The Undoing of a Libertine (Somerset Historicals 2)

Jeremy silenced the foul words with the gun barrel pressed an inch from Pellton’s nose.

“Time to go, Pellton. Not another word out of you. I don’t know how much longer I can hold my finger still. I’m feeling a bit tense at the moment. Hunting accidents are an all-too-frequent occurrence these days, what with firearms being so unpredictable.”

Pellton breathed hard at Jeremy from behind the barrel of the shotgun, his eyes bulging.

“This gun might jam though. I had some trouble with it last week. You could always take your chances and keep flapping your mouth, Pellton,” Jeremy taunted. “Or not. Either way, you’re buggered, my lord!”

Georgina sobbed from a heap on the grass, praying Lord Pellton would just go and for the torment to cease. She didn’t look up, and she couldn’t bear to see what was happening between the two men.

Lord Pellton must have taken Jeremy’s threat to heart because he never said another word.

* * * *

Jeremy tracked Pellton’s departure, never taking his eyes away as he watched the letch slink off. It gave him a moment to will his racing heart to slow its thundering inside his chest. He heard the hysterical sobbing of Georgina on the ground at his feet, the sound slicing his heart like a dagger.

“Shhhhhhh. No harm done. He is gone and won’t hurt you again.” Jeremy dropped to his knees, gathering her up. “I am here, and you are always safe with me. Always.”

Georgina clung to him in a panic, trembling, burying her face in his chest, her hands gripping his jacket. She shook so hard the vibrations moved his body along with hers.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Jeremy rubbed her shoulders and upper arms and just held her, wishing there were something more he could do. Long minutes passed with her in his arms before she cried herself out and her trembling finally ceased. Pellton had clearly terrified her. Jeremy tensed again, remembering what he’d seen Pellton doing to her. The pig had been grappling her breasts with his hands and mouth. How dare he touch her! The idea of another man putting his hands on Georgina made him want blood for payment.

“What can I do for you?” he asked as gently as he could, hating that she was scared.

“You’ve already done it! You saved me and made him go. I don’t know what he would have done.” Georgina lifted tear-filled eyes to meet his. “I was so afraid—thank you a thousand times, Mr. Greymont. You are a remarkable man to do—”

“Let me get you home and I can go to your father and tell him about Pellton.” He cut her off and pulled her up to standing.

“No! You must not!” she begged, shaking her head and digging her heels in when he tried to lead her forward.

He whipped his head around to stare at her. “But your father must be informed of his low character and know of what he tried to do.”

She hung her head. “You will pay for it if you persist in this. Don’t you see? They’ll look to you.”

“Look to me for what?”

Georgina widened her eyes at him. “You don’t know?”

He didn’t answer but felt certain he did indeed know very well.

“They will look to you as a husband for me. I cannot believe that Tom didn’t say anything about it. I am sorry, Mr. Greymont, it is not of my doing.”

She composed herself and looked him square in the eye. “My father wants me married and gone. He doesn’t much care to whom, obviously. He will be angry that Lord Pellton has left us.” She put her hand on his arm. “But you can get away if you leave now. You should go, Mr. Greymont. Just take your leave, and get as far away from this cursed place as you can. No one will ever know about today. I won’t say a word to anybody.”

Jeremy held her gaze throughout her speech, even surer of what he must do. He looked down to where her hand rested on his arm, and then slowly up to her face, still tear streaked and red. Portions of hair had come undone from the loose knot she wore and trailed wildly in the soft breeze. He wanted her back in his arms, those soft curves tight up against him. Everything became so crystal clear all in an instant. He wanted her. Such a simple truth in the emotion, he thought. Wanting a person. For him, that person was Georgina, and no other would do.

“I still need to talk to you, but I realize you are upset and this is not the best moment. I’ll leave you with this. Would you like it if I were a candidate for your hand?”

“Are you?” she whispered, her eyes rounding in surprise.

“Do you want me to be?” he whispered right back.

“Mr. Greymont, regardless of what I would like, you don’t want to be a candidate, trust me.”

Yes I do. Determination fueled him. “I am calling in the favor you promised me the day I arrived. Tonight. You must meet me in the library at midnight. I’ll be waiting for you.”

She started to shake her head.

Taking both of her hands in his, he worded his request carefully, but firmly. “It is important. Come to me, Georgina. My intentions are nothing but honorable. You have naught to fear from me, I give you my word. I only wish to talk to you.”