Page 47 of A Gentleman's Reckoning
Instead of leaving, Mr. Dowling advanced into the room until he was standing in front of her desk. Fortunately, this served as a barrier, for she was beginning to feel as though she needed one. He leaned in.
“Without wishing in any way to go beyond my station, my lady, I hope you will know how much I long to be of assistance to you, even beyond my duties in the orphanage. How ardently I wish to serve you. In fact?—”
Geny held up a hand. “Let me stop you right there, for you have indeed gone beyond your station, Mr. Dowling. I think it best to end this conversation here.” She stood to make her point, her hands on the desk in front of her until he bowed and took a step back.
“Of course, my lady. It was not my wish to disoblige you.”
Geny did not deign to answer but waited until he left the room. Then, she sat back down and pulled the list toward heragain, realizing that she was shaking from the encounter. Mr. Dowling was growing bolder.
Her father had once attempted to dissuade her from going to the orphanage with only a maid for chaperone because he did not like for her to be importuned by men of lesser status. She had always shrugged it off, unable to imagine how anyone might do such a thing to her, an earl’s daughter. Now she had a taste of what it was like to suffer unwanted advances from a man who was almost repugnant to her. At the same time, she was aware of how disappointed her father would be to learn that she had happily made such allowances for John—a man who could only be repugnant to him. She brought her gaze back to the list and attempted to focus so she could pass it on to Mrs. Harris, whose friends had clothing to donate.
When she arrived at home that afternoon, Matthew was sitting in the drawing room playing a game of marbles on his own. He looked up when she came in but did not jump to his feet in the same eager way he usually did.
“Were you not to go to riding in Hyde Park with Father today?” she asked. His posture reminded her of Gabriel. It was the despondent mood and similar age.
Matthew shrugged. “He said he would not be able to take me today. He had something to attend to.”
Geny sighed and went to sit on the sofa beside him. “It must have been a great disappointment for you not to go.”
Matthew shrugged but did not return an answer. She recognized in his gesture some of the rejection she often felt from her father, but her own disappointment had been softened by a mother’s devotion and love. Matthew did not remember their mother very well.
“Let us take out the backgammon set. Would you like to have a game?”
“I suppose.” Matthew’s voice could hardly show less enthusiasm.
“I’ll ring for tea first so that we may eat, and then we will play.”
Geny tugged at the bell pull, and by the time they had finished eating what had been sent up for the tea platter and pulled out the backgammon game, her brother’s good nature had returned. They laughed as they argued over the better strategy in play, and she loudly regretted having lost when she had to concede defeat.
“So you will agree that my strategy of making a strong opening is superior.”
She threw up her hands. “Why, I must, my lord. After all, you won.”
The door opened, interrupting their laughter, and their father walked in. The atmosphere sobered in his presence, although Geny doubted he would have noticed.
“You are both home, are you? Matthew, I received word from your headmaster that there are still cases of contagion, so you will not go back yet this week. He will send me a report in a few days to see when you might return to school.”
“Yes, Father.” Her brother did not attempt further conversation with their father, nor did the earl apologize for having left him at home.
“Eugenia, it is good you are here. I want you to send an invitation to Lord Amherst’s residence, for it must be written in a feminine hand. You will invite him to a small dinner party on Friday. You will need to invite another young lady of your choosing to even the numbers—but not Miss Buxton,” he clarified. “Invite Mr. Milton, as well. He is a good friend of the marquess. I will give you a list of the other guests you must include.”
When Geny was slow to reply, he looked at her curiously. “Yes, Father. I will do that tonight.”
“Very good.” Her father walked back to the door. “I will be in my study.”
There was silence as the door closed behind him, and as much as Geny wished to continue in the cheerful atmosphere, she could not easily retrieve their former playfulness.
In one day, she had had the only gentleman who mattered express his feelings for her but refuse to act on them because of the difference of their stations. A second one who stepped out of his proper place to express his “ardor” until Geny cut it short. And now, her father was forcing the interest of a third suitor that she would certainly turn away if he attempted to propose. But it would mean a strained relationship with her father beyond what they had experienced to date. It was not an auspicious day.
Chapter Seventeen
Having at last declared his feelings toward Lady Geny, and given her his word that he would seriously pursue her in six months if she still wished for it, a fire now burned inside John to make sure it happened.
He needed to find concrete evidence of the earl’s fraud and dishonesty—if there was any, although there could not be any doubt of his perfidy—and he needed to find a way to regain his standing in society. If at all possible, he needed to do it in such a way that would not harm his chances with the only woman he had ever cared for. At the moment, he could not see how all of this might be achieved.
His first step was to confront Lord Hollingsworth with the new piece of evidence, and he went to Blackstone’s with that purpose in mind. At the club, he was shown into the drawing room, where he looked around but did not find his target.
He needed luck on his side, for there was much to do. After his conversation with Lady Geny, he was beginning to feel that he had too little time in which to do it. He went into the billiard room next, but there were no players there. Finally, he poked his head into one of the card rooms and was rewarded for hisefforts. Lord Hollingsworth was there, playing with another member.
