Page 5

Extracting a large set of keys from her apron, she opened the door and stepped back, indicating that Georgiana should enter.

“You said hot water? Anything else?”

“A maid to help me with my clothes, please.”

The woman nodded and slowly shuffled back to the stairs.

Georgiana watched her go, ensuring that no one else was in the corridor, then stepped into the room and shut the door with a sigh of relief.

She had no idea what the duke was doing here. It was an added complication she could do without, but she could not focus on that now; the immediate problem was locating her sister.

The more she thought about it, the more she wondered why she had not simply commandeered a carriage in London. Robert had several parked at the mews for the use of the household. She had not even thought of it.

Having been used to managing on very little, she had simply looked for the most economical option.

She sat on the bed with a sigh, realizing she had been wearing the same dress for at least three days. She had thankfully brought a nightgown with her so she would not have to sleep in her day-gown during the stops she made along the way. She now felt itchy and uncomfortable, as though the fabric of her dress was melting onto her skin.

“It is of no consequence. Tomorrow I shall find Daisy and we will go home,” she mumbled, hoping her words would turn out to be prophetic.

There was a slight knock at the door. Georgiana looked up, her heartbeat accelerating. “Who is it?”

“It’s Caroline, ma’am.”

With a sigh of relief, Georgiana stood up and opened the door. She peered down the corridor as Caroline lugged a large basin of steaming water into the room.

“You wanted a bath, ma’am?”

“Indeed, I did,” Georgiana said absently as she closed the door.

She wondered where Robert might have gone. Was he still around? Had he left already? Should she have spoken to him further?

She jumped as she felt Caroline’s hands on her shoulders before she realized that the other woman was simply unlacing her stays.

She relaxed, letting the serving girl undress her before she stepped into the bath with relief. She had not realized how tense she was until the hot water had extracted all the tightness from her back and shoulders.

She sat back with a sigh, letting Caroline scrub her thoroughly, before rushing off for more hot water to rinse her with. Afterward, Georgiana put on her shift, as Caroline dusted her gown. She curled up on the bed, her tiredness putting her into a somnolent state.

Georgiana was startled awake when Caroline stated, “All done, ma’am.”

“Oh, thank you, Caroline,” she said, reaching for her reticule and extracting a single copper coin, handing it to the servant girl. “I would like to have breakfast in my chambers very early tomorrow so that I can leave.”

“I understand, ma’am. Gretna Green is not far. If you start out early you should be there before the parish opens.”

Georgiana nodded. “Thank you.”

Caroline gathered her buckets, opened the door wide, and carted everything out of the room.

Georgiana paid no further attention to her and gazed out the window at the beautiful golden sunset.

She wondered if Daisy was looking at the same sunset, and whether she was still unsullied. She also thought of her friend, Selina, who was just four-and-twenty years old and already the Dowager Countess of Galerton. Remarkably, she was still a virgin, since the late earl had been unable to fulfill his husbandly duties.

Of course, Lord Newston is unlikely to have that problem.

The door banged shut behind her and she jumped, whipping her head around, her mouth half open, ready with a reprimand.

Her jaw fell further open when she saw her husband looming over her, his broad frame hiding the door from view.

“Wha-?” she mumbled incoherently.