Page 35 of A Scarred Wallflower for the Duke
“He…” Marcus shook his head. “Georgie, I am so sorry. But after the two of you parted this morning, I caught the Baron with Lydia.” He sighed heavily, daring to meet her eyes. “They were kissing.”
“Oh. I see.” Georgina tapped her chin. Should she pretend to be a little more devastated?
Marcus frowned. “I thought you would be more upset.”
“Well.” Georgina folded her hands in her lap, putting on her best look of diplomatic reason. “I cannot say I am surprised. We all know Lord Renshaw had an interest in Lydia before she began her courtship with the Duke. And the Baron and I have no strong feelings for one another. Surely, that does not surprise you.”
Marcus shook his head. “That may be so. But, Georgina, can you truly marry a man who is in love with your sister? A man who is not above expressing such feelings not five minutes after parting ways with you?”
Georgina held back a smile. There was something rather endearing about her little brother’s rage. Although she could not help but feel a little sorry for Lord Renshaw. Her brother clearly had him pinned as a man of few morals.
Marcus reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know you feel Lord Renshaw will be your only chance to escape a life of spinsterhood. But would that truly be so awful? You know I will support you for as long as you live.” His voice hardened. “A man like Lord Renshaw does not deserve you, Georgie. You are too good for him.”
Georgina sighed resignedly. How could she keep up the pretense in the face of such a heartfelt declaration from her brother?
She gave him an apologetic smile. “Marcus, I am sorry. Lord Renshaw and I are not truly courting one another. I ought to have told you earlier.”
He frowned. “I do not understand.”
“Him, Lydia and I have a plan in motion. Our courtship is simply a ruse to allow Lydia and the Baron to spend more time together, while I scare the Duke of Levinton away from our family. Once I do that, Lord Renshaw will be free to marry Lydia.”
Marcus blinked, and Georgina could practically see the cogs turning in his mind. “Scare the Duke of Levinton away?” he repeated. “But you have not done that at all.”
“No,” Georgina said brusquely. “So I have noticed.”
Marcus folded his arms across his chest. “Why did you not tell me any of this?” His tone darkened. “Do you not think I ought to have a say in who my sisters marry? Do you think me utterly useless, just as Grandmother does?”
Georgina felt a tug of guilt. In truth, the thought of alerting Marcus to their plan had never even crossed her mind. It was not that she did not trust him, or feared he might support Lydia’s marriage to the Duke—she had just not believed it to be of his concern. Maybe she was guilty of looking down on him because of his inexperience and youth, as the Dowager Viscountess did.
“I am sorry,” she said, meeting his eyes. “Truly. You are right. I ought to have told you what we were doing.” She raised her eyebrows. “Can I assume you support our sister marrying the man she loves?”
“Of course I do.” There was still a frown of concern on Marcus’s face.
“Then perhaps you might like to help us?” she asked hopefully.
Marcus’s expression lightened slightly. “Help you how?”
Georgina leaned forward in her chair and told him about the plan she and Lord Renshaw were planning to enact at Lord and Lady Greenford’s ball.
“The Duke has an interest in you?” Marcus repeated, trying on his best protective-brother voice. He narrowed his eyes. “Exactly what kind of interest?”
Georgina waved his concerns away. “Just an infatuation… It is of no matter. I can handle the Duke’s attentions.”
Obviously a lie, but Marcus does not need to know that…
“But you can help us convince him that Lord Renshaw and I are about to be married.”
Marcus nodded enthusiastically, his overprotectiveness evaporating. “Yes! I shall tell him Lord Renshaw came to me earlier in the evening, asking for your hand. And of course, I shall tell him I happily gave him my permission.”
“Brilliant.”I am doing this for Lydia, she reminded herself.Because I want her to be happy.“We shall be rid of him in no time.” Georgina gave her brother a bright smile, ignoring the hollow ache the prospect left inside her.
ChapterNineteen
Vincent sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at his sketch of Georgina.
Why had she refused to take it? Did she truly not believe it to be an accurate depiction of her? Vincent had put more care into the sketch than he had with any other piece of work he had ever done. Every curl of her hair, every eyelash, every faint line of her scars, had all been drawn with the utmost accuracy. But what he was most proud of was that he had managed to capture her spirit; that fiery, razor-sharp look in her eyes. A spirit he had come to crave like a drug.
I wish she could see herself as I see her.
