The Widow's Wish

Chapter 1

Every small comfort and luxury Olivia Martin had in her life was a borrowed one. Her mother had been born a lady but had married for love and very poorly. There seemed to be a new girl born to the family after each return to shore from her father, and the family eked by in meager circumstances. Olivia, the eldest child, and a particularly intelligent and lovely girl, was sent at the age of ten to become the ward and adopted daughter of her mother’s brother, her uncle Lord William Frederick, who had wealth, a beautiful country home, a lovely wife, yet had no success in bearing children. Olivia did not want to leave her family, they were all that she had known and loved, and she dreaded leaving the next eldest sister and her dearest friend, little Eugenia, who she was sure would have to bear the responsibilities that had been Olivia’s own.

The night before she left, Olivia’s mother woke her with care to not wake the other girls. She took Olivia aside and held the girl tightly in her arms, crying quietly, until she finally pulled herself free and took Olivia’s face into her hands.

“I depend on the kindness of my brother.” Her mother’s voice was calm and quiet. “You must be the perfect daughter to them. We all depend on your success, Olivia.”

Olivia mulled her mother’s words over during the long journey to her uncle’s house. Her father came and went with different ships, and when he came to shore his short visits had often resulted in tears from her mother and the disappearance of her father to the pubs. The news that she was to be adopted had at first struck her as a sentimental decision on her mother’s behalf, lending one of her many children to her childless brother, but then she realized that her being given to her uncle also had raised the financial prospects of her family. The knowledge of this angered her, but when she thought of her sisters and the condition in which they were being raised. It was at that moment that Olivia resolved to be the perfect daughter.

She had been successful on this front. Olivia Martin was in all respects a perfectly lovely daughter. She was calm and kind. She had an intelligence and grace about her. She never had a sour face or an unkind word to say about anything or anyone. She was lovely and carried herself with an elegance that was particularly refined. The girls of the ton were not jealous of Olivia Martin and her seemingly perfect nature. Her status as an adopted daughter and her humble beginnings made her a sympathetic creature to society. She was considered to be a nice girl, a pretty girl, who had fair prospects but none that would cause her to be a serious threat on the marriage market.

Olivia’s Uncle William doted on her and her Aunt Charity treated her as her own little porcelain doll, to dress up and mold in the image of her own self. Olivia received a modest education, took dancing lessons, dressed in the fashions chosen by her aunt, when to church regularly, read for leisure and went visiting among the ladies. Olivia was in every way a lady, a picture of perfect that did not reflect the storm that brewed inside of her.

Olivia found that she wanted to scream most days. This feeling occurred to her especially when she was sitting quietly, having tea or visiting ladies. She felt the desire to tear off her bonnet and shriek. At nights, she often found that she would cry when she thought of her sisters. It had been eight years since she had seen Eugenia and four since she had received a letter from her, Eugenia begging off writing because she “wern’t very good at writing. And did not have time for such things, with all these children to see to.” Olivia longed to raise her true family from their status of poverty, but it was not within her power.

She knew that she should not feel such bitterness. In all truth, she was grateful for what her Uncle and Aunt had given her. Her memories of her past life had faded with time, but they were still tinged with discomfort in her mind. Her adoptive parents had educated her, they had given her a life of comfort and excellent prospects for the future. She knew in her heart that they loved her, but she could not help but feel pain, as if she was a prize or a possession to them.

Olivia had mixed feelings about entering the marriage market. Her aunt seemed particularly excited about Olivia’s prospects and spent her days worrying over whether or not her beloved niece would make a good match. Olivia found herself spending hours at the dressmakers, being fitted for new frocks, and spending time practicing the pianoforte or perfecting dance steps. Olivia knew that marriage was a preferable status to that of old maid, and she wished for a husband who would be kind, and perhaps amenable to help her family. That last thing that she had ever considered was that she could land a prize like Daniel Hightower.

Daniel Hightower was not the most handsome or young or wealthiest of marriageable men. This is not to say that he was not handsome, he had fine features and was well-off and was known for having a moderate wealth. Daniel, however, had become the unattainable prize. No matter how lovely or intelligent the debutante his mother had placed in front of him, he had shown not a bit of interest. This, coupled with his attentive and loving relationship with his beloved mother had raised him the highest esteem of the mamas in the ton, and their daughters all wanted to be the one girl who could finally win his affection.

Olivia did not believe that she nor any other of the young ladies who were out during her season would have the opportunity to win Daniel’s affection. She had deduced what most of the ladies in the ton had not realized; it was obvious to her that Daniel’s affections had lied elsewhere, probably with a woman who was married and therefore unavailable to him. Her Aunt, however, felt that her own beautiful niece was just the girl for Daniel, and had secured an introduction to him and his mother during a ball. Daniel, ever the polite gentleman, asked Olivia to dance.

Daniel did not say a word to her. He seemed to be thinking about something, and Olivia had to take the initiative to begin the conversation.

“I can see that you are enjoying this as much as I.” The sweet smile she wore as she whispered these bitter words to Daniel surprised him. She simpered a bit, winking at him. “I may be suffering as much as you, but I bother to put on a lovely face for my Aunt’s pleasure. If I cannot find happiness, why should I bar her from having hopes?”

At these words, Daniel straightened up and smiled Olivia. This girl had surprised him. She was different. He remembered his mother mentioning that she was a “foundling” and he supposed that her unique circumstance of birth had afforded her an insight and intelligence that was commonly lacked among her peers.

“Well, Daniel.” Olivia smiled sweetly once more. “I am guessing that you are thinking about your love.”

“My l-love?” He stammered in surprise.

“I have surmised through great introspective thought that the reason you are the eternal bachelor is not that you have the most distinguished and particular taste, but rather that your affections are for someone who is forbidden to you.”

Daniel chuckled at Olivia’s statement. Her words were friendly, and not at all offered with malice. He knew that she did not wish to gain gossip or tease him. It seemed as if she was reaching out in order to make a connection with another unhappy soul.

“I’m right!” Olivia laughed. “I shall not torment you for details, for I am not one of those romantic girls who fawns over every dreadful detail of misery, but I must know, is she very beautiful? Is she worthy of such devotion?”

Daniel drew closer to her as the dance ended and whispered in her ear. “He is the most beautiful person I have ever known, and the only I have ever loved.”

Olivia shivered at these words. She thought about it for a minute and then supposed that if her mother could love her father, who was a lazy man and often a drunk, with the devotion that she seemed to have, it was not so hard to imagine Daniel loving another man. She thought of this man, who was politely escorting her back to her aunt, never being able to be truly happy and free with his love. She laced her arm through his and swung herself in front of him.

“I understand.” Her words were quiet enough that only his ears heard them. When he looked into her eyes, he saw that she meant exactly what she had said.

The news of the impending nuptials between the unlikely couple spread like a fire throughout the ton. Olivia Martin was not unknown, but she was the last person that anyone would have chosen to be the girl who would finally tempt Daniel Hightower away from bachelorhood. Some vicious words were uttered by jealous girls, but the consensus was that Olivia, while not from the most illustrious background, was the nicest, prettiest and kindest girl of her season, and what made her even more appealing to Daniel was her humble origins.

Olivia’s Aunt was beside herself with glee in her niece’s acquisition of that which had once been considered impossible. She prided herself that it was with her instruction and guidance that Olivia had attained this prize, and was not to humble as to not brag and hold her nose in the air. Olivia could only be amused by this reaction from her Aunt. Her Uncle, however, had  reservations about the match, especially at the unusually short courtship and fastly approaching wedding date, and asked to speak with her in private.

“You know,” Lord Frederick smiled at her. “I consider you to be my own daughter, Olivia. I could not approve of such a match if I had any notion of your unhappiness. That a man with such a fickle nature would finally settle down... I am not impeaching you, my love. You are a lady, lovely and kind and smart, and it is no surprise that you have made what your Aunt considers to be a most fortunate match. I, however, am more concerned with the gentleman and his attentions towards you, and the haste, where there is no need for it...”

Olivia smiled and reached for her uncle’s hand, assuring him of her happiness and her belief that Daniel’s affections towards her were true.

“We have decided that there is no need to prolong the matter. We shall be united in love and happiness and set off for the continent with his mother. You do know that I have always longed to travel and see a bit of the world.”

“Yes, I suppose so. You are a most intelligent girl, and I trust your judgement.”

So with her uncle’s approval and the machinations of her Aunt and Lady Hightower, the two were wed and set off at once with Daniel’s mother for the Greek Isles. Olivia had not entered the marriage blindly. Daniel had told her that scandal would soon surround him, and that he chose to combat that scandal and save his mother from unwanted suffering by finding a suitable wife. Olivia shared with Daniel the low condition of her Mother and siblings, and her wish to give her sisters a better life. They offered each other things that were precious, Olivia would be Daniel’s shield from impropriety and Olivia’s family would be helped using some of Daniel’s fortune. These were circumstances that benefited both parties greatly.

Olivia felt an excitement to be leaving the only country she had ever known. She and Daniel had decided on the Greek Isles as the best place for their honeymoon because they both shared an interest in antiquities and they felt that it was far removed enough to avoid his mother hearing of the scandal. Together, this unlikely and unusual couple would find solace in each other, and most importantly, friendship.