Page 22 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

Georgie was naturally pretty. More importantly, genuine, and he liked that.

She set the parchment back on the desk then sanded it so that the ink would not smudge.

“Do you even have a plan or know where you are going?” he asked

“I am going to London, or have you forgotten?” She arched a dark eyebrow with her question.

“Yes, but how do you plan to travel there?” Damian crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her response.

“I must walk, of course, unless I can find someone kind enough to let me ride in the back of a wagon,” she answered simply. “I have already consulted the maps, calculated the distance of each road, the number of towns along the way and have decided on the best route to take.”

Damian pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration mounting. “I assume you plan to travel dressed as a man again and believe that nobody will see through your disguise.”

“You did not until I lost my hat and you saw my braids,” she reminded him with a grin.

“Ah, there you are wrong.” He matched her smile. “A seven-year-old noted that you were a female from the top of the building as you walked away.”

Her smile faltered as Georgie eyed him with suspicion.

“I did not believe her at first, because no women are allowed on our merchant ships, until I lifted the spyglass to get a better look.”

“How could you tell?” she asked. “What gave me away so that I can correct the error in my disguise.”

“It was several small things and too many for you to fix.”

Georgie stood and walked toward him, determination in her brown eyes. “Such as…”

“Your walk for one. You do not stride like a man.”

“I shall alter my gait. What else?”

His face heated further and no doubt his cheeks likely matched his auburn hair. Did she not recall what Livia had said so boldly in the office of Trade Wynd? Must he remind her?

“It was your bum, Georgie.” Caroline announced as she glided into the parlor. “Just as Livia stated this afternoon and what my brother-in-law is too embarrassed to tell you.”

Except, her bum had not been revealed because her coat had been long, not that he would tell her so because Georgie needed to understand that her plan was dangerous. He had not even gotten a look at it until he had flung her over his shoulder.

“Then I suppose I will need to make certain my suitcoats cover what nobody should be looking at.” With a huff, Georgie turned on her heel and returned to the desk where she folded the parchment, then heated wax to seal her missive.

“Were we discussing bums?” Sterling asked as he came down the stairs.

“Yes, but I believe the topic is now closed,” Caroline answered with a smile.

*

Her bum! Yes, a child had made such an announcement earlier today, but Georgie had not truly believed her.

“Dinner is served,” the butler announced, and Georgie barely acknowledged his words.

Lord and Lady Wyndham turned and strolled out of the parlor, Damian moved to follow.

She had thought her suitcoats were long and big enough to hide any part of her anatomy that may reveal that she was a woman, yet they hadn’t.

Damian paused in the entry and gave her a quizzical look. “Are you not coming to dinner.”

At his words, her stomach grumbled.

“Yes, of course. Thank you.”