Page 73 of Watching the Earl

“Then get me whatever you have. I’m must leave immediately.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Georgina busied herself with donning her bonnet while she waited impatiently for a conveyance, disappointed yet relieved that Philip didn’t come out to ask where she was going.

Finally, Haines opened the door. “Your barouche is ready.”

Sweeping past the butler and into the conveyance, she took a seat. “Lord and Lady Harewood’s.”

Soon she was headed toward Rose’s brother’s townhouse, where Georgina knew she was welcome. Traffic was slow and she readjusted the skirts of her dress, trying desperately to hold on to her anger because to think about what Philip had said was too painful. When the barouche slowed, she looked ahead to see traffic barely crawled along, but it didn’t appear blocked. Maybe she should walk like she had—

Lord Ashfield!

His words that day echoed in her mind. Simpering chit. You’ll rue the day you dared speak to me in such a manner, you trollop. He must have been the one to reveal her secret, not caring how he appeared, unless he didn’t include his own name. Even as the thought occurred, she already knew it to be true.

Furious, she reconsidered walking, then noticed Lady Dawber staring at her. She gave the woman a nod, and the lady quickly looked away. Truly, had everyone heard already?

The barouche continued to crawl along. She kept her gaze forward, not willing to meet the eyes of any other members of the ton.

The longer it took, the harder it was to ignore the stinging in her belly. Philip had married her as his penance. Finally, someone had wanted her, but he’d expected she would be so horrible that he would have to suffer her for the rest of his life. That truth filled her, making it hard to breathe.

She’d thought her family cruel, but they’d never pretended to care about her. He had. He’d been very attentive. Was that part of his suffering, too? Or did he only do that so others would think them in love, to better protect his father’s legacy? The answer came hard and fast, causing her chest to tighten and her eyes to water.

The driver stopped the barouche before Lord and Lady Harewood’s townhouse. Georgina wiped at her eyes and forced herself to take two deep breaths before alighting. As much as she now wanted Philip to be shamed by her secret, she hated for his dear mother and sister to also be.

When she entered the townhouse, she found Rose had not returned yet from the aviary. Uncertain what to do, she was saved from a decision by Dory, who arrived just then with her husband, Lord Harewood.

“Georgie, how lovely to see you.” Dory wrapped Georgina in a hug, which made her tears start again, but she held on to her anger and gently disengaged herself.

“Dory, I need the Curious Ladies’ help.”

“Something has happened?”

“My secret is out, and I know who revealed it.”

Dory looked at her husband, who simply nodded and left the house.

“My husband will make sure everyone comes. Now, let us sit and have tea as we wait.”

Waiting was not Georgina’s strength, but she had no choice. She entered the parlor behind Dory but could not sit. Instead, she paced.

“Felton and I have been at the new panorama and we heard nothing of this. Are you sure others know, Georgie?”

“Yes, and everyone will know by evening. The entire crowd at the aviary heard. And my husband thinks I’m the one who revealed it.”

“How could he?”

Georgina stopped and just stared at Dory.

Finally, Dory’s eyes widened. “Of course, you can’t keep a secret. I’m not good at it either, but I didn’t tell a soul. I promise. Aristotle doesn’t look at secrets as hidden; it’s more about knowing when to tell the truth depending on the audience, circumstances, and what the results might be. He believed that holding back information isn’t deceit, per se, but rather intelligence.”

Georgina stopped and stared at Dory, whose studies back at the school had been in philosophy.

She grimaced. “I’m rambling again.”

Georgina shook her head and continued her pacing, trying to ignore the pain in her chest and the panic that seemed to be growing. “I wish I could ramble right now. It’s one thing for the ton to know I was ruined, but now my husband’s whole family will be brought into my shame. If only I had never—”

“Georgie!”