“Perhaps he has come for the house party and invited a friend,” she suggested.
“Hmm. I suppose that might be the case.” Frits groaned. “Do you have any idea who it could have been?”
“I know exactly who it is.” Even earlier, Turley’s tone had not been so forbidding. “Lytton.”
Georgie almost rolled her eyes. Why couldn’t he have simply told her earlier instead of acting as if it was a great secret?
“Oh, dear.” Adeline set her empty glass of wine down. “I know that neither of you nor Exeter like him, but do you know anything that would make the man ineligible?”
Frits and Turley shook their heads.
Turley drained his glass and set it down. “Only that Lytton is said to have been involved in hurting a friend of Exeter’s and a lady.”
“That sounds rather ominous. Still, we cannot cut him if we do not have a reason.” Adeline picked up her reticule. “Shall we depart?”
“I’ll write to Exeter tomorrow,” Frits said. “I’d rather know what we are dealing with.”
Adeline smiled warmly at him. “That is exactly the proper thing to do.”
Georgie thought they were making too much of it. After all, the reason Exeter had helped a young lady last Season stay away from Lord Lytton was because she was waiting for the gentleman to whom she had been secretly betrothed to return. Now that she gave it some consideration, Georgie remembered dancing with Lytton a time or two, possibly more. If her memory served her, she had not been impressed by his conversation. He was too concerned with his own self-importance. She much preferred gentlemen—actually people in general—who did not take themselves too seriously. Or were secure in their place in the world. Still, she wondered what was meant by “hurting a lady.” That did not sound good at all. Perhaps he was one of those men who hid a dark side.
She turned toward the door only to find Turley waiting to escort her, and the instant she placed her hand on his arm, the sensations started. Even donning her gloves had not helped. “It will be interesting to see who the other guests are.”
“Hmmm,” he answered noncommittally.
They arrived in the hall just as the front doors opened. “What does that mean?”
“Only that I am not very interested in who else is in attendance.” His shoulders rose in a light shrug. “I would be perfectly happy spending time with you”—he stopped as if waiting for her to respond, but she could not think of anything to say—“and Frits and Adeline.”
Did Turley think mentioning their friends at the end of the sentence, almost as if they were added on at the last minute, would make his statement more acceptable? Or was “acceptable” the right word? Perhaps “singular” was a better word. Because he had clearly singled Georgie out. As they descended the shallow stone steps to the coach, she raised her chin. “You have only been here one day. Surely you must know by now that forming good relations with one’s neighbors by attending their entertainments is one key to being comfortable in the country.”
As he handed her into the coach, he murmured, “That doesn’t mean I would not rather spend the time with you.”
Even as Georgie fought the blush, she could not but acknowledge how she delighted in his words. “You are impossible.”
A crooked smile appeared on his face, and he raised her fingers to his lips. “Not entirely.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Frits asked.
She snatched her hand back and stepped into the coach, leaving Turley to answer, “The other dinner guests.”
Frits’s brow creased. “We don’t know who they are.”
“Exactly what we were discussing.” Turley entered the coach, sat facing her, and assumed a look of total innocence.
“You lied.” Holding her hand to the side of her lips so Adeline couldn’t see, Georgie mouthed the words, and he just smiled.
Warmth infused her and she hoped she was not blushing. She did not want his smile to affect her this way, or his hands, or lips. She had to find some method of holding him at arm’s length until he fell in love with her. Did that even make sense? If she was more aloof toward him, and did not allow him to become closer, then did it not make more sense that he would probably not fall in love with her? All this was too confusing, and she was beginning to wish she had gone with her parents.
“I do believe this is the first time since I came out that I have no idea who the other guests will be,” Adeline commented.
“That is true.” Since Turley had arrived, Georgie had not thought much about it. “In Town one generally knew who would be at the entertainments. It is strange to think that we might not know any of them.”
Adeline adjusted her shawl. “I have not received correspondence from any of our friends saying they were attending.”
Neither had Georgie. “It will be an adventure.”
The inside lights had been lit and she could see her friend shake her head.
Turley, who was sitting on the backward-facing bench, exchanged a look with Frits and groaned. “We have come to the conclusion that Turner would have invited younger gentlemen of his acquaintance.”
That was something Georgie had not considered. It might very well be that the gentlemen were too young to be interested in marriage.
“Unless Bottomley has a guest and they attend,” Adeline mentioned.
“In that event, we will know at least two people other than the Turners and Fitzwalters.” Georgie knew her friend did not like being around a number of people she did not know. She wished she had remembered that before. She patted Adeline’s hand. “It will be fine.”
“I know. I expect we shall have a wonderful evening.” If only her words sounded convincing.
“My love.” Frits’s eyes searched his wife’s face. “You have nothing to worry about. If you should become uncomfortable or tired simply tell me you wish to leave. After all, you are carrying our child.”
“There, you see?” It was interesting to see how well he took care of Adeline. “There is nothing to concern you.”
“How nice to have such a convenient excuse.” She relaxed back against the soft leather swabs.
Now all Georgie had to do was work out what she should do about Turley.
Chapter Thirteen
When Gavin had first seen Georgie this evening, he knew there was no more beautiful lady in England and possibly the world. On the way to Littlewood, he had decided to spend this evening attending to her. Then the other gentlemen at the house party had been mentioned, ruining his plan, and reminding him that he’d rather dine at Littlewood than at the Turners’ house.
Ever since seeing Lytton’s coach and being reminded that Bottomley lived in the area, Gavin could not be happy about the dinner. He wondered how formally the guests would be seated for dinner. Even though he did not know who’d be there, there was a more than even chance that he and Georgie would be paired together. After all, he was a viscount and she was a viscount’s daughter. Unless none of the other ladies were the daughters of peers. In that event, Turley could very well escort her to dinner. But if she was the only daughter of a peer, Lytton outranked him, and she might have to go in with his lordship. If only Littleton could have demanded the guest list, none of them would be having this conversation.