Hopeless Heart

“Good, then take these and you can drive the rest of the way.”

“Where to?” She asked as she took the reins off him and tried to remember what he had told her yesterday.

“Morning,” a dark voice drawled suddenly from beside her before Simeon answered.

Georgiana started and turned to glare at the owner of that achingly familiar voice.

“Will,” she whispered in dismay as an area somewhere in the region of her heart treacherously flipped over. “What are you doing here?”

It was a ridiculous question to ask. She knew already.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Georgiana reluctantly introduced Will to Simeon and watched the men size each other up like prize fighting cocks. In spite of their civility, tension hovered in the air. They were never going to be friends. It made her own day suddenly cloud over, and all trace of her earlier enjoyment vanish. In its place was a wariness that left her nervous and on edge, and desperate to find a way to break the uncomfortable atmosphere.

“I didn’t realise you had business this way?” Georgiana asked of Will in bored tones.

“Is your aunt aware you are here?” Will demanded, ignoring her question.

He had no intention of telling her that she was the reason he was there. He had been looking out of the tavern window, debating whether to pay her a visit, when he had seen Simeon arrive at the house. It was galling to have to stand and watch Georgiana head off alone with this stranger, but she had. Given her penchant for getting into trouble of late, Will knew he had to do everything possible to forestall any scurrilous gossip, and limit the damage to Georgiana’s sterling reputation and good character.

“Of course,” Georgiana snapped.

“And she allowed you out unchaperoned with this man, did she?” The disgust in Will’s voice was clear as he raked Simeon with an insulting glare that blatantly cast doubt upon his character.

“Ruth Bentley trusts me,” Simeon announced pompously. “She has known my family for nearly thirty years. I am sure that if anyone can vouch that I am of good, solid, moral fibre then Ruth can. Why, anybody in the village will tell you that if Georgiana is safe with anyone, it will be with me. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Georgiana has a tendency to be rather reckless,” Will snapped with an air of dismissal that assured Simeon had no idea what he was talking about. As if to prove his point he glared accusingly at the reins Georgiana held. “Like curricle racing.”

It was one of the items of her list of adventures. He was just shocked she had decided to experience it with this oaf, and shook his head in disgust.

“Do I have to remind you what the gossips are likely to do if they see you sitting so close, unchaperoned, Georgiana?” Will snapped.

“No, you don’t,” Georgiana replied pertly. “I don’t care what anybody says. There can be no harm in what I am doing. I am merely holding the reins while the horse plods along, anybody who reads anything into that has a serious problem they need to be dealing with before they criticise me in any way.”

“But you are out in the middle of nowhere unchaperoned, Georgiana,” Will argued.

“I am not any threat to her honour,” Simeon replied unconcernedly. “Besides, if anyone does vociferously object and her reputation is scandalised because of this then I shall just have to do the decent thing and marry her. Then we can go curricle racing whenever we want and anybody who doesn’t like it can find something else to do.”

Georgiana lifted a snooty brow at Will when she sensed he was staring at her. She was aware that having the reins gave her an element of escape she had never had before, and didn’t waste a moment in taking advantage of it. Unfortunately, she momentarily forgot Simeon’s instructions yest

erday and slapped the reins on the horse’s backside far harder than she should. This resulted in the horse leaping into action, and the curricle lurching forward and tearing down the road at breakneck speed.

“Oh, Lord,” Simeon muttered, clinging on for dear life as the curricle swept around a corner and barrelled down another lane. “Keep hold of the reins. Haul back!”

His orders were carried on the winds, and barely understood by Georgiana who, rather than being scared by the speed in which the hedgerow flashed past, revelled in being free at last.

“For God’s sake, will you watch where you are going?” Simeon scalded when she grinned at him. He nodded to the hedgerow directly before them. “Pull back, or we are going to go through it.”

Georgiana did as instructed, mindful that she didn’t want to hurt the horses’ mouth. She slowed down enough to traverse several bends in the road without issue but kept the horse at a fast trot. Once the pace had eased the sound of thundering hooves rent the air. Seconds later, Will appeared beside them.

“Oh, Lord, not again,” Georgiana murmured with a heavy sigh.

“What the Hell did you do that for?” Will snapped.

Georgiana threw him a defiant glare and made no attempt to answer. Instead she slapped the reins on the horse’s backside again but this time a little gentler.

Simeon glanced over his shoulder as they left Will behind and then looked at her knowingly. “There is a history between you,” he murmured thoughtfully.