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An attendant arrived bearing glasses of champagne, and Georgiana downed hers in just a few gulps. She couldn’t seem to settle her nerves. Or shake the sensation that she was being watched.
“Steady on,” Louisa murmured, but Georgiana pretended not to hear.
She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, focusing on the crisp taste of bubbles bursting on her tongue. After a moment Louisa greeted someone, and Georgiana opened her eyes. She turned toward the entrance and was met by an all too familiar amber gaze.
Reggie had returned. WithCaptain Harris.
The champagne’s heady effect was immediately deadened. She shot an accusatory glare at Louisa, but she was already rising from her seat, and David was pretending to be engrossed in the program. This had been the plan from the very start. And they all knew.
Georgiana stood. “Traitor,” she growled at David as she passed him. He at least had the decency to look chagrinned.
Reggie, on the other hand was unrepentant. He stepped forward and blocked her path. “Don’t be cross now. I thought only of your safety.” Then he looked hurt. “You should have told me about that fellow following you home.”
Georgiana let out a huff. “It was nothing.”
“Captain Harris doesn’t seem to think so.”
“Of course he doesn’t. You’re paying him to think otherwise.”
“Georgie,” Reggie cautioned, but she ignored him and arched her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the man himself. Louisa was busy chattering away, as if they were old friends, while the captain listened patiently. He looked terribly dashing in his black evening jacket, which emphasized his broad shoulders and lean waist. Georgiana’s gaze lingered on his long white-gloved fingers, which were gripping his cane’s handle. He happened to glance over at that moment and caught Georgiana staring. As their gazes locked together, the very air seemed to crackle before he quickly returned his focus to Louisa.
“That doesn’t explain what he is doinghere,” she said, wishing she could stomp out the noticeable flutter in her chest.
“It’s to send the message to the guilty party that we are taking these threats seriously, and we’ve taken steps to ensure your safety.”
Georgiana was dumbfounded. “My God. You’re serious.”
“The only one who isn’t taking this seriously isyou,” he said. “And I won’t simply stand by and wait until something happens that can’t be undone.”
“You really are overreacting,” she insisted, even as a chill ran through her. She glanced over her shoulder. “Look, it’s about to start.” Then she turned back to Reggie. “But don’t think this is over,” she said pointedly.
Her brother let out a little sigh and muttered something aboutstubborn sistersas she took the seat on the farthest end of the box.
David leaned over, his face the picture of contrition. “I wanted to tell you, but I was outvoted.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
He glanced toward the entrance. “For what it’s worth, he seems like a competent fellow.”
Georgiana let out a very undignified snort and crossed her arms. “Oh yes.Extremely.” She then moved to the edge of her seat and faced the stage, where the conductor had just appeared. Georgiana clapped along with the rest of the audience, and after a moment she detected movement beside her. Louisa and Reggie must have taken their seats. She didn’t give a damn where Captain Harris was. Perhaps Reggie had stationed him outside the box, to make sure that no agents of chaos attempted to burst inside and hand her another vaguely threatening note.
Honestly.
The lights dimmed and the orchestra started up. As the first notes of the overture rang out, Georgiana leaned back in her chair and let out a soft sigh. If nothing else, she would enjoy herself tonight. But just as she had begun to relax, someone cleared their throat.
“I’m sorry,” a familiar deep voice murmured over her left shoulder. “I thought you knew.”
The captain was directly behind her. She turned slightly toward him, close enough to detect his scent of clean linen. And feel the heat of his body. “You should have said something earlier.”
“I hadn’t received the invitation yet.”
Then it had come after Louisa spotted them outside Lady Gray’s.
Taking the threats seriouslymy foot.
Perhaps Reggie truly believed that, but Louisa was up to something else entirely. Georgiana worked her jaw and suppressed the urge to glare at her sister in front of the whole of London society. She had probably read the gossip item about her and the captain that appeared in the papers yesterday too. And now they were sharing a box together.
Georgiana tore her gaze from the stage, where a man was professing his undying love, and looked around the theater. Her stomach sank as she noticed a fair number of pairs of opera glasses trained on her. Onthem. A few voyeurs had the decency to look away, but most did not. She should be used to this by now. For years her movements had drawn attention. Scrutiny. Judgment. And she had endured it all by assuming the mask of the viscountess. Of a woman entirely at peace with herself and the life she had chosen. It was her only defense.
