Page 52 of Scandal’s Daughter

His face clouded over, a frown in those gorgeous blue eyes. “Who says I would grow bored? I can’t imagine it now.”

Georgiana couldn’t help but laugh, he looked like a scolded boy who had been denied a treat. “That’s because there is finally something you cannot have, and the more you cannot have it the more you want it.”

“I do want it,” he returned, his voice fierce and such fire in his voice, she caught her breath. “I want you,” he said, and she could see the truth of it in his eyes. “I’ll do anything you want, Eve. Command me. Make me earn your hand if you will but don’t refuse me.”

“Don’t, Beau, please,” she begged him. “Not now.”

He sighed and shook his head, allowing them to move on once again. “Very well, my sweet torment. Punish me if you must. But I’m not giving in.”

“I should hope not,” she replied with an arch smile that made him laugh.

“Vixen.”

They walked a little further until they came upon a crowd of people exclaiming and gathered around. There was something, no ... someone, on the floor.

“Oh, the poor woman!” Georgiana exclaimed. For there was indeed a poor creature in the throes of some kind of fit, her thin limbs jerking and twitching as people watched and exclaimed with horror.

“Get out of the way!” With no little surprise she watched as Beau scattered the crowd with fury flashing in his blue eyes. “Get away from her, you devils!”

He reached down and swept the woman up as though she weighed nothing and Georgiana ran ahead of him, throwing open the door as he strode through, searching for a quiet place to set her down.

“Here!” she called to him, opening a door onto a darkened library, lit only by one oil lamp.

The woman’s body was rigid with tension, her right arm twitching fiercely but Beau carefully set her down on a couch and knelt beside her.

Georgiana watched, astounded as he undid the buttons on the high neck of her gown and then as he held her steady, to stop her tumbling off the side of the couch, and gently restraining the erratic movement of her arm. He spoke to her in a clear, calm voice, and began stroking her hair with his hand as the tremors began to die away.

Beau let out a breath of relief and she noted how pale and drawn his face was with curiosity. He waited until the woman was still, her breath fast and shallow but steady.

“She’ll be alright now,” he said, sounding a little shaken as he got to his feet. “But perhaps you should loosen her stays, make her more comfortable.”

“Yes, I think my uncle would say to do so,” she admitted, looking up at him in wonder. “How ...” she began as Beau turned his back and she tried to make the woman more comfortable.

“Someone I knew when I was a child,” he said, his voice short. “He had similar seizures.”

It was clear he didn’t wish to speak about it, so she returned her attention to the woman.

She was desperately thin, almost emaciated, and even Georgiana found little trouble in moving the poor thing about like a limp rag doll. Her dress was worn and badly faded and Georgiana felt a jolt of pity, realising how very lucky she was.

“I wonder what caused it,” she asked quietly. “I remember one of uncle’s patient’s having something of the sort.”

“Stress or an upset used to trigger my ... my friend’s attacks,” he said, before adding. “Perhaps I should fetch some water?”

“Yes,” she replied and smiled up at him, wondering at his intervention.

Not many men, as it had been seen, would have intervened in such a way. Madness was a terrifying thing, and any sign of something that approached it was to be shunned and reviled.

Though her uncle was adamant that fits and madness were not one and the same thing and neither were they contagious, not everyone shared his view by any means.

“Do you know her?” she asked, wondering if that was the reason he had acted so quickly.

“No, though I have seen her around before now. I know of the man she came with by reputation though, and a bigger bastard you never did meet.”

“Oh,” she replied, looking back at the sleeping figure with regret. “Perhaps we shouldn’t inform him then.”

“No.” He shook his head. “We’ll stay with her until she wakes and then find a way to get her home.”

Georgiana smiled at him, suddenly struck that she’d underestimated him. She’d judged him as she’d raged against those who’d judged her in turn.