An Elegant Façade (Hawthorne House Book #2) (23 page)

What was the young lady up to? Despite the number of times they’d been thrown together, she had never sought him out. Even though the party was decidedly small, there were enough people about that they could have busied themselves with other conversations for most of the evening. Georgina obviously wanted something, and Colin was in no mood to be toyed with. She bewildered him enough as it was. “What do you want, Georgina?”

She looked down at the drink in her hand, giving the liquid a swirl before glancing up at him through her eyelashes. “I was hoping you would know of a businessman looking for a wife.”

Colin had fallen off a boat once. The current had pulled him under and dragged him against the wooden hull until he didn’t know which way was up. Georgina’s statement left him swimming in a similar state of discombobulation. Feelings warred with questions and bumped against logical skepticism. The clenching of his gut left him wondering if she’d begun to look at him a bit differently. The practical businessman in him poked at the sentence, looking for her scheme, trying to figure out what she hoped to gain by such a request. Most of him, however, was left in a state of confusion, asking the same question over and over. “What?”

“I asked if you knew of a businessman looking for a wife.”

That was what he’d thought she said. It didn’t make any more sense the second time around.

Colin set his drink on a nearby table before he spilled it. “Why?”

“Because I thought it would make an interesting conversation.” She rolled her eyes and turned to look across the room. “Why do you think I’m asking? Because I know a woman who would make a wonderful wife to a business-minded man.”

Colin blinked. Would this woman ever do what he expected her to? She wanted to play matchmaker? “What kind of a businessman?”

“How should I know? I didn’t even know there were different types of businessmen.”

He turned to look across the room as well, standing so that their shoulders almost brushed. The other occupants of the room mingled freely, smiling and laughing with each other. Colin had definitely stumbled into a family affair. A pang of longing hit him in the chest as he thought how much his mother and sister would enjoy such a gathering. His father would have set sail in order to miss it. “Maybe I’d like to meet her myself.”

She frowned. “You?”

The idea grew in his mind, nourished by the consideration he’d been giving Alastair’s proposition. Even if he didn’t choose to return to Scotland and court Erika, there was no reason why he
shouldn’t find someone else to marry. He could easily support a family. “Why not me?”

“She wouldn’t suit you at all,” Georgina spit out in a rush.

Colin’s brows drew together. “Why not?”

“Oh look, my mother has arrived.”

Colin was fairly certain Lord and Lady Blackstone had been in the room for at least ten minutes, but he didn’t stop Georgina from rushing to her mother’s side. To be honest, he didn’t really want Georgina to answer that question. There wasn’t an answer that wouldn’t make his life infinitely more difficult. Either she saw a problem with him and knew he would make a horrible husband or she shared just enough of his attraction that she didn’t want to see him with anyone else, even though she didn’t actually want his attention herself.

Not that he’d offered it.

But he was coming to discover that Georgina was a jewel with hidden depths, facets that made themselves known at the oddest moments. She intrigued him. That was a good word for it. Intrigue was safe. He simply wanted to figure her out, how her inability to read fit with her social savvy and the occasional burst of goodwill toward other people. She was a puzzle he wanted to solve, not a woman he wanted to spend time with.

Ryland and the newly titled Duchess of Marshington arrived. They were in Town for only a handful of days while Ryland finished a few things he’d been unable to complete before the wedding. Colin assumed their presence in Town had prompted this family gathering, though he had no idea why he’d been invited.

The happy couple was swarmed by the family. Colin remained in his corner, knowing that eventually Ryland would break free of the smothering affections.

Before he could, the tall, balding butler appeared in the doorway to announce that dinner was ready.

Everyone milled into the small dining room, but no one sat. Trent hadn’t seen fit to mark the seats, and Lady Blackstone was splitting her sentences between berating Trent for planning a party
without her assistance and figuring out where everyone was supposed to sit. With two dukes, a marquis, and an earl in the room, Colin was confident in his appropriate placement. He made his way to the foot of the table and stood behind his chair to watch the rest of the show. Because it was family and informal, they eventually decided to sit wherever they wished despite Lady Blackstone declaring it highly improper. Miranda’s smile was a bit smug as she plopped down into a chair halfway down the table.

Lady Raebourne, who had been a ward of the Duke of Riverton before her marriage, sat next to her, leaving her husband to sit directly across from Colin.

Somehow Georgina ended up on Colin’s left.

Colin tried to remember if he’d prayed for the Lord to teach him patience recently because he could think of no other reason why God would constantly be throwing Lady Georgina into his path.

Trent stood at the head of the table, waiting until everyone was seated before playing host. “Thank you all for coming tonight. I wanted us to get together and celebrate Ryland and Miranda’s new marriage without all the danger and rush. I thought it only fitting that we celebrate with those who were there to rescue Miranda, even if she was safe before we ever got there.”

Everyone smiled at the happy couple.

Trent raised his glass. “To Ryland and Miranda!”

The toast was echoed around the table, and the clink of glassware followed.

Colin fell into his normal habits, sitting quietly and paying attention to his surroundings. It didn’t take him long to see that Georgina had well and truly fooled everyone at the table.

“Have you subdued the masses yet, Georgina? Gotten all of this year’s bachelors standing in a line?” Lord Blackstone smiled at his stepdaughter.

Georgina smiled and swept a pointed look at Ryland. “Not all, obviously. But I’ve not been lacking for flowers to decorate the house with.”

Lady Raebourne leaned forward. “Have you had a chance to
spend time with Viscount Cottingsworth? He has an extensive collection of books on classical paintings.”

Miranda snorted. “Georgina’s more interested in the loftiness of a man’s title than in what they have in common.”

“Contrary to the uncommonly happy people in this room, most married people are quite fulfilled leading separate lives.” Georgina glared at her older sister.

“How sad for them.” Miranda covered Ryland’s hand with her own.

Lady Blackstone sipped her wine. “There’s no need to rush, my dear. It took Miranda four years, but she found the perfect gentleman for her.”

Riverton seemed to pale a bit at the thought of Georgina remaining at home for another four years. Colin didn’t blame him. According to Trent, Hawthorne House had been more overrun in four weeks of Georgina’s Season than in all of Miranda’s Seasons combined.

Trent grinned from the head of the table. “You should consider Mr. Glover. He spends most of his time in his library, so you would be assured of never seeing each other.”

Colin leaned back in his chair, looking from person to person and trying to place everyone in their respective family roles. It was obvious they were all embedded in each other’s lives and affections. Even the teasing was loving and well-intentioned. How could Georgina have kept such a secret from them even with Harriette’s help?

His gaze returned to Georgina, and he noticed a tension in her smile that wasn’t there before. His position allowed him to see her fingers curling and uncurling repeatedly under the table. Was the conversation upsetting her? They weren’t saying anything he hadn’t heard her say before. They believed exactly what she wished them to.

She curled her hand into a fist so tight the knuckles paled. Slowly she unfurled her fingers and lifted her hand to pick up her fork. “Are you implying, brother, that my best marriage prospect is the heir to a mere baron? I assure you that I need not set my sights
so low. Once I decide the man I want, there will be no question of my getting him.”

Uncomfortable silence filled the room. It was understandable given that at one point or another she had declared her intentions to marry two of the men now seated at the table. Was she now saying that in spite of the trouble she’d caused, she hadn’t devoted her full measure of skill into winning them?

The conversation stumbled on until dinner finally came to a conclusion. Once the women had departed for the drawing room, the men collected their port. Ryland came to sit in Georgina’s vacated seat.

Colin took a sip. “How are things at the Abbey?”

Ryland had avoided the country estate for years because of the unpleasant childhood memories attached to it. Now he and Miranda were working to set it to rights once more.

The duke smiled, a rarity in the time Colin had known him but an event that was occurring with more frequency since meeting Miranda. “Miranda is magical with the tenants. I wouldn’t be able to do it without her.”

“I’ll have to come out and see the place soon.”

“You’re welcome anytime.”

Once the thought had taken root, Colin couldn’t shake it. A visit to Marshington Abbey would get him out of town, away from Georgina and all of the problems knowing her seemed to bring. It was also in the opposite direction as Glasgow, which could possibly curb this nagging notion that it was time to go home. Yes, five years was a long time, but there might never be enough time for his father to forgive him or for him to forgive his father. When a man attempted to gamble away his family’s livelihood, it wasn’t something his son was going to laugh off.

Ryland set his glass on the table and spun it so the crystal caught the candlelight. “I’ve heard Georgina is considering Ashcombe as a suitor.”

Colin laughed. “You’ve been back in Town a matter of hours. How did you hear about this?”

“It’s true, then?” Ryland’s mouth flattened into a grim line.

Colin shrugged. “Though that’s not the kind of thing I usually concern myself with, it appears so.”

Ryland shook his head. “Not something I normally concern myself with either, but Miranda was stomping about the house mumbling about it all afternoon. She was so preoccupied she forgot to fire Jess today.”

Port nearly sputtered through Colin’s lips. Jess was the parlor maid Colin had borrowed the lock-picking tools from. She and Miranda had never gotten along very well, and Miranda usually fired the woman at least once a day when they were in the same house. Since she was an old spy friend of Ryland’s, everyone, Miranda included, knew she wasn’t going anywhere until she was ready.

Under the pretext of worrying about Colin’s health, Ryland pounded him on the back while a smug smirk twisted his lips. “Ashcombe wouldn’t be my choice of future relatives. Miranda thinks even less of him. The idea upsets her to the point I considered getting rid of him.”

Colin choked. Again. He was going to have to stop drinking around Ryland.

Ryland lifted a corner of his mouth in a smirk before taking a smooth sip of his own. “Not like that. I’m sure it would only take his removal from London to drive Georgina’s attention elsewhere. The effects of proximity, you know.”

“He has certainly spent a great deal of time with G—” Colin cleared his throat. “Lady Georgina.”

Ryland frowned once more. “I’m not sure Georgina would care even if she knew how much Miranda disliked that man.”

Colin frowned as well, because to be honest, he wasn’t sure either. For the first time he saw just how much Georgina was willing to sacrifice to protect her secret.

She was willing to give up her family.

It was a sad thing when someone was desperately obvious in their desire to appear popular.

Georgina eased her way around the ballroom, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the guest list. Everyone of any respectability had been invited, making it dreadfully crowded and explaining how Lavinia’s aunt had landed what she perceived to be a prize invitation.

Regardless, the crush meant that Lavinia was in attendance. It might be Georgina’s only chance to help her. She wasn’t sure why she wanted so badly for Lavinia to find a good marriage. Harriette suggested it was Georgina looking for hope that her own situation might turn out well. Georgina had scoffed at that notion and told the maid she must still be feeling ill.

Are you trying to impress me with this?

The little Colin in her head was even more annoyingly wrong than her maid. She was starting to get used to him now though, even occasionally talking back. Sometimes he had good advice. Which Georgina took, since the advice had to have originated in her own head despite the strange second personality she seemed to have picked up.

“Oh, Georgina, there you are.” Jane stepped into Georgina’s
path, blocking her migration to the south side of the ballroom, where the lesser-quality gentlemen were mingling with the new faces in the crowd. Putting a few of those men on her dance card would give her the chance to send them Lavinia’s way.

But first she had to get away from Jane. “Good evening, Jane. Have you danced yet?”

Jane’s giggle made Georgina groan. “Lord Howard is here.”

“Jane!”

“What?” Jane pouted. “I told him I simply couldn’t marry in a way that would disappoint my family, and he called on me the very next day. Even talked to father for a quarter of an hour.”

“But . . .” Georgina couldn’t think of a thing to say to change Jane’s mind. As nothing too untoward was likely to happen in the ballroom, she’d have time to think of something later. Right now she needed to arrange a suitable match for Lavinia. “Have you seen Trent yet? He’s here tonight as well.”

Jane’s eyes lit up, and Georgina silently begged her brother’s forgiveness. Jane’s attentions could be a bit daunting.

“Is he over near the punch? I usually find him near the punch.”

That was because having his hands full gave him an excuse not to dance. Of course, it also gave young ladies an excuse to be near him as they drank their own glasses of punch. “I believe so.”

Jane disappeared in a swirl of light green skirts.

Why were her friends intent on settling for marriages so far beneath their worth? Jane had a gracious heart and Lavinia had a sharp mind. Shouldn’t they want men who treasured those things?

Shouldn’t you?

She stomped across the edge of the ballroom, taking care to make it a graceful, elegant stomp. With each step she imagined herself tromping all over her mental Colin’s toes.

“What are you doing?”

Georgina ignored the voice until she realized it came from beside her instead of inside her head. She was going to have to make the real Colin wear a bell or something. “Oh, good evening, Colin. You’re exactly who I need.”

Colin’s eyes grew wide and he looked at a complete loss for words. Georgina would have loved to stop and savor the situation, but she needed to accomplish her goal and return to the more appropriate side of the ballroom. “Which of these gentlemen would appreciate a smart wife?”

“Are we talking about your friend again? The one I’m all wrong for?”

“Yes.” Georgina squirmed. Colin was probably perfect for Lavinia but Georgina refused to introduce the two of them or waste any time examining why she felt that way. No matter what Harriette or the little man residing in her head said, Georgina knew that her hesitation was simply because Colin was aware of her secret and she didn’t want him to share it with someone she knew.

Colin sighed and looked around, standing on his toes to see over the crush. “There’s a man over there in a green coat. Mr. Coles. In town for only a few weeks, but he’s my best suggestion.”

Georgina frowned. “I don’t know Mr. Coles.”

His eyebrows lowered. “Why would you?”

This was a problem Georgina hadn’t foreseen. The men Lavinia would need wouldn’t be the men Georgina knew. “Introduce us.”

“I beg your pardon?” Colin looked like he’d swallowed his own tongue.

“Introduce us.” It was a simple concept. People did it at balls every day.

“You want me to introduce you to Mr. Coles. I, a man that you rarely like admitting you know, am going to introduce you, a woman that all of society is watching through opera glasses, to him, a man who’d rather be herding sheep than standing in a ballroom.”

Georgina pasted on the smile she wore when she pretended she had no clue what was going on. She was going to brave through this and see if Colin would follow. “Good. You’ll do it, then. He sounds perfect for Miss Clemens.”

They worked their way through the crowd to a spot about a foot behind their target. Colin was ready to reach past another man to
tap Mr. Coles on the shoulder. Georgina grabbed his finger before he could. “Are you crazy? We have to make it look like we’re just happening by or he’ll wonder what’s wrong with me.”

Colin looked her up and down. “What is
wrong with you?”

If only she knew. “We need to stroll by.”

“The only way to ‘stroll by,’ as you put it, is to join the dance. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a bit crowded over here.”

Georgina smiled at him again. She was using her entire repertoire on him and it seemed to do nothing but annoy him. “How kind of you to ask.”

They stared at each other again. Her wondering if he was going to capitulate, and him . . . Well, she didn’t know what he was thinking. Any other man of her acquaintance would have been much easier to manipulate. A horrible thought occurred to her. What if all businessmen were less susceptible to her ploys? How would she convince one of them to dance with Lavinia?

Colin offered her his arm and they stepped out to join the forming dance set. After three goes through the pattern, in which time Colin said not a word, they found themselves next to Mr. Coles. “Ah, Mr. Coles, how do you do?”

Georgina’s mouth dropped open. He was actually going to do it. She hadn’t truly thought he would. Who introduced someone in the middle of a dance?

The two men talked in hushed tones for a moment before Colin stepped aside. “My apologies, Lady Georgina, but I see someone with whom I simply must speak. This is Mr. Coles. He has agreed to finish the dance with you.”

Georgina nodded graciously at the men. Inside she was marveling at Colin’s genius. What at first seemed absurd now revealed itself to be inspired. Was it possible Georgina could use the same trick to get men to dance with Lavinia? It was worth a try. Two more patterns and they had traveled very near to where Lavinia stood smiling and swaying along with the music.

So Georgina tripped.

Mr. Coles caught her by the arm and righted her, but Georgina
gave a squeal of pain and grimaced. Lavinia rushed over to ask after her welfare. Georgina couldn’t have planned it better.

She sighed and cast a weary look at her foot. “Mr. Coles, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish the dance.”

He looked almost relieved. “May I escort you somewhere?”

“I would hate to deprive you of the remainder of the set.” Georgina hooked her arm through Lavinia’s. “This is my friend Miss Clemens. She would be delighted to finish it with you.”

Without waiting for a response, Georgina limped away, hoping Lavinia would make the best of the opportunity and that Mr. Coles was indeed a good choice for her.

As Georgina was swallowed up by the crowd lining the dance area she returned to her natural, graceful gait.

The whole ordeal had been more exhausting and taken more time than she’d anticipated. As much as she wanted to help Lavinia, she couldn’t afford to venture to this side of the room again tonight.

A servant approached her. “I beg your pardon, Lady Georgina, but the gentleman asked me to deliver this message to you.”

Georgina took the folded paper and frowned. Who sent a message in the middle of a ballroom? What could possibly be worth taking the time to find quill and paper instead of just crossing the room?

It must be detailed or urgent or both. What if Trent were hurt? She unfolded the note with trembling fingers, but all the noise and movement distracted her. She couldn’t focus on a single word. Everything changed the moment she looked at it. Despite muddling her way through a book paragraph or two over the years, handwriting remained a hopeless endeavor.

She folded the note and stuffed it into her glove.

It looked like she was going to need to finagle another dance with Mr. McCrae.

“I need your help.”

Colin turned to find himself once more looking into the bright
green eyes of Lady Georgina Hawthorne. “That seems to be happening with increasing frequency.”

Georgina sighed. “Would you mind dancing with me again?”

“But we’ve already danced once.” Colin wasn’t averse to taking a turn on the dance floor, but he’d always been careful to dance only once with any particular lady. Anything more would draw gossip he didn’t need or want. That no one had mentioned his earlier desertion of Lady Georgina on the dance floor was something of a miracle.

“Our talking in the corner will draw even more attention.”

“Then go away.” Colin was done being her servant. There wasn’t a puzzle in existence that was worth this much trouble.

Georgina smiled at a passing matron. The older woman looked from her to Colin with a gleam in her eye. For Georgina to be off the dance floor at all during an event such as this was an anomaly, but to be seen in extensive conversation with Colin could ruin all her hard work. It didn’t matter if Colin thought her goal a ridiculous one, he had to admire her dedication to it.

Which meant whatever she needed him for meant more than her goal. And he hadn’t seen anything that she cared about that much.

“Please.”

What had it cost her to say that word? The look on her face, the first genuine one he’d seen on her all evening, punched him in the middle with the desperation in her eyes. That unnerving sense of skepticism, hope, and self-loathing hit him in the stomach again. Despite his better judgment, he offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

He escorted her to the floor, where the strains of a waltz were beginning to play. He scooped her into his arms and onto the floor. It would be a waltz. He made it a point to avoid waltzes. Did he have any personal rules that hadn’t been broken for this woman?

“There’s a note in my glove.”

Surprise had him jerking his arms, knocking her off balance until he had to tighten his hold to keep her from falling. “What?”

She righted herself with an exasperated sigh. “A note in my glove. It was delivered to me a few minutes ago.”

The light and airy music turned tinny, like the pings of his sister’s music box. Georgina was using him again. He’d known she was, but somehow the blatant evidence of it bothered him. He didn’t know why, though, because most people of his acquaintance only sought him out when they needed something. He’d made a living out of being available when people needed him. Was it because her requests were more personal than anyone else’s?

Colin pressed his lips together to keep from groaning. “You want me to read your note.”

Her eyes narrowed as if she were questioning his intelligence. Had she just sniffed his breath? Did she think he was drunk? “Yes. I believe that’s what I said.”

“You said only that there was a note in your glove, which would be terribly awkward for me to retrieve if you think about it.” He spun her through the curve of dancing couples. “What would you do if I weren’t here? If I were not privy to your most precious secret?”

She frowned. “I don’t know. It’s never happened before.”

“Consider your options and then choose one.” He gave serious consideration to leaving her in the middle of the dance again. It was unlikely to go unnoticed this time. “I will no longer be party to your deception, though I’d be happy to escort you to Trent, should you wish to ask for his assistance.”

Her head tilted to the side and her eyes widened. Colin braced himself for unshed tears to appear. He wouldn’t put it past her to manufacture that gut-wrenching sheen on command.

“What if the note is from Trent? He could be hurt, or called away, or in possession of some dreadful news about the family.”

“Then finding him will be considerably more expedient.”

Georgina stomped on his foot. “Why must you be so awful? Isn’t a gentleman supposed to help a lady in need?”

There was no dignified way out of that question. Colin sighed. “If you can retrieve the note, I’ll read it.”

It took a few steps but she managed to slide the note out without much difficulty. Someone was sure to have noticed, though. At least one third of the ballroom’s occupants were probably watch
ing them right now. They were the most potentially scandalous couple on the floor.

Colin unfolded the note and hid it in their joined hands. It was short, but long enough to anger him all over again. This was the kind of man she wished to marry? Her precious pride was more important than avoiding this sort of high-handedness?