“Brilliant,” Torrance said. “Georgina Wilcox will garner attention. A connection to me will be a benefit. And if Lady Hampton can improve Wilcox Coal in enough time, she’ll have money for a dowry. That will be another inducement for a proper gentleman to make an offer and free you, Sebastian.”
The goddess looked hopeful, and her eyes lent me energy.
Lady Hampton nodded. “Then Georgina can break with Lord Mark Sebastian because of her new options. A woman who sings well and has the acquaintance of a duke will be noticed. The penniless third son of a marquess won’t stand a chance, and everyone will understand her decision.”
“Yes, because everyone thinks like you.” The duke’s tone sounded more heated. Then he smiled or remembered that he should be smiling. “Perhaps I will add something to a dowry. That will take the pressure from Lady Hampton fixing the family business.”
“No. We have enough debts.” The viscountess waved at him like he was an errant puppy, not a man being overly generous. “No, Your Grace.”
“When have I listened to you, especially when you are wrong? I can give money to whom I wish. If my sister Anya lived, I would dote on her. I will dote on Miss Wilcox, and Miss Scarlett Wilcox, and Lydia Wilcox too. They are as dear to me as anything.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Georgina said. “I trust you.”
“Then, it’s settled,” the duke said. “The pretend engagement between Sebastian and Miss Wilcox has begun. My ball will be after Easter. It will be the first of the season. After forty days of Lent, everyone will come out for decadence. You’ll have her ready, Sebastian. I’ll make sure Mr. Steele knows that you two will have exclusive use of the music room.”
“And we’ll brace for what the papers will say,” Lady Hampton said. “Hopefully, there will be no gossip at all.”
“Let’s pray for no scandal.” The duke stuck out his hand. “The Assyrian king Shalmaneser III in the ninth century pressed flesh, clasped palms with a Babylonian ruler to seal an alliance. He had the image carved in stone. Let’s put our hands together. Come now, you first, Lady Hampton.”
“No inappropriate Russian example?”
“None today, dorogaya, my friend.”
Georgiana and I shook his hand. The wide-eyed viscountess too. Then the duke looked at the goddess, my faux fiancée. “And you led them all to come see about me. I will never overlook kindness.”
“Are you implying that I can’t be kind?” Lady Hampton crossed her arms and Torrance said something in Russian that made her roll her eyes.
As those two descended into a new spiral of polite bickers, Georgina smiled at me.
My pulse fluttered.
No longer hesitating, I touched her hand. “It’s our Shalmaneser agreement too.”
Then notes came to my head.Da dadum. . .
“Quick.” Taking her with me, I returned to the duke’s desk. “Quick, man, a pen.”
“No contract or oaths are needed for a false engagement. I trust you.”
“The notes.” I could see the next stanza clearly. “Please.”
His Grace whipped open his drawer and searched through papers until he drew out his inkwell and a dull quill. “Here.”
Lady Hampton came near. “What’s he doing?”
“Finishing a sonata,” Georgina said. She understood and didn’t let go of my hand until I put down the pen.
Chapter 13
GEORGINA—HIDING INPLAINSIGHT
The drive back to 22 Ground Street was quiet.
Katherine said nothing.
My other two sisters were quiet too.
I wasn’t sure what they knew, but everyone understood that when Katherine was angry, silence was best.
