Page 35 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

The two women were ornaments who knew the art of charm and flirtation in hopes of gaining riches from benefactors. They were likely well practiced in the bedchamber in the art of pleasure. Yet, they did not even come close to the genuineness that was Georgie. She was honest. She was stubborn. She was quite pretty, and until they reached London, she was his wife.

*

Georgie was not certain what she would find within the pages of Characters of Shakespeare’s Plays but assumed it would be simply descriptions. Instead, it was a book of essays that analyzed each character, a critique and discussion of motivations.

If she continued to read, she might very well fall asleep again.

Oh, why hadn’t she taken the time to find an entertaining, fictional novel?

However, despite how much she did not want to read another essay, Georgie would not look up from the book, and especially not at either woman for fear of what she may discover, such as them assessing Damian, or Damian assessing them, while they waited for the opportunity to offer an invitation for him to visit when his wife was otherwise occupied.

However, neither one of them was pressed against his side due to the crowded carriage. They did not get to experience his hard, muscular thigh against theirs or enjoy his scent of citrus and sandalwood.

When the carriage shifted, Damian lifted his arm and once again placed it along the back of the seat, his hand cupping her shoulder. She ducked her chin and smiled as she imagined the jealousy the other two must suffer because he was hers, for now.

What she did not understand was her own jealousy. Damian was hers for only so long as they traveled to London. After she found Grace, those two could have him.

Yet even that bothered her, which she intended to push from her mind and therefore, she would keep reading her book even though she had no interest in it and ignore everyone else in the mail coach.

Such resolve only lasted so long, unfortunately, because after what she believed was their last change of horses, the sun had set with only lamps hanging near the windows. It was not bright enough for her to read so she finally had to close the book and shove it into her satchel that had rested on her lap since they left.

She glanced up to try and look out of the window only to find Damian looking at her. His blue eyes held humor and the corner of his mouth quirked. She prepared the best that she could for what he was about to say.

“Good book?”

Oh, she wanted to kick him again because he knew that it was not entertaining, especially if he had bothered to read over her shoulder, but she would never admit that it had almost put her to sleep.

“Riveting.” She grinned. “Thank you for asking.”

He chuckled again and shook his head. “Stubborn as always,” he mumbled before he looked out the window.

Chapter Twelve

When the coach came to a stop in London at The Swan with Two Necks, Damian assisted Georgie to the pavement, happy to have their journey by mail coach come to an end. However, he would need to return to Southampton in the same manner so he escorted Georgie inside, after he had retrieved their valises, and requested a schedule so that he knew when mail coaches returned to his home.

He kept his head down, hat lowered and hoped that nobody recognized him because there were people within whom he knew. Not that he was ashamed of traveling by mail coach, but because he did not want anyone to become curious about Georgie.

It was one matter to tell Panmure that she was his wife, which Damian could deny later and insist that Panmure was mistaken. But the same would not be true in London.

Once the schedule was tucked way, they returned outside where he hailed a hackney then gave direction to his brother’s home in Mayfair.

Georgie sat forward. “Why are we not going to the docks? I know from the maps that Mayfair is not located along the River Thames.”

Did she really think they would go there now? As he stared into her determined brown eyes, he realized that she honestly thought that they would.

“It is too dangerous after dark.”

“Need I remind you that my sister is there, and it is after dark?”

Damian sighed and realized that one of the reasons traveling on the mail coach had been more pleasant was because neither he nor Georgie spoke to the other, therefore, they had not quarreled. Such a reprieve had come to an end and he was reminded again how persistent his companion could be.

“She is also with Fisher. Therefore, she is not alone,” Damian reminded her. Though Fisher was one danger to Grace, if he had not already ruined her. “My family has a home in Mayfair. After we have partaken of a filling meal, we will get some rest then arrive at the Port of London as soon as the sun rises.”

Georgie’s brown eyebrows bore into his. “It will be the very first thing we do.”

Damian made an X over his heart with his index finger. “I promise.”

Only then did she let out a sigh and relax back against the squabs. At least he would not have to fight her on this.