A Daring Liaison(36)

“You could simply refuse him. Tell him that you have no intention of marrying him. Ever.”

She glanced around to be certain they were quite alone before speaking. “I have, in fact, thought of that. But it would make no difference at all. He was determined to help me even before he proposed that we...marry. For some unaccountable reason that eludes me entirely, he has taken on my cause.”

Sarah blinked her wide, violet eyes. “Love, perhaps?”

Oh, how she wished she had not promised Charles she would not divulge their plan! “P-perhaps. All I know is that he will not be dissuaded. I have tried everything I can think of, to no avail. But...”

“But?” Sarah prompted.

“But, please, if you can, change his mind. Should something happen to him, it would be my fault. I could not live with that. “

Sarah sighed heavily and laid her hand over Georgiana’s. “Charles is stubborn. If his mind is set on this course, then he will follow it. But, Georgiana, dear, I would be remiss if I did not remind you that he may have his own enemies. He does not speak of it in front of me, because he knows it would upset me, but last fall when he was shot outside the Argyle Rooms the assailant escaped. The villain is, by all accounts, a very dangerous man, and may still be stalking Charles.”

Georgiana could scarcely comprehend the enormity of this information. Charles had been the other man shot when Adam was killed? Why hadn’t he told her that? She pressed her fingertips to her temples, trying to remember what she’d overheard between Charles and Lord Wycliffe outside the theatre. Gibbons? Was that the name?

“Oh, dear. I’ve upset you,” Sarah said.

Georgiana shook her head. “I simply cannot think straight. There are so many things filling my head that I cannot put them in order. Sarah, why did you not tell me your brother was the other man injured the night Mr. Booth was killed?”

“I thought you knew. Why, it was in all the newspapers a day or two after it happened. The two of them were dear friends.”

By then, Georgiana and Aunt Caroline had been in a coach on the way back to Kent. She shook her head and forced a smile. “It is of little consequence, Sarah. Since Charles did not mention it to me, I imagine he does not wish to discuss the incident. And, truthfully, neither do I.”

“Good, because here come the men. I shall see you Wednesday, if not before. We can discuss it then if you’d like.”

They stood and Charles offered his hand. “I hear a waltz, Georgiana. Will you favor me?”

She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor and into the dance. He spared an unconcerned glance at the sidelines. “The rumor is already under way, Georgiana. The speculation has begun.”

She noted a few elderly matrons watching them and talking behind their fans. “How could people possibly know? We’ve been here less than half an hour and talked to only a handful of people.”

“It takes less than that to start a rumor in the ton. I did not lower my voice when announcing our intentions to Lord Carlington, and that was enough.”

“I thought they’d at least wait until we left.”

Charles merely laughed. “Are we about to fuel the fire by making our first quarrel public?”

“The whole plan was ill-conceived and a dreadful mistake.”

“Is that you speaking, Georgiana, or my sister?”

“Me! Oh, your sister is dismayed, but she covered her disapproval. She is quite concerned about you.”

His face froze with a frown. “I warned you that might be the case.”

“You’d have done better to warn me who would approve.”

“Do not goad me.”

“I am not goading. I am deadly serious. We must stop this silly rumor at once. I cannot think what convinced me to go along with it.”

“Would you like me to remind you?”

“You took advantage of my desperation. I should never have allowed it.”

“I feel compelled to ask you again, Georgiana. Have you grown fond of me? Are you worried for my well-being?”

She deliberately missed a step and allowed her heel to come down sharply on his instep. A wince and narrowed eyes were her reward.

“Is this how you’ve treated all your fiancés, Georgiana?”

“I treated them as they deserved.”

“Ah, so a cross word was provocation enough to kill?”

Did he really think...? A twisting in her stomach warned her to say no more where they might be overheard. “I have a sudden headache. I would like to go home, please.”