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Authors: Olivia Kingsley
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didn't move.
"I would appreciate some privacy," he added pointedly.
The short, scrawny man crossed his arms. "No doubt you would, sir, but I intend to keep an eye on you, all the same. In case I have to send for the constable, you see."
Finally at the end of his patience, Robert plucked a half sovereign from his pockets. "I assure you, there is no need for a constable."
"I must consider the other guests…" The innkeeper's eyes darted between the gold and Robert's face. His expression softened a bit when Robert drew out another coin, but it wasn't until a third clinked on top of the others in his hand that he accepted. "I trust you will keep the noise to a minimum."
Robert gave a terse nod and waited until the three of them scampered away before turning to the door again. The room had gone dead silent. But he'd be a fool to think that meant the task before him had become any easier.
Drawing a fortifying breath, he grasped the door handle.
Five
"Lord Holcroft pays more attention to me than before. I am to call him Robert, and he shall use my Christian name as well. When he laughs, he calls me Georgie, and when he teases, he calls me Imp. I cannot decide which pleases me more."
— From the diary of Lady Georgiana Montford, aged 10
THE DOOR OPENED no more than an inch or two before it hit an immovable Cameron, who promptly stepped aside. The moment Robert entered, Georgie flung herself toward the door, a flurry of skirts and limbs. He slammed it shut and put his weight against it to bar her escape.
She skidded to a halt. "Get out of my way, damn you!"
Robert winced at her shrill tone; he hadn't known it was humanly possible to reach such a pitch. "Calm down."
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down. Since you arrived, I've been assaulted, had a pistol pointed at me, and been manhandled by that… that…" Seeming unable to find an appropriate name for him, she pointed a shaky finger at Cameron, who had retreated to the other side of a round pedestal table.
Cameron scowled, and a hint of Scottish burr colored his polished English accents as he said, "The pistol was not pointed at the lady. Until she put herself in its way, like a bloody—"
Georgie growled, and Cameron's mouth clamped shut. For a stunned moment, Robert only stared at them. Georgie shot a murderous glare at Cameron, who bore a look of disgust Robert had never thought to see him direct at a female.
"You're creating a scene, Georgie," Robert said. "I will allow that you have reason to be upset, but hysterical outbursts are hardly productive."
Her jaw dropped. "You have no right to keep me here!"
He shook his head. "You are not of age. In the absence of your father, I'm the closest you have to a guardian at the moment."
A burst of incredulous laughter escaped her. "Lord Sheffield, I suggest you let me leave right this minute."
Or what? She'd scream her head off? "Your mother and I made plans for the event that you did not end up as Lady Rossemore. Letting you go off on your own to God knows where is not among them."
"I don't give a damn about your plans." She stepped up to the door and grabbed the handle under his arm. "Get out of my way, Robert."
Robert, now. She apparently had a hard time deciding what to call him. She tried to pull the door open, but his weight kept it from moving even an inch.
He sighed. "Give it up, Georgie."
She stood close, so close he could feel the heat from her body, catch a faint whiff of rose water. It was a sweet scent, one that went straight to his head, stirring images wholly inappropriate for the current time and place.
"Listen to me, you curst wretch," she said in a low tone. "You seem to have developed an affinity for ordering others around. I, however, will not be bullied."
God, she was a hellcat. He probably shouldn't goad her, but suddenly, he was perversely curious to see how furious she could get. "You know," he said, keeping his voice light, "it occurs to me that, instead of exhausting your
"I would appreciate some privacy," he added pointedly.
The short, scrawny man crossed his arms. "No doubt you would, sir, but I intend to keep an eye on you, all the same. In case I have to send for the constable, you see."
Finally at the end of his patience, Robert plucked a half sovereign from his pockets. "I assure you, there is no need for a constable."
"I must consider the other guests…" The innkeeper's eyes darted between the gold and Robert's face. His expression softened a bit when Robert drew out another coin, but it wasn't until a third clinked on top of the others in his hand that he accepted. "I trust you will keep the noise to a minimum."
Robert gave a terse nod and waited until the three of them scampered away before turning to the door again. The room had gone dead silent. But he'd be a fool to think that meant the task before him had become any easier.
Drawing a fortifying breath, he grasped the door handle.
Five
"Lord Holcroft pays more attention to me than before. I am to call him Robert, and he shall use my Christian name as well. When he laughs, he calls me Georgie, and when he teases, he calls me Imp. I cannot decide which pleases me more."
— From the diary of Lady Georgiana Montford, aged 10
THE DOOR OPENED no more than an inch or two before it hit an immovable Cameron, who promptly stepped aside. The moment Robert entered, Georgie flung herself toward the door, a flurry of skirts and limbs. He slammed it shut and put his weight against it to bar her escape.
She skidded to a halt. "Get out of my way, damn you!"
Robert winced at her shrill tone; he hadn't known it was humanly possible to reach such a pitch. "Calm down."
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down. Since you arrived, I've been assaulted, had a pistol pointed at me, and been manhandled by that… that…" Seeming unable to find an appropriate name for him, she pointed a shaky finger at Cameron, who had retreated to the other side of a round pedestal table.
Cameron scowled, and a hint of Scottish burr colored his polished English accents as he said, "The pistol was not pointed at the lady. Until she put herself in its way, like a bloody—"
Georgie growled, and Cameron's mouth clamped shut. For a stunned moment, Robert only stared at them. Georgie shot a murderous glare at Cameron, who bore a look of disgust Robert had never thought to see him direct at a female.
"You're creating a scene, Georgie," Robert said. "I will allow that you have reason to be upset, but hysterical outbursts are hardly productive."
Her jaw dropped. "You have no right to keep me here!"
He shook his head. "You are not of age. In the absence of your father, I'm the closest you have to a guardian at the moment."
A burst of incredulous laughter escaped her. "Lord Sheffield, I suggest you let me leave right this minute."
Or what? She'd scream her head off? "Your mother and I made plans for the event that you did not end up as Lady Rossemore. Letting you go off on your own to God knows where is not among them."
"I don't give a damn about your plans." She stepped up to the door and grabbed the handle under his arm. "Get out of my way, Robert."
Robert, now. She apparently had a hard time deciding what to call him. She tried to pull the door open, but his weight kept it from moving even an inch.
He sighed. "Give it up, Georgie."
She stood close, so close he could feel the heat from her body, catch a faint whiff of rose water. It was a sweet scent, one that went straight to his head, stirring images wholly inappropriate for the current time and place.
"Listen to me, you curst wretch," she said in a low tone. "You seem to have developed an affinity for ordering others around. I, however, will not be bullied."
God, she was a hellcat. He probably shouldn't goad her, but suddenly, he was perversely curious to see how furious she could get. "You know," he said, keeping his voice light, "it occurs to me that, instead of exhausting your
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