Page 11 of Invitation to Pleasure
After she left Daniel had not realized he’d sighed out loud until Billy said, “You said the wrong thing. For the past few years someone has always wanted something from her. Her mother. Her father. Men who are blinded by her beauty. She doesn’t trust nobody.”
“Idon’twant anything from her. I do wonder why she is so set on reclaiming Apollo when it will cause her problems. Where are the horse’s papers?”
Billy rubbed Colton’s nose. “Her grandfather gifted her the horse. I was present when he brought the colt here and gave it to her. I heard him telling her it was her birthday present. I don’t know nothing about any papers though.”
So Georgiana had not lied. She believed the horse was hers because she’d been told that was the case. “That’s a pity. The horse is valuable and Lord Hascombe forgave a large debt for the colt. I could persuade him to return the horse—”
Billy looked up from where he was polishing a bridle. “Don’t bring Apollo back here. His lordship would simply sell him again and that would ruin my lady’s plan.”
Daniel casually asked so as not to reveal what Billy had just let slip, “What plan.” But Billy wasn’t stupid. He turned away and ignored his question. “What plan?” Daniel insisted.
Billy hesitated before turning to face him. “I owe Lady Georgiana. She saved my life once. I fell into the stream running through the back paddocks and it was running swift. I lost my footing and I cannot swim. She jumped in and saved me by holding my head out of the water before getting us both to the bank.”
Envy bit, poisonous venom slipping into his veins at the knowledge Georgiana likely trusted Billy more than she would ever trust him. He realized the groom would never reveal her secrets. Trust won is easily lost and impossible to regain. “She’s one hell of a woman.”
“That she is. And because of that she’s always putting others before herself.” Billy indicated he needed to heat more wheat before they started the long walk back to Hascombe.
“Others before herself,” Daniel murmured to no one but a horse. His immediate thought was that Georgiana was protecting someone.Who?Her mother was her only family other than her father who she despised.Her mother!But what would her mother need protection from? And how did Apollo fit into the plan Billy would not divulge?
He ran a hand through his hair and then stroked Colton’s nose as the horse nibbled at his jacket pocket. He pulled out a sugar cube from his pocket. He always carried them for his horses. Colton was most appreciative. Daniel would have a new horsey friend for life.
He wondered who Georgiana’s friends were. Who could she rely on? Probably only Billy here and as a groom he could not protect her—especially from her father and his journey towards bankruptcy, or even jail for fraud.
Memories of what his sister had to do—alone—to survive and protect them both came flooding back. Rheda had no one and it had almost cost her life. A shudder wracked his body. He could not bear to think of Georgiana in the same situation. Rufus had been his sister’s savior. As he stroked Colton’s nose he silently vowed he would be Georgiana’s fierce knight. He would stand between her and anyone who would take advantage or hurt her.
On a wry smile he hoped she would let him, but knowing the stubborn and distrustful chit he rather doubted that. Still, it would be a way to get to know her better. To understand why she stirred his soul and why it seemed his heart ached for her.
And most of all, understand what it would take to make Georgiana his.
Now that was a scary thought.
Chapter 5
Georgiana yawnedas she made her way back to the house, her heart heavy with both elation and disappointment, coupled with the need to hit something—hard. Why did men always expect payment? Why couldn’t a man simply do something nice because it’s the right thing to do?
After what they had both shared her mind was spinning… Worse, she could think of nothing but the pleasure he’d given her. For one fleeting moment the desire to beg Daniel for help almost overwhelmed. Then she looked up and saw her mother standing at the window. Her mother was all she had and she needed protection. What if she went to Daniel for help and he too thought the asylum was the place for her.
She had to find a way to instigate her plan.
And yet, everything had changed.
Daniel.
She refused to look deeper at why her blood boiled when Daniel had said those words ‘pay me’. She had thought he was different. When he’d suggested they talk to his brother-in-law about Apollo instead of arresting her on the spot… never mind. She had to keep reminding herself Daniel was just a man and she could never allow herself to rely on any man.
She hated owing anyone. She saw what debt had done to her father. Made him desperate, twisted him into someone she didn’t want to know. Or maybe he’d always been like this and she’d been too young to understand.
Her father had her trapped because of his threat to her mother. Sometimes she thought she’d go mad at the unfairness of it all. She knew perfectly well that once her trust came through, he’d use her love for her mother to bleed her dry and then where would she be. She’d be like most women in this world, needing a man to take care of her because financially they held all the power.
Daniel’s handsome face flashed in her mind. For one silly moment she’d actually thought he might be an answer to her troubles. If she could find a man as nice as Lord Hascombe she might consider marriage—that would put the devil of a sickle in her father’s plans. She’d almost convinced herself Daniel was such a man, given he was Lord Hascombe’s brother-in-law, and then he had to ruin it all with a few words.
“Your father’s on the war path looking for you.” Burton sighed when he saw the state she was in. “I told him you had to help the servants aid Lord de Winter since he had become ill.”
“I could kiss you.”
“I’d rather you didn’t. You smell like the stables. Perhaps a quick change would be best. I have alerted your lady’s maid.”
Georgiana wasted no time answering but hurried up the back stairs.
