Adeline tilted her head to one side as a line formed across her forehead. “Do you know, now that I think about it, I had as well. We definitely need to get to the bottom of his behavior.”
“I almost forgot. I must write to my parents immediately.” Georgie sat at the small burl writing table and drew out a sheet of pressed paper. “They have to return to Town immediately. Someone has to arrange for a time at St. George’s and for the wedding breakfast, and I need new clothing.” Finally, she would be able to wear stronger colors.
“If you would like,” Adeline said slowly, “I will accompany you to Town and help you until your mother returns.”
“Would you?” Georgie was surprised at the offer. Her friend did not like leaving the country. “I cannot thank you enough for the offer, and I shall take you up on it. The very soonest my mother could arrive is over a week.”
“Well, then.” Adeline bit down on her lip. This truly was a sacrifice for her. “I shall inform Frits. He will most likely wish to come as well.”
Georgie rushed over and hugged Adeline. “Thank you. You are the best of friends.”
After embracing Georgie in return, Adeline smiled. “I could not miss your wedding.”
A wedding. Finally, Georgie was going to be married to the gentleman she loved. She supposed she would pinch herself every few days until she was wed.
* * *
Gavin made haste to The Lilacs. He had to bathe and change, speak with the ladies, then rush back to Littlewood. He hoped in that order. However, as he strode into the hall and headed for the stairs, Lady Littleton rounded the corner of the corridor into the hall followed by Lady Featherton and the duchess.
Lady Littleton’s sharp gaze took in his appearance. “Good. I see you were found. I take it Georgie was with you. Did you get caught in the rain?”
He stilled for a moment, then it dawned on him that of course the people searching would have sent word or stopped by here. “Yes. Both of us.” Thank God he was betrothed. “I have some excellent news to tell you, but first may I change?”
“Very well.” Her tone indicated she would much rather have the story now.
“I shall not be long.” Gavin put one foot on the lower tread of the staircase. “I promise.”
“Are you dining at Littlewood?”
He had not discussed it with Adeline, but he generally dined with them. He added the second foot to the first. “Yes.”
“Very well.” Her ladyship nodded. “I shall send a note telling my daughter-in-law to expect us as well.” He climbed one more step, waiting to be dismissed. “You may go. Be back down here in an hour.”
“Thank you.” Taking the remaining stairs two at a time he dashed to his bedchamber. He consumed a cup of tea and a sandwich while his bath was being prepared.
The bathing chamber was a room covered in colorful tiles with a tiled stove in one corner. At his main estate, Gavin already had water piped up to the floor the bedchambers were on. If Georgie agreed, they could make the room next to the pump into a bathing chamber.
He sank down, letting the water cover him as much as it could. The warmth made him want to dally. He wondered what Georgie would look like in a bathtub. Would the steam from the water make her hair curl even more? The image he had of her made his body tighten. Lord, every time he thought of her he got an erection. He had to make sure they set an actual wedding date and pray she’d agree to less than two weeks. But, damn, her parents had to travel back from somewhere in the north.
His valet poked his head into the bathing room. “My lord, your clothing is laid out.”
“I’ll be right there.” Gavin dried himself, wrapped the towel around his waist, and chuckled when he recalled the look on his beloved’s face when he’d risen from the bed this afternoon.
Why had it taken him until today to admit he loved her? He had laughed at Harrington, his sister’s husband, for being so blind about love, and now he’d done the same thing. Then again, Gavin’s brother-in-law had had no reason not to fall in love. At least he’d had the forethought to bring the betrothal ring he intended to give Georgie. His family had several of them that had been passed down through the generations.
He grinned to himself. “Ardley, please get the ruby ring I brought.”
The valet, who had been straightening up, turned to face Gavin. “Am I to wish you happy, my lord?”
“You are.” He couldn’t hold in his smile any longer. “Miss Featherton has done me the honor of agreeing to be my wife.”
“Sir . . . my lord—” Gavin thought the man was going to burst with joy. He’d never seen his valet smile before. “I wish you nothing but happiness. Miss Featherton will be an excellent viscountess. It will be nice to have a lady’s touch again.”
“It will.” With the exception of some structural renovations, nothing had been done since before his mother had died. “She shall have free rein to do as she pleases.”
Ardley ducked back into the dressing room and came back out holding a rectangular wooden box. “When will we return to London?”
“Probably within the next couple of days. What is that?”
“When you asked me to pack the ring, I discovered a parure that matched it.” His valet opened the box. “I thought you might want the necklace to go along with it.”
“Well done.” Gavin cast his mind back to the list of jewelry that belonged to the estate and could not remember it being on the list. It looked familiar, but he did not remember ever seeing it before. At least not... “Where was it?”
“It was in a section that belonged to your great-grandmother Turley. I do not think anyone has looked there for years, and I do not believe she ever wore them. When you asked about the ruby ring, I remembered that the necklace existed and searched the entire room.”
“No. They wouldn’t have suited her.” A painting of a dark-haired lady came to mind. “She was wearing it in the portrait hanging in the gallery.” And the entire set, in fact, everything in that section was unentailed. “No one since has been interested because they all had fair coloring.” He took the box, removed the necklace, the velvet sack it had been in, and placed it and the ring in the sack. “Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure, my lord.” Ardley bowed. “I hope Miss Featherton likes it.”
“I’m sure she will.” Now to go tell her grandmother and the other ladies that they were betrothed before they could interrogate him about this afternoon.
When Gavin entered the drawing room the ladies were already there. “I have what I hope you will think is good news. Georgie has agreed to marry me.”
“Excellent, my boy.” The duchess nodded approvingly.
“I agree.” Lady Featherton’s bright blue eyes sparkled with delight.
“I could not be happier for the two of you.” Lady Littleton embraced him and patted his cheek. “Have you set a date yet?”
“Not an exact one. She is thinking in about two weeks. I plan to speak to her about it this evening. Naturally, her parents must have time to return to Town.”
“Come have a glass of claret.” Lady Littleton went to a sideboard and poured a glass.