Lord Grenton tipped his head. “Good evening, Miss Lloyd,” he said before departing from the room.
Georgie walked around the desk and sat down. Good heavens, what had just transpired? Lord Grenton had opened up to her, and now appeared less standoffish. Her job was not to help him, but she could hear the pain in his voice. He was hurting, and she couldn’t in good conscience ignore that. With any luck, the more time he spent at the orphanage, the more it would soothe the ache in his heart.
ChapterEleven
With the morning sun streaming into their room through the window, Alice sat on her mattress and stared up at Georgie in disbelief. “He dismissed you, but then he hired you back?”
“That he did,” Georgie said.
“Why?”
Georgie shrugged. “He said that he regretted his hasty decision.”
Alice leaned back against the wall, then said, “I didn’t think it was capable for Lord Grenton to feel anything.”
“He isn’t an ogre.”
“No, but he has fought you on everything you have attempted to do here,” Alice pointed out.
“That he has, but it is different now.”
“How?”
Georgie rose from her bed and walked to the window to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. “Lord Grenton has agreed to visit the orphanage more often and get to know the girls.”
Alice lifted her brow. “Why would you want him around more?” she asked. “Aren’t you afraid he will continue to criticize every decision you make?”
“I think it would benefit the girls to know their benefactor.” Georgie didn’t dare mention that she also thought it would benefit Lord Grenton, as well.
“Lord Grenton might scare them,” Alice said. “He doesn’t exactly invoke a calming presence about him.”
“No, he does not, but I do believe he has a good heart.”
“Are we speaking about the same lord?”
Georgie laughed. “You are being much too hard on someone that you haven’t even met.”
“I’ve just heard him yelling at you from a distance.”
“He hasn’t yelled at me, per se,” Georgie contended. “He is just… loud, sometimes.”
Rising, Alice said, “I think you might be blinded by his handsome face.”
“I can assure you that is not it.”
Alice didn’t look convinced. “We should go down to the kitchen before our breakfast gets cold,” she encouraged.
A knock came at the door.
Georgie walked over to the door and opened it, revealing a blonde-haired girl. “Mr. Wilson wanted me to inform you that Miss Ashmore has come to call, and she is waiting for you in the study.”
“Thank you,” Georgie replied. “I will be down shortly.”
Alice’s voice came from behind her. “Miss Ashmore has been coming around more frequently.”
“That she has, but she is teaching me how to protect myself.”
“From what?”
