Free Surrender to a Wicked Spy by Celeste Bradley Page B

terrible prospect, I know, but you must tie him to you tightly, my dear, and I fear that you have little to use for rope."
    She must? She did?
Rope
?
    Olivia brushed aside that intriguing mental picture. "Mother, I don't understand. Are you saying that he won't love me if I don't please him in the bedroom?" As generally icky as this conversation was, it warmed her that her mother so desperately wanted her and Dane to be happy.
    Mother blinked. "Love? Who said anything about love? I'm talking about Cheltenham! Cheltenham
needs
you. You
must
do this!"
    No longer quite so warm, Olivia withdrew her hand from her mother's grasp. "Cheltenham."
    Mother blinked at her. "Of course Cheltenham. Goodness, would you lay yourself down for a man for anything less?"
    No, but perhaps for something more.
    "So you wish me to seduce my husband for the good of Cheltenham?"
    Her mother tilted her head and smiled. "Thank you, dear. How lovely it was to have this little chat with you." She patted Olivia's hand and stood. "Well, I must get back to our guests." And she was gone.
    Olivia remained in the room for a moment, staring at the gleaming piano that hadn't been tuned in years. "All for the good of Cheltenham…"
    "What?"
    Olivia turned toward the door to see Walter's fiancée… well, previous fiancée… standing in the doorway.
    "May I join you, Lady Greenleigh?" Miss Absentia Hackerman asked. Most people had difficulty saying the name of the country's wealthiest heiress with a straight face.
    Olivia absolutely pined to ask Sir and Lady Hackerman what they had been thinking. Apparently, extreme wealth did not always go hand in hand with a thorough education. Even Walter, who had always been a good sport about marrying for money, had made more than one reference to liking his
fiancée's company best "in absentia."
    "Of course." Olivia made room on the sofa, caring little if Miss Hackerman sank deep into the tired horsehair. "How may I be of service?"
    Miss Hackerman eyed the sofa with distaste—although perhaps that was because she eyed nearly everything that way—and elected to stand. With a sigh, Olivia began to stand as well when she realized that not only was she not the hostess, she was the guest of honor.
    With a smile she smoothed her skirts and folded her hands on her lap. She didn't have far to look up into Miss Hackerman's face. "Yes, Abbie?"
    Miss Hackerman smiled, but her eyes were narrowed. "I wished to say how happy I am that you have
finally
wed. You must be so relieved."
    Vile little cat. "I am entirely blissful, thank you, Abbie," Olivia said serenely.
    "I imagine so. After all, you managed to capture none other than 'the Dane' himself." Olivia knew Miss Hackerman had moved Dane up her list after Walter had died. The girl smiled spitefully. "Someday you must tell me how you did it."
    Implying any number of nasty maneuverings, of course. Outwardly, Miss Hackerman was quite attractive, and no expense had been spared to make her the most stylish young lady about.
    Outwardly only. The girl had never been friend to her, for she'd known there was nothing Olivia could do about her cutting remarks and snide jests. Sir Hackerman had bought his knighthood as surely has he had bought Lord Walter Cheltenham for his daughter. Cheltenham had needed Hackerman money too badly to be lost over something as insignificant as Olivia's feelings.
    Olivia smiled. "Runaway horses are rather old hat, are they not? Nothing shows a man that you care like leaping into the Thames." It was worth every moment of Mother's excruciating admonishments to realize that Cheltenham could get along quite nicely without the Hackermans.
    Miss Hackerman hesitated, obviously needing to regroup. She'd doubtlessly expected Olivia to blush horribly and fade away, as she had done before.
    Olivia tilted her head and assumed a faintly bored expression. "You must have wanted something else, Abbie."
    Her opponent glanced away, conceding the field. "Well… yes. I was hoping I