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Authors: Johanna Lindsey
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of the moment. We can make other arrangements and wait until he arrives to figure out something else.”
“When will that be?” Georgina asked.
But Ohr said at the same time, “No we can’t. He’s still in the Caribbean and won’t be coming here anytime soon.”
“Well, that won’t do a’tall,” Georgina said with some finality.
But Malory clinched it when he said, “You’ll stay.” And that settled that. However, he wasn’t finished. With a look and tone that left no room for argument, he told her escorts, “You won’t. You’ve done your duty. She’s in my care now. There’s the door.”
Ohr and Richard hadn’t intended to stay in this part of town. Gabrielle quickly hugged them good-bye. She felt bad that James Malory had all but kicked them out the door, but she was sure it was Richard’s stirring up Malory’s jealousy that resulted in their having to leave sooner that she would have liked.
Alone now with the lord and lady, she felt her nervousness increase tenfold. But Georgina put her more at ease when she asked, “Shall we adjourn to the dining room? If you haven’t eaten yet, the buffet is still hot. We eat at odd hours here, so breakfast is served for most of the morning. In any case, let’s have a cup of tea while we get acquainted.”
Gabrielle followed the lady, and unfortunately, James Malory followed her. She was sure she wasn’t going to be able to relax with that man in the room. He was far too intimidating, and besides, she was still so embarrassed about intruding on their lives that she could barely get out the apology she felt she owed them.
“I’m very sorry that my arrival has disrupted your plans like this.”
“Not another word, m’dear,” Malory replied, his tone much more congenial now. “At the risk of earning a scowl from George, I don’t mind admitting your timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”
“You weren’t happy with your plans?”
When he didn’t answer, Georgina laughed and explained, “He’s still worried about that scowl he mentioned. You see, while he’ll go above and beyond in his efforts to please me, the trip I wanted to take was rather quickly arranged, to take advantage of my brother Drew’s ship being in London. But my husband doesn’t actually get along famously with my brothers—”
“No need to wrap it up nicely, George,” Malory interrupted. “I despise her brothers and they despise me. It’s pleasantly mutual.”
Gabrielle blinked, but Georgina rolled her eyes. “He’s simplified it, but they really do try to get along.”
“What she means is we stopped trying to kill each other years ago,” James added.
He sounded serious, but Gabrielle simply couldn’t believe that he was. And assuming that he was joking managed to put her somewhat at ease.
“At any rate,” Georgina continued. “James wasn’t happy about sailing on my brother’s ship, so yes, he’s no doubt delighted to have our trip postponed to a later date.”
Amazingly, they’d managed to remove most of Gabrielle’s guilt for foisting herself on them. Not all of it, but she was certainly feeling much better about it.
“I have a maid who will need to stay here with me,” she told them.
“Certainly,” Georgina said. “I would have hired one for you if you hadn’t brought yours.”
“Thank you. I’ll only need to avail myself of your hospitality for a few weeks, until my father arrives and finds us other accomodations. That you’re willing to sponsor me for the rest of this Season is most appreciated. By the by, if you don’t mind my asking, how do you and my father know each other?” she asked James.
“He didn’t tell you?” James queried.
“No, it was all so sudden, his decision to send me here. And then I was quite disappointed that he couldn’t sail with me because he had some business to finish up. I wanted to wait for him, but with the Season already under way, he wanted me here soonest. Anyway, I never got around to
“When will that be?” Georgina asked.
But Ohr said at the same time, “No we can’t. He’s still in the Caribbean and won’t be coming here anytime soon.”
“Well, that won’t do a’tall,” Georgina said with some finality.
But Malory clinched it when he said, “You’ll stay.” And that settled that. However, he wasn’t finished. With a look and tone that left no room for argument, he told her escorts, “You won’t. You’ve done your duty. She’s in my care now. There’s the door.”
Ohr and Richard hadn’t intended to stay in this part of town. Gabrielle quickly hugged them good-bye. She felt bad that James Malory had all but kicked them out the door, but she was sure it was Richard’s stirring up Malory’s jealousy that resulted in their having to leave sooner that she would have liked.
Alone now with the lord and lady, she felt her nervousness increase tenfold. But Georgina put her more at ease when she asked, “Shall we adjourn to the dining room? If you haven’t eaten yet, the buffet is still hot. We eat at odd hours here, so breakfast is served for most of the morning. In any case, let’s have a cup of tea while we get acquainted.”
Gabrielle followed the lady, and unfortunately, James Malory followed her. She was sure she wasn’t going to be able to relax with that man in the room. He was far too intimidating, and besides, she was still so embarrassed about intruding on their lives that she could barely get out the apology she felt she owed them.
“I’m very sorry that my arrival has disrupted your plans like this.”
“Not another word, m’dear,” Malory replied, his tone much more congenial now. “At the risk of earning a scowl from George, I don’t mind admitting your timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”
“You weren’t happy with your plans?”
When he didn’t answer, Georgina laughed and explained, “He’s still worried about that scowl he mentioned. You see, while he’ll go above and beyond in his efforts to please me, the trip I wanted to take was rather quickly arranged, to take advantage of my brother Drew’s ship being in London. But my husband doesn’t actually get along famously with my brothers—”
“No need to wrap it up nicely, George,” Malory interrupted. “I despise her brothers and they despise me. It’s pleasantly mutual.”
Gabrielle blinked, but Georgina rolled her eyes. “He’s simplified it, but they really do try to get along.”
“What she means is we stopped trying to kill each other years ago,” James added.
He sounded serious, but Gabrielle simply couldn’t believe that he was. And assuming that he was joking managed to put her somewhat at ease.
“At any rate,” Georgina continued. “James wasn’t happy about sailing on my brother’s ship, so yes, he’s no doubt delighted to have our trip postponed to a later date.”
Amazingly, they’d managed to remove most of Gabrielle’s guilt for foisting herself on them. Not all of it, but she was certainly feeling much better about it.
“I have a maid who will need to stay here with me,” she told them.
“Certainly,” Georgina said. “I would have hired one for you if you hadn’t brought yours.”
“Thank you. I’ll only need to avail myself of your hospitality for a few weeks, until my father arrives and finds us other accomodations. That you’re willing to sponsor me for the rest of this Season is most appreciated. By the by, if you don’t mind my asking, how do you and my father know each other?” she asked James.
“He didn’t tell you?” James queried.
“No, it was all so sudden, his decision to send me here. And then I was quite disappointed that he couldn’t sail with me because he had some business to finish up. I wanted to wait for him, but with the Season already under way, he wanted me here soonest. Anyway, I never got around to
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