Page 31 of A Scarred Wallflower for the Duke
The Dowager Viscountess flapped a hand at her, indicating the conversation was over. “Get out of my sight, child. I am far too angry to look at you any longer.”
Georgina found Lydia upstairs in the sitting room, an embroidery sampler in her lap. She looked up as Georgina entered, and gave her large, sympathetic eyes. “Was it utterly terrible?”
Georgina took her sampler from the basket beside Lydia’s chair and sat opposite her. “Grandmother wishes I write to Her Grace and apologize,” she said. “Nothing I shan’t survive.”
“Good.” Lydia giggled. “I had to try so hard not to laugh during afternoon tea. I could hardly believe what you were doing. And when you told Her Grace you did not like her biscuits, I thought her head was going to explode.”
Georgina returned her smile, though she did not really feel it. “As did I.” She turned her eyes downward, focusing on her embroidery. She was hit with an enormous pang of self-loathing, sitting together with Lydia like this. Yes, Lydia felt nothing for Vincent, but that did not change the fact that they were to be married.
What would she think of me if she knew what I did this afternoon? What I did with the Duke at the park? And at the masquerade ball? How could I have betrayed her like this?
She had engaged in this foolish ploy in an attempt to help her little sister. And if Lydia ever found out the truth, it would do nothing but hurt her. It did not matter that Lydia had no feelings for the Duke; it did not matter that she was in love with Lord Renshaw. The simple fact of the matter was that Georgina had given her body to the man her sister was to marry.
“Where did you and the Duke disappear to, anyway?” asked Lydia, frowning slightly as she tugged the needle through the fabric. “You seemed to be gone for the longest time.”
Georgina flushed. “Nowhere, really,” she shrugged, unable to look her sister in the eye. “He just decided to take me on a tour of the manor. You know him—any excuse to show off.”
Lydia snorted. “I know. I am terribly sorry you had to endure that.”
“Well.” Georgina dug her needle into the sampler with a little too much force. “As long as you end up happily married to Lord Renshaw, it will all be worth it.”
Lydia reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Thank you, Georgie. I do not know what I would do without you.”
Georgina said nothing. She knew she did not deserve Lydia’s gratitude.
“Are you all right?” Lydia asked after a few moments. “You look as though something is bothering you.”
Georgina kept her eyes on her sewing. “Not at all. Everything is fine.”
Lydia hummed, and Georgina could tell she did not believe her. “It was that dreadful Duke, wasn’t it? Did he do something to upset you this afternoon? Did he offend you somehow? If he did, I swear I will… I will…”
Lydia faded out. In spite of herself, Georgina could not hold back a faint smile. She could only imagine the slaughter that would ensue if Lydia tried to confront Vincent.
“There is no need for you to do anything untoward,” Georgina assured her. “I can handle the Duke.”
Can I? I very much doubt that.She had not succeeded in scaring the Duke away from her family—far from it. Her grandmother and the Dowager Duchess had no doubt spent the afternoon planning wedding breakfasts and bridal gowns.
The thought of Lydia marrying Vincent had been bad enough after Georgina had realized he was the man she had kissed at the masquerade ball. But back then, this little dalliance between them had been nothing more than a nameless, faceless, night of bad behavior.
But now… Now, she had given more of herself to him than she had even given to anyone. More than she had ever imagined shewouldgive to anyone. Thoughts of him filled her head endlessly. Her body felt constantly alive, burning for his touch.
After the masquerade ball, she had simply been attracted to him. Now, she realized with sickening clarity that she had begun tofeelsomething for him. Ever since they had met, Georgina had been trying to convince herself of all Vincent’s flaws. He was outspoken and rakish and almost painfully arrogant. Had had so little regard for the woman he was to marry that he asked his mother to find him a bride.
But beyond all that, he was kind and genuine, and warm and open. Flawed and afraid in his own way, just as she was. Both physically and intellectually, he had made her feel things she had never felt before.
Georgina felt tears prick her eyes and she blinked them away before Lydia could catch sight of them.
How could I have allowed this to happen? How could I have let myself get so close to him?
Lydia put down her sewing and came to sit beside Georgina on the settle. “I know you say you can handle him, Georgie, but he clearly did something to upset you. I can tell.” Georgina could feel her sister trying to catch her eye. She refused to let her. “Did he say something to you about your appearance?”
The tears she was fighting spilled suddenly and she swiped at them, furious with herself.
“I knew it!” Lydia leaped to her feet. “That horrible man! How dare he! I shall… I shall tell him at the ball on Saturday that I willnotmarry any man who speaks of my sister in such a way!” She stomped her foot. “What a thoughtless beast!”
“Lydia.” Georgina reached for her sister’s hand, in an attempt to calm her. “Please. There is no need for that. If you make a scene at the ball, it will just make Grandmother even more eager to see you settled down in a respectable marriage.”
“Respectable marriage,” Lydia spat. “I ought to tell Grandmother how awful the Duke has been to you. Then perhaps she might change her mind about what constitutes arespectable marriage.”
