Lady Norah’s eyes rounded at the corners. “Did something more happen? Or are you injured?”
“I need to think,” Beatrice said, glancing over her shoulder for fear that the other gentleman, whoever he was, might now be nearby. “If we return home, then I can explain all.”
“Then let us go at once,” Lady Norah replied, handing her already purchased books to the maid and gesturing to the door. “And you can tell me everything that happened.”
9
“You are not very talkative this evening, Lord Surrey.”
George sighed inwardly and looked back at Miss Burnley. “Am I not?”
She pouted. “No, you are not. A soiree is meant to be a place of joviality and good conversation.”
With a glance towards her, George let out a small breath that hid his frustration from her. “I fear that is because I have very little to say this evening.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “That is most displeasing. If you will not be good company, then I have every reason to take my leave of you and find another to speak with.”
Glancing down at her hand on his arm, George shrugged lightly. “Miss Burnley, we both know that we are bound to each other, whether we desire it truly to be so or not. If I have disappointed you this evening – something that I appear to be doing fairly regularly – then I shall not hold it against you if you desire to speak to someone else. My own thoughts are heavy indeed.”
Instead of showing any interest in what he had said or offering him any sort of compassion, Miss Burnley only tookher hand from his arm and then flounced away, taking herself to another group of gentlemen and ladies. One of them glanced over at George, and he scowled, wondering if Miss Burnley was complaining about his lack of conversation to them already.
Regardless, we are to wed,he thought to himself, dully.Even when neither of us wishes it.
“I must speak with you.”
His heart shot upwards as a lady he had not expected to see took his arm and, without even a question on her lips or a hesitation in her manner, pulled him after her. He followed wordlessly, seeing Lady Norah stepping out after them as they made their way to the terrace. There was nothing in him that wanted to protest, that wanted to stay back from her or refuse to do as she had demanded, even though he probably would be best to do so.
“What is it, Miss Williams?” The terrace had a few guests standing upon it already but none of them so much as glanced at George, since both Lady Norah and Miss Williams were present with him. “Is there something the matter?”
Her eyes held his. “There is something I must share with you,” she said, steadily. “Yesterday afternoon, I was in the bookshop and overheard someone speaking about you.”
George blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“They spoke of documents?”
The question in her eyes made his heart tremble. She wanted to know what was being spoken of, wanted to hear his explanation for them, all in the hope that it would bring her some sort of relief. How much he wanted to give it!
“Please,” she said, when silence was his only answer. “You have said that we are strangers and then, despite that, you ask to dance the waltz with me! You have said we are to forget it all, but I have seen the pain in your eyes when you think of the distance between us. All I need is one simple explanation, and then I canforget all that was shared between us.” Her eyes dimmed but did not once leave his. “I must find my own match, just as you have done, but my heart refuses to release you from itself even though it has been quite broken.”
A tightness in his chest had his hands curling as George dropped his head, looking down at the floor. “What good will it do you?”
“To know the truth?” Taking a step closer to him so that the scent of vanilla and lavender blew gently towards him, Miss Williams’ eyes searched his own. “It will heal some of the brokenness.”
Closing his eyes so he would not be drawn to her with such strength, George curled his fingers into his palm. “There are documents, yes. Documents that state I must marry Miss Burnley. That is all.”
Her hand touched his, and George jumped, stepping back from her. Tears immediately swam in her eyes, and she moved away again, her hand going to her heart as if she wanted to soothe it.
“I cannot be near you,” he said, hoarsely. “I cannot. Do not ask me to be, Miss Williams. I have no choice in this. I am duty bound to her and – ”
“Why were two gentlemen discussing these documents in the middle of a bookshop?”
The question surprised him, and he grew quiet for a few moments, trying to think of some reasonable explanation, but none came.
“Someone would only speak in a bookshop if they did not want to be overheard by others in their familyorif they wished to make certain that they were not seen in each other’s company,” Miss Williams continued. “Does that not concern you?”
George shook his head. “The documents are being looked over by my own solicitor. Mayhap Lord Turnhill met an acquaintance and spoke of the impending marriage. There need be no further explanation than that.”
Miss Williams closed her eyes and, much to George’s dismay, a single tear dropped to her cheek. “Then that is all that needs to be said.”
