Second Best Wife by Isobel Chace

been wondering that ever since you both arrived.' His tea-cup rattled precariously as he changed it from one hand to the other. ‘You never let her out of your sight!'
    ‘That's what Miss Campbell is paid for,' William said dryly from the doorway. ‘You are speaking of Celine, I take it?'
    The young man stood his ground. ‘She's not a child! Why discuss her as if she were?' He looked from William to Georgina. ‘Is this another gaoler for her?'
    ‘I hope not!' Georgina exclaimed.
    The young man managed a smile. ‘I'm sorry,' he said, ‘but it makes me angry to see wild animals confined in cages.'
    Celine appeared pleased by this. ‘Am I a wild animal?' she demanded eagerly. ‘Stuart, am I?'
    The young man tousled her hair. ‘A very beautiful one!'
    ‘Wild animals are dangerous!'
    He grinned at her. ‘Are you dangerous?'
    Celine lowered her lashes, peeping at him through them. ‘Not with you, darling Stuart. Never with you!'
    William cut her off with a brusqueness that Georgina thought both unnecessary and unkind. ‘Celine, behave yourself! I don't want to forbid Stuart to come to the house —'
    ‘What nonsense!' Georgina put in hastily. She moved closer to Stuart herself. ‘I'm Georgina Perry,' she said, holding out her hand to him.
    He shook it gravely. ‘Mrs. Ayres,' he corrected her, amused by the slip. ‘My name is Stuart Duffield. I work here on the estate.'
    ‘He's the most important person here!' Celine claimed. ‘They couldn't do anything without him!'
    Georgina raised her brows in silent enquiry and the young man laughed. 'I'm the fellow who tastes the tea,' he explained. 'Every estate has one who makes sure that the tea doesn't undergo any process for too long, thus spoiling it. It's a bit like wine tasting. They'll be getting a local chap in to do my job before long, but meanwhile, I enjoy it here. The manager is a good friend of mine. You must meet him and his wife as soon as I can arrange it. His name is Peter, Peter Kotalawala.'
    'He has an English name because he's a Catholic,' Celine chimed in. 'His wife is sweet!'
    'Only because she allows you to do as you like,' Miss Campbell said with menace. 'She has no control over you at all!'
    'She's not my keeper. She's not a spoilsport either.' Celine turned a blank stare on Georgina. 'What are you?'
    Georgina opened her mouth to answer, but William did it for her. 'She's my wife,' he said.
    'And too pretty to be a spoilsport,' Stuart added.
    'She's not as beautiful as I am!' Celine spat at him, annoyed.
    'No one could be that,' he agreed cheerfully. 'But beauty isn't everything, duckie. Georgina is very much my type!' He flashed a meaning look at the surprised Georgina. 'Pity she's already taken!'
    Celine was furious. 'You mean you prefer Georgina to me?' she demanded.
    'It's a different thing. You can't compare the two. You're my friend;
    Georgina—well, she could be something else!' Georgina swallowed hard, not daring to look in William's direction.
    'No, she couldn't be!' she stammered out. 'I couldn't!'
    To her surprise William laughed. 'You're embarrassing my wife,' he said wryly to Stuart. 'She isn't accustomed to compliments from the opposite sex. You'll have to go easily with her.'
    Georgina could have stamped her foot with sheer, unreasoning rage. Did he have to make it so blatant that she had no attraction for him? And how could one deny such a slight? She couldn't insist that she had had her share of compliments without sounding a boastful fool, and yet it hurt to let his disparagement go by as if it meant nothing to her. The trouble was that she wanted William's regard, wanted it badly, and was in danger of getting everything else out of perspective in consequence.
    Happily, Stuart shook his head in stunned disbelief. 'What's wrong with the men back home?' he wondered.
    Georgina forced a wavering smile. 'I have a sister — '
    'And she takes everyone's eye?' Stuart whistled in derision. 'She didn't take your husband's, did she, or you