“I did not think they would be,” he grumbled to himself. His luck wasn’t running in that direction.
“I have already taken the liberty of informing them about your father and your fear you will do as he did.”
“Of course you did.” Gavin breathed the words more than said them. At the rate this was going, the whole world would know of his fears.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.” He took a seat on the sofa opposite the one Lady Littleton occupied. “Er, thank you for relieving me of that responsibility.”
“I thought it would be helpful.” She handed him a cup and pushed the plate of biscuits toward him.
There was entirely too much thinking going on. If he’d only not let Georgie think of that question, he’d be betrothed and looking forward to soon having a wife. “When tomorrow do you expect them to arrive?”
“Sometime before noon. The duchess does not travel well. You might want to find something to occupy yourself until later in the day.”
Or the day after that. “Frits said I could spend my days at Littlewood.”
“Just remember to break your fast before you depart. I seem to remember your being rather surly in the mornings before you had eaten.”
Leave it to her to recall something from his childhood. And what was sauce for the gander was sauce for the goose. Or something like that.Shenever even came down to breakfast. “That was when I was twelve!”
The cup hovered in front of her face, hiding her expression. “You were not twelve this past August.”
He crunched into a ginger biscuit, chewed, and swallowed. “My valet usually brings me toast and tea when I awaken.”
The eyebrow rose again. “I am aware. However, that reminds me to instruct my cook to have it prepared.”
There was no point in attempting to get anything past her ladyship. Now that he thought about it, it was while he was visiting Frits that toast and tea began to appear in the mornings. Gavin mustered all the dignity he could after being treated like a little boy again. “Thank you.” Setting down his cup, he stood. “I shall see you at dinner.”
“I would send a note to Littlewood advising them of when in the morning you will arrive. You do not wish to get there and find Georgie is elsewhere.”
“That is what I was going to do.” Or he was now. Her ladyship was correct. If Georgie wished to lead Gavin a dance, she’d be up and gone before he arrived at Littlewood. He only wished he knew how she planned to handle his being around much of the time.
When he reached his chamber that turned out to be a set of three rooms, he found an already trimmed pen, paper, and everything else he required. Bearing in mind his instructions, he dashed off a note to his friend stating that he would arrive after breakfast and asking that a message be passed on to Georgie asking her if she would like to ride with him if she did not have any other plans. Frits had an excellent stable and could easily find a horse for her.
* * *
That evening Georgie and Adeline were enjoying an excellent claret when Frits strolled into the Littlewood drawing room holding a piece of paper. “Georgie, Turley would like to know if you have the time to ride with him after we break our fast in the morning.”
He certainly was not wasting any time. “I do wish to go for a ride.” She glanced at Adeline. “There is no reason I can think of that I cannot respond to the note myself.”
“Nor I.” Adeline gave her husband an approving smile. “Although, I think he was quite proper in addressing his letter to Frits. Do you not agree?”
“Yes.” It was odd having Adeline, who was a month younger than Georgie, and Frits, who had had the reputation of a rake, in charge of her and performing the duty so diligently. Addressing an invitation to him was the right thing to do. Then again, Turley was always proper. Georgie had thought it charming, but now she wondered if it was because he did not love her and felt no real urgency to marry her. Yes, she knew that he wanted to wed her, but there had to be more than simply wanting to make a lady a wife. Neither Kit nor Hawksworth, Meg’s husband, had been exactly proper when they’d been courting Mary and Meg. Georgie glanced at Frits hovering over Adeline. In fact, Frits had not been proper when he had courted her. Perhaps observing the proprieties was what one did when one did not wish to become too close to another person. After all, formality did not breed intimacy.
Georgie sighed to herself. The only thing she could do was see how their ride went in the morning.
* * *
The first clear rays of the October sun had yet to reach the windows when Georgie awakened the next morning and pulled back the bed curtains. The only sign that it would make an appearance at all was a gentle lightening of the bedchamber. It seemed as if the sun was rising later each day, but Georgie’s mind refused to change the time it decided to awaken.
A maid quietly opened the door and started the fire.
Georgie leaned over. “Do you happen to know the time?”
The maid jumped, probably startled by being addressed at this hour. “Not quite six thirty, miss.” The maid picked up her bucket. “Do you wish me to call your dresser?”
Not late at all. She collapsed back against her pillows. “No, thank you.”
