Page 26

G eorgina sat in the room she shared with Charlotte and Jaclyn.

She frowned as Jaclyn paced their chamber.

Charlotte had not returned from the hunt, and their instructors and the headmaster were upset.

Rightfully so… Once Charlotte’s father realized they had misplaced their daughter, he’d be enraged.

She had never met the duke, but the little Charlotte had said made her hope never to be blessed with an introduction.

Besides, she had other things on her mind.

Like that kiss she’d shared with Lord Foxmoore.

She had not expected he would kiss her and that had been a pleasant surprise.

More than pleasant truthfully. She wanted him to kiss her again and do so much more than that.

When he touched her, she felt as if her entire world had finally arrived in the moment for which it was meant.

As if he was the reason for her very existence.

No, that was far too simple of an explanation.

It was more like his presence had been missing before and now he made her feel complete.

They had also not won the scavenger hunt.

They had dawdled inside the maze far too long admiring the statues and the fountain, and that kiss surely didn’t help either.

Not that she would complain about any of that.

She had enjoyed her afternoon and perhaps she should feel terrible that she had found some semblance of joy when Charlotte might be injured or something far worse; however, she couldn’t stop the happiness that filled her at the memories she now carried from her time with Lord Foxmoore.

“Where do you think she is?” Jaclyn said, exasperation in her tone. “She can be reckless—we both can—but she’s never done something like this before. Something had to have happened to her.” Jaclyn bit down on her lower lip. “We need to find her.”

“What do you propose we do?” Georgina lifted a brow. “Do you know where to even begin searching?” She had to make Jaclyn see reason. She wanted to help Charlotte. Truly she did. But there was nothing they could do for her and if they went off looking, they might find themselves in a similar fate.

Jaclyn sighed and slumped down on her bed. “No,” she said in defeat. “No one does. I don’t know those woods either. The hunt was entirely on Easton land.” Georgina couldn’t even claim to know the Havenwood lands well. She was far too new at the school to be much help in that regard.

“Then we have to wait.” She hated that she had to give Jaclyn that bit of advice.

Georgina would happily go with her to find Charlotte if she believed they could make a difference.

“There are individuals far more suited than either of us to search for her.” She smiled softly.

“And you know they suspect she is with Lord Easton. If that is the truth, he will ensure she’s taken care of, and no harm will come to her. ”

“Are you so certain?” Jaclyn asked. She fidgeted as she met Georgina’s gaze. “I don’t think she likes him overly much. Why would he help her?”

Georgina stared at her new friend. “How can you believe he wouldn’t?”

“Neither of us know him well,” she said emphatically. “They don’t get on well. They bicker…”

“That doesn’t make him any less of a gentleman,” Georgina told her.

How could Jaclyn not see what was happening between the marquess and Charlotte?

Was it because she had been too wrapped up in her own emotions regarding the Duke of Amberwood?

“And there is the fact they’re falling for each other.

” She grinned. “It’s not exactly a customary courtship, but it is one. ”

And that made her rethink her interactions with Lord Foxmoore.

Was the earl courting her? What a novel idea…

Should she be bold and ask him what his intentions were?

If he were actually courting her, that changed the scope of everything.

Did she dare dream that he wanted more from her than a scandalous kiss in the middle of a maze?

“You believe that?” Jaclyn said. “That they’re courting?” She frowned. “Like as in marriage and forever?”

“Yes,” Georgina said. “I’m willing to wager that at the end of this, they will be found and a betrothal will be announced.

” They would have no choice. The scandal of their disappearance would ensure that outcome.

It would be a hasty wedding, and they would have to say their goodbyes to Charlotte.

She would soon be a marchioness and then move in with her new husband.

That saddened her a little bit. She liked Charlotte and would miss her.

“Interesting,” Jaclyn said. “Not to change the topic, because I am truly worried about Charlotte…” She met Georgina’s gaze. “But I must ask you something.”

Georgina sat up straighter. Jaclyn was staring at her with something gleaming in her gaze. She didn’t like it, but for the moment she’d allow her friend to interrogate her. “As long as you’re willing to answer a few questions yourself.” If Jaclyn wanted answers, then so did she.

Jaclyn narrowed her gaze. “All right, but I reserve the right to not answer the question.” She held up her hand. “Before you say anything, you can choose not to answer me as well. It’s only fair.”

“Agreed,” Georgina said, then waited.

“You mentioned wagering.” Jaclyn’s lips twitched. “You have been spending quite a bit of time in the Earl of Foxmoore’s company.”

“I didn’t hear a question there.” Georgina had a feeling she knew exactly where her friend was going with this, but she didn’t want to give her any assistance either.

“That is probably because I didn’t ask one. I’m getting there,” she said. “Is he courting you?”

Georgina had just been wondering that herself.

She could answer with the truth, or she could deflect.

What would be the best way to handle this question?

The truth would be much simpler. “I would not presume to know what Lord Foxmoore wishes or has planned. Whatever he wants, he has not shared his intentions with me.”

“Do you want him to court you?” Jaclyn asked.

Did she? Georgina tilted her head to the side and considered that question.

He was a handsome man and his kiss had been…

Well, that kiss had been much more than she could have imagined.

She suspected it could be even more than that if he hadn’t stopped.

She had almost begged him to kiss her again.

“I do not know,” she said quietly. “Before I came here, I found it difficult to attend social gatherings. Speaking to anyone was a chore that I could not bear. What if he does want to marry me? Will he expect me to be some grand hostess? Because that sounds like misery to me.”

Jaclyn nodded. “I suggest you consider all of that because I believe he does wish to marry you, and you will want to know your answer to that question before it leaves his lips.”

She was right of course. Georgina did need to decide what she hoped to gain from her time with Lord Foxmoore.

If she did want marriage, then she had to discern what her own desires were and if she would say yes to the earl.

What if this speculation amounted to nothing?

He might not even want her as his wife. Georgina would not worry over something that may not happen, but she would take some time to consider what she truly wanted.

“Now that we have that done,” she said. “I hope you found my answers acceptable and are ready to answer a few of mine.”

Jaclyn frowned. “What do you wish to know?”

“Why is there so much tension between you and the Duke of Amberwood.”

She didn’t say anything for several moments. She just stared at Georgina and blinked. When she did speak there was frustration in her tone she couldn’t hide. “That’s not so easy to answer.”

“We have time,” Georgina prompted. “And I’m good at listening.”

Jaclyn shook her head. “It isn’t that…” She glanced away. “There was a time that I thought there might be something between us. That he wished to have more from me.”

“You thought he wanted to make you his duchess,” Georgina supplied.

“Yes,” she said with a bob of her head. “But as you know, most of us that are here are trying to escape a scandalous past. Mine involves the duke, and it is almost as if he followed me here and I can’t escape my mistakes.

” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I can’t escape him,” she said in a tone so low Georgina almost didn’t hear her.

“Do you want to?” she asked. “Escape him, that is.”

Jaclyn’s gaze flew to meet hers. Panic filled her eyes, and she drew in some shallow breaths.

Then she closed her eyes and calmed as she then took in some slow easy breaths.

When she opened her eyes, she did not look crazed but resigned.

“I want a future free from the past. I may never have that, but I cannot imagine a time or place where the taint of my scandal will dissipate as long as Amberwood is in my present. I need him to leave me alone, but I fear that will never happen. There is too much between us, both said and unsaid. There is also distrust and anger on both sides. Neither of us wants to truly let the other go, but neither can we trust each other enough to move forward. It’s… hopeless.”

“It sounds that way,” Georgina agreed. “But perhaps something will change.”

“I don’t believe it will.” She blew out a breath almost as if she were fortifying herself. “I may have to leave Havenwood. As long as he is here, nothing will change.”

Georgina hoped Jaclyn would not leave the school, but it was out of her hands.

Just like the search for Charlotte was not something they could participate in.

Some things had to resolve themselves and offered them little control.

She hated it, but she had to accept it. What she could do was search herself and make a decision about Lord Foxmoore. One that she could live with.

*