The younger man frowned his disappointment. ‘I thought you might at least come in for a few minutes?’
Zachary bit back his impatience. ‘As I said, I have other things to do today.’
‘I am sure we have taken up enough of Hawksmere’s valuable time, Jeffrey,’ Georgianna exclaimed without so much as a glance in the duke’s direction.
‘I did not think.’ Jeffrey grimaced. ‘Of course you are busy. But perhaps you would like to join us for dinner later this evening?’
‘Jeffrey.’
‘That will not be possible, I am afraid,’ Hawksmere drawled over Georgianna’s alarmed protest.
She blinked. ‘His Grace is leaving.’
‘For my country estate later today.’ Once again the duke rudely spoke over Georgianna, his eyes flashing a reproving silver as he gave her a pointed glare. Evidence that Jeffrey was not one of the people privileged to know of Hawksmere’s activities for the Crown.
Georgianna felt the warmth of that rebuke in her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. ‘Of course.’
‘Thank you for returning my sister to me.’ Jeffrey grinned his pleasure at the older man as he held Georgianna close to his side.
Hawksmere nodded abruptly. ‘I believe you will find that it was Georgianna who has returned herself to us all.’
She looked up at him sharply, searching that hard and arrogant face for some indication of Hawksmere’s signature sarcasm and finding none. Instead he gazed across at her guardedly, as if unwilling to reveal his emotions. Which, no doubt, he was.
She straightened before speaking formally. ‘I trust you will have a safe journey, your Grace.’
‘As do I,’ he drawled before turning to Jeffrey. ‘I will be in touch when I return to town, Malvern.’
‘We shall look forward to it, shall we not, Georgianna?’ Jeffrey beamed enthusiastically.
‘Of course,’ Georgianna concurred softly, purposefully not looking at Hawksmere, knowing she would see only mockery for her there, both of them aware that if they never saw each other again it would be too soon for either of them.
And yet…
Once Georgianna had alighted from the carriage and begun slowly walking up the steps to Malvern House beside her brother, she was aware of a feeling of discomfort as she heard Hawksmere’s carriage move on down the cobbled street. Of feeling slightly bereft at not knowing when, or if, she would see ever him again.
She was angry with him, yes, as her slap to his cheek had demonstrated. But what if he did not return from France? She was not angry enough, did not dislike him enough, to never wish to see him again.
Georgianna came to a halt on the top step into Malvern House before turning to gaze after Hawksmere’s carriage, catching a brief glimpse of his profile inside the carriage as it turned the corner before disappearing from view.
‘Are you well, Georgianna?’
She turned to find Jeffrey looking down at her with concern, his eyes bluer than her violet-coloured ones, his boyish face having grown handsome, chiselled, this past year. No doubt from his added responsibilities as Earl of Malvern. ‘I am very happy to be home, thank you, Jeffrey,’ she assured him warmly.
‘You looked a little wistful for a moment. We shall see Hawksmere again very soon, I am sure,’ he added reassuringly. ‘He has become a regular visitor at Malvern House these past few months.’
‘He has?’ Georgianna looked up at her brother curiously as the two of them entered the house together, warmly accepting the butler’s beam of pleasure and kind words at seeing her returned to Malvern House.
Jeffrey nodded. ‘I have found his guidance invaluable these past months.’
‘But what of your guardian? I would have thought that he would have been your mentor rather than Hawksmere?’ Georgianna handed Carter her bonnet and gloves.
‘Perhaps we should discuss this in the library,’ Jeffrey requested before turning to the butler. ‘Lady Georgianna and I would like hot chocolate and crumpets beside the fire, if you please, Carter.’
Georgianna’s heart melted at the reminder of the way in which she and Jeffrey had passed many an afternoon together in the schoolroom when they were younger. ‘Oh, yes, please, Carter.’ She squeezed her brother’s arm as they walked companionably to the library. ‘It is so good to be back with you, Jeffrey,’ she spoke emotionally once they were seated opposite each other beside the warmth of the fire.
Her brother sat forward, looking quite the dandy in his blue superfine and high-collared shirt. ‘And you will tell me all about your adventures in a minute,’ he promised. ‘But first, did Hawksmere not talk to you of our guardian?’
‘He mentioned that you have one,’ Georgianna answered carefully, not sure of exactly what Zachary had told Jeffrey in his note in regard to when, how and why she had returned to England.