Olivia Atwater

...women who don’t understand personal boundaries always offend me,” Elias said finally. “Dim-witted people offend me even further.”
“Oh dear,” Dora said mildly. “That must be very difficult indeed.”

browbeat her way into an appointment

s it happens, I saw us both exactly as we are now, in our evening best. But I think that I was covered in blood, and that seems to me to be a sort of bad omen, at best.”

“Well!” Elias said. “How convenient. Two French linguists at once. I will sit between you then, and solicit two opinions at once.”

That is... most kind of you,” Dora told her. “But I fear it is more of an affliction than a grace. I am often not emotional enough, my lady.”
“You were quite emotional enough to calm an angry magician and drive him to tears,”

He has the face of an angel, and the tongue of some foul... dockworker.”

Dora found it amusing that the countess apparently considered dockworkers to be an appropriate foil for angels. She was briefly distracted by the notion that hell might be full of legions and legions of dockworkers, rather than devils.

“I’m not certain what I did to insult you, my lord,” she said. “Have I offended you somehow, or am I simply conveniently-placed while you are otherwise upset?”

“...women who don’t understand personal boundaries always offend me,” Elias said finally. “Dim-witted people offend me even further.”

“Oh dear,” Dora said mildly. “That must be very difficult indeed.”

Already, the fair-haired man had begun to turn away from her—but he glanced back at that. “Pardon?” he asked. “What must be difficult, exactly?”

Dora smiled at him politely. “Being offended at yourself so very often,” she said. “That seems a sad way to live, my lord.”

Albert guffawed. “Oh,” he said. “She’s got you there, hasn’t she?”

Dora looked down at her food. It occurred to her only belatedly that the countess and her aunt had decided she ought to marry Albert, and never once consulted her on the matter. She wasn’t entirely certain how to feel about that.

He is quite kind, she thought. Though I only met him briefly. And it is a terrible shame that so many mamas and their daughters have been avoiding him only because of his arm.

But the idea that Dora was to be pawned off on Albert distressed her in a very vague manner. It did not seem right that he should be used in some scheme to snare his older brother. Besides which, Dora was quite certain that she did not have the capacity to properly feel love for anyone, and a man as sweet as Albert did deserve to be loved.

“What a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ettings,” she said. “Albert has spoken very highly of you. I hope we shall get the chance to speak further as the evening goes on.”

This was all very positive news, so far as her aunt and the countess were concerned. Dora rummaged up another smile. “I’m very flattered, Lady Carroway,” she said. “I shall try to live up to his praise.” She glanced at Albert, and added: “You weren’t too complimentary, I hope, or I shall have an impossible task ahead of me.”

Albert laughed and took her hand to bow over it. “I will measure my compliments in the future, Miss Ettings,” he said.