George smiled again to hide her confusion, but gave no answer. What other kind of riding was there?
Now Marietta wore the satisfied smile of a cream-fed cat. ‘Most happy brides would not leave their husband’s side for weeks.’
‘She has not.’ Mr Challenger had ridden up to join them. His stallion stomped impatiently, but the man in the saddle was as suave and pleasant as she could have hoped. ‘It was my suggestion that we come out together. It is a beautiful day and even newlyweds benefit from a brief exposure to sunshine.’
‘And Georgiana is able to sit a horse,’ Marietta said, as if that was in some way unusual.
‘You know I can ride,’ George said, surprised at the odd statement. ‘And it is not at all difficult to sit the tired, grey mare that Mr Challenger has chosen me,’ she added, giving her husband an overly toothy smile.
‘It is, indeed, a very gentle horse,’ he responded, not even looking at her. Instead, he had locked eyes with Marietta.
In response, her stepmother gave a small, knowing nod.
George frowned. It was clear that something had passed in the exchange that she had missed. But she would rather die than to admit her ignorance to either of them, so she smiled and nodded as if to confirm what her husband had said.
Marietta sighed, but not with the happy contentment that the news warranted. ‘That is for the best, I suppose. And I assume you are enjoying your marriage?’
‘Of course, we are,’ Mr Challenger replied, his gaze never wavering. ‘Is there a reason we should not be?’
Marietta arched her eyebrows in surprise. ‘Just a few weeks ago, Georgiana showed no interest in matrimony.’ Perhaps Mr Challenger had been right about the need to prevent tattle. Marietta announced the truth with relish, as if she had come to the park for the purpose of telling everyone she knew that their wedding had been some sort of sham.
‘She was not interested in other men because she had already met me,’ Mr Challenger said with such insufferable confidence that George would have corrected him, had he been speaking to anyone else in the world.
Marietta persisted. ‘But before your offer, Georgiana made no effort to hide her dislike of you. In fact, she was most adamant that she would not so much as speak to you, much less dance with you.’
‘Marietta.’ George redoubled her smile and bit back the response she longed to give. Even if it was true, it was rude to throw the facts in Mr Challenger’s face. She had left home, just as her stepmother had wanted, and allowed the woman to win the battle for Father’s whole attention. There was no reason to continue to torment her.
‘Her obvious animosity towards me shows what a clever actress she is,’ her husband said, turning to George with a doting smile. ‘She was worried that, should our mutual affection become common knowledge, you would disapprove.’
‘Disapprove of an earl’s son?’ Marietta replied, suspicious.
‘A second son,’ Mr Challenger reminded her. ‘I am sure Georgiana could have aimed much higher. She is both a wit and a beauty.’
Apparently, he was a good actor as well. He’d given the compliment with such sincerity that George could not help but blush with pleasure. ‘You are too kind, my dear. And a title is nothing compared to good character and good looks.’ Then she smiled, more for herself than either of them, for she had managed to deliver a compliment without a single lie in it.
‘But you might have given some indication of your plans. This marriage was so very sudden.’
‘You said it was time that I was out of the house,’ George countered.
‘But Mr Challenger’s offer was a surprise, all the same,’ Marietta said. ‘After all, you did have an understanding with Sir Nash.’
‘There was no understanding.’ George could feel her limited patience dwindle to nothing.
Marietta sighed as if the news pained her. ‘He has gone from town, you know.’
‘Good riddance.’ Georgiana made no effort to conceal her feelings. If her stepmother wished to goad her to argument, then let it happen. She could not stand Nash Bowles and should not have to pretend to do so, just to keep the peace. Mr Challenger already thought her a foolish child. A tantrum in public would only cement his bad opinion of her, but it could not be helped.
‘What a horrible thing for you to say.’ Marietta said with a moue of displeasure. ‘He was never anything but kind to you and he left London the minute he heard of your engagement. I am sure his heart was broken by the news.’
Before she could reply, Mr Challenger spoke. ‘Then we will do our best to dispel the rumours already spreading about his departure.’
‘Rumours?’ Marietta prided herself on knowing all that was worth knowing in London. But by the look on her face, there was some story she had not heard.
Mr Challenger gave a self-conscious laugh. ‘My friend, Mr Gregory, said when last he saw your cousin, it was not his heart that had been broken.’ Her husband laid a finger at the side of his nose to indicate the location that had been damaged. ‘He was involved in a dispute at the Murder of Crows, the other night. That is a gaming hell in Mayfair,’ he added for George. ‘He was involved in a physical altercation that had something to do with an unpaid debt of his and markers that had not been honoured. They are not the most charitable people there, I fear. It is a very unsavoury place.’
Marietta’s eyes narrowed. ‘I am sure it is nothing more than a coincidence.’
‘Of course,’ Mr Challenger agreed. ‘I am simply repeating what I have heard. I would never share the tale about town. We both know how disturbing it is to spread harmful gossip.’ As they had when making cryptic comments about her horse, her husband and stepmother were talking past her, again. But this exchange was easier to understand. He was warning Marietta to keep her mouth closed about other people’s families if she did not want tales told about hers.
