Georgianna smiled up at him. “I don’t know what I would do without you. You have been by my side through this whole thing, and I am certain I wouldn’t have had the fortitude to attend the season without you.”
He inwardly wished with all his being that she hadn’t attended the season. The expression on her face as she expressed her gratitude only made him wish to see her look at him in that way with love, but he pushed those feelings aside to smile back at her.
“Your friendship means everything to me, and I would do anything you wish me to,” he replied. His statement was true, as far as it went, though he wanted them to be much more.
“Well, I suppose I have kept you more than long enough. My aunt no doubt sent you up to change your clothes, and here I am keeping you from doing so with my chatter. I probably should have waited to talk with you until later.”
“I don’t mind at all. In fact, I am flattered you felt the need to tell me everything as soon as you saw me,” he said. “Still, if you will excuse me, I am afraid I will be late for dinner if you don’t let me go now.”
He loved the sound of her light laughter as she started her descent of the staircase. “Very well. If Aunt Adelaide wonders where you are, I shall tell her it was entirely my fault for delaying you.”
Ambrose kept his composure even after she disappeared, only relaxing when he had closed the bedchamber door behind him. Clenching his fists, he let his mind fully realize all that Georgiana had just told him.
Georgiana now knows about the rumor. She seems to be almost on speaking terms with Walter. I must prevent those two from talking to each other again, though, as angry as she is with him, I hope that won’t be too hard to accomplish…
I will simply have to use all my weight with her to keep her angry with him. That can be managed. He obviously doesn’t know anything himself, so that is good. It is fortunate, indeed, that Felicia is not with him. She could put an end to everything at once … Georgiana would never speak to me again…
Ambrose shook the last unpleasant thought from his mind, not wanting to dwell on that possibility. He needed to get ready for dinner. More than that, he needed to pull himself together before seeing any of the family again.
While a little agitation would no doubt be passed over as concern for Georgiana, it would look suspicious if he seemed too agitated.
When he headed down the stairs once again, he couldn’t help but wonder if now could be the right time to tell Georgiana how he felt about her. But, no, he didn’t want to tell her while she was still troubled about Walter. He had waited this long; he could wait a little longer.
Forcing himself to act confidently, he was able to smile as he entered the dining hall, where the others were already seated. His eyes instantly found Georgiana. Just a little longer….
Chapter 18
Walter felt he had done far too much thinking over the past three days, and yet he had accomplished almost nothing by it. At least his mother had been understanding and had not pressured him with even so much as a look.
Now, however, he was arriving with Sylvia at the Haymarket Theatre, where they were going to attend the performance of Così Fan Tutte with the Viscount and Viscountess Burford and their daughter, Miss Rutherford.
After they exited their carriage and looked around, Walter looked pointedly at his mother with an amused smile. She ignored him just as pointedly.
Finally, he said, “I told you we should not arrive too early. How long do you think we will have to wait for our hosts to arrive?”
“It is far better to be early than for others to have to wait for you,” she replied almost tartly. “Just help me keep an eye out for their carriage, so we don’t miss them in the crowd.”
“Yes, Mother. Shall I watch the other entrance while you watch this one?”
“Very well, just be sure to return after a while if you don’t see them over there.”
“I will,” he replied, as he kissed his mother lightly on her cheek before departing. He made his way through the growing number of gentlemen and ladies without much trouble, keeping his eyes open for any sign of the Rutherfords.
Just then, he saw their carriage arriving, and he went towards it to greet them. He would lead them to his mother, so they could all go in together.
As he got closer the carriage came to a stop, and he found it was not Viscount Burford’s carriage at all. Of all the carriages it could have been, it was Lord Irvington’s…
Ambrose was the first to step out, and Walter continued to watch as he saw him help Georgiana alight from the carriage. She looked breathtaking, as she always had to him.
He had told himself he would apologize the very next time he saw her and, though he disliked the idea of doing so where others–especially Ambrose–were present, he would not allow his pride to cause him to postpone it.
Gathering his courage for only a moment, he walked towards her with his apology on the tip of his tongue. When she glanced in his direction, his resolution faltered slightly at her cold and hostile glare. He would never have thought it possible she could look at anyone like that.
However, the recollection that he thoroughly deserved it sent him forward on his mission. “Miss Montgomery, I—”
“I think we have nothing else to say to each other, Lord Bartlett. Everything that needs to be said has been said already,” she told him curtly.
Walter was fairly gaping at her. Between her response and Ambrose staring at him with an equal amount of ire, he felt he might not succeed at getting his apology out for her to hear.
“But I just wanted to-”
“Come, Ambrose,” she said, then grabbed Ambrose’s hand and turned the other way without even looking at him. Ambrose glared at him for a while longer, but Walter noticed a strange sort of calculating look in his eyes.
Part of him was tempted to shout out his apology, so she would have to hear it, even as she walked away, but he knew such an action would not only cause a scene; it would also quite likely both embarrass and offend her further by making her the subject of gossip once more.
He would have to wait for another opportunity to talk to her … if she would ever agree to talk to him. He wondered why she was attending with only Ambrose, and it didn’t leave a good feeling in his stomach.
Still, he recalled his purpose and why he and his mother were here. Glancing around once more, he still failed to see the carriage he was looking for, so he decided to return to his mother, to see if she had found them yet.
As he walked back, he found Sylvia talking to Viscountess Burford and Miss Rutherford. “Ah, so Mother found you first? I am pleased to see you both,” he said with a courteous bow, directing his words more towards Miss Rutherford.
“Actually, we found your mother first,” she replied. “I am so glad you can both attend with us.”