“Thank you.”
He seemed surprised. “What are you thanking me for? I didn’t do anything, not really.”
“Well, you could have chosen not to tell me…” she replied.
“But you deserved to know.”
“Hmm, I don’t know that everyone would feel the same way about that. So, thank you,” she repeated.
“Since you are determined to thank me, I suppose I should reply that it is my pleasure, but … instead, I will say how sorry I am that my news has brought you such sorrow,” he told her.
She felt her eyes begin to water slightly again, but not enough to spill onto her cheeks. At the same time, her heart was fluttering in her chest at how good and kind Walter was being. The knowledge that she was no longer spoken for certainly wasn’t helpful either.
Glancing at him surreptitiously, she thought to herself he was all she remembered him to be. True, he has his faults, but I cannot deny I still have feelings for him. If he is still interested in me, I might give him a chance to win back my trust…
Chapter 28
Walter could hardly believe it had been a whole month since the incident with Rowley. It felt as though everything had changed at that moment, and he was still a little amazed by the fact he was now heading towards Irvington Manor in his carriage, with the full expectation of being welcomed with a smile.
More than that, he was still astounded Georgiana had agreed to court him, not that he was complaining. He felt like the happiest man alive and, though they had to rebuild some of their trust, the sparks that first drew them together were still there.
At that moment, he was every bit as nervous as he had been when he had had first met her and had visited the Irvington Manor for the very first time to see her outside of the usual social gatherings.
He swallowed hard as his carriage came to a halt. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he placed a hand over the pocket which had a small velvet pouch concealed within it and stepped out of the carriage.
The door was quickly opened by the old butler, who said, “Ah, Lord Bartlett, we were not expecting you until later. Miss Montgomery is with Lady Irvington in the rose garden.”
“Um, actually … I was hoping to talk to Lord Irvington briefly. Can you tell me where he is?” he asked.
“He is in his study at present. I shall take you there, my lord?” When Walter nodded, the butler escorted him inside and toward the earl’s study.
The butler knocked at the study door before opening it and announcing, “Lord Bartlett is here to see you, my lord.”
“Let him in. I was just about to take a rest,” came the quick reply.
The butler then gestured Walter inside. “Shall I tell Miss Montgomery you are here?”
“Um … no. Not yet,” Walter replied as he walked past him. He had no idea how long the conversation would last, and there was no guarantee he would get the answer he was looking for.
“Very well, my lord,” the old man replied, as he left the two of them alone.
Walter turned his full attention on Jonas, who was standing and smiling at him. The man clearly saw something was bothering him. He motioned to a small glass decanter and asked, “Shall I pour us a drink? You look like you might need one.”
“Yes, please,” he replied, his weight shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Should I sit? Stay standing? How do I bring up what I want to ask him?
Suddenly, his decision was all but made for him when Jonas held out a glass for him to take and motioned for him to take a seat. “Tell me what is on your mind, Walter.”
Walter put the glass to his lips as he sat, then decided he was sitting too far back in the chair, so he moved forward, and, as he started to set the glass down, changed his mind and sipped at it, before thinking he was now sitting too close to the edge of the chair.
“Well, I, uh … I wanted to ask you…” he fumbled both with his words and his glass, as Jonas waited patiently to hear what he had to say, but clearly had no intention of helping him out.
“I am madly in love with Georgiana,” he finally stated. “I have been in love with her for a very long time now, and I have no doubt I will love her for the rest of my life. I know you are like a father to her, so I would like to have your blessing to have her hand in marriage.”
Jonas was silent for a long moment while he simply sat there, calmly sipping on his drink, staring at him with an unreadable expression.
Walter took a large swallow of his own drink, having no idea of what to say or do next. Does this mean no? Should I say something more? Perhaps I should let him think.
Finally, the man across from him set down his drink and spoke. “You’re right. Georgiana is like a daughter to me, just as dear to me as my own. That being the case, I take everything regarding her well-being very seriously.”
“Yes, of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Walter assured him.
Jonas lifted an eyebrow as though indicating he was not finished and did not appreciate being interrupted, causing Walter to swallow so hard, he could feel his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “My apologies. Please continue.”
“As I was saying … I do not take your request for my blessing lightly. I have not forgotten how devastated Georgiana was when you left for France two years ago, nor am I likely to ever forget.”
Walter felt the palms of his hands begin to sweat as he feared he was going to be denied. He might even be told he could no longer court Georgiana. He had no idea what he would do if that happened…
For what felt like forever, neither spoke. It wasn’t until Jonas picked up his glass once again and resumed lightly sipping his brandy, that Walter realized that he was now expected to say something.
Swallowing hard, and then taking another large swallow of his own drink with shaking hands, he said, “I will not even try to pretend it wasn’t my fault. Though Rowley did play a part in it, the decision to leave was mine, and it was the worst mistake I have ever made.
“I am blessed beyond measure that Georgiana even deigns to speak to me at all after I hurt her like that. I can promise you, sir, if you let me have her hand, I will never break her heart again. I will stay by her side, even through the times when she might not want me to be there, and I will never let her go.”
A hushed silence filled the room, and Walter held his breath, as Jonas seemed to ponder what he had said. It was almost impossible to tell what the older man was thinking, since he had his chin resting in one of his hands, which obscured the view of his mouth, and his eyes gave nothing away.
Slowly, Jonas got up from where he was sitting and, taking both of their glasses, went to refill them without saying a word. Walter had no idea if that was a good sign or a bad one.