Page 88 of Scandal’s Daughter

Chapter 35

“Wherein forgiveness is withheld, but a joyous day begins.”

With all the attendant scandal of their pasts, Sebastian rejected the idea of a special licence.

Georgiana had pouted and wheedled, but to no avail.

“Well, if you don’t want to marry me,” she said with a huff, and not for the first time, as they strolled a little behind Céleste and Alex through Hyde Park.

It was a glorious day. The spring flowers were out in profusion and everything looked green and fresh in the sunshine.

Sebastian chuckled and covered her hand with his own.

“Only another five days, love,” he murmured, looking down at her with warmth in his dark eyes.

“Oh!” Georgiana said wrathfully, as she put up her chin and gave a sniff of disgust. “I don’t believe you love me at all, you wretch! How can you sound so nonchalant? Five whole days!” she wailed. “It’s an eternity.”

He paused then and drew her as close as was possible considering the very public setting, but the need in his eyes was raw enough and only too visible.

“If you think this is easy for me, then you are very, very wrong,” he said, his voice low. “I’m going slowly out of my damned mind. But after the scandals we’ve had to grow up with, we’re doing this properly. So that no one can ever point the finger and say there was anything the least bit shady about it.”

He swallowed and raised her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers with a soft brush of his lips. “But I admit, it’s killing me too, love. I can’t sleep. I can’t think of anything but you.”

Georgiana gave a contented little sigh and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked on. “Well, that’s alright then. Just as long as you’re suffering as much as I am.”

He gave a little bark of laughter. “More, you heartless hussy!”

She chuckled, stopping for a moment to remonstrate with Conrad, who was looking at the ducks on the Serpentine with a considering expression. Chastised, her adventurous hound loped off after Bandit, and Georgiana decided not to wonder about what chaos the two idiotic dogs would bring down on them next.

“Well I think it’s too bad that the Duke of Sindalton can’t get an earlier date for the wedding,” she said, deciding she hadn’t teased him quite enough yet, after all. “I mean, what’s the good in being a duchess if I can’t always have my own way?”

“Oh, it’s like that is it?” Sebastian looked down at her, one eyebrow raised and his haughtiest ducal expression in place. “I’ll have you know that if I wasn’t a duke, you’d have to wait another two months before there was an available space at St George’s! I had no idea the place was so overrun.”

“No, really? I thought you must always get your own way in everything ... I mean, I thought that would explain it at least.” She had the utmost difficulty in looking at his outraged expression and not allowing her lips to twitch.

“Explain what?” he demanded.

“Oh, you know,” she said, waving her hand in an airy fashion and holding back her amusement with difficulty.

“Your high-handed manner.” She was unable to tease him further as mirth got the better of her. “Your face,” she exclaimed laughing as he huffed at her. “Oh, dear, you did look affronted.” Leaning into him, she looked up and batted her eyelashes. “I’m sorry, Sebastian, but you are so deliciously easy to tease.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, an expression in them that made her shiver with anticipation. “Indeed, madam? Well just you remember those words on our wedding night.”

She felt the flush rise over her neck and suffuse her cheeks as her fiancé gave a satisfied chuckle, content that his remark had hit home.

They walked a little farther in companionable silence until Georgiana was brave enough to ask for the information, she’d been hoping he’d volunteer.

“Have you had news about Beau?” she asked, knowing it was a sore subject but not wanting it to be something they couldn’t discuss.

She saw his face darken. “I had a letter from Alperton, this morning,” he admitted. “The fever’s broken. He’ll be weak for a while but ... he’s going to recover.”

“Oh, thank God,” she whispered, closing her eyes as the relief hit her.

Sebastian looked down at her, his eyes troubled. “You care about him.” It wasn’t a question and Georgiana rolled her eyes at him.

“Of course I do, as do you!” She squeezed his arm and sighed. “He’s my friend and I know what he did was despicable and I’m still furious with him for it but ... Oh, Sebastian, he’s so very alone and in a deal of trouble.”

She could feel the tension singing through his body, the arm she held taut beneath her fingers.