A Daring Liaison(28)
Charles said nothing, but reserved judgment. All he knew for certain at this point was that things—and people—were rarely what they seemed. And that babies did not just appear out of thin air. No, if he wanted answers, he would have to get them from Mrs. Huffington. As soon as possible.
“One more thing, Hunter. Have you met Lord Carlington?” Wycliffe asked and waited for Charles’s nod before continuing. “Gossip has it that he and Lady Caroline were sweet on each other her first season. In fact, it was rumored that an engagement was in the offing. Then Lady Caroline’s accident sent her back to Kent to recover. As you know, she did not return until she brought Georgiana for her introduction to society.”
“You think he might know something?”
“He may be the only one still living who could fill in the holes of Lady Caroline’s story and know what happened that season. If she had secrets, she might have confided in him.”
Charles nodded. He’d call on Lord Carlington tomorrow. He glanced at the packet on the table beside him. There had to be something in there—some clue that would explain the odd occurrences.
“Meanwhile, Hunter, you should know I still have runners looking for Dick Gibbons. He will eventually surface, and when he does—”
When he does? “You will send for me. I mean to have the pleasure of dealing with that scum myself.”
Chapter Seven
Georgiana read her aunt’s will for the third time. She had expected most of what she’d found there—generous bequests to family retainers, instructions for the disbursement of a few personal items to an old friend, a sealed packet to be hand delivered to Lord Carlington and one for herself. The rest and remainder of her worldly goods were to go to Georgiana. Funds, investments, real property and personal effects, including the Betman jewels and Betman Hall, were all to be hers. Generous, certainly. Undeserved, perhaps. But hers, nonetheless. And no mention of the Foxworthys.
She had long been aware that Caroline’s fondness for her was born more from obligation than any true affection. Still, the fact remained that she’d been closer to the woman than anyone else from the moment she’d been taken to Betman Hall. Their relationship hadn’t been everything Georgiana had longed for, neither had it provided her with a sense of belonging, but it had been enough for a little girl who’d been left in a foundling home for three years before anyone had come for her. Enough for a penniless orphan who’d been destined for a life of servitude and poverty.
The chime of the tall case clock in one corner of the study pulled her from her musings and she set the personal packet aside with the others and took a sip of her tea, pondering the meaning of it all. Aunt Caroline had never mentioned friends aside from the two to whom she’d left bequests, and those friendships had been maintained through correspondence since her disfigurement. No friends had come to call, nor had she called on them when in town. But one acquaintance, Mrs. Thayer, had agreed to be Georgiana’s sponsor for her introduction to society, as Lady Caroline would not make an appearance herself.
Lord Carlington’s connection to her aunt was a complete mystery. Lady Caroline had been as close to a recluse as anyone Georgiana had ever known. When they’d come to town, she’d worn a veil and dealt with invitations and other social obligations by mail. She’d even remained behind closed doors whenever anyone called on Georgiana. When had she known Lord Carlington?
Georgiana now wondered if she had been mistaken in the extent of Caroline’s outside connections. After all, Caroline had never even mentioned the Foxworthy brothers, let alone made a provision for them. But Walter Foxworthy was suing to control it all, and Georgiana into the bargain. Heaven only knew what surprises might lie ahead for her in the next weeks.
Well, she’d put it off long enough. It was time to deal with Aunt Caroline’s last requests. With no small measure of trepidation, she broke the seal on the thick packet with her name on it and dumped the contents onto her lap. No personal items, just three sealed letters with names and addresses on the outside. And a fourth for her.
She broke the seal on the letter with her name and unfolded the page.
My dear Georgiana,
I am sorry to lay this burden upon you, but there is no one else I can trust—only you. I know you will faithfully follow my instructions to the letter.
You must personally deliver the enclosed bequests, Georgie, lest they fall into the wrong hands. And you must be present when they are opened, lest there be questions. The reason for this will become apparent presently.