by Zana Bell
‘No, Harry,’ she said in a low voice. ‘Don’t.’
‘I have to,’ he said, ‘it’s been burning away at me for far too long. Now your brother is here, I would like to ask him for your hand in marriage.’
Charlie’s eyes widened, but though he grinned, he shook his head. ‘I’d never speak for George. You must ask her yourself.’
‘Gladly,’ said Harry, turning to her and looking deep into her eyes. ‘Georgie, I love you. Will you marry me?’
She was appalled he had proposed to her in front of everyone – he must be so sure of her answer. Grief choked her and she could not speak. She shook her head.
‘But Georgie,’ said Harry, his voice coaxing, ‘I’m not a wanted man any more. I’m an earl and rich beyond imagining. We’ll go back to England and live royally in Elrington Manor and you shall have as many horses as you like.’
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she still made no reply and just looked down at her hands in her lap. She was vaguely aware of the astonished, uncomfortable silence of the others, but could not begin to explain, pinioned as she was by Harry’s unrelenting blue gaze.
‘Georgie,’ he urged again, ‘I’ll dress you in fine clothes and beautiful jewellery and take you to all the balls in the countryside.’
Now anger flared, hard and bright, both with Harry and herself. What a fool she’d been. He didn’t know her, didn’t understand her at all. ‘Never!’ she said, tilting her chin at him and blinking away her tears. ‘Nothing in this world would induce me to become the wife of an earl.’
Harry laughed and turned to Phillip. ‘See!’ he said. ‘I told you. You will have to keep the estates now, dear brother, because nothing in this world will prevent me from marrying Georgie.’
Georgiana gasped. ‘It was all a hoax?’
‘Not the proposal, not a bit of it. But we’ve been wrangling most of the day as to who will run the estate. Phillip can’t believe I simply don’t want it.’
‘It’s hard for me to believe it too,’ said Charlie feelingly.
‘Not for me,’ said Georgiana with a blinding smile.
‘I only embarked on this mad venture to clear my name and to avenge my mother,’ Harry explained. ‘Well, my name is cleared and Phillip and I are agreed the truth of her marriage will be made public. She will finally get the acknowledgement she deserved.’
Phillip nodded, his face suddenly serious. ‘I’m afraid I can’t save my mother, poor woman, from scandal. The truth must be told. It will be a double blow when my step-father is arrested.’
Harry reached out a hand and clasped his brother’s shoulder. ‘But Phillip – and I, if she will have me – will be there to support her. She’s a victim in this story and shouldn’t be punished. Which is why, dear brother, you must remain in the manor. It has been her home these twenty-seven years. If we play our cards right, hold our heads high, the scandal will eventually blow over.’
Phillip’s hand went up to cover Harry’s, but he smiled and shook his head. ‘It’s a generous offer but no, my mother and I will make a new home.’
‘Generous be damned!’ Harry exclaimed, pulling his hand away and punching Phillip lightly on the arm. ‘Don’t you see, you’ve been raised to the role while I haven’t the first idea where to begin. I’m a sailor. I like the free life. But most importantly, I came to my senses and knew I couldn’t condemn Georgie to a life of luxury.’ Georgiana gave a gasp of mock indignation and he turned to her. Laughter and tenderness were both in his face. ‘I cannot tell you how much I missed you when I went on alone to Arrowtown. I suddenly realised I’ve become accustomed to sharing adventures with you. It just wasn’t as much fun without you. If ever there was a woman born to be a trial and a tribulation, a companion and a joy to a sea captain, it has to be you.’
He cupped her cheek with a hand. ‘Then I came back to find that far from living a sane, safe life, you’d become the talk of the town. What the hell had I been doing to contemplate, even for a minute, making you lady of the manor? Your talents are far, far too great to be hidden away.’
Tears brimmed in her eyes and Georgiana turned her head to kiss his palm. For a second they looked at each other, then Harry turned back to the others and said in that brisk tone she knew so well, that brooked no opposition, ‘Georgiana is right, New Zealand fits well. I’ll refit Sally then get her down here and look for new business ventures while my brother and partner runs the estate in England.’
‘But it simply isn’t right,’ Phillip protested. ‘You are the earl, you should have the home.’
‘If I may speak,’ interrupted Sedgewick, ‘I think Harry is right. The fact, Phillip, that you feel it is so wrong and he cannot see that it is, makes his choice all the better. You are of that world, he is not. Of course Harry has to keep the title but, you know, I do not think your father would care much who had the house. He never envied his brother and would have lived just as happily in a cottage with Mary if he’d been able to. If you feel so strongly about it, you can make provisions. One day there will be children to think of, after all. But these things can be sorted out with a bit of imagination. Just because it’s not been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Everything’s possible. That’s the New Zealand way of thinking.’
‘There you go,’ said Harry jubilantly. ‘If Sedgewick says our father wouldn’t have minded, that’s good enough for me. And I have to say, I do like the New Zealand philosophy!’
Phillip still looked troubled. ‘It’s wrong. You must come back and take your rightful place.’
‘Very well,’ said Harry, ‘I’ll try again, just to please you, Phillip. Georgie, this is the last time I’ll ask. Will you come back to England and marry the Earl of Elrington?’
His face was alight with the wild impudence that was surely his father’s legacy. She shook her head, her eyes shining.
‘Never!’
‘In that case,’ he said, suddenly serious, taking her hand in his, ‘will you, dearest Georgiana da Silva, marry Harry Trent?’
His eyes, brilliant blue, burned into hers. She saw love there, and tenderness and the promise of much laughter and many adventures. There was also so much more. She saw the strength of a man who inspired loyalty and trust. A man who had fought for, and protected her. Commander and adventurer. Earl and pirate king. A man with the heart of a lion, who could harness the winds.
With a start, her hand went to her throat to where her griffin lay. Of course. How had she been so blind?
‘Georgie?’ Harry prompted her, his voice at once imploring and demanding, as he squeezed her other hand for the only right reply.
She was an actress, she knew her cue.
‘Yes!’ she declared. ‘Oh yes, and as soon as possible.’
With a laugh of elation, he snatched up both her hands, pressing kisses on them before leaning forward to drop one on her nose. His smile, wickedly, promised so much more later. Then he turned to the others at the table.
‘Well, that’s it then. She has the final say on the matter. You see, I cannot leave Georgie because it certainly won’t be long before she’ll have some fiancé wanting to wring her neck. And that fiancé, I am determined, will be me!’
About the Author
Zana Bell grew up in Zimbabwe and studied English Literature at the University of Cape Town. After travelling for several years doing a wide range of jobs, she immigrated to New Zealand where she now lives with her family and cats in a small harbourside community.
She began writing, just for the fun of seeing whether she could actually complete a novel and immediately became hooked. She enjoys writing in a variety of genres but has a particular fondness for all things historical.
For more information visit www.zanabell.com
Follow Zana on Twitter @ZanaBellAuthor
Introducing Choc Lit
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