Chapter Six
Georgiana hummed softly as she added some chiff-chaff feathers to an old hat, hoping to give it some extra life since she couldn’t spare the money for a new one. Percy was coming for her today. Again! Yesterday at Hyde Park and the day prior at his home must have gone more smoothly than she’d thought. With all the tumbling about, though enjoyable, she’d feared it would have put Percy off.
Then when that woman, that dowager started glaring at her and making veiled insults, Georgiana was ready to pounce on the other woman like Winston on a feather.
The nerve! She’d never even set eyes on the woman before. Why had she been so hateful and rude? It wasn’t as if Georgiana had anything she could want.
Wait. There’d been a few moments, a blissful few minutes when the dowager had hastened off to sulk on a shady bench. Georgiana had noticed the other woman watching Percy in a predatory manner, leaning forward, eyes wide and staring.
No. Surely not.
Georgiana hadn’t given it much thought before, given the fact that she was ready to shove the dowager into a nearby creek, but thinking about it now…
Could it be? Could she have seen the way Percy was so solicitous to Georgiana and gotten jealous?
With a shrug, Georgiana tried on the finished hat and checked herself in the looking glass. She was wearing her third best dress. Wouldn’t do to wear the same ones as the two days prior, though this one was noticeably more worn around the hem. Perhaps he wouldn’t notice.
And just like before, he hadn’t told her what their destination would be. It vexed her not to know. Did he gain delight from keeping things a secret, or was it possible he didn’t do it on purpose?
A knock came from the front door. Georgiana had instructed Mary to open the door in lieu of Georgiana doing it again herself. A titled lady had to have some respect, didn’t she?
Too excited to see Percy again, she didn’t wait for Mary to fetch her. She hurried down the stairs, slowing only when she remembered the tumble she’d taken down them only last week.
Keeping a firm grip on the banister, she forced her feet to take things slow. A good impression was needed today after falling in Percy’s lap, more than once, and also nearly getting into a hissing match with the dowager over nothing.
If the dowager did indeed have an interest in Percy, all the more reason for Georgiana to make progress today.
By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, Mary hovered in the doorway. Was Percy in the parlor? Mary’s eyes darted back and forth between Georgiana and that room. The woman resembled a common cuckoo, which wasn’t a compliment. Much as Georgiana liked and appreciated Mary, the maid could often be somewhat of a dolt.
Georgiana walked to the doorway and peeked in. “Thank you, Mary, for showing Mr. Radcliff to the parlor.”
Mary gave a perfect curtsey, much to Georgiana’s chagrin. Just once I’d like to execute one of those without feeling like I will topple over. “Your tea is in the parlor, as requested, Lady Ollerton.”
“Thank—” Before Georgiana could finish her sentiment, Mary all but ran up the stairs and out of sight. What in the world had that been about? She’d counted on Mary being a sort of chaperone as long as Percy was in her house.
Though, not having one in Percy’s carriage had been lovely. Yes, very nice indeed.
She stepped into the parlor and glanced up at Percy, who now stood.
“Ah, my lovely Lady Peregrine. How is it you’re more beautiful than last I saw you?” He took both of her hands in his, kissing the back of first the right, then the left.
Warmth flowed through Georgiana. And all from the man kissing her hand through her gloves. If she was already this heated by his presence, perhaps they’d better forgo tea and hurry to their destination. Much as she longed to share more embraces with him, it was so soon in their relationship. No sense giving him the notion that she would willingly be a light-skirt.
After a glance over her shoulder, wondering what became of Mary, Georgiana allowed Percy to help her sit on the settee. Though they needed to leave, and soon, propriety demanded she show at least a modicum of manners.
“Would you care for some tea, Percy, before we depart?”
He waved a hand at the tray, as if shooing away a bee. “No time for tea.”
“Are you in a hurry, then?” She frowned.
“Yes.” He leaned closer. “Definitely in a hurry.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Oh. Then perhaps we should—”
“No. Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
Percy flicked a glance toward the open doorway and stood. “Pardon me, won’t you?”
“I… suppose.” What is he doing? I thought he was too busy for tea and in a rush to leave.
She glanced down at the bodice of her dress, hoping the quick mend Mary had done on the lace still held. How nice it would be to have been able to purchase a new dress for today.
The unmistakable click of a closing door reached her. Angling in that direction, she saw Percy standing there, his back pressed against the door, hands splayed on either side of him, fingers drumming on the wood. “Percy?”
As if that was some sort of invitation, he left his place by the door and approached her. Stealthily. Like a cat after a wayward field mouse. He sat down once again. Very close. The man was practically on her lap!
“I don’t under—”
Percy placed his finger over her lips, stifling her words. As if just noticing what she wore, his gaze roamed up from her face to her hat. “May I remove your hat?”
“Why?” Did he think the hat was ugly?
“It will make things go so much more smoothly.”
“What things?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?” He let out a sigh.
“Has anyone ever told you that it’s vexing not to be told what’s going on?”
He chuckled. A deep seductive sound that awakened every nerve in her body. Good heavens. What kind of power did this man possess that all he had to do was—
Percy reached up, slowly, and pulled out the pins holding her hat in place.”
“Wait, I—”
He shook his head, as if gently scolding a naughty child. “Georgiana, do you trust me?”
Did she? Part of her knew she shouldn’t. Not even a little. The other part, though, the part that controlled her cravings and urges, urges she’d almost forgotten were even there, stood up and shouted that yes, she would do anything he asked of her. “Yes.”
One side of his mouth rose beneath a deep dimple. “Splendid.”
“But I really don’t think—”
“You don’t have to think, just be.”
Be? “Be what?”
He sighed. “You’re not helping my plan come to fruition.”
She held up one hand. “Speaking of plans, I thought we were to go—”
“Go? Who said anything about leaving this room?”
She lowered her eyebrows. “But—”
One by one, he removed the pins holding up her long, thick, graying hair. He smoothed the locks down around her shoulders and then leaned forward, inhaling the hair just above her earlobe.
Her thoughts were getting muddy. What was she… oh yes. “I… I thought we were to have an outing.”
“We are. Of a sort.”
“But doesn’t an outing usually mean going… out?”
“This is more of an inning. Normally I would agree with you, my dear. But I thought that it might be pleasant—” He kissed her left temple with such tenderness she nearly cried. “—to stay here and get better acquainted.”
Georgiana closed her eyes as he pulled her close. The man was intoxicating. Time slowed, and a sluggish feeling of having over imbibed on spirits took control. “So we’re not leaving?”
“No.” He ran his tongue just below her right ear.
Georgiana’s eyes popped open. “But my maid!”
“She isn’t invited to our party.”
>
“No, I mean what if she—”
Percy shook his head. “Your maid won’t bother us.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“Because I paid her to make herself disappear for a while. Quite a long while, if I have my say.” His gaze roved over her face from forehead to chin.
As if physically touched, Georgiana’s skin warmed. She blinked. While she should be vexed at Mary having taken a bribe to leave them in private, she couldn’t seem to summon any ire. Because the way Percy was caressing her and pressing her close to his chest was too delicious for her to worry about anything else.