Page 55 of Ironvine

Charles

Georgina adjusted her dress.Her hair had fallen, and Charles smoothed an errant lock from her face. Her rosy cheeks reddened even more at his delicate gesture.

“Stay here, collect yourself,” he said.

“The point is to not appear collected but pillaged.”

“Be assured, Miss Georgina, you shall have your moment, but first allow me to greet them.” He left her and entered the foyer where a servant stood with Thomas and John.

“Sir—”

Charles lifted his chin. “Thank you, you may go.”

Thomas tracked toward him. “He’s dead, eh?” his loud voice hurled at Charles. “They killed each other. We were just at Amanda’s. She’s beside herself.”

“I’m sure she is.”

“Where is my sister?”

“This is a house of mourning. If you are here to pay your respects to my brother, the body is this way—”

“We are here to bring Georgina home,” said John.

Thomas crossed his arms. “Are you keeping her prisoner, Montclare?”

“I am not.”

“Her being here alone with you is highly inappropriate,” said Thomas, his lips pressing together tightly.

“Her fiancé is dead,” said John. “Thus, there is no more engagement to the Earl of Ryvves. There is no more—”

“Miss Georgina Townsend is engaged to marry the Earl of Ryvves,” Charles asserted. “And I am the Earl of Ryvves.”

In the thick, loud silence, Georgina moved forward from the shadows and stood at his side.

“No. No. Come away, Georgina,” said Thomas. “All is forgiven. You cannot possibly trust this man. You can’t. He does nothing but lie and dissemble to suit himself, just as he is doing now.”

“Be careful, Thomas, for you are insulting me in my own home,” said Charles.

Thomas ignored him. “Whatever he has told you, he is only taking advantage of you, using you for his own nefarious purposes. But there is still time to save you.”

“I don’t need saving, Thomas,” said Georgina. “And if anyone has used me or lied to me, it is my own family.”

“Listen to me—” Thomas took in a breath, his jaw shuddering. “With Hugh dead, we can start afresh.”

“We? You mean you. I shall be forced to go to Devonshire and marry whomever else you all choose for me. I do not want that.”

“Only your family has your best interests at heart,” said John.

“They are your interests alone. Mine are not being considered. I am not going with you.”

“You will do as you are told!” erupted John. “Ungrateful child.”

“I am to marry the Earl of Ryvves,” was her only reply.

“Mr. Holyfloke, you must respect the generous marriage settlement that we signed,” said Charles. “Miss Townsend is marrying a peer of the realm with an enormous income and a very healthy estate, surely the finest of connections for your family. And let us not forget, I’ve paid handsomely for the dissolution of the banns. The wedding shall take place as soon as possible.”

“Your brother signed that document as well as you,” said John.

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