Page 52 of When the Marquess Was Mine
“I suppose I would’ve,” he shot back.
“What a terrible pity you weren’t there, when you might have been useful for a change,” she exclaimed.
“Stop,” said Rob testily, glaring at his brother.
Georgiana flinched and lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Not you,” he murmured. Tom made a childish face and turned to face the window. Rob wished his brother would get out of the carriage and ride his horse, but he had to settle for silence. Not only did Tom finally hold his tongue, so did Georgiana. A heavy, taut air seemed to fill the carriage and suppress all conversation.
By the time they reached the inn where they would spend the night before going their separate ways, Rob had discarded no less than a dozen ideas for how to delay. He could go to London, too. He had a house there; he’d remembered it, near Green Park. Then he could call on Georgiana and see her at balls and parties. She was still engaged to someone else, but perhaps, if he had some time... He wanted to ask her if she’d be glad to see him in London. He wanted to ask if he could begin again, as himself, and see if she found that man more to her liking than the old Westmorland.
Not to mention, more to her liking than Lord Sterling.
But there was never a moment to speak to her. Tom had made the arrangements, all too well; the innkeeper had two large rooms waiting when they arrived, and Georgiana hurried up to hers with her maid trailing behind. Rob decided he’d try at dinner, but again Tom maneuvered to prevent any conversation by ignoring every hint that he ought to step outside or at least withdraw to the corner of the private parlor for a few minutes.
And then, with startling suddenness, it was over. The servants had cleared the dishes and brought a bottle of port. Georgiana rose from the table. “It’s been a very tiring day. I would like to retire.”
“Of course,” said Tom with a bow. “Godspeed on your travels to London.”
“Thank you. Have a pleasant journey, Major.” She turned her clear green eyes to Rob. “I wish you all the best, sir. I hope everything will be as it once was, with you.”
The servants were still going in and out of the room. She was trying to be discreet. Rob nodded. “I could write to you,” he heard himself say. “And let you know how I’m getting on.”
Her eyes brightened, but Tom cleared his throat loudly, and the light faded. She gave a muted smile. “I’m sure I’ll hear. And it might be best... well, not to write.”
He nodded. Right. “Good night,” he said formally.
She curtsied. “Good-bye, my lords.” And she was gone.
“Make a clean break,” said Tom after the door closed behind her. “It’s for the best.”
Rob twisted the stopper off the bottle of port and flung it at his brother, eliciting a yelp of outrage from Tom.
There was a clean break, all right. It went straight through his heart.
Chapter 17
Georgiana trudged up the stairs, trying not to think of how she should have ignored Major Churchill-Gray in that last moment and told Rob that she would be delighted to have one letter from him. It would have been a very short and simple letter, of course, she told herself. She would wonder about him, as was only natural, and even a few lines would put her mind at ease...
And yet, it was absolutely not her business. The major was right to remind her that this was the end, if she were lucky, and inviting any letters would only be asking for trouble.
She closed the door of her room, inexpressibly tired and numb. Nadine had prepared the room but was still down in the kitchen, having her own dinner. In the distance a church bell tolled the hour mournfully:Gone, gone, gone, it seemed to say.Go, go, go.Go where? To London? Or go to Rob and... what? She squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled a shuddering sigh. She was going back to London. Rob was going home. It was for the best.
The knock on the door made her jump. She had barely opened the latch when Rob pushed it open and stepped in, sweeping it closed behind him. With one motion he caught her to him, sending her heart leaping with joy. When he lowered his head and kissed her, an electric shock went through her, and she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, desperately, longingly, without thinking of anything beyond that moment.
His hand cupped the back of her head. She sighed into his mouth as his fingers tangled in her hair. He made a smothered moan and rained frantic kisses across her brow and down her throat before capturing her lips once more. His arm swept around her waist and pulled her against him until she could feel every beat of his heart.
And something inside her seemed to swell and ache for more, as if she’d just been jolted to life from a deep stupor. Her heart beat like a bird’s wing against her ribs. His tongue teased hers, and a shiver of surrender went down her spine as she opened for him. This was what she had feared and craved, all at once, and she never wanted it to end.
He tore his mouth from hers and clutched her to him so tightly she felt his ragged breath vibrate through her. “Don’t go,” he whispered urgently. “Please don’t leave.” He kissed her again, and she almost swooned into it.No, she wanted to say;I don’t want to leave you. She pushed her fingers into his hair and held on, pulling him closer and kissing him back with every fiber of her being.
“Georgiana,” he breathed, his arms trembling around her. “Come to Salmsbury with me.”
For a moment the floor seemed to buckle under her feet. She pressed her face into his neck and breathed deeply, and for one wild, mad moment, she let herself imagine it—hiding away with Rob,thisRob, charming and devilish, who made her laugh, who cared for her thoughts and feelings, who kissed her like a man in love...
“I don’t want to leave you. Come with me,” he said again, his voice low and coaxing, as if he knew she was wavering and needed only the slightest push to say yes. “We’ll work out what to do about Sterling.”
Sterling. The name landed like a blow of an executioner’s axe. That was not the push she had needed.
