Page 22 of Watching the Earl

“You would?” Philip’s surprise was clear in his tone.

“Of course. Your sister was always anxious to learn more. Exercising the mind is as important as exercising the body.”

“Thank you, Mother. I’m sure I would have enjoyed attending such a school. Then again, I’d have come home when asked to.” The angry look Berry sent Philip had Georgina catching her breath.

Immediately, Philip rose. “I don’t wish to impose upon you any longer, sister. Lady Georgina and I shall now depart.”

“But Philip, we were just getting to know your betrothed.”

He ignored his mother’s statement and extended his hand to Georgina. With no recourse, she took it and rose from her chair, then faced Lady Durham. “We shall have much time to learn about each other. After all, I will soon be part of the family.” She smiled, hoping that her words helped the obviously disappointed woman.

Lord Granberry had risen as well. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Georgina.”

Georgina was about to reply when Lady Durham rose and gave her a hug, whispering in her ear, “Please take care of my son.” When Philip’s mother stepped back, her smile belied the worry of her statement. “Yes. I’m so pleased you will be part of our family in just a fortnight.”

Berry didn’t rise, nor say anything, and so Georgina took Lord Durham’s offered arm and left.

Once they were settled into the coach, he lapsed into silence, once more looking out the window, despite the limited light on the roads as they traveled to her parents’ townhouse.

Though she had myriad questions running to and fro in her head, she kept silent, watching him instead. His silence this time seemed to come from what his sister had said. He remained sitting straight up as if he’d been attacked and expected to be so again. He also probably didn’t realize it, but the two middle fingers of his right hand curled in to meet his thumb and then released at variable intervals, much like the gray heron pulled its head in then out to strike at its prey. Something her betrothed thought about must be causing that.

She relaxed back into the cushions of the coach, something she rarely did when with people, but as she watched him, she found herself remaining still. There was something relaxing about simply watching, even if she couldn’t do so for long, her own energy building inside until it burst.

Luckily, the ride home was fairly short, and when the coach stopped, it was Lord Durham who seemed startled and unsure of where they were.

For the first time in her life, she felt as if she were in control of the situation, so before the footman opened the door, she sat up straight and spoke. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Lord Durham. I adored your family and look forward to being a part of it. Did you wish to visit the art exhibit before or after the lecture on Tuesday?”

His head turned at the sound of her voice, as if he’d forgotten she rode with him. Then he stared for a moment, and she would have sworn if someone asked that he had no idea who she was at first. While it was a bit hurtful, her own feeling of control well made up for it.

“I will be pleased to take you to the lecture first. Perhaps we can visit the exhibit on Friday afternoon?”

“I will look forward to both.” She smiled at him as the door to the coach opened and she moved forward, reaching out to grasp the footman’s hand as he helped her down. She didn’t turn and look back, as she didn’t wish to be disappointed that Philip had already forgotten about her again. Instead, she swore she could feel his gaze on her as she climbed the stairs and slipped into the townhouse. As soon as the butler took her pelisse, she ran up the stairs to her room, too full of excitement and her new taste of power.

She entered her room and stopped short. Chests sat on the floor about her room, half filled with her clothes.

She looked toward her armoire. “Mother?”

Chapter Eight

Philip rode his horse through Hyde Park, the fresh air clearing his head from his usual demons, and instead of his father, he found his thoughts wandering to his betrothed. They had but a week left before the final banns were read. Three days later, they would be wed and riding off to Crestfield so he could introduce his new bride to his estate.

He was stymied by Lady Georgina. She was at times awkward in speech and motion, but at others she was completely still. On more than one occasion, he’d found her studying him as if he were a puzzle she was determined to solve. He was hardly complicated—though he found her to be so. One moment she appeared desperate for his attention, and the next she seemed quite confident and poised. It was odd, and he couldn’t quite understand it.

He counted himself lucky that she had yet to tell anyone of their true reason for marrying, her made-up story working well for both of them. As their wedding approached, he found himself curious. Since she was no longer a virgin, the consummation could be much more enjoyable.

Though he found her to be pretty, she was not particularly the type of woman he usually bedded. He was used to more robust, larger women that he could truly sink into. Yet there was an energy about Lady Georgina that he hadn’t been aware of when he first met her, but that became apparent at the lecture they had attended on Tuesday. Her excitement before, during, and after the lecture had had her moving constantly, as if she didn’t know how to hold it all in. Would she be like that in bed? If so, there was great potential for them to enjoy each other.

Then at the art exhibit, he could sense her impatience. It wasn’t anything she’d done, besides a number of sighs and polite smiles, but he could almost feel as if that very energy was building inside her and ready to explode. It would be nice if there was some hint of attraction between them, but so far there had been none. Could it be she still yearned for the man who had betrayed her?

The idea, as ludicrous as it was, bothered him. She was his now. He didn’t want her mourning some lost love. Maybe it was time they discussed it.

“Durham, hold up!”

At the call, he slowed his horse and looked over his shoulder to find Tamworth galloping toward him. His mood immediately brightened and he turned his horse around.

Tamworth pulled up and grinned. “I called at your rooms, but they said you were here.”

“Indeed, you found me. I didn’t expect you until the morrow. If I’d known you were in London, I’d have ridden to your brother’s townhouse.”