Page 92 of Scandal’s Daughter

Chapter 36

“Wherein .... a wedding! And a loving retribution is joyfully given.”

The wedding breakfast was an intimate affair with just Georgiana’s aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Falmouth and Lord Nibley and his sister, Florence.

Conrad was also in attendance with his partner in crime, Bandit. The two irredeemable rogues surveyed the floor and cast hopeful gazes upon the assembled company. Unshakeable in their belief that someone would give them one of the scotch eggs which they were well aware were somewhere among the lavish spread supplied by Fortnum and Mason’s, they continued to wag eager tails.

Sebastian had, however, been adamant that Conrad would not be going with them on the honeymoon to Paris, despite Georgiana’s protestations that he would pine for her.

On applying to Lord Falmouth to ask if he would keep him for the duration, so that at least his dearest companion, Bandit might be close at hand to keep him company, Lord Falmouth had simply replied, “Good God, no!”

So, Conrad would return to Cornwall with Aunt Jane and Uncle Jo, where Georgiana was assured, he would be walked daily and allowed to chase rabbits to his heart’s content.

If Georgiana felt that her new husband’s pleasure in the day was lessened by the absence of his best friend, it was a thought she kept to herself, though she resolved to do everything in her power to remedy the rift as soon as she was able.

The wedding breakfast finally came to an end after much toasting and the congratulations of their nearest and dearest.

A tearful farewell was indulged in by the ladies and Aunt Jane was obliged to cling hard to her husband’s arm while that heartless individual laughed, though not unkindly and implored her not to be such a silly goose.

Georgiana just smiled and decided it would be churlish to point out that she’d noticed Uncle Joseph surreptitiously wiping his eyes just moments earlier.

The journey to Claridge’s was ridiculously short and Georgiana teased her new husband for being too terribly proud and top-lofty to walk the short distance from Grosvenor Square to Brook Street.

Sebastian just snorted and told her to mind her manners for retribution was due, before kissing her with a ruthlessness that left her still flustered and red-cheeked as she entered the hotel.

If the staff thought it odd that his grace would spend his wedding night a few doors down from his own home, they gave no cause for either of them to suspect it.

For her part Georgiana was delighted with the sumptuous hotel, and more than relieved not to be entering the domain of the dowager duchess of Sindalton, the mere idea of which had put her in a quake.

Sebastian had quickly laid to rest her fears admitting that he felt entirely the same way. So, a night at Claridge’s had been decided upon before setting off on a honeymoon to Paris and then down through France and on to Italy.

Lord Falmouth had insisted that they stop off at his brother’s home close to Bordeaux as he was sure Georgiana and his sister-in-law, Henri, would hit it off wonderfully well.

Céleste had agreed with this, only adding with a mischievous grin that Sebastian would also like Lawrence far better than he did Alex.

Finally alone with her new husband in a large and elegant bedroom which held the slightly daunting focus of a huge double bed, Georgiana found herself unaccountably nervous.

Especially as there was a challenging light in his eyes which she knew she had put there with her teasing over the past days. Refusing to look too much the blushing bride, she put up her chin and met his gaze head on.

“It’s been such a lovely day, Sebastian, and thank you so much for being so kind to my aunt and uncle. They adored you of course.”

“Of course,” he said with a smirk, divesting himself with some difficulty of his skin-tight coat.

“Here, let me help you.” Georgiana helped him ease the exquisitely tailored article over his broad shoulders without creasing the art of the peerless Mr Weston too severely. “Oh, dear, your valet would have kittens to see me doing this, wouldn’t he?”

“Oh, good heavens, don’t,” Sebastian said, snorting with amusement. “He’ll be sulking for weeks as it is for being given the evening off. I’ll no doubt be told apocryphal tales about half a dozen young bloods who would merrily stab me in the back just to get their hands on him as revenge.”

“Well it was your idea to get rid of all the servants until tomorrow. Most improper according to Aunt Jane, though you won Céleste’s approval at any rate,” Georgiana said chuckling, though she was aware it was a rather nervous sound as Sebastian’s hands went to his waistcoat buttons.

She swallowed, watching the progress of those strong fingers as they made their way down the extravagantly embroidered silk of this impressive garment. Sebastian cast it with negligent care onto the floor and stepped closer to his bride with a decidedly feral grin.

“Now then, your grace,” he said in a low voice.

“Oh!” Georgiana said in surprise, interrupting him. “That’s me now, isn’t it?” She gave a little laugh of surprise. “Your grace! How strange it sounds.”

“Yes, it is,” Sebastian said, sounding rather impatient. “Now do be quiet, love. I want to seduce you.”

“Oh,” she said again, trying and failing to smother a laugh. “I do beg your pardon.”