Georgette and the Unrequited Love: Sisters of Castle Fortune Book 1

by Alicia Cameron

  As she sat back in the saddle, waiting, Onslow stuck in his heels and was away. Georgette, after a second, pulled Falcon about and followed him like lightning, shouting, ‘Oh! You—!’

  Sir Justin Faulkes drew his horse to a standstill and looked after them. He stayed that way for quite a while, his eyes still on their disappearing forms.

  Lord Bucknell and Maria Bailey did not return for breakfast, but such was the informality of this meal that it was not remarked upon.

  Georgette had a bigger headache. Papa detained her on the way to breakfast and informed her that the archery grand competition must be this afternoon, since the Alderlys were leaving on the morrow. He said that Paxton would stay, but that there must be a feast tonight to see off the earl in style. Their stores were stretched as it was and Georgette could hardly wait to inform Mrs Scroggins of the baron’s insistence on a feast. Georgette opened her mouth to respond to him and her papa towering over her said testily, ‘What is that look, my girl? It is quite simple. Just give the order.’ Not able to issue an order it was impossible for a servant to fulfil, Georgette sighed. Why didn’t he issue the order, then? Georgette thought. But as Aunt Hester suspected, Papa probably knew what he was asking of her — the domestic chaos that would then ensue — and wanted nothing to do with it. The thought was lowering. He went past her muttering, ‘Face as long as a horse!’

  Faulkes and Onslow, coming down the stairs suitably attired for breakfast, heard this last, and Sir Justin looked his sympathy, while Georgette and the marquis shared the absurdity with eyes locked. When someone else understood how funny the awfulness was, it hardly hurt at all, she was learning.

  She was soon frowning however, wondering what might constitute a feast.

  To while away the time, George Fortune suggested another walk to the village, this time to see the weekly market. This invitation, delivered in loud tones to Miss White, was nevertheless interpreted as general, and most of the guests agreed, some to go on foot and others by carriage. Georgette resolved to go and return quickly. Perhaps the market could provide something better than the storerooms.

  Amethyst Bailey said to her, ‘Oh, shall we wait for Maria and —?’ She stopped abruptly and it was evident to Georgette that Lady Bailey had given her a gentle assault somewhere. Lady Bucknell stiffened. It was true then, thought Georgette. Quiet little Maria and stern Lord Bucknell. How could it be?

  As they were all milling about the vestibule retrieving boots, bonnets and capes, Georgette took Amethyst aside a little and whispered, ‘Is it true?’

  Amethyst grasped her hands and said, ‘Come into your sitting room.’ She entered the little sitting room and looked around from the window seat, the lady’s desk, to the small fire in the grate. ‘Oh, I have not been in here since your mama died!’ then she turned and pulled Georgette onto the sofa. ‘Oh, Georgie, I can hardly believe it, but Maria came to me last night and told me herself that Papa had accepted Lord Bucknell! I was so shocked. It is not just that he is old—’

  Georgette objected, ‘He cannot be more than thirty-five! A man in his prime!’

  ‘Yes, well, but such a stern face. I was shocked that Papa had allowed it — for he has put no pressure on me these last seasons, Georgie. Not like your papa!’

  ‘I know! I was hard put to believe it myself. But Bucknell is a good match after all!’

  ‘Oh yes, but they are to be married almost at once, Maria says. I wish she would take time to reflect!’

  ‘Is it then a practical decision on Maria’s part?’ Georgette could only ask this out of concern since she had known Amethyst and Maria all her life.

  ‘Because I have been too particular in encouraging suitors? I wondered if it was so, but no Georgie! I have no idea why, but Maria is so very happy. She said Bucknell was truly noble, but when I asked her how she knew on such slight acquaintance, she could not explain.’

  ‘Sometimes it is like that, I think,’ said Georgette musingly.

  ‘However did you guess?’ asked Amethyst, eyes wide.

  ‘Oh, Sir Justin and Lord Onslow are such knowing ones. They gave me the hint. Sir Justin said the most suspicious thing was Lord Bucknell smiling.’

  ‘He smiled?’ gasped Amethyst, as though the notion scared her.

  Georgette laughed at her, the door knocked and Colonel Bellamy was at the door, looking dashing in a long coat over breeches and boots. He smiled in a friendly fashion, and Georgette was not surprised to hear Amethyst’s intake of breath. ‘Excuse me ladies, I’m sorry if I intrude. The party has set off. I stayed to accompany you.’

  ‘Oh, how gallant, Colonel,’ bubbled Amethyst. ‘We shall come immediately!’

  They set off together, and Georgette was heartened by the presence of the chattering Amethyst (who, in her anxiety to impress the colonel, was more than usually silly) and how the colonel divided his attentions to both of them so that she felt comfortable. Amethyst rattled on, and they had little to do but respond.

  ‘You looked like you were exchanging secrets, ladies,’ the colonel said when they had walked a half a mile. His voice was teasing. ‘Do not be afraid, I shall not ask what. Ladies have confidences, as do gentlemen.’

  ‘Do they?’ said Amethyst innocently. ‘I wonder what gentlemen’s confidences can be?’

  Georgette dropped her head and smiled at this piece of naivety, then glanced at the colonel and saw his own smile not far off.

  ‘Oh, we have gambling stories and sporting stories and even,’ Bellamy lowered his voice suggestively, ‘secrets about ladies.’

  ‘Do you tell each other which ladies you like?’ asked Amethyst.

  ‘Seldom, but if a gentleman is particular friends with another, he might help with advice on how to flatter a lady’s taste.’

  Georgette was not quite happy with the turn of the conversation, but it had been innocently started by Amethyst, so forbore to blame the colonel. ‘This is very educational, Colonel,’ she said quietly, ‘but we ladies will keep our secrets and you gentlemen may keep yours.’

  ‘Oh, I think we might tell the colonel the news. It is not a secret now.’ She smiled, ‘My sister has become engaged to Lord Bucknell.’

  Bellamy looked stunned, and then said, ‘Were they acquainted previously, Miss Bailey?’

  ‘Not at all,’ said Amethyst. ‘However, I believe they admired each other quite quickly. Do you remember Georgette, how my sister—’ she pulled herself up short.

  Georgette thought to a bad natured remark from Katerina on the second day, listing the ‘cross guests’ to the Bailey sisters. Maria had said (firmly for her) that Lord Bucknell was not cross, but sad, and should not be on Katerina’s list. ‘How can you,’ she had said, ‘lump His Lordship in with the viscountess? It is not fair.’ The rest of them had agreed vaguely and Katerina had simply snorted — a habit Georgette hoped she would soon break.

  ‘Yes,’ Georgette now replied, reflectively.

  ‘I believe,’ said Bellamy with feeling, ‘that some connections are swiftly known. I should have judged Bucknell a sober man, so it seems that he must be much taken with your sister to have made so quick an offer.’ He smiled. ‘Forgive me!’ he added to Amethyst, smiling.

  ‘Oh, no,’ said Amethyst quickly, ‘it is just what Georgie and I were saying.’ Bellamy shot Georgette a look. ‘Look, there is Lord Onslow, and Sir Justin! Shall we catch up? They are forever in your company, Georgette.’

  ‘Oh, well. I knew them in London, you know,’ said Georgette, blushing.

  Amethyst’s voice had carried, and Faulkes turned, stopping Onslow with a word. Bellamy set a leisurely pace towards them, and the ladies could therefore not go faster, and Georgette was blushing a little when they eventually caught them up.

  ‘Ah, the stragglers!’ said Sir Justin. ‘We thought you left before us, for we waited a while to accompany you, Miss Fortune.’

  In light of Amethyst’s comment this friendly remark now seemed to take on more significance and Georgette flushed somewhat. ‘Amethyst
and I were in private discussion,’ said Georgette, smiling at them both, but a trifle embarrassed.

  ‘I hear you guessed it, sirs!’ enthused Amethyst. ‘My sister is to be married!’

  ‘The baron will be pleased that his invitation resulted in such a happy occasion, Miss Fortune!’ said Bellamy.

  Georgette’s eyes strayed to Onslow’s at this, and she saw the sardonic laugh in his eye. ‘Yes!’ she said, thinking of what Papa’s rage might have been if Portia had not already landed the heir to an earldom.

  ‘As Miss Amethyst said when we saw you both, gentlemen, it seems that you are ever the companions to Miss Fortune.’

  Sir Justin stiffened a little, but said easily, ‘We are her London friends, are we not, Miss Fortune?’

  Georgette smiled, avoiding Onslow’s eye after the last conversation on this topic and said mendaciously, ‘Yes, indeed!’

  ‘And of course, we have become even better acquainted during our visit,’ said Onslow with deliberation.

  ‘Ah, yes,’ said Colonel Bellamy. ‘It is a pity I cannot join you on the morning rides.’

  ‘Yes, such a pity!’ drawled Onslow.

  ‘I do not know how you can brave the early morning mist, Georgie! I can do nothing before breakfast,’ twittered Amethyst, ‘and I think Miss White and Lady Sarah feel the same.’ She laughed, ‘But Mama always tells me I am exceptionally lazy.’

  ‘Not so, I’m sure,’ said Onslow politely. ‘It is simply that Miss Fortune is exceptionally active, as is exhibited in her organisation of this party for so many.’

  ‘Oh!’ said Amethyst, surprised, ‘Did you organise the party, Georgie?’ She shrugged. ‘Oh, I suppose you must have had to give orders to the servants and so on.’ She thought. ‘And Katerina complained about mending linen as I remember.’

  ‘Really?’ said the colonel, his dark eyes finding Georgette’s. ‘You have been responsible? You alone?’ His tone was frankly admiring, and Georgette shook her head.

  ‘No, no! It was all Papa’s notion.’

  ‘You are modest, too, I see.’ Bellamy said warmly.

  Georgette smiled at him briefly. It was difficult to receive such compliments, but she did appreciate his kindness. ‘Not at all!’ she said again.

  In another minute, Georgette and Onslow were forced to drop back because of the narrowness of the path. ‘You can go on, my lord, I need to remove a stone from my shoe.’ So saying, she sat down on a log and began to unlace her boot. He turned his back, but did not move away. Georgette, relaxed with him after the merry ride of this morning teased, ‘I said go ahead, my lord. I am very quick and shall catch you!’ she pulled the half boot from her foot with a grunt, and was engaged in shaking it out when she heard Onslow, her friend Onslow, hiss, ‘Was this meeting arranged?’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ What was that in his tone? Was he angry again? ‘Why no, we simply came upon you—’

  ‘Not that, you f—’ he said fiercely. Georgette gasped, temper up, and began to put on her boot. ‘With Bellamy.’

  ‘Can I not walk with a guest?’ she said between fury and confusion, looking at Onslow’s back.

  ‘Then it was arranged!’ he continued in that hissing undertone.

  ‘What on earth? There was no …’ she stood up and shook out her pelisse with violence. ‘Do you imagine a tryst? And with Amethyst Bailey in attendance? Why, she is hanging on Bellamy’s every word — I assure you, my lord, that I would arrange things a little better than to bring a rival.’

  He had turned at the sound of her rising, and now faced her. ‘So you are jealous? Don’t worry, I think you should rather fear Miss White!’

  Georgette made an angry gesture to wipe her brow, which knocked her straw bonnet from her head, leaving it dangling at her back on its ribbons. Looking at his jeering face, she was fully enraged now. ‘After all this time, I am so tired of fearing Miss White! You may take Miss White, or Bellamy may take her, and go to the devil!’ She brushed past him, but he grasped at her arm. They were shoulder to shoulder now, facing different directions.

  ‘I’m sorry, Miss Fortune. It is just — I do not trust that fellow.’

  Georgette tore her arm away violently, turning her head to regard his profile. ‘No, it is me you do not trust — so addicted as I am to the clandestine.’ He turned his head, but she was gone.

  Onslow turned his heel and walked in the other direction, his thoughts in a whirl. Yet again he had acted in a way that was beyond his understanding, so how to explain to Georgette Fortune was moot. They seemed to get into so many sparring matches these days, and yet only this morning all the good humour had been restored between them and he had returned to Fortune Castle happy. He remembered their teasing fondly.

  But seeing her with the fawning Bellamy had enraged him. All the pointed remarks that the colonel had made, almost suggesting that there was, in Faulkes’ and his friendship with Miss Fortune, something to be ashamed of. It was the assumption in the colonel’s remark that if he had a horse here and could accompany them in the mornings, Georgette Fortune would naturally be by his side and not Onslow’s. Or Justin’s for that matter. It was an arrogant assumption that she would be his, eventually, and there was moreover the slight suspicion that her two friends were Bellamy’s love rivals. Well. Justin perhaps was — he had after all offered for Georgette. Onslow was nearly sure the baronet felt only friendship now, but then Georgette was so charming that perhaps… ‘She does not disappoint,’ Onslow remembered Justin saying, with some sadness. Now Onslow was a little shocked at the notion — were Justin’s feelings once more animated towards Miss Fortune? He thought of his friend’s white anger the day he had ridden Georgette back from the meeting with Bellamy. More than the concern that they had both justly felt for their friend’s safety? Jealousy? He hoped not, for Justin’s sake. He could not remember when Miss Fortune had shown any but the friendliest feelings for Faulkes.

  No! Justin was not jealous! He, Onslow, had been angry too, after all, perhaps angrier. It was just that Bellamy’s avid attempts at wooing had crossed the line of gentlemanly behaviour. Justin might be able to identify with the temporary madness that love causes, but Onslow could not. There was a way to go about things without the pushing that Bellamy had done. He remembered how Georgette had trembled when the man had come near her, how Onslow had felt impelled to use his nail on her back as a spur to her courage.

  She was not always shy, their Miss Fortune. She was fearless on a horse and when she relaxed as she had on their morning rides, she was confiding and warm and surprisingly pretty, even when her nose was touched red with cold. And yet she had been afraid of Bellamy. The colonel had certainly declared his love within hours of seeing her after three years. Was he mad? Even if he’d felt a violent attachment, he should have given the girl time like a rational man. Writing notes! Risking her reputation! Whatever his intentions for marriage, being found out would have been to leave her with no choice. Was this Bellamy’s intention? To have her at any cost?

  And now the colonel had clearly begun to attend Julia White. He was foremost of her court now, for though he had no rank, he was distinguished by his wealth and good looks (Onslow admitted to himself) and the Bailey brothers were no rivals. She preferred him, and showed it, yet she sent looks to Onslow, as though in the hope that he was jealous. What kind of man transfers his affection so quickly? But then Onslow had seen, at dinner last evening, a look that Bellamy sent Georgette that was difficult to fathom. The colonel had just paid Julia a fulsome compliment, and then that quick glance had seemed to make some complicit statement to Georgette. The marquis hadn’t liked it a bit. Georgette had looked guilty, he’d thought afterwards.

  For the ride this morning he had put away the vague thought, but now it niggled him.

  His own behaviour was confusing. He fought with her again and again. She was sometimes angry about he knew not what, and he was sometimes angrier than any particular situation warranted. For example, at the moment Miss Fortune was merely taking the
air with two of her family’s guests. What was more unexceptional? And yet the illicit notes had risen in his mind and he’d accused her of— yes, he had outright accused her on so little evidence, but only on his own feelings.

  Was his repulsion to Bellamy caused by only this, or was it the attention he was paying to Julia?

  In the first days of this house party he had been uncomfortably aware of Julia White’s movements, of the compliments that, as usual in any society, surrounded her. Every man had smiled at her, including even the cold Earl of Alderly. He had always disliked this public reaction to her, and she had usually mistaken it for jealousy. It had never quite been that. Julia was a pure beauty. Even now, he could catch sight of a head turn and be entranced by it, like a portrait by Leonardo Da Vinci or some Dutch master. There was no angle of Julia White that did not look perfect. It was endlessly entrancing. She was graceful and entertaining and of course she would be courted. However, the jealousy was slight and another feeling had overborne it: somehow all this attention left Julia White exposed in some manner. The general beneficence, the glances that were a trifle flirtatious and not just friendly, somehow dimmed the smiles, however brighter, that she had once given him. They were an early indicator of who he had found out she was. But even knowing that, when he had first seen her here, his body had betrayed him. He’d wanted her, and others near her had bothered him still.

  Now though, as he thought of Bellamy’s attentions to Miss White, he was unmoved. It was some sort of smokescreen he was sure, to disguise his real purpose: the pursuit of Georgette. In a darkened corner last night, Onslow had caught Bellamy’s gaze on Georgette, who was laughing with a Bailey brother. It was the look of a hungry man. So hungry that he was dangerous.

  That memory somewhat explained his own reaction in seeing them together this morning, but it did not excuse it. She was innocent enough to be unaware of the true nature of the danger she was in. Until she made some decision on her own, Onslow felt impelled to keep her safe.