“People are talking about you and Dare, you know. They’re saying that the old enemies appear to have reconciled.”
“He has changed in a great many ways,” she said, dealing out the cards.
Frederica nodded. “I have noticed some changes. But don’t forget, some things don’t change. That entire family is in dire financial straits, my dear. I would hate to think that you’re being manipulated into thinking a certain way about things simply because he wants your money.”
“As I said,” Georgiana countered, the muscles across her back stiffening despite her effort to remain relaxed, “I will take care of this on my own.” She knew money was involved; that was one thing he’d never dissembled about. And thank goodness for his honesty, or the additional doubts would have been enough to topple her resolve.
“Just as you took care of Lord Westbrook.”
“I told you I didn’t love him.”
“And I told you that you might consider security and comfort over your heart.”
“I’m trying to.”
“Try harder.”
Aunt Frederica finally relented, and they played the rest of the game with amiable chatter. When she excused herself to go up to bed, though, tension spread its fingers across Georgiana’s shoulders again. Tomorrow night she would have to take matters into her own hands. And if she acted in as transparent a manner as she had tonight, anyone would know that something was afoot.
“Stop it, stop it, stop it,” she muttered to herself. If she continued driving herself toward hysteria, the Johns family would find her passed out in a dead faint on their front steps.
That made her smile. It would certainly cause Amelia a moment or two of difficulty, anyway.
The next day she met Evelyn and Lucinda for luncheon at their favorite street corner café, and though Luce tried several times to discover whether she’d come to a decision or not, Georgiana thought she deflected the inquiries quite well. Evie’s curiosity was much more difficult to turn aside.
“All I’m saying,” her friend mused, slicing a peach, “is that I thought the lesson you were going to teach Lord Dare had to do with the danger of trifling with ladies’ hearts.”
“That’s precisely what it was, my dear.”
“Then why is everyone saying he’s pursuing you?”
She blushed. “That is not—”
“Evie,” Lucinda interrupted, “I heard your brother would be returning from India before the end of the year. Is that true?”
Their dark-haired friend smiled. “Yes. I have to admit, I’ve actually missed Victor, despite his annoying habit of thinking he knows everything. All of his stories have been so romantic. Did I show you the scarf he sent me from Delhi?”
“Yes,” she and Luce answered in unison, then laughed. “It’s lovely. You should wear it for his homecoming,” Georgiana continued.
Surprisingly, that elicited a frown from Evelyn. “My mother wants me to choose a husband before he returns,” she said glumly. “She thinks Victor will never approve of any of my suitors, so if I’ve made a match before he can naysay it, it’ll be too late for him to do anything.”
“That’s awful! Please say you won’t settle just to please your mother,” Lucinda said, taking Evelyn’s hand.
“I don’t want to, but you know how she can be. How both of them can be.” Evie shuddered.
A waiter approached with more lemonade, and Georgiana smiled fondly at her two dearest friends. More than anyone else, she could rely on them to pull her out of the doldrums, and not to pursue questions she didn’t wish to answer.
“Georgie,” Lucinda whispered urgently, “behind you. It’s D—”
“Good afternoon, ladies.” Tristan’s low drawl curled deliciously down her spine.
Without waiting for an invitation, he took the fourth seat at their table. He was wearing the light gray jacket that made his blue gaze deep as twilight.
“Good afternoon, Lord Dare,” Lucinda replied, offering him a cucumber sandwich.
He shook his head. “My thanks, but I can’t stay. Parliament’s meeting this afternoon.”
“Regent Street seems a bit out of your way, then, my lord,” Evelyn said.
