Page 107 of When the Marquess Was Mine
“I presume you told her,” Lady Sidlow said.
“I sent her a letter,” murmured Georgiana. The day before her wedding, she’d steeled herself and sent it. Kitty had never replied, and as a result Georgiana had never quite planned how she might react when next she met Kitty. She wet her lips. “What would my mother do?” she asked on impulse.
Becoming a daughter-in-law had made her more aware of how little she remembered her own parents, and she’d spent the last month asking Lady Sidlow about them, especially her mother. With Lady Sidlow’s help and encouragement, she was using her winnings to locate and compensate the servants her mother hadn’t been able to help escape Wakefield Manor. It must have infuriated Alistair, and Georgiana wouldn’t spend a penny of his money on anything else.
Her former chaperone smiled and rose, just as footsteps sounded in the corridor outside. “She would be proud of you for acknowledging the truth to your friend.” She left quietly, slipping through the door into the library.
“Sir Charles Winston,” announced the butler, “and Lady Winston.”
“Kitty,” said Georgiana, gripping her hands together. There was a moment of stiff silence as they both curtsied, and Georgiana motioned for her guests to be seated. “And Sir Charles. How kind of you to call.”
“Is it?” Kitty’s eyes flickered over the room. It was restrained compared to the rest of the house, but it was still in a duke’s castlelike home. Her gaze returned to Georgiana. “I received your letter.”
“Oh? Excellent,” said Georgiana, her cheer growing strained. Kitty was solemn and Charles looked as though he’d rather be stretched on a rack.
“It was quite... unexpected,” Kitty went on. “We were all extremely astonished by it.”
“I imagine so.” Georgiana’s smile was beginning to fade. “I am very sorry for...” She hesitated. “...many things.”
Kitty nodded.
The moment of silence stretched, until Georgiana said, somewhat desperately, “I hope Mother Winston, Geneva, and Annabel are well?”
“Yes, they are.” Kitty glanced at her husband, who was staring fiercely at the floor. “Charles,” she hissed.
He started. “Yes, yes. Right.” He cleared his throat. “Ah, Lady Georgiana—”
“Lady Westmorland,” muttered his wife.
“Yes—right,” said Charles, his face growing pink. “Lady Westmorland, I may have created an unjust impression in my letters, which Kitty tells me she made known to you.” He glanced at Kitty, who nodded. “My conduct in the matter of a wager, over Osbourne House, was... not above reproach. I understand this now, and I do regret any false aspersions I may have...inadvertentlycast against Lord Westmorland.”
Georgiana just barely kept her mouth from dropping open.
Kitty smoothed her hands down her skirt. “I also regret any unkind things I said about Lord Westmorland.”
“Of course,” Georgiana murmured. There was another moment of awkward silence before she couldn’t bear it any longer. “Why?”
Kitty started. “Why am I sorry?”
“Well... yes,” Georgiana said, hesitating. “I understand you had valid reasons to be unhappy...”
“But not after what he did for Annabel,” exclaimed Kitty before her husband leapt from his seat.
“It was all a monstrous misunderstanding,” Charles declared forcefully. “Kitty, we should go.”
“No,” protested Georgiana in bewilderment. “What did you mean about Annabel?”
“Kitty,” said Charles in desperation. His wife gave him a quelling look, and slowly the baronet sank back into his chair.
“You must know,” Kitty told her, a faintly puzzled frown on her face. “Lord Westmorland put the deed to Osbourne House in trust for Annabel.”
Now Georgiana’s mouth did fall open, just a little bit. Rob hadn’t said a word to her. “He did.”
“We received the papers from the solicitor within days of your letter. Mr. Jackson agrees it is irrevocable, and all quite legal.”
Georgiana looked from one to the other. “Then... the house is secured?”
Kitty nodded. “It cannot be disposed of until Annabel is of age, or marries.”
