Georgina chuckled. “Getting this done? That’s a rather unique way of looking at it.”
Gabrielle grinned. “Well, to be honest, coming here wasn’t my idea. I would have preferred to find a husband at home in the islands. But I’m rather excited about this now that I’m here. I just hope that I can persuade whomever I do marry to at least take me back to the Caribbean occasionally. I know I’m going to miss my father dreadfully if I only see him rarely like before.”
“Before?”
“I missed out on his presence while growing up. I lived here with my mother; he works out of the West Indies. It was very rare that he came to visit us.”
“Ah, that explains it, why your diction is so cultured. So you actually grew up here in England?”
“Yes, near Brighton. My mother would have seen to my being launched into society. She knew all the right people. But she died when I was seventeen, so I went to live with my father. He didn’t explain this in the letter?”
“No, he didn’t mention your background at all.”
“Good grief, you’ve taken me in without even knowing that my credentials are up to snuff? You’re too kind, Lady Malory.”
Georgina laughed. “No, I’m an American. We don’t put much stock in titles where I come from, so please don’t use the one my husband saddled me with. If I could get rid of it without getting rid of him, you can be sure I would.”
Gabrielle wasn’t surprised. She’d met enough Americans in the Caribbean to know that they preferred to stand on their own merits, not those of their ancestors. But in England people took bloodlines much more seriously, at least the nobility did, especially when it came to marriage.
Before she could reassure the lady, Margery glanced up from her unpacking to volunteer, “She’s got a couple earls she can dig out of the pantry.”
Gabrielle blushed to hear it put that way, but felt it prudent to add, “Several generations removed, so I have no title. But then I’m not looking for a title either.”
“But you wouldn’t turn one down if it comes to that?”
“No, of course not.”
Georgina grinned. “I only asked becauseIwould have.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Only because I was already married before I found out James has a title!”
Gabrielle didn’t know whether to commiserate with Georgina or congratulate her, but Miss Carla saved her from remarking on it when Margery moved her cage off of the next trunk she was about to open, and the bird squawked, “Lemme out, lemme out!”
Georgina gasped and said, “Is that what I think it is?”
Gabrielle decided to uncover the cage so the lady could see for herself. It was better to be forewarned anyway, because the parrot could be quite loud, and she didn’t want anyone breaking down her door to find out what the racket was. But the oddest thing about parrots was that women found it hard to resist talking to them, and Georgina Malory was no different. She came over to the cage to examine Miss Carla and immediately started saying hello to her.
“Dumb bird,” the parrot replied.
Gabrielle’s cheeks went up in flames, but Georgina burst out laughing and said, “That was amazing. Does it say anything else?”
“Too much,” Gabrielle mumbled. “She belonged to my father. He gave her to me after I got attached to her, but he’d already taught her some outlandish phrases, all of which are too embarrassing to mention.”
Georgina raised a brow. “Too vulgar for young ears?”
“I would say very much so.”
The lady sighed. “Well, that’s too bad. I would have suggested you bring her downstairs occasionally to amuse my family, but my oldest daughter is only seven and too impressionable. She already hears more than she should from the men in this family.”
“I’ll try to keep her quiet.”
Georgina chuckled. “And I’ll try to keep Jack from investigating.”
“Jack?”
“My daughter Jacqueline.”
