Page 72 of Counting on Love

Chapter Twenty

The following morning, it rained. They rode to church in two carriages—the Taverston siblings in one, Lady Iversley and their guests in another. Georgiana sat facing the Countess, a froth of skirts, reticules, umbrellas, and lap blankets surrounding them.

“Is everything all right, Lady Iversley?” she asked, deciding it was impossible and a little unkind to ignore the lady’s red nose and swollen eyes.

“Oh, dear child, I’m afraid no. It is not.”

Mama, beside her, patted her hand.

Lady Iversley said, “The Earl took a turn last night. He has been coughing quite a bit and last night he became feverish. We had Dr. Haraldsen come in the middle of the night.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t want to leave him this morning, but Reginald said prayer would be best for the Earl and that going to church would be best for me. I suppose he’s right. Crispin asked Adam to sit with him. I don’t know why but the Earl likes that man.”

Mama said, “You’re very fortunate in your children.”

“Yes, I am.” She added with an attempted smile, “I just hope the boys don’t fall asleep in church. They were up all night.”

There was nothing else to be said. But it reminded Georgiana that the reason she had been asked to come to Chaumbers in the first place was because the Earl was ill. Dying. How could the Taverstons bear it? If Father were dying… No. She couldn’t even think of it. And how would Mama survive the heartbreak? Lady Iversley was so brave.

They all were. Oh, maybe she should excuse Lord Taverston his false step. He’d assumed they were practically betrothed. How could he have known she had fallen in love with his brother?

They completed the journey in silence.

The carriages were brought up to the front of the church and they hurried inside, trying to avoid the rain. Although small, it was a well-proportioned building, clearly not designed in the style of Chaumbers. No visible depredations had been visited upon it over the centuries. It even retained its stained-glass windows.

The Taverstons took their seats in the family pew. For a moment, it seemed that Georgiana was going to be ushered in beside Jasper, but that would crowd them all and likely displace either Olivia or Reginald, so she pretended not to see the way they were shuffling about. Instead, she followed her mother and Alice into the pew behind—where she could readily study the Taverstons. She hoped the rest of the congregation was not studying her.

The Taverstons did not fall asleep, despite the best efforts of Mr. Brindle, the rector, to lull them. He spoke in a quiet monotone, with a message so uninspiring she wondered if he had composed it over his breakfast that morning. Much more interesting was the fact that Reginald had pulled a pair of spectacles from his waistcoat and wore them during the sermon, then deposited them back into his pocket when Mr. Brindle was done. She hadn’t realized he was nearsighted. And how like him to suffer the indignity of wearing spectacles rather than squinting and pretending he could see just fine.

When the service ended, the Countess was obliged to accept the good wishes and concern of her fellow parishioners, but no one attempted to keep her for long. The ladies returned quickly to their carriage. On the other hand, Lord Taverston was being detained.

Lady Iversley sighed. “I’ll have luncheon delayed. Poor Jasper. Everyone is in such a hurry to curry his favor.” She grimaced. “No, that’s unkind of me. I should not have said that.”

But it was the truth.

Lady Iversley smoothed her dress and shifted in her seat. “Lady Georgiana, I think that while we are waiting for the boys and Olivia to return, I will take you and Miss Fogbotham to see the Earl. If you are amenable.”

“Of course,” Georgiana said. Alice paled. Poor Alice; ever since her mother died, she’d had a horror of sickrooms, but she couldn’t possibly decline.

“He wants very much to meet you. We’d hoped to wait until he was feeling more himself. He doesn’t like to be seen when he’s so ill…” Her voice trailed off.

Before the Earl died, he wanted to approve his son’s choice. Georgiana had believed being kissed by Reginald’s brother was the worst experience, but this was far worse. What if the Earl assumed the courtship had progressed to an understanding? What if he said something leading, something about her becoming part of the family? How should she respond?

After arriving at the house, they didn’t even pause to change clothes but went directly to the Earl’s chamber. Georgiana and Alice waited in the corridor with Mama while Lady Iversley entered the room. It was a long wait.

After what seemed half an hour, the door opened, and Crispin’s valet emerged. He gave them a small bow before slipping silently past. He was more than simply a valet, obviously, but why Crispin had some sort of medical man posing as his valet was beyond her. A delicate digestion was hardly cause for traveling with a personal physician.

The nurse opened the door and Lady Iversley invited them in. The Earl was in bed, sitting up, or rather, propped up with pillows. He was not the same handsome gentleman she had seen in the portrait gallery, or that she vaguely recollected from her childhood. This was a shrunken, elderly man who looked deathly ill. One side of his face sagged, and he wore an eyepatch. A sour odor of sickness permeated the room. She steeled herself not to react and hoped Alice was able to do the same. Lady Iversley beckoned them closer.

“This is Lady Georgiana,” she said. “Lady Georgiana, the Earl of Iversley.”

Georgiana approached the bedside and curtsied, head down. She murmured, “Good day, my lord.”

His unpatched eye watered. He rasped, “Rare beauty.” At least, that was what she thought he said. She prayed it wasn’t something Jasper had said to him. She didn’t want to picture Jasper describing her as his future wife.

“And this is Miss Fogbotham,” Lady Iversley said, nudging a reluctant Alice closer.