Page 24 of Georgiana
“Mr. Barrows, this lady needs care.” Max snatched a blanket off the bed and draped it around Georgiana’s shoulders. No one else needed to see the state she was in. “Have someone attend the stables and request one of my men to come here to guard Sir Reginald.”
“Who are you to give me orders? For all I know, you’re in on this with him,” Mr. Barrows sputtered in anger.
Max rose to his feet, Georgiana in his arms, and towered over the man.
“I am the Duke of Adborough.” Mr. Barrows blanched at the mention of his title. “I have nothing to do with this sordid piece of humanity other than saving the lady from his clutches.”
The innkeeper lowered the club and gave him a quick bow.
Max continued. “Would you ask your daughter bring some salve and warm water to my room. This lady requires attention.”
“Right away, Your Grace.”
Max hurried upstairs, distressed by the small whimpers Georgiana tried to hide by pressing her face into his chest. He immediately placed her in a chair and without thought pulled back the blanket to assess if her wounds were dire. At her gasp, he realized how inappropriate his actions were and quickly threw the blanket back over her legs.
“Forgive me, Miss Darcy. I was so worried about you I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“N... n… not to worry, Your Grace.” She choked back another sob. “I was trying… I was… t…t…t…trying…”
She burst into tears.
Max fell to his knees and society be damned, placed his arms around her slender shoulders and pulled her against his chest. “Hush. You are safe. He cannot hurt you now.”
“I know.” He felt her head nod in time with her statement. “Th…” She drew in a shuddering breath. “Thank you.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
He felt her head shake in the negative against his chest and heard a stammered whisper. “N.. n… not right now.”
“Shh…., you are safe now. Mr. Barrows is sending his daughter with salve to soothe the injury to your leg.”
A long shudder rippled through her slim body and Max drew her close to his chest, his mind whirling with the ramifications of what transpired. If the inn keeper was a discretionary soul, he would not spread the gossip further than the four walls of this room. However, Slade was an entirely different ball of wax. His main purpose in this heinous act was to force Miss Darcy into marriage for her substantial dowry, and he alone might engage in slanderous gossip to achieve that goal.
Max looked down at the tangle of curls against his chest. How long had he dreamed of holding Georgiana in this manner? There was no way he’d allow Slade to triumph. He’d planned on courting her in a slow, gentle manner and that course of action had been brutally demolished. As soon as he could get word to Darcy, he’d apply for a Special License and he and Georgiana would marry as quickly as possible.
There’d be some whispers, but over time everything would be forgotten in the wake of yet another society scandal. As the granddaughter of an Earl along with being the Duchess of Adborough, no one would ever cut her direct. He’d make sure of it.
~~~~~
In the midst of showing his wife how much he adored her shapely curves, Darcy cursed at the firm knock on their bedchamber door. However, knowing his valet would not disturb them for anything other than an emergency he quit the bed, donned his robe and opened the door to a visibly upset Hutchins. To see his normally unflappable butler in a state of agitation sent an icy chill along his spine.
“I am sorry to disturb, sir, but Anna has brought distressing news.”
Darcy stepped out into the hall, giving Elizabeth time to set herself to rights.
“What has happened? Where is Anna?”
“She is in Miss Darcy’s bedchamber.” Hutchins squared his shoulders. “Miss Darcy is missing.”
“Missing? As in not her room, or as in not in the house.”
“Not in the house, sir.”
By now, Lizzy had come out of their bedchamber, tightening the belt of her robe around her waist, luscious curls of hair cascading over one shoulder.
“What is going on, Fitz?”
“Georgiana is missing.”
