Impetuous Innocent (Regencies 3)

After a moment he glanced around, half expecting the door to open and for her to return. When nothing happened, he muttered irritably and ostensibly gave his attention to a minute inspection of Bella’s lace draperies. What the devil did Miss Georgiana Hartley think she was playing at? What the devil did she think he was playing at?

When the ticking of the mantelpiece clock made it plain any hope of Georgiana’s return was forlorn, Dominic let his head fall back. Scowling at the ceiling, he vented his disapproval in one sharp and pungent phrase, then strode purposefully to the door, his face like granite.

Johnson, unperturbed and imperturbable, met him in the hall.

“Dominic!”

In the act of shrugging on his greatcoat, Dominic swung to meet his brother-in-law’s sharp gaze.

Arthur stood in the library doorway. Now he took a step back in clear invitation. “I’ve some information you might find of interest. If you can spare the time…?”

Even from across the hall Dominic could sense the amusement in the older man’s voice. He knew Arthur understoo

d his intentions towards Georgiana. And approved of them. With another shrug, he divested himself once more of his coat and, leaving the heavy garment in Johnson’s hands, strolled with as much nonchalance as he could muster past his brother-in-law and into the library.

A delighted chuckle was his reward.

Elegantly disposing his limbs in one of the heavily padded leather chairs, Dominic raised eyes limpid with enquiry to Arthur’s face.

Sinking into the chair behind his heavy desk, Arthur met the cool blue glaze with one of unalloyed amusement. “You know, for a man of such vast experience, you’re being singularly obtuse in your present campaign.”

Dominic’s black brows rose haughtily. “Oh?”

“From Georgiana’s loss of composure and your own black looks, I assume you’ve offered for her and been rejected.”

From narrowed eyes, Dominic surveyed his brother-in-law. They had always got on well. In truth, there was no one he trusted more. So he dropped his reserve and answered with a languid air, “If you must know, I haven’t as yet proposed. I have, however, been refused. Twice.”

With an effort that was obvious, Arthur swallowed his laughter. Finally, when he was sure he could command his voice, he said, “Well, that’s hardly surprising.”

The blue eyes watching him narrowed again. After a pregnant pause Dominic murmured, “Arthur, if you weren’t who you are, I rather think I’d take exception to that comment.”

Far from being cowed, Arthur only smiled. “I didn’t think you’d seen it.”

A world-weary expression of dutifully waiting to be informed of what “it” was infused Dominic’s countenance.

“Why, the Place, of course.”

“The Place?” echoed Dominic, bewildered.

“The Place,” repeated Arthur. “You know, it’s that little piece of land you’ve spent half of the last ten years trying to buy.”

“But…” Dominic stopped. It came as a shock to realise that desire for the Place, an obsession nursed and fed for years, had simply been forgotten, displaced, rendered unimportant by his desire for Georgiana. In fact he hadn’t thought of the Place with a view to gaining possession for weeks. Not since he had met Georgiana. He frowned.

Arthur sat back and watched his friend’s face as the pieces fell into place. It wasn’t hard to work out the probabilities once the facts had been pointed out. And, despite Dominic’s reputation with the ladies, Arthur, remembering the euphoric daydream that had possessed his own sharp wits in the days he had wooed Bella, found nothing odd in the notion that his brother-in-law had completely mislaid his obsession in the whirl of recent weeks.

Eventually Dominic’s features relaxed slightly and he glanced up to meet Arthur’s grey gaze. “So she thinks I’m marrying her to get my hands on the Place.” It was a statement, not a question.

Arthur shrugged. “It’s hardly an uncommon event, for men to marry for property. And I doubt she has any idea of the relative value of the Place and your own estates. But I’d go bail Bella’s edified her with the tale of your desire for the land.” He paused, but Dominic was frowning at the inkstand on the desk. “Has she given you any other reason for her refusal?”

Without looking up, Dominic shook his head slowly. “Not this time. The reason for her first refusal was quite different.” He glanced up with a wry grin. “She’d heard the stories of Elaine Changley and had convinced herself I was in love with Elaine.”

“And only wanted to marry her for her dowry?”

Dominic looked struck. “She didn’t actually say so,” he mused, “but I suppose that must have been in her mind. I didn’t think further than disabusing her of the idea that I’d ever been truly enamoured of or considered marrying Elaine Changley.”

Arthur said nothing.

Then Dominic shook his head. “No, it won’t fit. I started paying court to her at the Hattringhams’ ball, before any of us knew she owned the Place.”