Miss Walters started moving towards the door. “When would you like me to start, Miss Lloyd?”
“Tomorrow morning would be fine,” Georgie replied. “We eat our morning meal when the sun comes up.”
Miss Walters acknowledged her words before she hurried out of the room.
Georgie shifted her gaze towards Lord Grenton. “I am most curious as to why Miss Walters was so eager to leave when you arrived.”
“It could be the fact that Lord Matthew and I despise one another.”
“Why is that?”
“Lord Matthew is a philanderer and a despicable rakehell. He was a few years older than me when we were at Eton, but a leopard does not change his spots. The mothers in the nearby village had to hide their daughters when Lord Matthew would visit.”
“Sadly, that is not uncommon for Society men.”
“It doesn’t make it right,” Lord Grenton said. “Our animosity towards one another has continued over the years, and his wife gave me the cut direct last Season.”
“That is awful.”
Lord Grenton shrugged. “I only feel pity for his wife,” he admitted. “It is rumored that Lord Matthew has fathered many illegitimate sons with his mistresses, but has only had one daughter with his wife.”
“Many people would not be as gracious as you if they were given the cut direct.”
“Words only have power if you let them,” Lord Grenton said, “and I refuse to give the gossips’ words any heed.”
“That is very insightful of you, my lord.”
“I have stopped caring what people thought about me. There is a true power that comes with that.”
“That there is…” Her words trailed off when she saw Rebecca standing in the doorway, a downcast, withdrawn look on her face.
Georgie came around her desk and asked, “Whatever is wrong?”
Rebecca looked up at Lord Grenton with hesitancy in her eyes before saying, “I can’t find Sarah.” Her voice was so quiet Georgie had to strain to hear her.
“What do you mean you can’t find her?” Georgie asked as she came to a stop in front of the girl. “This orphanage isn’t that big.”
“We had breakfast, and then Mrs. Hughes asked to see her.”
“I am sure she is just completing a chore for Mrs. Hughes, and will be along shortly,” Georgie attempted.
Rebecca shook her head. “I saw her get into the coach.”
“What coach?”
“It was a black coach, and the woman who came to get her looked mean,” Rebecca said. “I don’t want her to be gone like all the others.”
“This has happened before?”
Rebecca nodded with tears in her eyes. “Whenever this happens, they are gone forever. We don’t even get to say goodbye.”
Georgie needed answers, and she knew there was only one person who could help her. She stepped into the hall and shouted, “Wilson!”
The butler promptly appeared and asked, “Yes, miss?”
“Can you inform Mrs. Hughes that I would like to speak to her at once?” she asked urgently.
Wilson spun on his heel to do her bidding.
