Page 30 of Scandal’s Daughter

“Goodness yes,” Seymour said, tutting and shaking her head. “It’s a pity but you are the image of your mother.”

“Oh, Aunt,” Céleste reproached her. “But she is a great beauty! How can you say it is a pity?”

“Because it is!” the old lady replied with a huff. “Much better for the child if she’d been unexceptional. Then people wouldn’t be so quick to judge and compare. But looking like that ... well, they’ll all say the Siren’s been born again.”

She pointed her quizzing glass at Georgiana, punctuating her words as she waved it at her. “You’ll need to be beyond reproach, girl, do you understand? They’ll be watching your every move, waiting to see if you show the slightest sign of following in your mother’s footsteps.”

Georgiana nodded, knowing she was right. “Yes, Lady Russell, I do perfectly understand. I promise I will do everything I can not to bring embarrassment to you or your family.”

To her surprise the old lady gave a bark of laughter. “As to that! I assure you my nephews have blackened the family name enough to withstand anything you might bring down on us.”

Georgiana smiled, as terrifying as she was you couldn’t help but warm to the earl’s outspoken aunt. “Well, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your support, and that of the earl and Lady Falmouth. I feel blessed indeed to have such champions at my side.”

Lady Russell gave her an approving nod. “Yes, you’ll do. And you’re welcome. I’d like to say you won’t need us, but you will. You’ll have to be brave, brazen it out, you understand.”

Georgiana felt her stomach twist, but she nodded. “Yes,” she said, hearing the tremble in her own voice. “I understand and I will do my very best.”

***

The weather continued to be bleak and unpleasant and worsened as a thick fog descended on the capital. Some days it was so completely dark, even in daylight, that coachmen were obliged to get down and lead their horses by lantern light. Reports of the Spa Field riots in Islington in early December seemed to echo the air of discontent that hung over the country as grey skies and freezing temperatures kept England feeling grim and grey.

Christmas came and went far too quickly, and it was with a heavy heart that Georgiana bid goodbye to her aunt and uncle. Despite everything going on outside of Lord Falmouth’s home, they had enjoyed a wonderful holiday. Lord and Lady Falmouth were gracious and generous hosts, and Georgiana and her aunt and uncle only too ready to be pleased by everything.

Little by little, however, the time passed, and the weather improved, and the ton began to return to the capital.

Georgiana knew soon she would have to face them, and this pleasant little interlude would be over. In a way she welcomed it. The fear of her come out had seemed to glower on the horizon for the last months and now she just wanted it over with.

Of course, what she wanted more than anything was to find Beau and let him know everything that had happened to her. That she was now an heiress. That she was not so very low born after all ... that they could be together, if it was still what he wanted. The thought of course crossed her mind that he would want nothing to do with her when he discovered who she was.

She was sure she had often read his name linked to the current Duke of Sindalton. They were close friends if the scandal rags were to be believed, and that might make things more than a little awkward but ...

if he truly loved her, as he’d said he did, surely, nothing could keep them apart?