Page 40 of His Stolen Duchess
“What? Did you… did you say yes?”
“I did, although I didn’t believe I would regret it so quickly.”
Georgina wanted to run around to the other side of the desk and embrace him, but she knew he would definitely not like that.
“And where shall I place her?” Georgina asked.
“Wherever you wish.” Lysander looked back down at his papers. “You are the lady of the manor. I assume you will know where she is needed.”
“Oh, yes, I do.” Georgina tried not to let all her excitement seep out. “Thank you, Your Grace. I really do appreciate it.”
“Think nothing of it,” he mumbled.
Georgina half-turned to leave, then stopped herself and looked back at the Duke. She had expected him to say no to her. “Why did you agree to my request so easily?”
Lysander looked up again from his papers, his patience now wearing thin.
“You are the Duchess, which means your word is also my word. You made a promise to get someone, and that promise became my promise. I am not here to deny you anything. I am here to support you in getting what you need. I only hope I won’t live to regret any of these decisions.” He looked back down at his work before growling, “She is a woman and not a parrot, isn’t she?”
“Oh, yes, she is! I promise she is!” Georgina again wanted to run and embrace him in her happiness, but she held firm.“Thank you, Your Grace.”
She left quickly so she wouldn’t take up any more of his time. She practically ran down the stairs in her joy and headed straight forthe drawing room. She would write a letter to Dottie and inform her of the wonderful news.
Chapter Twelve
“Good morning,” came a beautiful trill from the trees.
Lysander looked up to see Georgina appear in her bathing suit. She had a smile on her face and was doing her best to hide her nervousness.
Lysander waved to her. He stood by the gaping hole that had once held the stone gazebo, and he would go to his wife after he had finished surveying the first work.
Lysander slowly walked around the stone gazebo to ensure the work was being completed to his satisfaction. He had decided to remove it completely and start anew. The old gazebo had been taken out, and most of the stone had been removed, save for a few large stones that could be reused for the new building.
I used to use the gazebo a lot when it was here. Will I ever use the new one?
He didn’t need to think about that right now. The morning was beautiful and mild, with the sun rising brightly behind the trees. The water would still be cold, but the water was always cold.
As Lysander made his way over to Georgina, he hoped there would be no repeat of the panic she’d experienced during their previous lesson, but he understood it. He’d seen men in the military who had become deathly afraid of guns after fighting in the war, even those who returned home physically unscathed.
We all have our experiences, and they contribute to who we are. Georgina almost died at the bottom of a lake. I must be patient with her.
“Good morning,” he greeted once he’d reached her. “Are you ready for another lesson?”
“Of course,” she replied. “I wish we could have done this sooner.” She turned in quick fashion and began marching into the water.
“Patience.” Lysander took two large steps and placed his hand on her arm, pulling her back. “Let’s not be too hasty. I admire your tenacity, but I’m teaching you, so we do this together, all right?”
“Whatever helps me to learn the quickest.” Georgina looked out at the water with her hands on her hips, smiling.
The smile was barely holding on. She reminded him a little of some of the younger men who went to war. Nearly all of them wore brave faces before their commanding officers, and almost all of them were the most terrified they had ever been in their lives.
“You continue to impress me. You are determined to overcome your fear.”
He knew that the best way to deal with someone overconfident was not to argue against them, but to encourage them while monitoring them. If you gained their trust, you could influence them without them resisting as much.
“Thank you.” Georgina kept the smile on her lips, but it looked heavy, as if it wanted to drop off into the water with a large splash and sink to the bottom of the lake.
“How about you lead the way?” Lysander suggested. “Take the same steps we took the other day, and I will follow you in. Go in as deep as we went on that day.”
