Page 33 of Ironvine

She clamped her hand on his arm, and his eyes snapped to hers. Eyes full of a dark storm. “Who sent the message?”

“Goodbye, Miss Georgina.” He turned to Philippa and John. “Mr. Holyfloke, Mrs. Holyfloke, I thank you.” He bowed his head and quit the room.

From the window where she sat, she spotted Charles adjusting his hat as he strode down the crowded street, tall, with purpose. Hugh waited for him. A footman bowed to him and held open the door to the Ryvves coach, emblazoned with the family crest. Charles and Hugh spoke heatedly, nay, argued. Hugh spoke to the footman with some urgency. The brothers entered their coach, and within moments, they were gone.

Something was wrong. She was sure of it.

She would find out.

ChapterThirteen

Charles

“How could you? You idiot.”

“Shut up!” Hugh hissed.

Charles glanced up from the carriage, and there was Georgina at the window, her face riddled with concern. With questions.

How could he tell her the truth? The dirty, foul truth.

“Quickly, man!” Hugh shouted at the driver, and the coach took off.

Last night, after they’d left the ball, Hugh and Charles had gone on to continue their revelries elsewhere with their friends.

“We must celebrate my engagement!”Hugh had clapped him on the back as they headed out for their favourite private club. But for Charles, the brothel had struck a false note. Hideous. The sight of so many female rumps and breasts bared and pitched for his strokes, his strikes, did not stir him. Right there standing at the head of a row of females writhing for their attention, a horrible thought had seized him. He had become a procurer of flesh for his brother.

And that “flesh” he’d peddled was Georgina Townsend.

Would he ever be able to look upon himself in a glass again?

As Hugh and their friends enjoyed their carnal entertainments, he swallowed back a drink in one quick shot and went home. But it was of no use. Georgie’s bright gaze blazed before him and would not let him go. The squeeze of her hand on his arm as she implored him to secure his brother to save herself was seared on his flesh.

He brushed a hand across his mouth, the sour lingering.

Once home, he went straight to his desk and wrote up the terms of settlement of engagement for Hugh and Georgina. He altered the original draft that his father’s solicitor had drawn up years ago to be ready the instant Hugh had decided on a wife. How many times had Hugh declared he’d found a bride and then at the last moment he’d pleaded how the girl was all wrong and he’d never survive it.

Soon.

Later.

Wait.

I shall.

I promise.

Too many to count.

Charles made it so that once she married Hugh, Georgina would not only have access to the usual pin money outlined for a wife but have control over her own money. It would be some kind of measure of security for her if she found her new life as Lady Ryvves was not to her liking. That it was only a prison of gilded disappointments that she needed to escape.

Like Mother.

“At least we’ve secured the bride,” Hugh’s voice broke his reverie. “Georgina and I are engaged. Nothing can break that now.”

“Is that what you told yourself when you were thrusting your cock in Amanda last night?”

“Jealous, are you? She told me about the two of you.”

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