mind for her, and if anyone knew better than to fall for the charms of this particular rake, she did.
He might think he hadn't made a declaration to Amelia Johns, but Miss Johns thought he very nearly had. And whether he was lying about the seriousness of his commitment or not, the girl's heart would surely be the next one he broke. So despite the shivers that ran down her arms at the thought of being kissed by the too-experienced viscount, Georgiana would not forget why she had come to Carroway House. Her heart would never again rule her head where any man was concerned.
The day's excitement over, she settled back into the morning room with Edwina and Milly . If she'd still been at Hawthorne House with Aunt Frederica, the afternoon would have been occupied with taking care of the dowager duchess's correspondence and replying to the dozens of invitations that flooded in daily. Taking an hour or two to read seemed delightfully sinful.
"You know you don't need to waste your entire day here," Milly said into the silence.
Georgiana looked up. "Beg pardon?"
"What I mean to say is, I love having you here, and your company is a joy, but you must find us two old fossils terribly dull compared with your friends."
"Nonsense! I enjoy being here. Believe me, one can only spend so much time shopping and dancing without finding that very dull, indeed." She straightened as an alarming thought occurred to her. If they'd somehow realized that she'd been responsible for Dare's swim, they might be looking for a polite reason to send her on her way. "Unless you're trying to get rid of me, of course," she said, trying to sound amused.
Edwina shot to her feet and hurried over to grab Georgiana's hand. "Oh, never! It's just that..." She looked at her sister.
"It's just that what?" Georgiana asked, her heart sinking even further.
"Well, Tristan said that you've received correspondence from a gentleman. With all of the males here, we thought. .. perhaps your letter-writer might be intimidated."
"You mean he might be afraid to call on me here?" Georgiana asked, relieved. "If he were serious, I'm sure he would do so, regardless."
"Just a flirtation then, is it?" Milly suggested.
For a moment Georgiana wondered whether it was the aunties or Tristan who was trying to discover the identity of her mystery suitor. Best to play it safe until she knew for certain. She sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid so."
"Who is he, dear? Perhaps we can talk some sense into him."
She looked from one to the other. She could never tell them her true plan for Tristan; besides breaking their hearts, the news would make them hate her, when she was truly quite fond of them. "I really prefer not to discuss it, if you don't mind."
"Oh, of course. It's just that. .." Edwina paused.
"What?" Georgiana asked, her curiosity deepening.
"Nothing. Nothing at all, dear. Just a flirtation. We all like a good flirtation now and then."
Abruptly Georgiana realized what the aunties were up to. They thought they were matchmaking—between her and Tristan, of all people! "A flirtation, of course, is only the beginning," she offered as she sipped her tea. "Who knows what might come of it later?"
They both looked downcast. "Yes, who knows?"
Georgiana suppressed a pang of guilt. At least she could blame all of the subterfuge on Dare; he'd started it. All of this was his fault.
Even the way she almost liked him, sometimes.
She liked him a little less as the extended Carroway family sat down for dinner. Despite his soaking in the duck pond, the look in his eyes was unmistakably superior. As he held her chair for her, Georgiana was tempted to ask him just what he was smirking about, but it probably had something to do with their kiss. If that was it, a little silent gloating was certainly better than his boasting about it aloud.
"You should have seen me, Tristan," Edward chortled, as Dawkins and the footmen passed around the roast chicken and potatoes. "I made Storm Cloud jump over a huge
He might think he hadn't made a declaration to Amelia Johns, but Miss Johns thought he very nearly had. And whether he was lying about the seriousness of his commitment or not, the girl's heart would surely be the next one he broke. So despite the shivers that ran down her arms at the thought of being kissed by the too-experienced viscount, Georgiana would not forget why she had come to Carroway House. Her heart would never again rule her head where any man was concerned.
The day's excitement over, she settled back into the morning room with Edwina and Milly . If she'd still been at Hawthorne House with Aunt Frederica, the afternoon would have been occupied with taking care of the dowager duchess's correspondence and replying to the dozens of invitations that flooded in daily. Taking an hour or two to read seemed delightfully sinful.
"You know you don't need to waste your entire day here," Milly said into the silence.
Georgiana looked up. "Beg pardon?"
"What I mean to say is, I love having you here, and your company is a joy, but you must find us two old fossils terribly dull compared with your friends."
"Nonsense! I enjoy being here. Believe me, one can only spend so much time shopping and dancing without finding that very dull, indeed." She straightened as an alarming thought occurred to her. If they'd somehow realized that she'd been responsible for Dare's swim, they might be looking for a polite reason to send her on her way. "Unless you're trying to get rid of me, of course," she said, trying to sound amused.
Edwina shot to her feet and hurried over to grab Georgiana's hand. "Oh, never! It's just that..." She looked at her sister.
"It's just that what?" Georgiana asked, her heart sinking even further.
"Well, Tristan said that you've received correspondence from a gentleman. With all of the males here, we thought. .. perhaps your letter-writer might be intimidated."
"You mean he might be afraid to call on me here?" Georgiana asked, relieved. "If he were serious, I'm sure he would do so, regardless."
"Just a flirtation then, is it?" Milly suggested.
For a moment Georgiana wondered whether it was the aunties or Tristan who was trying to discover the identity of her mystery suitor. Best to play it safe until she knew for certain. She sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid so."
"Who is he, dear? Perhaps we can talk some sense into him."
She looked from one to the other. She could never tell them her true plan for Tristan; besides breaking their hearts, the news would make them hate her, when she was truly quite fond of them. "I really prefer not to discuss it, if you don't mind."
"Oh, of course. It's just that. .." Edwina paused.
"What?" Georgiana asked, her curiosity deepening.
"Nothing. Nothing at all, dear. Just a flirtation. We all like a good flirtation now and then."
Abruptly Georgiana realized what the aunties were up to. They thought they were matchmaking—between her and Tristan, of all people! "A flirtation, of course, is only the beginning," she offered as she sipped her tea. "Who knows what might come of it later?"
They both looked downcast. "Yes, who knows?"
Georgiana suppressed a pang of guilt. At least she could blame all of the subterfuge on Dare; he'd started it. All of this was his fault.
Even the way she almost liked him, sometimes.
She liked him a little less as the extended Carroway family sat down for dinner. Despite his soaking in the duck pond, the look in his eyes was unmistakably superior. As he held her chair for her, Georgiana was tempted to ask him just what he was smirking about, but it probably had something to do with their kiss. If that was it, a little silent gloating was certainly better than his boasting about it aloud.
"You should have seen me, Tristan," Edward chortled, as Dawkins and the footmen passed around the roast chicken and potatoes. "I made Storm Cloud jump over a huge
Similar Books
