Page 41 of The Colonist’s Petition (Heirs & Heroes #2)

Thirty

He had scarcely finished the third page when a heavy pounding on the front door broke the silence of the house. Johnathan closed the book and listened as one of the footmen answered the door.

“His Lordship has retired for the evening. You may call in the morning.”

“But I must speak to my grandfather.”

Georgiana? Impossible. Johnathan jumped from his chair and rushed to the door where the footman was still trying to decide if he should allow a cloaked woman accompanied by a liveried footman into the entry.

“Georgiana?”

Her eyes met his.

What the devil was she doing here? And at this time of night?

Johnathan ordered the footman to admit her and send for the earl and Lady Healand at once. In the flurry of trunks and footman Johnathan and Georgiana were unable to give but the briefest of greetings before Lady Healand appeared, quickly followed by the earl.

As the fire still burned in the library, they gathered there to hear Georgiana’s tale over a pot of tea. There was a moment of stunned silence as she ended her recantation of events which landed her on the doorstep in a lightly falling snow so late that night.

The earl was the first to speak. “I sent my carriage back to Kellmore to take your sisters to Bath as soon as we arrived in Town. Likely they are enroute already. No need to worry on their account. Unfortunately, this is the first place your father will look for you.”

“I do not know what father wanted other than to remove me from Lord Banbridge’s protection.

I believe sending me to Yorkshire was meant to be a punishment.

Lord Banbridge’s spectacular manor house hardly qualifies as punishment, as I have no responsibility beyond entertaining his daughter whenever I wish.

Father can hardly force me to stay at Lightwood Manor on my own since he expects me to have a brilliant Season and news of my living without a chaperone would ruin his plans.

What reason would he have to remove me from Town? ”

A similar conversation occurred in this very room only days ago. Lady Healand glanced Johnathan’s direction. He took a deep breath before answering. “As long as I am here, Sir Lightwood has reason to remove you from this house.”

“Why?” Georgiana tipped her head.

“I asked your father for permission to court you. And he refused.”

Georgiana’s mouth popped open but no sound came out.

“He gave me leave to court either Alexandra or Jane, but not you.”

“I do not understand.” For the first time in the conversation, Georgiana blinked as if tears might form.

The earl took his granddaughter’s hand. “I believe he thinks that you have the best chance of making a good match and since he is firmly set against Johnathan having a future here in England he intends to forbid the match.”

“He cannot. He has an agreement with the Duke of Aylton.”

“An agreement that says he cannot force his daughters to wed,” said the earl.

Lady Healand set her teacup on the tray. “However forbidding a daughter in marriage is not the same thing, nor was it part of the agreement.”

Georgiana’s shoulders slumped. “We are not yet at the point of marriage. It was only a courtship.”

As he suspected, she was unprepared for the full commitment.

The earl looked from one to another. “If you were prepared to wed, I could think of a solution.”

“What grandfather?”

“The same as your aunt. Gretna Green.”

Georgiana and her aunt gasped at this suggestion.

Whomever Gretna was, she could not be that bad.

Lady Healand shook her head. “Not this time of year. Traveling to Scotland in the dead of winter is hazardous at best. Not to mention the damage to her sisters’ reputations. I have been reproached many times for my choice to marry over the anvil.”

If he had not been confused before, Johnathan was completely befuddled now. “Pardon, who is Gretna Green?”

His question elicited a giggle from Georgiana and a laugh from the earl, lightening the melancholy filling the room.

Lady Healand answered his question, “Gretna Green is not a person. It is a Scottish village just beyond the border, where the matrimonial laws prove rather more accommodating than our own. Young couples of ardent attachments flee there for immediate nuptials. The local blacksmith may perform the ceremony without benefit of banns or parental permission.”

“An elopement then?” How could the earl propose such a thing for his own granddaughter?

“It is one suggestion,” said the earl.

“I cannot do that. Father will take all his anger out on Jane. And I promised I would be at her side this Season. And Johna—Mr. Whittaker—is to charm the daughters of those whom he needs to vote for him. If he is wed that cannot happen.”

He had not thought of the aspect of their marriage standing in the way of his petition. Obviously Georgiana had thought much about the matter.

“We need another option. One that keeps all of my nieces from Felton’s temper and allows Johnathan and Georgiana to have social interaction. For they cannot live under the same roof,” said Lady Healand.

“We did at Kellmore,” said Georgiana.

“The eyes of the ton are not on Kellmore. And that was before Johnathan stared in the eyes of so many of this Season’s debutants. A prospective Earl does not come along every year,” said Lady Healand.

“We discussed the possibility of my taking a flat before the Season. Will that not suffice?”

“It is still not ideal. It would be so much easier if you were here. And we have not found one suitable in the vicinity.”

“Could I not stay with Phil?”

Lady Healand tapped her chin. “The viscount’s mother and sisters are also in residence. Miss Moriah is to be introduced this Season, I believe. If there is room, it would be a good solution to the present problem. Still, Johnathan would need to take a flat before Jane arrives.”

The earl yawned. “It is too late to send around a note tonight. I will do so first thing in the morning. I do not expect Felton before then. Even if he followed you immediately, his carriage is not up to such a quick journey, and he is unlikely to pay for the fastest horses.”

“Come,” said Lady Healand. “They have made up your room next to mine. We shall settle the rest in the morning.”

The earl accompanied his daughter and granddaughter out of the room.

Alone, Johnathan stared into the fire. Elopement?

The word echoed in his head, bouncing all of the other words associated with it; dishonorable, ruined, and words that would make his mother cringe.

Georgiana deserved a better marriage than that.

She also deserved a choice. She had known so few men.

It was only fair she meet some this Season.