“Thank you.” Getting to her rooms had been simple enough. She could ask for directions to the morning room once she was in the hall.
Georgie finished her tea and was on her way to the hall when the front door opened and Crothers said, “I shall tell Miss Featherton you are here.”
She quickened her step to the stairs and down to the landing. “Gavin.”
“Georgie.” He stared up at her as if they had not seen each other in months.
And he did not even wait for her to descend, but took the steps two at a time, and took both her hands when he reached her. “I can’t bear to be without you.”
“I missed you too.” If only there was a way to marry sooner, but there was not. This was going to be a very long two weeks.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Gavin wanted to carry Georgie down the stairs and back to his house. He could do it without being seen if he went through the mews. He could probably even borrow one of the town coaches and have it back before anyone knew what he’d done. The only thing keeping him from acting on his impulse was knowing that she would be harmed by it.
He took her hand and walked down the steps with her. “Where is everyone else?”
“Adeline is looking at her chamber. I do not know where Frits or his mother are.” She frowned for a moment. “I am not even sure Lady Littleton is here. We are to meet in the morning room.”
Gavin had been in and out of this house for years and knew most of it. “Where did they put you?”
“I have a lovely set of rooms in the back on the left. There is a small balcony.”
He knew exactly where she was. The balcony might be useful if the master’s rooms were not a few feet away. “The ones old Lady Littleton used to use?”
“So I was told.” He led her to the other side of the hall and down the corridor. “I saw a similar balcony several feet away.”
“The master’s rooms.” If no one else heard him trying to get to the room, Max would sound the alarm.
“Oh.” Georgie sounded disappointed. Had she been thinking he could sneak in to her? “I must tell you about Adeline’s thoughts. She thinks that if she begins redecorating here, and I start redecorating at your house—”
“Our house.”
Georgie gave him a rare shy smile. “Our house. That there would be enough going on that no one would notice if I slipped back and forth. I could use one of my father’s unmarked coaches.”
“Or you could use my unmarked coach.”
They entered the morning room, which was decorated in pink and cream colors. “Do you think her scheme would work?”
“It might.” He found a footman setting out a large tea service. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“We thought Dorie and Henrietta might come over.” She followed his gaze. “Hmm. Perhaps Exeter, my grandmother, and the duchess as well.”
“In other words, everyone.” There was no way he’d be able to get her away from here now.
“Well”—she grinned at him—“Perhaps noteveryone. I doubt if Lady Aurelia and Lytton will be here.”
“Speaking of them, I went straight from here to St. George’s and reserved a date. I ran into Lytton as I was leaving. They are having the ceremony as soon as he can arrange it. Apparently, Lady Aurelia sees no reason to delay.”
“Good for her. I have no doubt that the duchess was extremely direct in telling her about his aunt.” Georgie looked at the biscuits now on the sideboard. “I wonder if they are ginger.”
“I wonder if Cook was able to work out those recipes.”
Littleton and Adeline could be heard coming down the hall speaking with someone else. But it didn’t sound like Lady Littleton.
“It sounds like Dorie and Exeter.”
A second later Georgie was proven right.
