Inheriting Trouble: A Sweet Regency Romance (The Bequest Series Book 1)

by Wendy May Andrews

  Feeling heat creep up her cheeks, Georgia tried to explain. “I’m not trying to be blasé, my dear friend, and well you know it, but surely there have been better nights in all your times during the Season.”

  “Nope, not better than this.” Georgia’s gaze must have still been sceptical because Vicky hurried to add, “For one thing, I’ve never had my best friend in attendance. Add to that the fact that I almost never have my entire dance card filled, and you have the recipe for the best night ever.”

  This explanation brought sentimental tears to Georgia’s eyes. “Well, then I am more glad than ever that I am here with you. Now you must tell me which of the gentlemen you most enjoyed this evening. I want to be sure to take note of who you might be married to after I leave.”

  Vicky giggled and threw herself onto the bed. “I cannot say that any one particular gentleman has captured my heart as of yet. I just really enjoyed feeling popular for once.”

  “Come on Vick, some of them must be more interesting than others.”

  “Well, it really matters very little because I doubt I can marry before we get Rosabel and Hilaria committed.”

  Georgia laughed. “Committed? Like in Bedlam? Perhaps it would do them some good.”

  The two went off into gales of laughter before subsiding into a comfortable gossip session as the maids helped them get ready for bed.

  “Oh, good heavens!” Vicky declared. “I never asked what you and the earl talked about over supper.”

  Georgia’s yawn wasn’t fake, but she was happy that it overtook her at that moment. It added to the air of nonchalance she was hoping to cultivate. “Oh, not much of interest. He is becoming tedious with his apologies. There is nothing that can be done to change what happened, so I really do wish he would cease.”

  “Is that all? It seemed as though you were both quite engrossed.” Despite her sleepiness, Vicky’s gaze seemed searching.

  Georgia shrugged. “He did say he’d like to take me for another ride to add to my enjoyment of my stay here in London, so he’s to collect me at four o’clock this afternoon.”

  “And you agreed? You said it was dull the first time.”

  “He said he would take me to Gunther’s,” she answered with a laugh. “How could I refuse?”

  “Did you get me invited along, too?” Vicky wondered with a giggle.

  “I rather thought with how popular you were tonight that you would have invitations of your own.”

  “We shall see,” Vicky replied, trying to remain mysterious. “We are both going to be ladies about Town this week.”

  “I quite like the sound of that,” Georgia concluded with a chuckle before drifting off to sleep.

  Chapter Twelve

  Despite reassuring herself she wasn’t really looking forward to spending any time with the earl, the day seemed to drag as Georgia waited for Lord Crossley to arrive. After their late night, it had been nearly noon by the time she and Vicky had gotten up and broken their fast. Then there was the luxurious time having their hair done. That was the one thing Georgia would miss most about her time in London. In the village she had always, and would forevermore continue, to style her own hair every day. She was not nearly as skilled as the Sherton maids. Her sigh as she gazed into the mirror was heartfelt.

  “What was that about?” Vicky asked with a grin.

  “My hair,” Georgia replied with an answering grin. “It is the utmost decadence having someone to brush and arrange it for me. I shall miss it when I go home.”

  “I thought we agreed not to discuss you leaving.”

  “Of course,” Georgia agreed with a smile. “What shall we do with ourselves until we go to the Park?”

  “We could make some calls or do some shopping. I would like to stop in at the lending library.”

  “Whatever for? It is not as though you will have any time to read.”

  “One can always make time for books, Georgia,” Vicky scolded with a giggle. “Especially if you insist upon leaving me.”

  “Well, then you shan’t need any for a while yet.” She paused for a moment before continuing with a cajoling tone. “What would you say to going for a walk so I can explore the neighbourhood?”

  “Oh Georgie, I completely forgot how much you wanted to explore. But can’t you see the neighbourhood while we drive around?”

  “It is not at all the same,” Georgia explained. “For one thing, depending on the conveyance, you can’t always see very much. Or one must pay attention to the driver. Or speed is a factor.” Her voice was momentarily muffled as the maid passed her gown over her head. “Besides, you could look at it as an adventure, since it seems to me as though you probably have never actually walked around your neighbourhood.”

  Vicky couldn’t deny her friend’s words and acquiesced with a laugh. “Very well, but we shall require a maid or footman to accompany us or my mother will not allow it.”

  This had not occurred to Georgia, and she bit her lip in indecision as she turned to the maids. One quickly bobbed a curtsy.

  “Do not worry your head about us, Miss Georgia, any one of us would be happy to come with you. It’s not often we get a chance to go for a walk, and most of us would probably enjoy it as much as you.”

  Georgia smiled her gratitude at the maid and turned back to Vicky with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows. “See?”

  With a good-natured huff, Vicky agreed. “Very well. It’s a good thing we are dressed appropriately so we needn’t waste any time changing. Would you like to leave straight away?”

  “I would love to, thank you for asking.”

  Both girls dissolved into laughter as they set off from the room. After leaving a message with the footman to pass along to Lady Sherton, they were soon striding down the street.

  “Mind you, we aren’t in the country Georgie, we needn’t hurry anywhere. We need to conserve our energy for dancing later.”

  Georgia rolled her eyes. “You sound like an old maid.”

  Vicky stopped in her tracks. “How could you say something so hurtful?”

  Georgia was about to offer profuse apologies when she noticed the twinkle shining in her friend’s eyes. It appeared that Vicky’s efforts to keep a serious expression on her face were failing and she soon dissolved into giggles.

  When she regained her control, they continued their stroll. There was still laughter in her voice when Vicky had to admit, “You are quite right, I did sound deadly dull, didn’t I? But it is not at all the thing to be seen bounding about the city. And if you will recall, it was our last walk about Town that got you into your troubles with Lord Crossley in the first place.”

  “Are you trying to say that it is my fault?” Georgia gasped. “You are the one who misspoke to him.”

  Vicky waved her hand through the air as though brushing the words away. “Of course not, my dear, do not be a goose. I was merely trying to illustrate that young ladies of the ton do not make a habit of exerting themselves while in Town.”

  Georgia gazed at her friend, trying to discern whether or not she was now being serious. Vicky gazed back at her before a grin spread across her face. “I do realize that I sound silly, but it is how things are in London.” She paused for a moment before sighing. “This is exactly why I needed you to come with me. Do keep me from turning into a total simpleton, I beg of you.”

  Georgia tucked her hand through her friend’s elbow and squeezed her arm. “You are far from being a simpleton, have no fear. Now come along and tell me what you know about this street. I love the architecture here. Were you around when they were being built?”

  Vigilia smiled at her companion but shook her head. “No, I think this block was constructed about ten years ago. When we were all little my mother wouldn’t countenance travelling to London with us in tow. She herself didn’t come very often or for very long, but I almost never set foot in the city before I was fifteen. But my father talked about it a little bit, if I recall. He was admiring how modern the finishes were inside, but he had ha
ted the smoke produced by the kilns as they made the bricks.”

  “They made the bricks right here on the spot?”

  “Apparently that is the usual way of it. Father says the soil is particularly good for bricks and it saves having to get rid of the dirt when they dig the cellars and so on.”

  “How fascinating that would be to see.”

  “You are an odd creature, Georgia Holton, but I love you anyway.”

  The two girls grinned as they continued their walk.

  Finally, when Georgia could no longer convince Vicky to continue, they returned home to prepare for their drives.

  “Did you tell me who you are going driving with, Vicky? I apologize, but at the moment I cannot recall.”

  “No, I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure at the time we were talking about it. But Lord Cheltenham sent me some flowers this morning with a note asking if I would ride with him.”

  “Lord Cheltenham?” Georgia repeated with a question mark evident in her tone. “Is he the handsome baron who was wearing the teal waistcoat?”

  “No, that was Lord Farnsworth. Lord Cheltenham is a viscount. He is quite tall with wavy chestnut hair. He likes to talk about his horses.”

  Georgia laughs. “Don’t all the gentlemen? That hardly narrows it down. But I do think I recall meeting your viscount. He seemed pleasant. Is there something particularly noteworthy about Lord Cheltenham that caused you to accept his invitation?”

  “Do you mean besides the fact that he extended it?” Vicky’s laugh sounded a trifle forced, causing Georgia to turn to her with concern. “Oh don’t look like that, my dear, I am not about to turn into a watering pot. It is just that I have never felt successful during my time amongst Society, following after my sisters last year. Having you here seems to be making all the difference.”

  “Perhaps having me around is setting you at ease and making it more comfortable to converse with the gentlemen,” Georgia surmised.

  “Whatever the case, it is lovely. But in further answer to your question, Lord Cheltenham was one of the few gentlemen with whom I spoke during previous Seasons. While I still don’t know him very well, and this is the first time he has asked me to go driving, there is something appealing about him that I cannot quite put into words.”

  “Are you comfortable around him?”

  “Of all the gentlemen I’ve met, I am the least tongue-tied with him,” Vicky answered with a giggle.

  “Well then that is a definite mark in his favour,” Georgia declared with alacrity. “Tell me more about this viscount. Is he someone’s heir and that is just a courtesy title, or has he already lost his father?”

  “He inherited from his grandfather just last year. He lost his father when he was a boy.”

  “Then he is no doubt considered to be quite the catch, I would imagine. How has he managed to keep the match-making mamas at bay?”

  Vicky shrugged. “His estates are not the most lucrative, it would seem, but I believe he is comfortably situated. He wasn’t about in Society much for a time as he was in mourning. I suspect he might be paying me some attention because I’m safe from him with my older sisters still single.”

  “But would it really be so terrible if you were to marry before Hil or Bel? Why are you so determined that you cannot marry until after they do?”

  “Well, Georgia, it just isn’t done, for one thing. For another, I think it would hurt their feelings. Do you know, Hil has never even received a single offer?”

  Georgia’s face must have displayed her lack of shock over this because Vicky laughed and continued. “Yes, I know, that isn’t the most shocking piece of news, but what IS shocking is that Rosabel hasn’t received nearly as many offers as one might expect.” She paused again. “Of course, I haven’t received anything approaching an offer, but if I did, it might be incredibly hurtful to my sisters, especially Hilaria. So in my mind, it is impossible to accept an offer before they have.”

  Georgia was silent for a moment while she digested her friend’s words. “You are the kindest girl I know. No wonder you are my best friend. Your sisters don’t even realize how lovely you are, do they?”

  Vicky blushed and shrugged. “It might be a sister thing. I believe they would do it for me if the roles were reversed.”

  “Do you really?” Georgia was dubious but had no desire to hurt her friend, so she quickly moved on. “I would give my life for any one of my siblings, but I thought that was because I’m the oldest and practically their mother. You give me hope that the feelings might be reciprocated even on some level. I would never expect the level of sacrifice you are making from them, but they are still children so the point is moot.”

  The young ladies continued their stroll in quiet contemplation for a couple moments. They were almost back to the Sherton townhouse when Georgia spoke up. “I still think you should give Lord Cheltenham a chance. If you truly develop feelings for him, your sisters will not begrudge your happiness. Considering how you feel about the Season, you shouldn’t put yourself through this endlessly.”

  “Mayhap I shall prevail upon you to join me again next year,” Vicky pronounced with a grin. “It is neither a trial nor dull while you are here.”

  Georgia smiled gently before reminding her friend. “I shall have to be making arrangements of my own once I return to the village, Vick, you know that. I need to ensure more stability for the children than my father seems capable of providing.”

  Vicky sighed. “Well, never mind about all these maudlin thoughts. Let us have a lovely afternoon before we dance a hole in our slippers this evening.”

  “That sounds utterly decadent. Lead on.”

  By the time they arrived back home there was just barely enough time to run up to their room and have the maid tidy their hair before Crossley was due to arrive.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind me going out before you?” Georgia worried.

  “Not at all. I told you I would want to make time for some reading. This will be the perfect opportunity.”

  Vicky was sitting at the window watching for the earl’s arrival. “Is that a child sitting beside Crossley?” She was incredulous.

  Georgia bit her lip and hoped she did not betray herself with her blush. She had avoided telling her best friend the most salient part of her conversation with the earl. Vicky’s shrewd eyes skewered her. “This is why he is coming at such an early hour, isn’t it? You sly thing. You have some explaining to do when you get back here.”

  Georgia had to laugh at her friend’s reaction. “Hopefully, I will have an explanation to offer,” she replied with a shrug before running to give Vicky a quick hug when they heard the knocker echo through the house. “You try to have fun with Cheltenham!” she admonished firmly. “Take mental notes so you can tell me all about it when we are back together.”

  “I do not think I am the one that will have the most interesting tales. I tell you the same, you absolutely must tell me all when you get back here.”

  Georgia didn’t make any promises, merely blew a kiss and left the room. She wouldn’t have been able to explain in that moment why she was so reluctant to promise, only being quite certain that the earl’s secrets were hiding deep inner scars and while she fully trusted Vicky, she would never want to open the man up to public scrutiny nor ridicule.

  When she got to the bottom of the stairs, he was standing by the door, his stiff posture revealing his discomfort. Georgia felt a moment of regret that she had forced the situation upon him, but she swallowed it. It was for his own good and that of the poor boy waiting in his carriage. He seemed to rid himself of his brooding when he caught sight of her. What appeared to be a genuine smile spread across his face.

  He bowed to her. “I appreciate your punctuality, Miss Holton. Might I be permitted to say you look lovely today?”

  She offered him a curtsy. “No young woman would deny anyone the opportunity to say such a thing, thank you, my lord,” she replied with a grin as she rose from the respectful stance.
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  “I don’t suppose you want to keep your horses waiting, so we ought to be off,” she added when he didn’t appear in any hurry to take his leave. He really ought to overcome his reluctance to be in that poor child’s presence, she thought with a grimace she tried to hide.

  No doubt he perceived her intentions for he regarded her with shrewd eyes and a crooked smile. “Of course not, the poor horses shan’t know what to do with themselves if left on the street,” was all he said as the butler opened the door for them.

  Georgia tried to ignore how many windows of the house had faces pressed to them, watching as she descended the front stairs on the arm of the Earl Crossley. When her gaze encountered the pale face of the boy sitting perfectly still in the corner of the barouche, her heart melted and all other thoughts fled from her mind.

  “Hello, young sir, you must be Master Christopher.” She didn’t bother with whatever courtesy title the child might carry. It was enough that she knew his name.

  The look of surprise on his face caused her stomach to clench and her heart to harden further against the earl, but she kept her smile pleasant and her focus on the boy. When he nodded shyly she continued to offer an encouraging smile while she introduced herself. “My name is Georgia Holton. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She held out her hand for him to shake.

  The small boy glanced nervously at the earl but reached out to shake her hand despite his obvious fear. He then delighted her with his perceptive question. “Were you named after the king?”

  She grinned at him. “I was. How did you guess?”

  He shrugged. “There are a lot of Georges, and my nurse talks about it a lot.”

  Georgia laughed. “My parents were terribly patriotic when I was born. It is a little bit embarrassing, but while I too know many Georges, I haven’t yet met another Georgia, so I am impressed that you figured it out.” She kept her attention on the boy, not particularly caring about the earl’s reaction. “Do you like your nurse?”

  Christopher looked surprised by the question, as though he had never pondered the thought. He offered her a lopsided shrug, much like one she had seen the earl offer before. “She can be very strict but she is all I’ve got, really, so I s’pose I do like her. She says she ain’t raising no mamby pamby boy so she won’t be coddling me, but she gives very nice hugs if I ever have nightmares.”