Just to Have You (Blackwood & Friends #3)

Chapter Eleven

Oliver had seen fit to remain away from his family's townhouse and instead take up residence at his bachelor's apartment where he was no doubt indulging in many assignations with the beautiful Helena Abbot.

Ah, why did she have to be so nice? And she was simply lovely. So very beautiful, amiable and intelligent.

Amy felt quite dull in comparison. Not that she was comparing herself to Helena.

She had no reason to, after all.

In fact, she was happy for Oliver, truly she was. He suited someone worldly and beautiful, and Helena was sophisticated and clearly adept at city life.

Ugh, Amy couldn't lie to herself any more than she could lie to him. It had made her miserable knowing that he had spent all of his time and evenings with her in lieu of Amy and his family. It made her feel... lacking, somehow. Not jealous, more of a sadness, for Amy could not be jealous of a woman such as Helena Abbot.

Whilst in her chambers, these thoughts convalesced in her fraught mind over and over again. The rooms at the Gravewood residence, which Amy had secretly begun to refer to as Grave House, were quite comfortable and probably larger than the first floor of her country cottage in Haventry. A huge, resplendently comfortable bed dominated room, a lush carpet of the finest, softest threading surrounding it to the extent that Amy adored walking over it barefoot. The fire had been lit already and she went over to her armoire. Lady Hollingsworth had assigned her a lady's maid to attend her however if the hour grew too late Amy would dismiss the girl, feeling silly since she had never had someone bestow her with such lavish rituals before now. She was quite capable of dressing herself- alright well that would soon be a lie considering the corset she was wearing was strung up the back which posed a problem, but she would listen for Heather's return and request her aid rather than waken the poor lass.

While she was sifting through the armoire in search of a nightgown, her fingers stilled on a small square of silk. She recognised it immediately as the handkerchief she had gifted Oliver for her name was embroidered in the corner- Griff­- and Amy knew that she never used the set that he had given her, preferring to stow it safely to treasure later. Such finery was not for daily use, but she remembered that Oliver had used this one... and it had clearly been washed and misconstrued as hers.

She considered the fine piece of silk in her hands a moment and decided it was better off in his chambers than hers. Since he was not in residence currently, she could hardly find any fault with wandering to his side of the house and leaving it within his possession in the confines of his private chambers. She would deftly return it to its rightful ownership, relinquish it to his vanity or the very closest available service, and retreat once more to her own abode.

Amy did just that, leaving the sanctity of her room and weaving through the dark halls to where she knew his own chambers were for whenever, and the occasions seemed quite rare considering, Oliver was in residence.

It was easily deduced within Amy's mind that Oliver was certainly not in residence at Grave House, otherwise he would have attended his family that evening for dinner, or she would have seen him throughout the duration of her activities of the day, yet she had not. She believed wholeheartedly that Oliver would not be present which is why she pushed open the door with a confidence that deterred her from knocking prior to entering and strode inside. Amy's steps shuddered to an immediately halt and she knew at once that something was off.

Decidedly off.

There was a warm light from the hearth on her left which was her instantaneous clue that someone was, in fact, utilizing this chamber.

And that someone was indeed Oliver.

Normally, that would not warrant a sensation of alarm to enter Amy, but it was the action she had inadvertently stumbled upon that made her breath hitch within her chest and latch shut, entrapping it within her lungs until released.