Page 35 of Her Duke’s Second Chance (Regency Second Chances #1)

CHAPTER 35

“ G eorgie!” Georgiana looked down to see Daisy staring up at her in horror, “Why did you not ring for help?”

Georgiana cautiously made her way down the stairs, clutching the banister for support because her head was still woozy. She could go for long periods of time without any problem, but then the floor would suddenly sway beneath her feet as though she was at sea.

The physician said it would eventually pass, but Georgiana was impatient. She was not used to being so weak.

Daisy hurried up the stairs and grabbed Georgiana’s upper arm. “You could fall and hurt yourself even more,” she chided.

Georgiana huffed. “I am not a child, Daisy. I can walk down the stairs without assistance.”

“Normally, that would be true, but not for now!”

Georgiana rolled her eyes. Daisy watched with painstaking care as she descended each step. Georgiana did not appreciate being made to feel like an invalid, but she knew Daisy meant well. Once they had finally reached the landing, they turned right to enter the parlor.

Daisy settled Georgiana upon the sofa and was still fussing with the pillows when the butler came in to announce a visitor.

“Lord Stanmore has come to call.”

Georgiana noticed how rapidly Daisy’s face lit up at the news. “Send him in,” she said.

The viscount entered, brandishing two bouquets of flowers. He beamed as he caught sight of them. “How wonderful to see you out and about, Your Grace. I must write to Robert at once and inform him. He will be so relieved.”

Georgiana barely refrained from snorting in derision. “I am not sure he would care,” she blurted.

Lionel frowned. “Of course he would.”

A serving girl retrieved the flowers from him to place them in vases. Lionel took a seat across from the ladies, a look of concern on his face.

“You must understand my friend. He is a stoic gentleman on the outside, but he feels everything so deeply on the inside. Sometimes, it can paralyze him for years. He disguises it with a lot of movement—travel, work, what have you—but in reality, he is frozen in terror.”

Georgiana blinked at his candidness. She did not know how to respond.

“I told you he cared,” Daisy said triumphantly.

To change the subject, Georgiana turned her attention to Lionel. “Speaking of caring, I understand you have been leaving my sister notes.”

“Georgie!” Daisy gasped, mortified.

Georgiana waved a dismissive hand at her. “Must I inquire what your intentions are with my sister?”

Lionel chuckled as Daisy put her face in her hands and whimpered. “Indeed, you should, as the young lady’s guardian. However, I assure you that my intentions are entirely honorable.”

Georgiana nodded. “Good. Because Daisy has been cooped up with me all the while I have been ill. She needs to get some sun. Would you be so kind as to take her for a walk? My lady’s maid will accompany you.”

“I would be delighted,” Lionel said, getting to his feet.

Daisy looked questioningly at Georgiana. “Are you sure you will be all right on your own?”

“I will be fine. I shall just sit here and read some poetry until you return.”

Daisy reached out and clasped Georgiana’s hand. She squeezed it and rose from the sofa. “We will not be gone long,” she promised.

“Take your time,” Georgiana replied.

His grandmother poured a generous shot of whiskey into his cup of tea and Robert took it gratefully. If he had to listen to her pontificate about his behavior at least he would not have to do it sober.

“What happened to Lady Angela was a tragedy. We were all affected.”

Robert nodded somberly in agreement.

“ But , it would have happened whether she was engaged to you or not. One had nothing to do with the other.”

Robert froze.

“You accepted the blame for her death and ran off for years to escape the guilt, yet here it is…it has followed you home and into your new marriage.”

Robert winced.

“I am sorry to be so blunt, but this cannot be handled with kid gloves. Not anymore. Not if you are to have a chance at a real future.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You heard your wife’s friend. She is fed up with you. Can you imagine how much worse your wife must feel? I take it she has been ill? Why did you not say so?”

She held up a hand as he opened his mouth to answer.

“No, do not speak. I know why you did not discuss it. You were running away from that reality, too.”

“I was not running away,” he protested, “I was-”

“Busy? Attending to the family’s business? Performing your duties? I have heard it all before.”

Robert pursed his lips. He could not deny that his grandmother was right. They were all excuses. He got to his feet and put down his cup. “I must go, grandmother. I must go now .”

She nodded. “I expect Stanley should have all your belongings packed by now. Godspeed.”

He bent forward and kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”

The words kept fading in and out as she tried to read the prose, and she blinked hard to try and clear her vision. A vein throbbed in her temple and Georgiana felt a headache starting.

She was tired of being confined to her chambers and did not want to go back to bed. She leaned back against the sofa and stared out of the window. It was a fine day, and she could see traffic passing by through the grates of the wrought iron fence.

Without warning, the door burst open, and Lord Newston barged into the room. She looked at him with shock and wondered how he had managed to get past the doorman, the footmen, and the butler, unseen and unannounced.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed angrily.

“Did you think that you would get away with it forever?” he sneered.

“Get away with what?” She reached surreptitiously for the bell, intending to ring it and summon help, but he snatched it away from her.

“Not so fast, my pretty. We must talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you,” she said viciously, wondering how long it had been since Daisy and Lord Stanmore had left.

Surely, they are on their way back now.

“I do not care because I have something to say to you . I have a lot to get off my chest.”

“Well, I am not interested in anything you have to say.” She pretended to focus on her book. Newston slapped the book out of her hand, and it fell on the floor.

She looked up at him, her mouth agape. “How dare you? Have you forgotten yourself?”

“I have not forgotten the debt you owe me.”

“What debt?” she asked incredulously.

“The debt you owe me for thwarting my plans. When you came to Gretna Green and snatched your sister from my hands. We were to be married. Her dowry would have paid off all my debts. I would have been a man of leisure now instead of running and hiding like some… sewer rat ,” he spat.

“That is not my fault, and neither is it my problem,” she shot back.

“Whose fault is it then? If you had not come after us, everything would have been fine!”

She suddenly felt very tired. His argument was ludicrous, and Georgiana wanted no part of it. “Leave me alone, Thomas. Get out of my house before I scream.”

“Ha!” He grabbed her by her gown and pulled on it viciously until it tore, exposing her stays. “Try it. I shall say that we were having a tryst, and you screamed out of embarrassment at being caught. You are nothing but a harlot, undeserving of your marriage and title.”

She covered the exposed bit of lingerie with her hand. “What do you want?” she asked bitterly, knowing that even if no one believed him, his accusations alone could soil her reputation.

“I want an inconvenience fee. I want you to pay me all the money I would have obtained from Daisy’s dowry.”

She gaped at him, quite stupefied by his audacity. “No,” she said.

“You cannot say no unless you want me to ruin your reputation,” he hissed.

“I said, no .”