“What were the conditions offered by this buyer? And who is he?”
Mr Whitworth was only too happy to answer Georgiana’s first question, naming a sum which meant nothing to her, but which, he assured her ponderously, was, “Very generous. Exceedingly so!”
After a moment, he went on, “But the thing that moved me to come here in this manner, my dear Miss Hartley, is that the buyer wishes an answer by this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” echoed Georgiana. She looked at her solicitor. His excited urgency was apparent in the way he almost bobbed in his chair. “Surely, that’s rather unusual?”
Mr Whitworth pursed his lips, and she feared she was about to be told every case of rapid sale he had ever heard of, chapter and verse. But instead his breath came out in a little whoosh. “Well, yes,” he admitted. “But whoever has that sort of money to throw down can generally call the tune.”
“Who is this buyer?”
“Ah,” said Mr Whitworth, eyeing her uneasily. “That’s another thing. The man who contacted us is an agent, and he won’t reveal the name of his principal.”
So she could be selling to anyone. Georgiana made up her mind. “I wish to consult with my friends on this matter. I will undertake to send my answer to you this afternoon.”
She rose, in a fever to get on with her latest impulsive start.
As if only too keen for her to put the wheels into motion, Mr Whitworth rose too, and rolled forward to take her hand. “Certainly, Miss Hartley. My brother and I will hold ourselves in readiness to act on your behalf as soon as you have communicated your wishes to us.”
With that solemn promise, he bowed low and took his leave.
For some moments Georgiana stood, head bowed, eyes on the patterned rug. Then, resolutely straightening her spine, she crossed the room to the small escritoire. Seating herself before it, she pulled forward a pristine sheet of paper and, after examing the nib carefully, dipped it determinedly into the standish. This wasn’t going to be easy, but there really was no alternative.
GEORGIANA’S missive brought Dominic to Green Street at noon. As her note had contained little beyond a summons, he used the time while Johnson went in search of her to pace the drawing-room, pondering the possibilities. Avoiding the little tables Bella seemed to have a peculiar penchant for strewing about her rooms, Dominic had arrived for the third time by the fireplace when he heard the door open.
Entering as calmly as she could, Georgiana wished for the tenth time that morning that she did not have to face Dominic—Lord Alton!—over this particular matter. The very thought of the Place rubbed a sore spot in her heart, aggravating its already fragile condition. Thoughts of Lord Alton brought even more pain. But she was determined to go through with it. Unconscious of the worried frown that marred her smooth brow, she pressed her hands together to still their trembling, only to find herself forced, by his outstretched hand, to surrender one into his clasp.
“My lord.” Her greeting was little better than a whisper. Pulling herself together with an effort, Georgiana raised her head to look into his eyes, steeling herself for the battle to meet his gaze and remain lucid. To her relief, she found it easier than she had anticipated. He was looking at her with undisguised concern.
“Georgiana, my dear, what’s the matter?”
And suddenly it was easy to tell him.
“I’ve received an offer for the Place. A mystery buyer.” She paused, temporarily distracted by the sudden intentness in his gaze, and promptly lost her thread. Luckily her rehearsed phrases came to her rescue. “I remembered how keen you were to buy the property from Charles. I wondered if you still wished to purchase it.”
Dominic watched as, gently withdrawing her hand from his, Georgiana subsided into one corner of the sofa, lilac skirts softly sighing, and fixed him with her candid hazel gaze. Outwardly he smiled, warmly, comfortingly. Inwardly he wondered where it was that he had left his usual facility for managing such affaires de coeur. He had certainly misplaced it. Ever since Georgiana Hartley had magically appeared in his life, his touch had deserted him. He had told his agent to purchase the Place without revealing his name, purely to spare her any undue embarrassment. Instead, having once again failed to predict her reactions to the events he caused to happen, he had forced her to face the very object he was endeavouring to remove from the relationship.
Capturing her eyes with his, he smiled again. “I’m afraid, my dear, I’ve a confession to make.” He could see from her eyes that she had jumped to the right conclusion, but he confirmed it. “I’m the mystery buyer.”
“Oh.”
Georgiana’s eyes fell. She felt decidedly deflated.
Acutely sensitive where she was concerned, Dominic moved to take her hands in his, and drew her to her feet before him. In his present mood he would not trust himself on the sofa beside her. Standing this close to her, holding her hands so he would not sweep her into his arms, was bad enough, feeling as he did. He looked down on her golden head, bent so he could not see her eyes.
“Georgiana?”
But she would not look up. Her eyes seemed to be fixed on her hands, clasped lightly in his. So, with the patience of one who knew all the moves, Dominic slowly raised her hands, first one, then the other, to his lips. Inevitably, her eyes followed…and were trapped when they met his. He smiled, incapable of entirely hiding his triumph. “Sweetheart, do you know why I want to buy the Place?”
With an effort Georgiana tore her gaze from those fascinating eyes. That blue gaze held untold power over her, giving tantalising glimpses of emotions she did not understand but of which she longed to learn more. But she was returning to Ravello. Forcing a tight smile to her lips, she nodded. “Yes. Bella explained.”
“I sincerely doubt Bella could explain.” He smiled as she turned to him, hope and uncertainty warring in her big eyes. “Oh, I know Bella told you I’ve always wanted the Place, to return Candlewick to completeness. That has, in the past, been something of an obsession with me. Recently that obsession has been eclipsed by a far greater desire. It had, in fact, completely slipped my mind. Until…” Dominic paused, then decided to leave Arthur out of his explanation. “Until I realised you might misconstrue my interest in you for an interest in your property.”
If the matter hadn’t been so intensely important, so vitally crucial to him, he would have been amused by the sheer intensity of her concentration. Her huge hazel eyes glowed with hope, tinged with disbelief. He had expected that and did not let it worry him. He would convince her he loved her if it was the last thing he did in life. Despite his firm intentions, he felt himself drowning in her honey-gold gaze, felt the inevitable effect of her nearness start to test his restraint.
“My love, I want to buy the Place so it can no longer stand as a point of confusion between us.” Dominic dropped a kiss on her knuckles and decided he had better get out of the room with all speed. If he didn’t, she would be in his arms and he had no idea where it would end. “If you agree, send a message to Whitworth and he’ll settle it with my man of business.” He paused, looking deep into the darkened centres of her wide eyes. Smiling, he released one of her hands, carrying the other to his lips in a parting salute. “Once the sale is finalised, I’ll call on you and we can discuss our…mutual interest further.”
His look dared her to deny him, but Georgiana was too dazed to do anything but stare.