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Elizabeth's eyebrows rose. “What do you mean?”
“He mentioned she wasn't sitting with us, then said it was a long story. He seemed annoyed. Do you know what happened?”
“Remember when Jane and Caroline came to visit a couple of weeks ago, when Will was in California?”
Georgiana nodded.
“Caroline had a lot to say about your brother and his dating habits, most of which were lies. She also implied she’d slept with him.”
Georgiana's jaw dropped. “Eww,what? You're kidding me! Will would never touch that–thatbeanpole!”
Elizabeth burst into laughter.
“It's not funny! I can't believe she did that!” Georgiana exclaimed, clearly upset.
“It definitely wasn’t funny. Unfortunately, there were other things going on at the same time, and I almost fell into her little trap—until your brother set me straight. Neither of us has seen Caroline or spoken to her since. I didn't even think about her being there tomorrow night.”
“She better hope she doesn't cross my path.”
“Your brother and I can fight our own battles, Georgie. Hopefully it won't come to that—at least, not at the benefit. The last thing I want is a scene.”
“Just stay close to Will. If Caroline knows he's mad, she'll avoid him like the plague. Plus, she can't stand Richard, and the feeling is mutual. Oh, I can't wait to meet Richard’s girlfriend. And are you ready to meet Catherine and Anne?”
“Catherine and Anne?”
“Yes. Catherine DeBourgh was married to my uncle, Richard's father, until he died a few years back. Anne is her daughter from her first marriage.”
“They're coming?”
“Will didn't tell you? Catherine is annoying, but she’s bearable. Anne is nice, and so funny. I think Catherine always hoped that Anne and Will would hook up, and I think Anne wouldn’t have minded, but Will was never interested.”
Elizabeth felt a spike of annoyance.Why am I just finding out that Anne will be at the benefit?
Granted, she had no reason to dislike the woman; in fact, Anne had made it a point to let Will know about Elizabeth's phone call that morning. But she didn't know what to expect when she met her and hated the idea of the unexpected—especially at an event like tomorrow night’s. On top of that, she might have to deal with Caroline.
“We’re here! Hopefully Will isn't running late,” Georgiana said.
They left the bus, grabbed their bags, and headed into the terminal. Elizabeth immediately spotted Will's handsome face in the crowd.
He smiled as he reached them. “Hello, ladies. How was the ride?”
“Fine,” Georgie answered.
Will looked at Elizabeth expectantly, and she offered him a weak smile. “Fine.”
He kissed her, then pulled back and studied her with a puzzled expression, but said nothing. He grabbed their bags and they walked through the terminal, with Georgiana walking a few steps ahead of them.
“Hey,” he said quietly, and Elizabeth turned to him. “Are you okay?”
She nodded once. “Fine.”
* * *
Elizabeth lookedaround Will’s townhouse—a beautiful brownstone—in astonishment. He’d told her it wasn't as cozy as the New Seabury house, but he was mistaken. The floors were dark hardwood, and the walls were painted a soft linen white. One wall, which ran the length of the home from front to back, was all exposed brick. The artwork gracing the walls was contemporary and colorful and contributed to the overall ambiance and warmth.
The home had three levels. The bottom level was the common area: kitchen, living room, dining room, half-bath, and the foyer, which had a high ceiling and a beautiful staircase leading up to the next level.
“Come on, let’s get your bags upstairs and get you settled,” Will said quietly.
