Page 67 of Georgiana
She stood and looped her arm through his before they began to amble about the edges of the room.
“I received your letter this morning,” he murmured, nodding a polite hello to Elizabeth’s sister Mary. She was seated between Colonel Fitzwilliam and his brother, Ash. “I’m not sure kind is a word I would have used in our little adventure through the alphabet.”
“Of course it is. Other than your aberration last year, you have been nothing but kind.”
“Thank you, Georgiana. The next letter is mine and I decided I would tell you personally, rather than in writing.” He took satisfaction in seeing her cheeks pinken ever so slightly. “The letter ‘L’ has me dreaming of love, and I’m filled with longing for your lilting laughter.”
“Pffftt…” was all she said, yet her eyes twinkled with humor.
“You find me too loquacious with my lyrical prose?”
They’d stopped in front of the French doors, slightly opened to let in the warm night air.
“It’s my turn,” she replied. “The letter ‘M’ has me thinking of your name. Maxwell.”
“That’s only one of my names.”
“Do not interrupt.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“What are you two whispering about?”
She abruptly stopped speaking as Ash joined them. Maxwell cussed beneath his breath and the sideways glance Georgiana slid in his direction told him she’d heard. The corner of her mouth quirked when he gave his shoulders a slight shrug before facing the Viscount.
“The alphabet.”
“The what?”
“We are talking about the alphabet and the importance of its letters.”
Ash swiveled his gaze between the two of them, clearly unsure if Max was yanking his chain or telling the truth.
“It’s quite true, cousin. We have been extolling the virtues of the alphabet and have reached the letter ‘N’. Care you to join us?”
“No, as in ‘N’, ‘O’.”
“Delightful. We have now reached the letter ‘P’. Maxwell, what say you?”
“Perfection. Everything about you is perfection.”
The smile she gave him glittered. Yes, she was perfection and he wanted more than anything to whisk her through the open doors onto the terrace and kiss her perfectly plump lips, but Hutchins appeared at the door and announced dinner was ready to be served. Max extended his elbow to Georgiana and escorted her across the room. Fake courtship or not, they were the highest-ranking couple and he led her to the drawing room, proud to have her on his arm.
~~~~~
Hunched over her escritoire, Georgiana did not hear the door to her room open.
“I thought you’d left the schoolroom behind years ago.”
She lifted her gaze to see Elizabeth at the door, dressed to go outside. At her surprised look, Lizzy said, “I did knock.”
“I’ve been working on my next letter to Maxwell.”
“So I see. You’ve forgotten all about your promise to go for a walk in the park with Bennet and me.”
“Oh dear, is it that time already?” She sanded the portion of the letter she’d completed, which was only her salutation and stood. “Let me get my pelisse and hat. Can I meet you at the front door in ten minutes?”
“There is no rush, dearest. You can finish your letter and then we can go for our walk.”
