. No matter how pretty her neck.

A carving knife! The little hellcat brought akitchenknife with her for protection. He’d had half a mind to ask her if she’d confused him for a Christmas goose, but he knew better. A smart man never antagonized a woman with a weapon.

Still, he found her courage admirable, if wholly misplaced.

He tossed the handbill onto the desk, and it landed on his mother’s invitation. He laughed at the absurdity of the sight. Prove that a mousey schoolmaster was the mastermind behind an assassination attempt while also keeping his mother from trapping him into marriage?

Might as well unleash the hounds of hell on himself right now.

Still… He picked up the invitation and turned it over thoughtfully in his fingers. Perhaps he could make both work in his favor. “Bivvens!”

The butler appeared in the doorway. “Yes, my lord?”

“Send a footman to Harlow House.” He reached for his inkwell and scratched out a message on the back of the invitation. “Tell the countess that I’d be happy to attend her ball.” He blotted the ink. “On one condition.”

He handed the card to the butler, and Bivvens scanned the message. “An additional invitation, sir?”

Alec smiled. “For Miss Olivia Everett.”

Four

Olivia blinked at the card in her hand. An invitation to the Countess of St James’s annual ball?

Well,thiswas obviously a mistake. Her name would never have been on the guest list otherwise.

She put it aside. She’d send it back this afternoon. Now, though, she wanted to take advantage of the school’s late morning calm to catch up on work, so she reached for the rest of the mail. But she also couldn’t resist touching the small wooden box sitting on the corner of her desk. Her father had carved it for her as a birthday gift the year before he died, and now it held a place of honor in her office, the same room where he’d once worked so hard in running the school.

As her fingers lovingly traced over the floral carving on its lid, a melancholy smile pulled at her lips. Oh, how much she missed him! But she knew he’d be proud of what she’d made of his school.

For once, the building was quiet, the students all spending the day in the park. The outing had been carefully planned to give Henry time away from the classroom for his presentation at the Royal Society. To a lesser degree, it also allowed Olivia to be out of her office so she could attend. The presentation was a notable achievement for them and would—

“For him,” she corrected. “A notable achievement forhim.”

This was Henry’s moment. Not hers.

He’d been trying so hard to gain the Society’s attention, and finally, it had recognized his latest work about architectural stresses. The Society’s journal had accepted his article for publication, and he’d been invited to present his findings—honors that would undoubtedly earn him full fellowship.

She was thrilled for him, of course, and for the school. More recognition meant more patrons and donations, which meant that more scholarship girls could be accepted. It also meant that more influential families might consider enrolling their daughters, perhaps even members of theton. And that would mean more profits.

More profits? She laughed as she added two more unpaid invoices to this week’s growing stack. Good heavens,anyprofits! And any profit would make a difference.

She did what she could to minimize expenses and find patrons. So far, with a lot of hard work and even more luck, she’d managed to raise enough money to keep the doors open for another year and her father’s dream alive.

Of course, it helped that she and Henry resided in the school instead of maintaining a separate household. Just as it helped that she’d resigned herself to the life of an unmarried manageress. No need for fancy dresses or stylish accessories, no need for tickets to the theatre or opera, no need for carriages, maids, dressmakers—no matter how much she longed to have that life. Soon, Henry would catch the eye of a daughter of a vicar or merchant, marry her, and have a house and children of his own.

But Olivia’s future belonged solely to the school. She would make that be enough.

Somehow.

A soft knock sounded on her door, and Mrs. Adams entered. “Lady Gantry has called on you, miss.”

“Please show her in.” Olivia came forward to greet their most generous patron.

Baroness Gantry breezed into Olivia’s office. The woman was a force unto herself with all the subtlety of a Viking raid, and Olivia thanked heaven that the woman liked her and the Everett School. God help anyone who crossed her.

“My lady.” Olivia bobbed a curtsy before taking both of the baroness’s outstretched hands in a familiar greeting. “How wonderful to see you.” She glanced past her at the housekeeper. “Mrs. Adams, would you please fetch a tea tray?”

Lady Gantry dismissingly waved her gloved hand. “Not necessary, my dear. I shan’t be staying long enough, I’m afraid, although your hospitality is impeccable, as always.”