"Nothing at all except a certain absence of inclination to talk," he said. "I believe that to be out of character."
"Oh," she said, "but then, it is not always easy to chatter away to a virtual stranger."
"A stranger?" he said, looking at her sideways, amusement on his face. "Do I take it that I must drop 'Georgie' and address you as 'Countess of Chartleigh’ again?"
"Oh, of course not," she said, dimpling. "What an absurd idea."
"I thought only your friends called you 'Georgie '," he said.
"And so they do," she replied.
"And how can I be both a stranger and your friend?" he asked.
She laughed lightly. "Ah," she said. "There you have me, Roger. It is just that I was very indiscreet the other night. It puts me to the blush just to recall how freely I talked to you."
"I was honored to be so confided in," he said. "And I have put my brains to work to quite an extraordinary degree in your behalf. I think I have the solution to your little problem."
"Indeed?" she asked guardedly.
"Assuredly," he said. "You wish to have a bolder, more assertive husband. Am I right?"
"Well," she said, "it is not that I do not like Ralph as he is."
"Oh, quite," he agreed. "But ladies, I have found, like to be able to relax in the knowledge that their men have...er, some little experience, shall we say?
Georgiana blushed and stared straight ahead.
"I have thought that perhaps I can help my young cousin to gain that experience," Roger Beauchamp explained.
"What?" Georgiana squeaked. "You mean as in mistresses and such?"
"It cannot do Ralph any harm to sow some wild oats, can it, Georgie?" he asked. "And you stand only to gain, my dear, considering the present lamentable state of your marriage."
"I fail to see how I would gain from my husband’s taking up with a mistress, sir," Georgiana said caustically. "And what do you know of the state of my marriage, pray?"
"Oh, come now, Georgie," Roger said, laughing down at her. "You admitted to me at the Boothbys party that you are—shall we say?—in your maidenly innocence still."
"I said no such thing!" Georgiana said indignantly. "And how dare you speak to me of such a matter, sir!"
Roger stopped walking, threw back his head, and roared with laughter. "I really do not know how I dare," he said. "I could never have imagined myself having such a conversation with any lady, let alone the very young and very innocent wife of my cousin. But you started it all, you know, Georgie. You are the one who flirted quite outrageously with me and succeeded in arousing my interest in your affairs. ‘Affairs’ being not quite the word, of course.
"Well, I have never heard anything so outrageous in my life," Georgiana said. "Do you really have the nerve to suggest to me that I permit you to find my husband a mistress so that he may prove to be a better husband to me?"
Roger patted her hand on his arm and started walking again. "In short, yes," he said.
"I will not hear of it," she said.
They walked a few paces in silence. Around the next corner, they would be able to see her father 's house.
"And did you have anyone in mind, pray?" Georgiana asked sharply.
"Certainly," he said. "When I think, Georgie, I think in practicalities."
"What is she like?" Georgiana asked.
"Are you sure you wish to know?" Roger said. He looked at her indignant face and laughed. "She is small and slim. A dancer."
"I don't like her," she said.
