Page 26

"You're late," he chastised.

"By two minutes."

Victor was already too on edge to deal with Patrick, "Let's go."

He just had to get today done and over with. In fact, he planned to get the whole marriage business with over as soon as possible so he could go back to the country and be on hand to manage the brewery.

He trusted that Georgie and his mother could fend for themselves out here without him.

Speaking of his mother, she had taken to her bed since he had informed her of his relationship with Lavinia. He knew she would soon be up and about and wailing like he had done something worse than choose a duchess she didn't approve of.

"You look like you need a drink before we leave. You're tense," Patrick raised an eyebrow.

"I need several drinks. Two glasses each for the women in my life," he countered and then went to grab his hat.

"Wait for me!" His sister barked, flying down the stairs, eyes gleaming.

"No," Victor said without sparing her a glance, "You're not coming."

"Says who?" She put her hands to her hip, a scowl marring her face.

"Says me, go back to your room."

"But I want to meet her," the girl whined then turned big, puppy eyes and a pout at Patrick, "Tell him to let me come."

"You should let her come, chap," the viscount said.

The look he shot his friend was rife with betrayal, "You'll just be a bother."

"No, I shall not. I shan't even say a word. I just want to leave the house. Mama is about to drive me into the madhouse with her attitude and I cannot stand it a second longer, brother."

He pressed a thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose and made a mental note to speak to the dowager Duchess as soon as he returned home.

"Fine," he conceded, "But you better behave."

He was too distracted by thoughts of seeing Lavinia again to notice the glance his companions shared.

The three set out for Hartfield house, with the Duke coiled as tight as a spring, Patrick trying to bite back his amusement and Georgie staring at the viscount with adoration.

"You two, wait here," Victor said as he climbed down from the carriage and went to knock on the front door.

The butler opened the door and ushered him into the sitting room where he came upon Lavinia and Lady Hartfield.

"Your Grace," the older woman rose up and dropped into a deep curtsy while the green eyed woman shot him a look before curtsying.

All the tension he had felt on the way over immediately melted away at Lavinia's display. It never ceased to amuse him how she acted like it was such a chore to her. She was in a lilac dress with a neckline that scooped low enough to reveal smooth, milky skin dotted with a few freckles. He idly wondered how far the freckles went on her body. He wanted to find them all and put his mouth on them.

Damn it, this was the wrong time to be thinking of debauching his new fiancée. There was really no good time to be thinking such thoughts since she was off limits to him.

"Lady Hartfield, Miss Lavinia," he nodded in greeting.

"Take care of her," Lavinia's aunt said with a serious look in her eyes. He nodded and then held out his arm for the brown haired woman.

She placed her small hands on his sleeve and they made their way out to the waiting carriage, "My sister, Georgianna insisted on coming along."

"Oh," she said, "That's eh- good."

He couldn't make out her reaction because she had turned her face in the opposite direction and he had the inane urge to order her to look at him.