A Daring Liaison(45)
Such an encounter would be difficult for Georgiana, but she’d found the mettle for it. “Sent him on his way?”
“Well...”
“Ah. Perhaps you’d best tell me the rest of the story.”
“He appeared to be surprised. I really do not think he understood how impertinent he’d become. How unmanageable. And when I offered him half pay for a month, he—”
“Half pay?” He raised his eyebrows. She was far too generous to a man who’d been nothing but disrespectful. “I imagine he was only too glad to take it and leave before you changed your mind.”
“Well...he felt I was being unfair and called his previous service into account. The whole affair was unpleasant, so I agreed to give him full pay for a month just to have it done with.”
She gazed off into the distance, as if remembering the scene, and Charles curbed his impatience. “At least he is gone now, and you will not have to deal with him again.”
“Actually...”
Incredulous, he stopped and faced her beneath a pool of light afforded by one of the lamplights. “Say you did not allow him to stay.”
“Just for tonight. He seemed so at a loss, and could not believe that I would toss him out without so much as a moment’s notice. I made it clear, though, that he would have to be gone by tomorrow whether he had lodgings or not.”
Charles was torn between anger and amusement. “Hmm. Let me ponder this problem. You found your ill-mannered butler rifling through your personal belongings with God only knows what purpose in mind. Then, though you have every cause to dismiss him on the spot, you negotiate his severance pay to a level unheard of in London—or anywhere else, I might add—and then allow the man to stay on, giving him access to your home and belongings. And yourself, Georgiana. Yes, I rather think he got the best of you.
“Have your situation and recent occurrences not taught you that you can trust no one? Hathaway could, even now, be robbing you blind. Or lying in wait for your return to retaliate in some unspeakable manner.”
He halted at the stricken look on her face. Clearly none of what he’d said had occurred to her. “I shall go home with you and deal with Hathaway. If you are insistent that he be allowed to stay the night, I shall remain, as well. In the morning I shall summon a locksmith to change the locks. Are any of your servants more loyal to him than to you?”
“I...I do not think so. I believe he has always set himself above the other servants. I shall ask Clara if there is any talk below stairs.”
“Your kind heart does you credit, Georgiana, but you mustn’t allow it to blind you to those who would take advantage.”
She tilted her head up to him and he lost his thoughts in the green depths of her eyes. Dear Lord, how could he want her more this instant than he had last night? Than he had all those years ago? He lowered his lips to hers slowly, savoring the anticipation of the moment they’d meet, of the lushness of those soft petals, of the sweetness of her tongue....
The stillness was broken by a sharp report, followed by a cacophony of raised voices. Instantly alert, he released her and stepped away. “Wait here, Georgiana. Do not go anywhere, and do not leave the light.” He sprinted forward, certain some disaster lay ahead.
* * *
Georgiana watched as Charles disappeared. Though it had been a small alarm, she prayed that nothing had befallen Harriett.
She sank onto a stone bench on the edge of the lamplight and inhaled deeply. The night was cool and fragrant with the scent of spring flowers. Her life had become almost magical since last night. Whatever old anger Charles had been carrying against her had dissipated last night and she could almost believe the clock had turned back seven years. Could she trust him this time? Was this a second chance for them? She glanced up to find a star, then closed her eyes to make her wish.
A hand clamped over her mouth and another held her shoulder, keeping her immobile. Instinctively, she clawed at the hand, squealing as best she could.
“Hush, girl. I ain’t gonna hurt you,” a hoarse voice whispered in her ear.
The fetid breath that brushed her cheek made her want to gag. She tried to calm herself and do as she was told. Reason told her that if this man wanted her dead, he could have cut her throat by now.
“Do as I tell you an’ don’t turn around.”
She managed a nod.
“Now, I gots things to tell you, so pay attention, eh?”
The hand eased off her mouth. Calculating that her best chances for escape lay with compliance, she nodded, ready to run the moment he released her shoulder.