Page 31 of The Society Catch
‘Sir?’
‘I wish to see Lady Brandon.’ Joanna shivered. The voice was deep, perfectly polite and with a bite of utter authority. It was also the voice of a very angry man who was reining in his temper hard.
‘I will ascertain whether her ladyship is At Home,’ Rooke responded with sublime disregard for the fact that his mistress was in plain view behind him. ‘Who should I say is calling, sir?’
‘Colonel Gregory. I regret to say I do not have my card case with me.’
‘Thank you, Rooke. I am Georgiana Brandon.’ Georgy held out her hand, tipping her head back to look up at Giles.
‘I sincerely trust you know why I am here, ma’am.’
‘Really, I cannot–’
‘Lady Brandon, I implore you not to play games with me.’ Joanna could see that he still held her friend’s hand. ‘If Miss Fulgrave is here safe with you, that is one thing. If she hasnotarrived, it is most serious and a search must be undertaken immediately.’
‘Yes, Colonel. Joanna is here, and quite safe.’
He freed her fingers and Joanna saw his eyes close. His hand reached out for the doorpost and she wondered if he was dizzy with exhaustion, then the grey eyes snapped open and all she could glimpse there was anger.
‘Then would you be so good as to allow me to speak to her?’
At the head of the stairs Joanna gripped the banister andstrained her ears. Under the controlled cadences of his voice Giles’s rage was all too plain for her to hear. She had never heard him speak so levelly.No, Georgy,she pleaded inwardly,do not let him in.
‘I am sorry, Colonel. Joanna is far too tired to receive visitors tonight.’
‘Then perhaps you would be so good as to give her a message, Lady Brandon. I will return here the day after tomorrow with a chaise and a chaperone and I expect her to be ready to travel back to Hertfordshire without further prevarication.’
‘That is not necessary, Colonel. I have invited Joanna to stay.’
‘I am sorry to contradict you, ma’am, but Joanna’s parents have charged me with returning her to her home.’
‘She does not wish to go.’
‘Oh, brave Georgy,’Joanna whispered under her breath.
‘What Miss Fulgrave wants is, I regret to say, neither here nor there. She is unmarried and therefore under the authority of her father who has entrusted me with her safe return. I am sure I do not have to tell you what an outrageous risk she took, riding all this way alone?’
‘Yes of course it was most imprudent, but–’
‘And I may rely upon you to ensure she remains here safely until I return for her?’
‘I…well…yes, very well, Colonel.’
‘Georgy how could you?’
‘Thank you, Lady Brandon. I wish you good evening.’
The door had hardly shut behind him when Joanna came running down the stairs. ‘Georgy! I can’t have heard right. You have never promised to let him take me away?’
‘Ssh, Jo.’ Georgy cast a speaking glance at the butler and swept her indignant guest into the dining room. ‘Thank you, Rooke, we can serve ourselves, I will ring when I wish the courses removed.’
The butler bowed himself out followed by both footmen and Georgy plumped herself down in her chair. ‘Don’t glare at me so, Jo. What could I do? If I had saidnohe would have marched in here and dragged you off, I feel sure of it.’ She shivered delicately. ‘He was magnificently angry. I am half in love with him myself.’
‘You may have him,’ Joanna retorted furiously, splashing water into a cut-glass flute with scant regard for its fine rim or the polish on the table. ‘He is angry because I defied him and he is used to people obeying his every order.’
‘Jo, do calm down and be reasonable. He was angry because he was worried about you, and he looked exhausted. Do you realise he had ridden here bareback? Goodness knows why.’
‘I hid all the girths, and the bits from the bridles too.’
