Page 28 of Scandal’s Daughter

“Oh, Miss Bomford,” she said, with a pretty French accent that Georgiana thought utterly charming. “I am so ‘appy you are coming to London with us. I ‘ave the most wonderful things planned for us both. Oh, where are my manners, do please sit down and I will ring for some tea.”

The niceties of any afternoon call were observed as the three ladies exchanged pleasantries. But then, to Georgiana’s amusement, the countess changed the subject.

“Well, now all the pretty nothings are done, we can talk properly, hein?” She said, giving an irrepressible grin, mischief glittering in those lovely blue eyes.

It gave Georgiana no problem at all to imagine how this engaging creature had brought a confirmed bachelor and notorious rake like the earl to propose to her. She strongly doubted he’d had any choice, for surely no one could resist a smile like that.

“I want you to know that I do not care this much,” the countess said, snapping her pretty fingers, much to the shock of Aunt Jane, “for what anyone says about your mama. And you just see if they dare in front of Alex, ha!” She winked at Georgiana and then glanced at Aunt Jane with an apologetic expression.

“Oh dear, I ‘ave shocked you, yes? Aunt Seymour will scold me, and I ‘ave been trying very hard to be a good English lady.”

“What the devil would you want to do a thing like that for?” said a cultured male voice from the corner of the room.

“Oh, Alex!”

Céleste, as the countess had insisted they call her, leapt to her feet as her husband strode into the room. For a moment Georgiana was struck with a dreadful case of jealousy as she saw the way the two of them looked at each other, as if neither her nor Aunt Jane even existed.

The earl looked down at her with obvious adoration before planting a light kiss on her mouth to the delighted amusement of Aunt Jane. In that moment Georgiana found her longing for Beau a physical thing, a weight that hung about her heart and never allowed her to fully enjoy anything that might pass. If only she could be with him in such an easy, open manner.

The countess returned to her guests looking a little flushed and obviously believing Aunt Jane would be shocked by such behaviour. But her aunt, being so happily married herself, was only too pleased to see two people so well matched.

Once the formalities were over, Georgiana allowed herself to look the earl over while he spoke to Aunt Jane. He was a tall and forbidding looking man, broad and well made, with thick black hair and a stern, uncompromising face. There was a cruel edge to his mouth that made her believe he was not someone of whom you should make an enemy. But every trace of that harsh cynicism vanished whenever he laid his eyes on his lovely wife.

“Well then, Miss Bomford,” he said at last, turning his attention to her. “I understand we are to have the pleasure of escorting you to London with us to make your come out?”

“Yes, my lord,” she said, smiling at him with real gratitude. “And I can only imagine that my uncle must have done you the greatest of favours, for I am well aware of the singular honour you do me in the circumstances, and I will be forever in your debt.”

“Circumstances be dam ... dashed,” he amended at a nudge from the countess. “Baron Dalton is ...” He glanced at his wife who was biting her lip in amusement. “Well,” he said with a sigh. “I suppose I shouldn’t disparage your uncle in front of you but safe to say I don’t like the man, and his treatment of you is beyond anything. It would give me the greatest satisfaction to thwart any plans he may have and so I tell you, you owe me nothing. I shall enjoy putting his nose out of joint beyond anything.”

Aunt Jane nodded and looked at him with great satisfaction. “I know I shouldn’t say it, the baron being my brother and all, but you need have no compunction about cutting up his character before us. After the way he treated us ...”

At this point her voice broke and she was forced to hunt for her handkerchief and press it to her lips while Georgiana searched through her reticule for her aunt’s vinaigrette. This had the effect of unsettling the earl to the point that he made his excuses.

“I shall look forward to seeing you in London, Miss Bomford,” he said before he took his leave of them. “I confess I am relieved that the countess will have someone young and amusing to bear her company in case she tires of her ancient husband.” This was said with a very grave face, forcing his wife to exclaim,

“Bah! What a rapper! Indeed, Alex, you are looking for me to compliment you, and now I shan’t, so run along and leave us ladies to talk in peace.”

The earl looked at her in amusement, one eyebrow raised. “I shall do just that, but I will also be speaking to my cousin Aubrey, as I have no doubt that is where you learned such a vulgar expression. Good day, ladies.”

Once divested of her husband, the countess turned to Georgiana and grasped her hands.

“Indeed, I am so looking forward to this season. The last season I was there ...” She paused and looked a little uncomfortable before smiling and carrying on. “Well, it was my first and it all went in rather a blur. I think I will enjoy it much more this year, especially now I ‘ave a friend to accompany me.”

Georgiana, tried to smile in return and then imagined the scorn of the ton when they discovered she was the daughter of the scandalous Lady Dalton.

Apparently aware of her train of thought, the countess gave her hands a squeeze. “I know what it is to face scandal,” she said in a whisper. “Alex is the dearest man but ... well, I am sure you are aware of his reputation?”

Georgiana opened and closed her mouth, glancing to her aunt for help as she didn’t really know how to reply to that question, but Céleste just laughed.

“Oh, don’t worry, I know all of it, and most of it is quite true, after all,” she added with an irrepressible chortle of delight that made Georgiana chuckle in reply. “In fact, we are having to apply to his Aunt Seymour to try to get you vouchers for Almack’s because poor Alex is banned! Can you imagine? Not that he cares a rush of course, but we will need to go for your sake, and I admit I should love to see the marriage mart at first hand.”

This last put Georgiana quite at ease and she felt sure that in the countess ... Céleste, she had found a friend with whom she could face the trial before her - if not with equanimity, then at least with courage.