“Thank you, Lady Linley. I can’t tell you how delighted I am.” James was a better actor than he’d figured himself to be. It was actually kind of fun, playing her like this. She would be too worn out to cause trouble for her daughters.
Lavinia positively beamed. “Isn’t it fortuitous that I showed up at just the right moment to offer my services?”
“I couldn’t agree more,” James said, nearly laughing at the sight of the two younger women at the table hiding smiles under their napkins.
*
The fire hadburned low by the time they entered the drawing room after supper, but the warmth lingered. James crossed the space and added a log with the toe of his boot, watching the embers glow red and gold.
Behind him, Cecily sank into the velvet settee with a relieved sigh, her hair slightly loosened from the evening’s formality. “Mother’s gone. I thought she might dig in and refuse to go back to the inn.”
“She asked me twice if I really wanted to send my poor mother off all alone.” Georgiana pulled off her gloves one finger at a time.
James found himself watching the deliberate movement, the slow revelation of her slender wrists.
“But I stayed firm,” Georgiana said.
“Which is nearly impossible with her,” Cecily said.
James turned, suppressing a smile. “You did not exaggerate when describing her disposition.”
Georgiana arched a brow. “No, we did not. Today, at the inn, she told us that Mrs. Cline’s husband tried to seduce her and that Caroline caught them and blamed Mother. That’s the story she’s come up with, but I don’t believe it for an instant.”
“Me either,” Cecily said. “I feel certain she was the failed seducer, not him.”
“I feel terrible for Mrs. Cline,” Georgiana said. “The woman’s been nothing but kind to all of us.”
“Yet Mother betrayed her. It’s horrible.” Cecily tucked a loose curl back into her bun. “We should write to her.”
“I plan to. If only to thank her for taking Mother all these months. I have no idea what we are to do with her.”
“We have some time,” James said. “The next few months will keep her busy.”
“Meanwhile, she’ll run up the bill at the inn,” Cecily said.
“Not to worry about that,” James said. “I stopped by this afternoon to speak with the proprietor. I assured him that I would pay the bill for her room and board, but requests for anything out of the ordinary should be denied.”
“You’re a smart man,” Cecily said.
“A quick learner too,” Georgiana said with a laugh. “How can we thank you? You’re much too generous.”
“Consider it a token of my appreciation. You’re bringing back my home. Handling your mother’s bills is the least I can do.” James leaned against the hearth, arms crossed, savoring the feeling that had taken root in his chest over the course of the evening. It was fun to be part of something. These sisters reminded him of the relationships he shared with his own siblings. But they were off, living their own lives, and he missed them. He missed being part of a family.
“It was almost too easy,” Cecily said. “You two were absolutely correct that she would fall right into our trap.”
“Oh, she’ll throw herself into all of it.” Georgiana eased into the wingback chair beside the hearth. The firelight caught in her light hair, turning the edges to gold. She was beautiful in any light, but never more so than now. “She’s been starved for relevance since our father’s suicide. This gives her just enough illusion of control to keep her frommeddling somewhere worse.”
“I certainly hope so,” Cecily muttered. “If she does anything to wreck my Season, I shall never forgive her.”
Georgiana stilled for a moment, then looked away, a faint color rising in her cheeks. “I swear to you both, if she causes one iota of trouble for either of you, I shall take care of her myself and it won’t be pretty.”
“She won’t have time,” James said. “She’ll be busy creating guest lists and planning the theme for the ball. I do worry a little about Mrs. Ellsworth.”
“I do as well,” Georgiana said. “Mother will be high-handed and demanding.”
“Mrs. Ellsworth has enough grit to withstand whatever Mother does,” Cecily said. “I’ve no doubt at all that she’ll be the one in control, not Mother. And anyway, we’ve warned her. She’ll be ready for whatever antics Mother employs.”
“And we’ve got Mrs. Honeycutt for backup,” James said. “She’s dealt with drunks, charlatans, ladies of the evening—you name it and we had them come through the tavern. A vain, middle-aged member of Society won’t worry her at all.”
