“Shhhh!” came hissing from all corners of the room.
“Come into the smoking-room,” whispered Lord Ellsmere. “I’ve got some news I think you should hear.”
They had been at Eton, then Oxford, together, had shared all the larks and adventures of well heeled young men. And had remained close friends to the present. Which, when they’d found a secluded corner of the smoking-room, allowed Lord Ellsmere to say, “Don’t know how deep your interest goes with your sister’s protégée, but I just saw her being driven out of town by a rather rum customer. Tow-headed, pasty-faced bounder.”
The sudden hardening of the lines of his friend’s face told Lord Ellsmere more clearly than words just how deeply Dominic Ridgeley’s interest in Georgiana Hartley went.
“When?”
“’Bout twenty minutes. Up the North Road.”
Dominic’s eyes had narrowed. “Tow-headed?” When Julian Ellsmere nodded, he continued, “Medium height and build? Fair skin?”
“That’s the man. Know him?”
But Dominic was muttering curses under his breath and heading for the door. When Julian caught him up in the hall, where the porter was scurrying to find his cane and gloves, Dominic turned to him and said, “My thanks.”
Lord Ellsmere waved one languid hand. “Oh, think nothing of it. As I recall, I owe you one.” He smiled, then sobered to ask, “You’ll go after her?”
“Most assuredly. The silly chit should have known better. I’d go bail that’s her cousin she’s with. And between Charles Hartley and a viper there’s not much difference.”
The porter returned, and Dominic pulled on his gloves. As he took his cane from the man, Lord Ellsmere, frowning, added, “One other thing. Might be significant. This tow-headed chap… Saw him leaving Hattringham House t’other night.”
The chill in Dominic’s eyes was pronounced. “You’re sure?”
Julian Ellsmere nodded. “Quite certain.” After a moment he asked, “Need any help?”
At that, Dominic smiled in a way that made Julian Ellsmere feel almost sorry for Charles Hartley. “No. I’ve dealt with Charles before. It’ll be a particular pleasure to make it clear to him that Miss Hartley is very definitely out of bounds.”
Lord Ellsmere nodded and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
With a fleeting smile, Dominic was gone.
A brisk walk saw him entering Alton House. Immediately the door shut behind him, he issued a string of commands which had his groom and coachman running to the mews and his valet pounding up the stairs in search of his greatcoat.
Dominic waited in the hall, frowning, his cane, still in his hand, tapping impatiently against one booted foot. Julian had said he had seen them. That meant an open carriage. Surely Charles wasn’t proposing to drive her all the way to Buckinghamshire in an open carriage? No. When dusk fell, the cold would be intense. Presumably the open carriage was just part of his scheme, whatever that was.
Timms’s cough interrupted his thoughts. “I don’t know as this is the most opportune moment, m’lord, but this note came some time ago from Lady Winsmere.”
Dominic’s frown lifted. He took the note and broke it open. The sound of his carriage drawing up in the street coincided with his man’s precipitate descent with his coat. An instant later, garbed in his many caped greatcoat and clutching his sister’s missive in his hand, Viscount Alton climbed into his carriage.
“Winsmere House. Quickly!”
“OH, DOMINIC! Thank God you’ve come. I’ve been so worried.” Bella’s plaintive wail greeted Dominic as he crossed the threshold of her parlour.
“Don’t fly into a pucker, Bella. Julian Ellsmere has just told me he saw Georgiana leaving town with a man who sounds like Charles. Has she?”
“Yes!” Bella was wringing her hands in agitation. “She was so set on it, I knew I couldn’t stop her. But I don’t trust Charles one inch. That’s why I sent for you.”
Taking note of his sister’s unusually pale face, Dominic replied with far greater calmness than he felt. “Quite right.” He swallowed his impatience and smiled reassuringly. “Why don’t we sit down and you can tell me all about it?”
Haltingly, prodded by gentle questions, the tale of Charles’s visit and the subsquent events was retold. By the end of the tale, Dominic was confident he saw the light. He leant forward to pat Bella’s hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll fetch her back.”
Bella blinked up at him as he stood. “You’ll go straight away?”
“I was setting out when Timms gave me your note. Just as well. At least now I can go directly to the Hare and Hounds.” Dominic’s blue eyes critically surveyed his sister. At his insistence she reclined on the chaise. Her face was too pale and her agitation was too marked, even given the cause. Shrewdly he drew his own conclusions. He had been going to suggest she come with him, to lend propriety to their return to Green Street. But in her present condition he rather thought any further excitement was to be assiduously avoided. And, if truth be known, he would much rather be alone with Georgiana on the drive back to town. He had every intention of reading her a lecture on the subject of herself—care of. Afterwards, he felt sure he would enjoy her attempts to be conciliatory, not to mention grateful. And it would give him a heaven-sent opportunity to correct her mistaken assumption regarding his conduct at the masked ball. Yes, he was definitely looking forward to the return journey. Propriety, in this instance, could go hang.
He smiled again at his sister. “Don’t fret. Arthur will be home shortly. You can tell him all about it. I suspect we won’t make it back until late, so you’d best send your regrets to the Pevenseys.”