“I would be happy to render any assistance that you require,” Mr. Mason offered.
“Thank you,” Georgie responded. “It is most kind of you to offer.”
Mrs. Peters closed the door. “I hope you do not mind, but it would be best if we continued this conversation in private.”
“I concur,” Mr. Mason said. “I’m afraid what I wish to discuss is a rather delicate matter.”
Georgie leaned back in her seat as she waited for Mr. Mason to elaborate.
With a side glance at his sister, Mr. Mason remarked, “I hope you do not mind, but Esther spoke to me in length about your situation.”
“I imagined that would have been the case.”
“I want you to know that you have my deepest sympathies, and I abhor the situation that your brother placed you in,” Mr. Mason said, his gaze flicking to her bruised cheek.
Georgie gave him a weak smile. “I hope it is in the past.”
“Quite right,” Mr. Mason agreed. “Which is why we feel it is our duty to protect you from Lord Wakefield.”
Mrs. Peters bobbed her head. “He cannot ever know where you have gone, at least until you have reached your majority.”
“If Lord Wakefield did discover your whereabouts, it is within his rights as your guardian to retrieve you,” Mr. Mason explained. “We would be powerless to stop him.”
“I am well aware,” Georgie responded dolefully.
“Furthermore, we must proceed with caution to ensure that your reputation will not suffer from you working here,” Mr. Mason said.
“I do not care about my reputation,” Georgie stated.
“You say that now, but you might change your mind once you have received your inheritance,” Mr. Mason said. “You may decide to take your rightful place in Society.”
Mrs. Peters interjected, “We believe that Lord Wakefield will not notify anyone of your disappearance for fear of damaging his own reputation.”
“That is a fair assumption. My brother only seems to care about himself,” Georgie stated.
Mr. Mason’s eyes held compassion as he said, “Esther and I decided it would be best if no one knew your true identity while you are here.”
“That is what I deduced, since I was introduced as Miss Lloyd when I arrived,” Georgie remarked.
Mrs. Peters sat on the lumpy chair. “You are safe here,” she assured her. “There is no reason for you to leave the safety of these walls, and Lord Wakefield will never think of looking for you in the rookeries.”
“It is a wonderful feeling, to be safe,” Georgie said. “I have been fearful of my brother for far too long.”
Mr. Mason picked up his satchel. “Lord Grenton will wish to meet you, but you do not need to worry. I have no doubt that he will approve of you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you are a lady, and he was adamant that a lady was to run the orphanage,” Mr. Mason explained.
“Did he state why he wants a lady to run the orphanage?”
“It was his mother’s idea.”
Georgie leaned forward in her seat and asked, “Will you inform Lord Grenton of my true identity?”
Mr. Mason shook his head. “I will not, since I think it would be for the best to limit who knows the truth.”
“What will you tell him?”
