Page 10 of Ironvine

“That’s what marriage comes down to in the end, doesn’t it?” Charles’s gaze remained on the coach window to the crowded streets. “A bargain. A contract both parties agree to with a purpose. Everyone gets something out of it so life can push on.”

Their father and mother’s marriage had distilled into nothing but a contract of requirements. Appearances were all, and they both knew how to present as the perfect couple when necessary. Distance and congenial coolness became the hallmarks of his parents’ relationship. And it became perfectly normal to all of them.

He’d learned early on that marriage was a cold, selfish place, where there was no such thing as affection or love only obligation and tribulation. To survive it, you had to bargain for what you wanted, and you always had to play by the Earl’s rules. Or else.

That was marriage.

That was his family.

Charles smoothed his hair back. He wanted none of that for himself. Nothing of what Hugh was imagining for himself. None of it.

The coach slowed its pace, finally coming to a stop behind a long line of other carriages in front of Lord Eccleston’s home. The blazing lights of the torches set off an eerie glow in their coach. Finely dressed young ladies and gentlemen, their faces full of excitement and expectation, crowded the entrance to the house.

Would Georgina be here tonight?

Hugh let out a rolling laugh. “Look at them all.”

“Enjoy it.” Charles’s hand smoothed over his necktie. “You’re sure to cause a stir, as you do everywhere you go.”

The coach door was flung open, and Hugh’s lips curled. “I should hope so.”

ChapterFour

Georgina

“I’d quite forgottenhow grand Lord Eccleston’s house here in town is. Unmatched,” remarked Georgina to her sister and mother.

“Quite.” Her sister, Philippa, slid her arm through hers. “I realise I kept you away from all that glitters all this time in Devonshire. But, my dearest, were you terribly bored with my company?”

“Philippa, you know I was glad to be with you during your confinement. To be with my nephew. There were dances and assemblies in Devonshire, to be sure. But this…I’ve missed this.”

“London is grand and exciting, isn’t it?” said Philippa.

“Today being on Oxford Street and seeing all the shops…Behind all those great glass windows absolutely everything one can think of is neatly, attractively displayed.”

Philippa sighed. “And in such abundance of choice as almost to make one greedy.”

“Almost? I confess I became quite greedy, sister.”

“I’m so glad we were able to be here this last week. For you to have missed an entire season–”

“There are times when being in London is important,” said Mother sipping her wine.

“And wonderful,”thought Georgina. Meeting friends for tea and sweets, walking in St. James Park to see and be seen, shopping for new hats and scarves and turbans that she’d fallen in love with. She and Philippa and their mother had visited friends and had accepted visitors at theirs.

They’d gone to the theatre, to concerts, to coffee houses. She’d even gone to an exhibition of landscape paintings one morning. Philippa hated leaving their rooms until midday, but not Georgina. She’d gone with their brother, Thomas, who had to be dragged there, but no matter, it had been splendid.

The ball tonight was the grandest event of the season, and she was so gratified that they’d been invited. Already the day after next they’d be leaving town. Philippa and John would return to their baby in Devonshire, and she and her mother and Thomas would finally go home to her beloved Gloucestershire. How she’d missed home, her friends.

“This is actually quite a special evening.” Philippa sipped at her wine.

“How so?” Georgina could not tear her eyes away from all the finely dressed young gentlemen. She recognised quite a number of them and knew not an even greater number. She caught many an appreciative glance and carefully chose at whom she returned a smile and who she ignored. Yet, none of these many gentlemen were Charles. Surely he would be here tonight?

Charles Montclare. A man she’d known all her life. She’d always enjoyed his witty company and clever, lively conversation at social events. He was of the finest of dancing partners. Of course, he had a reputation as a scoundrel, as did most of the very handsome and extremely wealthy young gentlemen of her acquaintance. She’d never considered him any kind of…

No.

She’d had feelings for Matthew Penry for years now. Yet one kiss, one wholly unexpected, wildly passionate kiss from Charles Montclare, and she could think of little else since it had happened there, in the shadows of Vauxhall of all places. Her first true kiss, not simply a pressing or brushing of lips, no indeed, had been everything she had hoped it would be…and more.

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