Page 15 of A Suitable Countess (To All the Earls I’ve Loved Before #3)

“The Blue Room, I think you said?” George turned on his heel and strode from the library, up the stairs to the second floor and on to the first bedroom on the right. Gently, he tapped on the door and paused a moment before entering.

A maid rose from the bedside and bobbed a quick curtsey before returning to sponging Viola’s face.

Viola’s glorious red hair haloed her head against the white pillow, highlighting the pallor of her skin.

George signalled to the maid to stop what she was doing, and then sat on the edge of the bed and took Viola’s hand, dimly aware of Philip stepping into the room behind him.

“Vi, can you hear me?”

A low groan escaped from her before her eyelids opened a little. Perhaps she saw him, perhaps not, but very quickly she shut them, and a frown scrunched her forehead.

She mumbled, “Bright.”

George turned to the maid. “Draw the curtains and set a candle to the side. The light worries her.”

When his instructions had been carried out, George stroked Vi’s hand. “Look at me, Vi. It’s not so bright now.”

With what was clearly an effort, Viola opened her eyes. “George, what are you doing here, and where, precisely, is here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Upon hearing her speak, Philip rushed up to the bed and took her other hand. “Thank God you are well again. I do believe your bravery saved me from the worst of the attack, but I am sorry you bore the brunt of it.”

“T’was not bravery but anger that drove me, Philip. I didn’t want that horrid man to steal my winnings, and now they’re gone.”

“Forget the money, Vi,” George said. “He could have killed you. If only I had some idea who he was, I’d track him down and turn him over to the law.”

“I know who he is.”

Her words surprised him, but Philip looked astonished.

“How could you possibly know?”

“The man who held us up is the man we played against last night.”

“What, you mean Roger was the robber?” Philip was incensed. “He was masked. How could you tell it was him?”

“I recognised his signet ring. He was so angry when I won all he had, but he cheated, and I don’t like cheats. Once I worked out how he and Terence were communicating, his tell became easy to read. But when he demanded your beautiful emerald stickpin, I thought to save you from their clutches.”

“You—set out to save me? But, but—you’re a woman.” Astonishment and affronted manhood vied in Philip’s voice, youth not liking the idea he had not performed as a man should.

Injured as she was, Viola must have picked up on Philip’s discomposure. She turned her head to the side a little. “I know how to wield a stick pin or a hat pin—whatever woman’s weapon is at hand. I’m sure you’d have done the same for me if you’d not been under the weather, Philip.”

Philip shuffled his feet and harrumphed but appeared somewhat mollified, while George felt himself cheering on Viola’s fighting spirit. Indeed, she had the spirit of a countess.

“Viola, that is, Lady Viola,” Philip brought her attention back to himself. “You would make me the happiest of men if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife.”

That brought Vi’s eyes wide open. She stared at his godson and blinked slowly. “There is no need for that, my lord. No one knows I am here, and no one will, if only I can have my clothes back.” As though she had only now realised how little she wore, Viola tugged the sheet higher over her chest.

Philip stood as rigidly at attention as the Regent’s guards and George suspected his godson had never imagined his proposal would be rejected.

“It’s not that simple, Lady Viola. If anyone sees you leaving my house, your reputation will be ruined.”

“But no one saw through my disguise at the club. And I arrived here as Victor. Why shouldn’t I leave here and continue as Victor until I reach my home?

George came up with the idea that Victor was a cousin of mine to explain any similarity of features, so it would be natural enough for him to visit my home.

Tell him, George. Tell him there’s no need for such drastic action. ”

George felt a smile beginning to form as he looked at her. “You can’t know your disguise will hold in daylight, Vi. But you won’t be marrying Philip. There is no need. I, not Philip, will be the one to marry you.”

Stunned silence from both greeted his announcement.

From Philip he understood.

His godson had not been privy to his pursuit of Viola and therefore knew nothing of his interest in her, but Viola’s reaction surprised him.

After all, they had been talking around the idea of a marriage of convenience between them that day by the river.

Both acknowledged their need to wed for the sake of their families, and both were happy with the idea, especially after they had established how physically compatible they were.

At least, George had thought they were both happy with the unspoken agreement.

But now, Viola stared at him. At long last, she spoke. “Why, George?”

“Who else should it be? We have spoken on the subject, and we know each other’s reasons for wanting to wed. Our decision to delay was simply to get to know one another better. Now, I feel certain. You will make a fine countess, Vi.”

In the back of his mind, George felt good about his decision. His promise, Vi’s bank demands—both problems solved by their wedding vows.

Two birds, one stone.

But something wasn’t right.

Vi pushed herself to sit up and glared at him.

“You are now certain. You are certain. After leaving me for the best part of a week with no word, you drop back into my life and announce you are ready to marry me. Well, Lord Amhurst, I am not certain I wish to marry you.”

“But Vi, I—”

“I proved to myself last night that I am more than capable of providing for my family.”

“And according to Philip, you were robbed and lost your winnings.” George was perplexed. He was missing something, but damned if he knew what. “How can that solve your problems?”

He didn’t want to agitate Viola by persisting in an argument that had no logic he could see. Reminding himself she’d suffered a blow to the head, he realised perhaps that had overset her.

For all that Vi dressed as a man and played poker like a man—better than most men he knew, if he were honest—she wasn’t a man. One glance at her lips was all it took to remind him of how she felt when he kissed her by the river.

And in his coach. How he had kissed her, and there had been no corset hindering his hands on her person.

She was all curves, softness, and passion.

But she was still a woman, liable to fall into female illogic.

“Tell me how playing poker solves your problem.”

“Because I know I can do it again. And again and again as needs be. I find I prefer to rely on myself rather than on a man who may disappear at the drop of a hat.”

“I had a good reason.”

“In your eyes, it will always be for a good reason, George, but I don’t want to live like that.

I realised as I lay here that I want to marry a man who will be by my side, a man I can grow to love.

Physical compatibility isn’t enough to overcome absence.

Only love such as my parents have for each other can do that, and I realised as I waited each day for word from you that selling myself for anything less in marriage is not for me.

So please—take your proposal back to Africa with you and leave me alone. ”

Her anger spent, Viola fell back against the pillows and turned her head away. A hint of pink had returned to her cheeks, but she looked exhausted, and he held his tongue.

George had never considered himself arrogant, but Viola had treated him like an arrogant fool, and perhaps he had been, expecting her to blindly wait upon what she had believed to be his whim.

Although she hadn’t asked where he’d been, nor why, neither had he volunteered the information.

It had been remiss of him not to let her know why he had been unable to return to town.

He’d promised to spend the following day with her and had failed to let her know when he was unable to fulfil his commitment to her.

“We’ll talk about it later, when you’re feeling better.”

“No, George, you have my answer. I no longer wish to marry you.”

Frustrated, but accepting Vi needed time to calm down and heal, George sat back.

He had her answer for now.

It was not the answer he expected or wanted, but it was what she had given.

One way or another, he’d find a way to change her mind.

There was a discreet knock at the door, and a footman entered bearing a hat which he held upside down.

“My lord, pardon the intrusion, but the coachman just found Mr Victor’s hat under the seat and thought he might be desirous of seeing it again after the incident.” He bowed and handed the hat to Philip.

“As though you’d be concerned about the return of a hat,” Philip muttered, dropping it on the bed.

Viola’s lips parted, and she sat up and grabbed it. Thrusting her hand inside, she smiled and withdrew a wad of banknotes.

“He didn’t get it!”

George stared in amazement. “You won—all that in one night? No wonder he was angry and came after you.”

“Now you see why I know I can look after my family. I’m good, George. Really good.”

If she was good enough to discover how a cheat and his offsider were operating and beat them at their own game, she was the best he’d ever met. But that very skill would make her a target for every would-be card sharp who was bested by her.

“Vi, you must see reason now. If you encounter this Roger fellow again while dressed as Victor, he’ll try to kill you.”

“Then I shall learn to shoot and defend myself.”

“Vi—”

“I need to sleep now, and then, Philip, if you’ll be so kind as to call me a hackney cab, I shall return home.” Viola rolled onto her side, leaving George staring at her back.

He shook his head and motioned to his godson to leave the room. Once outside he said, “When she wakes, let me know and I’ll escort her home. Somehow, I need to protect her from this folly.”