Page 163 of Ironvine

“And why is that, madame?”

“Well, then, I would have surely taken you as a lover, sir.” Her eyes flashed at him. “And I would not have let you go.”

Charles sucked in a deep breath. “Ah, speaking of Whatley, have you heard the news?”

“Do tell.”

“His elder sister is engaged.”

Georgina came to a stop. “Is she really? That is news. Is she not almost thirty years of age?”

“She is indeed. Obviously, this is a very special engagement causing a great stir in the family, if not the village.”

“I should say so.” Georgina seemed to remember that Miss Whatley always had a sullen disposition. Thomas had, on several occasions, danced with her at assemblies and parties, and she had been most waspish and ungracious. He never asked her to dance again. Neither did any young men.

“And who, pray tell, Lord Ryvves, is Miss Whatley’s fortunate fiancé?”

“Ah, the happiest of gentlemen, Mr. Matthew Penry.”

“Dear Lord, is this true?”

“Why yes. I would not lie about such an important circumstance.”

“I am speechless.”

“The bride comes with a great, great dowry.”

“She must.”

“Do you think he courted her?” said Charles.

“I would have loved to have witnessed that to be sure.”

“Which brings me back to my point, you should have been courted by your husband-to-be, and you never were.”

“Lord Ryvves, you are a traditionalist?”

He chuckled. “My point being, you not only absconded with me in the light of day on a public street in town—”

“May I remind you—you started all of this by stealing a kiss from me on a dark walk at Vauxhall Gardens. My very first kiss was stolen by a Montclare.”

“Ah, this is true.” His chest puffed out. He was pleased with himself. “And then you insisted I ruin you—your exact words—in my house as an innocent unmarried lady.”

“Scandalous.”

“Quite. There was no seduction on my part. What kind of Montclare am I? I didn’t even have the chance to sweep you off to a bedchamber.”

“Must we always do it in a bedchamber?” She shot him a saucy smile.

“What I meant was that for your very first experience instead of having luxuries, we did it in a most heedless and hasty manner. Right there in the drawing room, I ruined your reputation and your innocence.”

“It was quite an adventure.” Her eyes blazed at him.

“You are shameless, madame.”

“I always have been, and you, I must say, always encouraged it. Imagine what a disappointment I would have been to any other man in the ton who would have expected a demure, shy, quiet, undemanding obedient young gentlewoman for a bride.”

“A great disappointment.” His eyes shifted about the gardens. “Should we try?”

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