“Still are,” Charlie admitted.
For a moment Greyville sat very still. “Lady Georgina bearded the lion in his den,” he said. “Miss Edwina seems to be the listmaker.” He turned to Charlie. “What do you provide?”
Charlie’s grin was delighted. “Just the right touch of chaos and mayhem.”
His frown just grew. “Why do I not feel encouraged?”
Georgie started to put her hand on his arm, but stopped when he looked her way. Did he have to smell of cedar and something citrusy? She wanted to lean into him and just breathe. “What Charlie meant was that if you play your part tomorrow, she will make certain Mr. Mayhew knows exactly what he will be forfeiting if he lets his Priscilla be dragged to Wales.”
Greyville stiffened all over again. “I willnotbe dragging anybody...”
“But you will imply it. If not, the plan fails.”
He gave a considered look at all three of them. “You really think you can help me.”
All three nodded.
Georgie handed him the list. “Study the names on that list. We will find a way to introduce you. After we have seen to Mr. Mayhew. Once he realizes how isolated his daughter will be married to you, we shall have a clearer way forward.”
He commenced rubbing at his forehead. “I feel as if I’ve been tackled by a squad of skirmishers.”
Charlie beamed. “And so you have. Just be happy it is friendly forces.”
He gave a distracted nod and rose to his feet. “Halverson’s.”
Georgie rose with him. “It is important,” she said. “We can only hold off the notices from the papers for so long.”
That earned her a shocked stare. “They haven’t gone in yet?”
Georgie grinned. “A small mishap.”
He gave his head a slow shake. “Wellington could have used you lot on the Peninsula.”
Georgie thought she was in the clear a few minutes later when she handed the marquess off to their butler to see him out. She hadn’t noticed her mother standing in the shadows just inside the Chinese parlor.
“Whatever the three of you are up to,” the Countess said, stepping into the light. “I would advise you to use care.”
Georgie startled. “Of course we will.”
Her mother’s frown was at once gentle and unsettling. “This isn’t a lost bracelet, Georgianna.”
Georgie fought a sense of panic. “Why would you say that?”
Now her mother smiled, and that was even worse. “Oh, my dear. You aren’t the only one who excels at gathering information. Just be careful.”
“I will.”
“Are you planning to take him from Miss Mayhew?”
Georgie laughed, finally relieved. “Oh heavens, no. We’d be at each other’s throats in a minute.”
Then her mother did the most confounding thing of all. Her smile grew until it looked conspiratorial. “Oh,” she said very softly. “But sometimes that’s the most fun of all.”
And before Georgie could demand to know what she meant, her mother gave her a pat on the cheek and walked out.
5
Rob had warned Grey about the Halversons. Braxton had warned him. Even the assistant at Weston’s, where Grey had gone to recover his brand-new formal togs, had warned him. Paralyzing, they’d said. A crashing bore. Old title, new money from the big-toothed wife with pretensions of taste. Grey should probably be grateful they had just married off their last daughter. He could have been caught in Halverson’s maw instead.
