“What can we tell Lord Shape?” he asked, his voice cracking.
“Tell him the truth, if you dare,” she said, her gaze sliding to Tom. “Tell him I have been compromised. Tell him I am marrying Mr. Thomas Worthington. The man I love.”
“What about Whetherby?” he hissed.
“Whetherby isn’t my problem, Marcus.”
Marcus’s face twisted in anger. Tom moved closer to Georgie, concerned her brother was in danger of doing something rash. Marcus turned away, paused, then whirled around, lunging at Georgie.
Tom dove at Marcus, but his father reached him first, dropping Hawthorne with a single jab to the jaw. Tom ran to Georgie, who sank into a chair, Miss Duigood already at her side.
“Georgie,” Tom said, cupping her face in his hands, searching her face for any signs of injury.
“I’m fine, Tom,” she said, looking at him with a smile that seemed too high for this world. “I think that’s the first time I’ve said it and it’s been true.”
“Shall I fetch you a glass of wine, or brandy?” he asked.
“Something to settle your nerves?”
“Mais oui,” Tom heard the baroness exclaim from behind him. “Some cognac would be just the thing.”
Marcus had already begun to stir.
“Tom, my son,” his father said, standing over Hawthorne, “let us take care of this mess so we can allow the ladies to return to the ball, and definitely before my wife decides to throw me out for ruining it.”
Several footmen were summoned to pull Marcus to his feet and escort him out the door. Only then was Tom able to breathe a sigh of relief. He returned to Georgie’s side, his father joining him.
“Georgie,” he said, “allow me to introduce my father, Viscount Worthington. Father, this is Lady Georgiana Hawthorne.”
“Lady Georgiana,” his father said, giving her a warm smile. “I have heard much about you over the past few days. I had hoped my son would have had the opportunity to introduce us properly before this moment. Nonetheless, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she replied. “And allow me to apologize for my family’s egregious behavior.”
“Think nothing of it,” he said. “From now on, the egregious behavior of this family will be your only concern.” He turned on his heel, then gestured to Tom. “Let’s return and give the ladies a moment, shall we? I need to dance with my wife.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Well,” the baronesssaid as she pulled herself to her feet, taking a moment to catch her breath, “I’ve seen quite a few matches come to pass over the years, but until tonight I’ve never seen a lady so brazenly declare her intentions to compromise a gentleman. Well done, Lady Georgiana.”
Georgie fiddled with her necklace, feeling the smooth pearls under her fingers. After all the excitement of the last few minutes—and the ups and downs of the last week—she wasn’t even certain how to feel. Except that Tom had only been gone a moment and she had already missed him.
“I don’t think I can believe it,” she said. “I think I’m going to need a sip of brandy.”
“I have something,” Lily said, then pulled a little green pouch her bodice. “For emergencies.”
“Miss Duigood’s concoctions do wonders,” the baroness agreed. “Though she doesn’t like to share her secrets.”
Lily pulled a little lump from the bag that looked not unlike crystalized honey. She placed it in a glass, then dissolved it in a tiny bit of brandy.
“They are not my secrets to tell,” she said, handing the glass to Georgie. “It will taste a little odd, especially with the brandy, but it’s not bad.”
Georgie stared into the glass, talking a small sniff. Aside from the rich aroma of the brandy, there was the faint scent of lavender.
“It’s not poison, I promise,” her friend said. “Just a little remedy to help chase away any latent fear, anger, or doubt after such a provoking encounter.”
“Doubt is the one thing I seem to be cured of,” she said, taking a sip. She welcomed the brandy’s warmth.
“Your mother would be proud of you, my dear,” the baroness said. “Though I think she could not say the same for your brother.”
