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Georgiana stared curiously at Robert, wondering why he was complimenting her. Cecile’s words were still ringing in the back of her mind, and she knew she should be putting her words into action, but he had managed to catch her wrong footed. She had not expected to see him before suppertime and had been devising her plan to seduce him.

She was aware that she was acting suspiciously. The book she had been reading was quite innocuous if perceived as just another love story, but the way that she had jumped and covered up its pages made her sure he thought she was hiding something from him.

No, I cannot allow him to see what I was reading, or he may uncover my plan.

She did not want to continue their conversation about money or her looks. From Robert’s demeanor, she could see that his sobriety was compromised.

“May I fetch you some water, Your Grace?”

He raised his eyebrow at her offer. Georgiana became distracted by his long, dark eyelashes, which framed and emphasized the vibrancy of his steel-grey eyes.

If anyone is beautiful, it is Robert.

“Do I seem thirsty?”

“No, you appear to have imbibed a little more whiskey than I initially surmised. I simply wished to help you overcome your intoxication.”

“While I am grateful for your concern, I am quite capable of looking after myself, thank you very much,” he replied dryly.

Georgiana huffed at his dismissal. “I was simply trying to be helpful. It would behoove you to reciprocate in kind.”

He leaned forward and smiled at her. “Forgive me. I am unaccustomed to you showing concern for me, therefore I failed to recognize the gesture. Perhaps, next time, you can begin with a gesture of affection so that I can discern your intentions,” he whispered, his breath brushing across her cheek.

She suppressed a shiver and smoothed down her skirts in an attempt to regain her equilibrium. “Wh—what do you mean by that?” she squeaked.

He smirked. “I can show you better than I can tell you.” He lifted his right hand, one eyebrow raised in question.

She merely nodded.

He cupped her cheek, stroking her skin gently with his thumb, his impossibly long lashes sweeping downward for a moment as he examined her face. He traced his index finger over her bottom lip, his eyes darkening, and ran his tongue across his lips as he drew closer to her.

She held her breath, her eyes fluttering closed. Her skin became warm, and she felt a tingly heat rise from her breasts and spread across her face and ears. Her heart raced wildly with a mix of anticipation and fear. Without warning, Georgiana shot to her feet in a panic and ran from the room.

CHAPTER 15

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

Waking up with his head pounding was not how Robert liked to start his day, but sometimes it was inevitable.

After Georgiana had run away from him, he felt quite justified in finishing what Jakob had started and got himself drunk.

It also did not help his low mood when Georgiana later excused herself from dinner on the pretext of feeling ill. It was a hard blow to his ego to learn that the thought of sitting across from him at the dinner table made her sick.

That was when he opened his second bottle of brandy.

Now he was paying for it. With a groan, he shuffled out of his bedcovers to sit on the side of his bed.

He jerked, startled. “Stanley…I do not recall ringing the bell.”

“I heard you wake, Your Grace.”

Robert let out a sigh, slumping forward tiredly and rubbing his hands across his face. “I am not in the mood to be groomed,” he groaned softly.

Stanley made a noncommittal sound and busied himself with laying out his tools. “Some hot water on your skin will help you feel better, Your Grace,” he said.

Robert surrendered and allowed Stanley to shuffle him over to the vanity, where he seated himself and leaned back. Stanley placed a hot, wet cloth over his face, and he felt himself relaxing despite his aching head.

By the time Stanley had completed his ministrations, Robert felt like a new man. Before venturing out of his chambers, he grabbed a piece of foolscap and quickly wrote a note to Lionel, asking permission to call upon him that morning.