Chapter 20
Richard stood at the window, arms folded tightly across his chest, as he watched the coach rattle down the drive and disappear around the bend.
Theodosia was gone. He should have felt relieved—after all, she had upended his household and undermined his trust. And yet, all he felt was a hollow ache in his chest. A leaden sense of dread settled over him, and with it came the irrational, maddening urge to run after her…
to stop the carriage and fall to his knees like a desperate fool.
But he remained frozen, his pride a shackle he could not seem to break.
“She lied to me,” he muttered aloud, though the words sounded less like conviction and more like an excuse.
A voice snapped from behind him. “You are an idiot.”
He didn’t have to turn to know it was his sister. With a sigh, he pivoted slowly to face her. “So that’s how this conversation is going to begin.”
Olivia stood in the middle of the entry hall, her stance rigid, one hand firmly planted on her hip, her expression ablaze with fury and disappointment. “Dosia never lied to you,” she said sharply. “And you treated her with contempt.”
“I don’t know what she told you, but—”
“She wasn’t protecting Mr. Smith,” Olivia cut in. “Because Mr. Smith never existed.”
Richard stared at her, frowning. “What are you saying?”
“When he came for her, Dosia realized who he truly was. Her sister, Lucinda, was masquerading as a man,” Olivia revealed. “Dosia was trying to explain everything to you, but you wouldn’t give her a chance.”
Richard barked a humorless laugh. “That’s absurd. I saw Mr. Smith myself. He was clearly a man.”
“Lucinda deceived us all,” Olivia countered. “She was determined to keep up the charade. And it worked.”
He shook his head. “Even if that were true, you don’t honestly expect me to believe that Theodosia did not know of it.”
“I do believe it,” Olivia replied fiercely. “She begged Lucinda to confess—to stay and face the consequences. But instead, Lucinda ran. And Dosia was left to bear the blame.”
Richard scoffed. “That is the most ludicrous tale I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s the truth,” Olivia said, stepping towards him. “And deep down, I think you know it, too. Besides, what reason would Theodosia have to lie? What would she possibly gain from it?”
He opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. A moment later, Sterling entered and crossed to the entry, admitting a familiar figure.
“Mr. Crosby,” the butler announced.
The Bow Street Runner stepped into the hall and bowed crisply. “My lord. I bring news.”
Richard’s voice was clipped. “Well? Speak.”
“I followed Mr. Smith after he departed your home last night. He went to a coaching inn on the edge of Town. I gained access to his room, only to discover a woman there. Upon interrogation, she confessed to impersonating Mr. Smith. You will never guess who it was.”
Richard’s heart sank. “Miss Lucinda Smith.”
Mr. Crosby’s brows lifted. “So you’re aware.”
“I’ve only just learned the truth,” Richard said.
“Well,” Crosby continued, “she admitted to everything. The idea came to her when she read The Female Husband by Henry Fielding. Furthermore, she said she acted alone and insisted that Miss Theodosia had no knowledge of her schemes.”
“And you believed her?” Richard asked skeptically.
“I did,” Crosby said with a decisive nod. “I’ve dealt with liars and criminals for over a decade, and I can usually tell when someone’s hiding something. Miss Smith was adamant and she had nothing to gain by exonerating her sister.”
Richard raked a hand through his hair, making it terribly disheveled. “Botheration,” he muttered under his breath. How could he have been so blind?
Mr. Crosby shifted his stance. “There is some good news. Lady Olivia will be able to pursue an annulment now.”
Olivia gave a small nod. “I am grateful for that.”
Crosby turned to her with a bow. “My apologies, my lady. I’ve not had the pleasure. I am Mr. Crosby and I was hired by Lord Wilton to investigate your husband’s whereabouts.”
Olivia offered a composed smile. “Thank you for what you did, Mr. Crosby.”
Turning back to Richard, the Bow Street Runner said, “Miss Smith will remain in Newgate until her trial. She is being charged with vagrancy. You may wish to speak to the magistrate to see if you can influence the outcome and contain the scandal.”
“I shall,” Richard said tightly.
Crosby bowed once more. “If there is nothing further, I’ll take my leave.”
Richard gave no protest. There was nothing more to say.
When the door shut behind the Bow Street Runner, silence settled once again in the hall. A silence broken only by Olivia’s voice. “Now do you see the error of your ways?”
Richard’s shoulders sagged. “I may have… misjudged her.”
“‘May have’?” Olivia repeated incredulously. “You accused her, shouted at her, and called her a liar. Yet she did nothing wrong. You didn’t just misjudge her—you wronged her.”
He turned back towards the window, his voice hollow. “Yes. I was wrong. Is that what you want to hear?”
“No,” Olivia said. “What I want is for you to go after her. To apologize. To tell her the truth and to beg for her forgiveness.”
“I don’t beg.”
“Then it’s a good thing she left,” Olivia said flatly. “Because you don’t deserve her.”
He turned to her. “You think it’s as simple as saying I’m sorry? That I can undo everything with one conversation?”
“No,” she responded. “But you can try. Because you care for her, Richard. You can pretend you don’t, but I see it. Everyone sees it.”
He looked away, unable to meet his sister’s gaze. “I ruined everything. She gave me her trust and I destroyed it.”
Olivia stepped forward and touched his sleeve. “It’s never too late to make amends. There is nothing more beautiful than finding someone who wants your all. Even if your all is a mess. And trust me, you are a mess, Richard.”
“It is too late.”
“Perhaps, but do you not owe it to yourself to at least try?”
He let out a bitter laugh. “I can’t offer for her now. My name is already teetering on the edge of ruin. I need a bride with a spotless reputation.”
Olivia’s brow arched. “And you think a young lady with a spotless reputation would want you? Titles may carry weight, but so do scandals—and let us not forget, I was the one who dragged our family’s name through the mud.”
“I have to try to restore it,” he said stubbornly.
She gave him a long, searching look. “Not if it costs you your happiness. Don’t fix one mistake by making another.”
“But I have to try.”
“Just for a moment, set aside your duty and ask yourself one question. Who made you feel alive again? Who made you smile when you thought you couldn’t?” Olivia asked.
Richard stared past her, out the window again—though the drive was empty now. “Even if I went after her, do you think she would forgive me?”
“I think,” Olivia said softly, “that if you find the courage to speak from your heart… she might just let you try.”
Their mother’s voice came from the stairs, drawing his attention. “Olivia is right,” she started, “but only you can decide if Miss Theodosia is worth fighting for.”
He swallowed. “What would Father say?”
As she descended the stairs, their mother replied, “He would have told you not to let duty stand in the way of happiness. He understood what it meant to love someone so fiercely that it eclipses everything else.”
Richard exhaled, his resistance faltering. “But my duty—”
His mother raised a hand and interrupted him. “Is to your heart, Richard. Do something selfish—for once. Choose love, not obligation.”
His voice cracked slightly. “When I look at her… I know. I know I’ve found what the world spends its whole life searching for.”
“Then go,” his mother encouraged. “Go to her and tell her. You hide your feelings well, but I’m your mother. I see more than you think.”
He looked down, guilt washing over him. “But I treated her so poorly. I accused her and humiliated her.”
“Then spend the rest of your life making amends,” she responded. “She’s worth it.”
Olivia stepped forward. “I agree with Mother. If you let her go now, I promise you’ll regret it every day for the rest of your life.”
Richard’s eyes flicked back to the window. “Even if I wanted to go after her, there are countless roads she could have taken. By now, the coach could be halfway to Kent or turned towards the coast—”
His mother smiled, just the faintest arch of amusement at the corners of her mouth. “This is why I instructed the driver to take the exact same route you took when you collected Dosia. I thought you might come to your senses.”
“That was brilliant,” he remarked.
“And because I know you far too well,” she added, “I also had your horse brought around to the front. You’ll want to ride hard, I imagine.”
He was already moving towards the door. “I won’t waste this.”
As he opened the door, Olivia called after him. “Tell her she made you believe in love again. Tell her you were a fool. And then, for heaven’s sake, don’t mess it up this time.”
He paused. “What if…” he began, his voice lower now, uncertain. “What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if she doesn’t care for me the way I care for her?”
Olivia smirked. “You are a marquess, remember. Don’t ladies fall at your feet to vie for your attention?”
“But Theodosia is different. She had never seemed to care for my title,” he said. “With her, I never know quite where I stand. It is maddening.”
Olivia’s expression grew thoughtful. “Then let her see the man beneath the title. Not the marquess. Just you. Speak to her as a man who has fallen in love—completely, imperfectly, and honestly,” she advised. “That will make all the difference.”