* * *
“My lady, Lord Turley has returned.” Cristabel’s butler poked his head into the parlor.
“Thank you, Crothers. Please bring him to us.”
The butler bowed and left. “Perhaps we will have some good news.”
“I certainly hope that is the case,” Lucinda said. “If not, we must take a more direct hand in the matter.”
Constance set her glass of claret on the small table next to her. “Who would have believed that this would take so long? It is obvious that they love each other.”
“Is it enough?” Lucinda asked. “We know that Georgie loves him, but I will wager that he does not have a clue that he loves her.”
The three of them had been going round and round about this mess all to no avail. “We shall ask how today went, then make alternative plans if need be.”
The door opened and Gavin entered the room. “Good afternoon.”
“Good day to you.” Cristabel glanced at her friends.
Constance gave an almost imperceptible nod before saying, “Did you kiss her?”
“No.” Fortunately, he appeared disgruntled.
“Were you not alone with her?” Cristobel asked.
“Oh, we were alone. And we were finally in a place where we would not be seen, but there was an altercation over fish.”
“Fish?” Lucinda shook her head as if unable to understand what he’d said. “I believe you must explain yourself. I had no idea you were going fishing.”
Gavin grimaced. “We were not. One of the guests made a wager about catching fish and when he did not do it, he attempted to steal a catch from a local lad. We decided that we should intervene. Thanks to your granddaughter, the matter is now resolved. Unfortunately, to resume our walk afterward would have caused talk as everyone was by then in the formal gardens near the house.”
“What bad luck.” Lucinda took a healthy drink of wine. “Are you dining with her this evening?”
“No. We had a substantial luncheon and there was a great deal of food at the garden party. Adeline and Frits decided to have a light meal this evening.”
“Unfortunately, we are going out for dinner,” Cristabel did not for a moment think her son would forgo a larger meal, but she did believe that Frits would like to spend time alone with his wife. “I shall tell my cook that you will dine in your rooms.”
“And tomorrow?” Constance asked.
“We are going riding in the morning and we have been invited for dinner and an informal dance tomorrow evening.” He appeared frustrated about what had occurred earlier. “I plan to try to get her alone then. I understand that the gardens will be lit with small lanterns.”
“You will be riding with Georgie in the morning,” Constance said. “Surely you could find a time to kiss her then.”
“I could if Johnson wasn’t with us all the time.” He cut a look at Cristabel. “You know how diligent he is.”
She could not help but to pull a face. If anyone knew what a good minder the groom was it was her. “Yes, I am aware.”
“If there was any way I could get rid of Johnson I’d happily do it. But I fear it would be impossible.”
“We shall attempt to think of something to help you.”
“Thank you.” He bowed to them. “I think I’ll go through my correspondence. I have received a great many letters and other matters to which I need to attend. Have a good evening.”
“We shall, my dear,” Cristabel sipped her wine as he walked out the door. Once the sound of his steps had receded she glanced at her friends. “We must stop relying on chance when it comes to Georgie and Turley.”
“I agree.” Lucinda placed her elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her chin in her palm. “What do you propose to do?”
“I shall write to my son and explain to him that Turley and Georgie must be allowed to take their ride alone in the morning.”
“An excellent idea.” Constance gave an approving look.
“There is no time like the present.” Cristabel moved to the desk, and took a piece of paper.
My dear son,
It has become imperative that Turley has sufficient time alone with Georgie to press his case. Her grandmother and I agree that tomorrow during their ride would be perfect. Please see to it that Johnson does not accompany them.
I am as always your affectionate mother.
After sanding and sealing the letter, she tugged the bellpull. A brief second later one of her footmen entered the room. “My lady?”
“Please have this delivered to Littlewood. I want an immediate answer.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Once the door closed, she glanced at her friends. “We have done as much as we can for the moment.”
Not an hour later her butler returned. “This is from his lordship in answer to your missive.”
She popped the seal and read the hasty scrawl.
I hope you know what you are doing.
She hoped so as well.
The next day Cristabel awoke to the sound of rain. Not a light pitter-patter, but the sound of a waterfall. “Well, drat. Are the heavens against them as well?”
* * *
Having been informed by Adeline that Frits had received a letter from his mother demanding that Georgie and Turley be allowed to ride alone the next day, she had slept deeply. Soon she would know if she should marry Turley or not, but the sound of a heavy rain slipped through the air and her bed hangings. She did not even have to open her eyes to know that no one in the Littlewood household was going anywhere today. Yet she sat up and listened a bit longer, praying it was one of those quick showers. It was not. A half hour later the rain was as steady as it had been when she’d woken. It might not even be possible for Turley to visit without becoming totally soaked from the carriage to the door. The first ride that she’d have alone with him was not going to occur.
Drat! And everything had been working out perfectly. She fell back to her pillows. Why was this happening to her? She gave herself a shake. Perhaps it would not rain all day.
After dressing, she went to break her fast. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” Adeline glanced out the window and Georgie noticed that on this side of the house the winds were blowing fiercely. “Frits has gone out to help one of the tenants move their animals. The roof of their barn was leaking badly.”
“Did he not know of it before?” Georgie poured a cup of tea and pulled a fresh rack of toast to her.
“No. He hadn’t been informed. This is bad luck for you.”
“Yes, but these storms usually do not last long.” Although, this one seemed as if it would last all day.
“That’s true.” Adeline’s face brightened. “This will give me the opportunity to read one of the new books that arrived yesterday.”
“Which one is that?” Reading was always a good way to pass the time on a rainy day.
“Louisa Stanhope’s The Nun of Santa Maria Di Tindaro.”
Georgie had read all of Miss Austen’s books, but she had unfortunately died the year before. “I haven’t read her.”