Page 37 of Much Ado about a Widow

“You mean the ones you already laid out there on the table?” Pointing to the square-cut earrings with the teardrop pearl pendants, Clara shook her head and handed them to Georgie. “You need to keep your wits about you, Lady Georgina. That’s all I’m saying. Your father instructed me to look out for you.”

“I understand your concern, Clara.” Georgie slid the heavy earrings into her ears. “I promise to return unscathed, although I do hope to enjoy Lord St. Just’s company. He is really quite jovial when he is not trying to pour tea down one’s throat.”

“Just see that he does not try to do anything else. You are as good as a married woman again, my lady.” The maid nodded her head vigorously as she pulled Georgie’s gloves over her fingers. “Lord Travers is waiting for you, and likely frantic if your father or brother have found out our predicament and passed that information on to him.”

That was unfortunately true. At the end of her journey lay Lord Travers and a marriage ceremony she’d begun to dread even more deeply. Before this . . . adventure, she’d reconciled herself to marrying the earl, for the sake of her father. Now her sensibilities had shifted, her duty to herself weighing as much as that to the family. If Lord St. Just had affixed his interest on her, that was. This could very well be a bag of moonshine she’d concocted, as Clara had said, after the marquess had been so heroic.

“I cannot help if Lord Travers is frantic or not. I have no way at present to inform him of my situation, nor do I think it wise to do so. We shall wait and see what happens when we reach Cornwall.” Georgie picked up her best silk shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. “In the meantime, I propose to enjoy the company of Lulu’s rescuer. I hope you enjoy your dinner as well, Clara.”

With an aplomb she was feeling not at all, Georgie swept out of her cabin and up the passageway the few steps to Lord St. Just’s. Even though Clara might be correct Georgie intended to find out for herself if the moonshine had some substance to it this once.

* * *

Adjusting his cravat for the sixth time, Rob jumped when the firm knock sounded on the door. Lord, he’d better get himself in hand and quickly. He didn’t want to make a cake of himself in front of Lady Georgina, although hope of avoiding that was waning faster with each second that passed. Straightening himself to his full six foot, two inches calmed him, steadied his hands as he strode to the door, and, forcing what he hoped would be taken for a cheerful smile, opened it.

The words of welcome he’d meant to say died on his tongue at the sight of Lady Georgina. The woman he’d last seen dripping wet, hair straggling about her shoulders, had been replaced with a vision of loveliness. The pale green gown became her both in color and in its simple style. Her complexion, like cream and roses, seemed to glow in the candlelight while her glorious red hair, again simply done but elegant, framed her beautiful face magnificently.

Smiling sweetly, she looked at him expectantly for a moment, eyebrows delicately raised.

Tongue-tied like the fool he’d hoped not to become, Rob could only stare at her, unable to form a single word.

“Thank you so much, Lord St. Just, for your kind invitation to dine. I had hoped you were not feeling any ill effects from your earlier adventure.” She peered at him closely. “The cold water hasn’t made you lose the power of speech, has it? That would be distinctly inconvenient, especially for a ship’s captain. You couldn’t give orders, you know.”

Laughter cleared his brain, thank God, and Rob bowed, himself again. “Not at all, Lady Georgina. As you can see, I have that faculty fully in hand. Welcome, and thank you for agreeing to dine with me.” He ushered her into the cabin that had been transformed, as much as possible by two sailors and himself, into an elegant salon. “Would you like some Madeira?”

“Oh, yes, please. My goodness.” She stepped inside the doorway and stopped. “It’s as bright as day.”

Ayers and Cartwright had gathered every candle, lamp, and lantern on board—save the ones in the galley, where Barnes insisted he needed light to cook—and set them all about the cabin. The light they gave off did indeed make the room glow as though the sun shone inside.

“The better to see your beauty, my lady.” Rob closed the door, and she headed toward the table, already laid with the rather plain tableware he kept on the ship. He hated that it wasn’t more elegant, but he’d never seen the need for anything more serviceable on board. As soon as they made landfall, he’d remedy that. Even if he never had cause to use the china and crystal again, he’d be ready to entertain in future.

“I would have thought it the better to see our dinner.” She chuckled softly and let her shawl slip from her shoulders. “I had no idea you were so well equipped for entertaining, my lord. This looks fit for the Prince Regent himself.”

“I doubt you’d ever find Prinny on this ship, but I thank you. Will you be seated?” Rob pulled out the chair opposite his, and she lowered herself onto it, her back straight, the sweep of her neck tantalizingly close to him. The sweet smell of roses wafted up from her, intensified by the heat of the candles, making it hard for him to concentrate on anything other than her.

Wine, he’d offered her wine. He hurried to the sea chest that did double duty as sideboard and poured them both glasses of the deep amber Madeira. This should steady him. “Here you are. I hope you like the vintage. I prefer the smoky and fruity flavors, with just a hint of sweetness.”

“It sounds delicious.” She sipped, and a smile crossed her lips. “Yes, that is nice. An excellent choice.” Another sip and she put the glass on the table and looked directly at him, her green eyes penetrating him like a knife. “I did want to thank you again, my lord, for saving Lulu. It was a kind and brave thing to do for a woman you scarcely know.”

Rob relaxed, suddenly very much at ease with Lady Georgina. He sauntered to his chair and sat. “You are welcome, my lady. I admit I had second thoughts about it, but what honorable man could stand by and watch your heart break?”

She grasped her wine again and looked away. “Lulu means a great deal to me, my lord. The one thing in my father’s house that has some affection for me.”

“I could tell you were very fond of her.” He sipped his wine, unsure how to proceed. “One thing that decided me was the fear you would jump in after her yourself.”

That brought the lady’s head up, her eyes wide. She moved restlessly in her chair. “I confess, I did think of it. But I cannot swim, and it would have done neither of us any good to have both of us drown.”

“Ah.” He’d been right about her desperation. And was grateful she’d not acted on it, or the day might have gone quite differently.

“Was that why you called me by my first name?” Her frank stare held no censure, just simple curiosity.

Still, he ducked his head. “Umm, well, yes.” He was doing this badly, damn it. “I thought if I called you by your name perhaps it would startle you enough to stop you from going over the side. And it was much quicker to say when time was of the essence.” Steeling himself, he looked her in the face, ready for a dressing down of epic proportions.

To his astonishment, she beamed at him. “How clever of you. It did make me pause, long enough to realize I couldn’t help her.”

“I am glad then that I did so, but I assure you, I will not do so again, Lady Georgina. I would not be so familiar with you without your permission.”

“But you have it, my lord. After what you did, I would be honored for you to call me Georgina, or really Georgie.” She smiled a bright, charming smile that would captivate a hermit. “That is what all my friends call me.”