Zachary Black: Duke of Debauchery (Dangerous Dukes 2)

‘What makes you say that?’

Jeffrey looked down at her quizzically. ‘You looked very forlorn and wistful when I entered the room.’

Forlorn and wistful?

Because of her thoughts of Hawksmere?

No, of course it had not been because of thoughts of Hawksmere; she had been thinking of André, not Zachary, when Jeffrey entered the salon. ‘I believe I am still adjusting to being back in England and society,’ she excused lightly.

‘But you are pleased to be, surely?’ he cajoled.

Barely a year separated them in age and Jeffrey had certainly matured exponentially during his months as the Earl of Malvern under Hawksmere’s guidance. But still Georgianna felt so much older than her brother now, in her emotions as well as her interests.

Not that she could explain to Jeffrey without fear of revealing too much of her experiences over the past year.

They had necessarily talked of her elopement, her parting from André, her months of working, though she had not revealed exactly where she had worked, only that it was in a kitchen, to earn the money for her boat passage back to England. Not once during their conversations had Georgianna told Jeffrey the complete truth about the months she had spent in France. How could she, when that truth was so horrible, so demeaning, so frightening?

It was a truth which only Hawksmere knew for certain.

Such was her brother’s obvious admiration and liking for the older man, and oblivious of their guardian’s work for the Crown, Jeffrey had so far not questioned why she had chosen to go to Hawksmere, of all people, immediately upon returning to England. Nor had Georgianna chosen to enlighten her brother as to the exact day of her return, or that she had been kept a prisoner in Hawksmere’s home for two days and nights.

She might be angry with Zachary, resentful even, but it served no purpose for her to confide in her brother, when he obviously admired Hawksmere so. The older man was to be his guardian for some time to come. Also, it could endanger the work Zachary even now carried out for the Crown.

‘Of course.’ She gave her brother a brightly reassuring smile. ‘I am merely finding it strange, after so many months away.’

‘In that case, a dinner party is exactly what is required.’ Her brother moved to the fireplace to warm his hands, the darkness of his hair appearing blue-black in the firelight.

‘A dinner party?’ Georgianna’s pulse jumped in nervousness, her heart leaping in her chest, as she joined Jeffrey beside the fire. ‘But I thought tomorrow evening at Lady Colchester’s musical soirée was to be our first appearance back into society?’ Individual calls by members of society was one thing, as was riding in her carriage in the afternoons, but Georgianna was dreading having that society staring at her en masse

and wondering if any of the rumours that so abounded about her were true.

‘I should have said a dinner party en famille,’ Jeffrey corrected cheerfully. ‘Hawksmere has sent word he is returned from the country and wishes the two of us to join him at Hawksmere House for dinner this evening.’

Hawksmere?

Georgianna moved to sit down abruptly on the chair beside the fireplace, her knees feeling suddenly weak at the knowledge that Zachary was returned from France. And safely, too, if he was inviting the two of them to join him for dinner this evening.

‘You have seen him?’ she prompted huskily.

‘He sent for me this afternoon.’ Jeffrey nodded.

But not her, Georgianna realised. Because she would be his ward for only a matter of months more? Or because he had no wish to see her again? Including her in this evening’s dinner invitation was, after all, what Jeffrey would have expected of their guardian.

‘Hawksmere is hardly family, Jeffrey,’ she remonstrated stiffly.

‘As good as,’ he dismissed unconcernedly, seeming completely unaware of Georgianna’s reaction to the news of Hawksmere’s invitation.

Georgianna had not realised until that moment how worried she had been about Zachary’s safe return from France.

A concern she was starting to fear might be based on something other than the anger she bore towards him, for once again having omitted to tell her the full truth.

*

‘It really was not necessary for you to include me in this dinner invitation, Hawksmere!’

Zachary found himself smiling for the first time in days as Georgianna attacked him with her acerbic tongue the moment she entered the blue salon of his home on her brother’s arm, rather than offering the expected polite greeting.

‘And how gratified you must be to know that there is only the matter of three months before you will be relieved of my guardianship,’ he continued haughtily even as she sketched him a polite curtsy.