Chapter 11
George frowned, rubbed one hand over his eyes, and then returned his attention to the documents. “I can see what you mean about the seal, that it might not bear the Surrey seal, but that is what I would expect of such an old document.”
“But it could easily have been made to appear that way,” Lord Dorset protested.
“If your solicitors are certain that all is well with the documents themselves, then the seal, they presume, is real also. But if it is not, then – ” Seeing George’s pursed lips, Lord Dorset threw back his head and groaned.
“My friend, let me be clear.” Looking back at him, he put his hands flat on the table but held George’s gaze.
“I myself have old documents akin to this. The seals on each are not the same.”
Surprised, George threw away his doubtful look. “What documents are these?”
“They are agreements between my great-grandfather and another gentleman,” Lord Dorset replied, “although I shall not tell you the specifics, but needless to say, they do hold weight in my present sphere. The seals, though they are old, are still clear enough to recognize. You say that this is old, and you might expect it to be so, but I would disagree! I am concerned that there may be more to this than you think.”
George ran one hand over his chin, thinking hard. “That would mean, then, that Lord Turnhill is doing such a thing for his own gain.”
“Namely, to marry his daughter to an Earl.”
This made George roll his eyes. “Miss Burnley could marry any gentleman she wishes, I am quite sure. She can mold herself to whatever standard a gentleman might expect – in public, at least. It is because we are near to engaged and without any possibility of my escape, that she can reveal her true nature.”
“And it is not pleasing.”
George shook his head no.
“There is also the possibility that Lord Turnhill does not know there are reasonable concerns over this,” Lord Dorset continued, giving the gentleman the benefit of the doubt, which George appreciated. “There might be other persons at play in this.”
The conversation that Miss Williams had overheard returned to George’s mind with a sharpness he had not expected, a frown tugging at his brows and concern beginning to settle in his heart. He sat down in a chair by the empty hearth, thinking hard.
Lord Dorset came to join him.
“I – I do not know what to think.” George looked at his friend, then shook his head. “I want to do what is right. My solicitors do not think that there is anything wrong with these documents and have made it clear that I must do what is expected if I am to retain my lands and my property.”
“I think you should look a good deal more carefully at it all,” his friend said, firmly. “I do not know precisely how that looks or what exactly it would be, but all the same, that is what I would advise.”
Closing his eyes, George breathed out slowly and then began to nod. “Very well.” The concern that had been placed upon his heart by his friend’s words settled there, pushing down on him. “Perhaps I have been too trusting; mayhap my father was also.”
“Your father was an excellent gentleman. He would not want anything to stain the family name. I do not doubt that he would have taken one look at these documents and considered them of vital importance.”
With a nod, George got to his feet. “I think that I – ”
Interrupted by a knock at the door, George frowned. “Yes?”
“Lord Warwickshire, my lord.” The butler came in with a calling card. “And his sister, Miss Williams.”
George’s stomach lurched, his breath catching as he looked down at the card. Why did they both come to call? Had Miss Williams told her brother about the kiss? About his words of love? Was this what they had come to speak about?
“My lord?”
He looked up, seeing the butler waiting.
“Yes, send them in. And bring up some refreshments.” Glancing at his friend, who gave him only a small shrug, George began to pace up and down the room as worry began to gnaw at him.
He was already promised to Miss Burnley and could not step away from her; surely Miss Williams already knew that?
“Stop your pacing and stand still, man!” Lord Dorset chuckled as George threw him another look. “She is coming to speak with you, is that not a good thing?”
There was no time for George to answer, for the door opened again and Lord Warwickshire, his expression dark, stepped into the room. George bowed and greeted them both, his gaze quickly travelling to Miss Williams.
She was white.
Something is wrong.
“I am sorry for our unexpected visit, but my sister has something she wishes to share with you,” Lord Warwickshire said, gesturing to his sister. “She has told me a good many things in our carriage ride here, so whilst I do not understand all, I can understand the concern.”
“Concern?” Lord Dorset asked as George gestured for them all to sit down. “Lord Surrey has told me about the conversation you overheard, Miss Williams. Is there something more that troubles you?”
George, seating himself, looked straight into Miss Williams’ eyes as she spoke, awash with a sense of longing that he could not contain.
Sure that it was seeping into his expression, he clasped his hands in his lap and did his best to pay attention to what she was saying.
Now that he had admitted to both himself and to Lord Dorset that there might be something amiss with the documents, he had lit a flare of hope in his heart – hope that what he feared would be his future might no longer be so… and that would change so many things.
“I was unexpectedly introduced to a gentleman by the name of Lord Neath this afternoon,” she said, as George tried to sift through the various gentlemen he was acquainted with, trying to bring a face to the name. “Are you acquainted with him?”
“A viscount,” Lord Warwickshire clarified. “I did not know him until this afternoon.”
George shook his head as Lord Dorset did the same.
“He was most insistent that we were already known to each other,” Miss Williams continued, as the knock came to the door for the refreshment tray. “I was quite surprised at just how determined he was.”
Lord Warwickshire grimaced as George called the servant to enter.
“As was I,” he admitted, his dark expression telling George everything he needed to know about the gentleman in question.
“He spoke over Lord Rogart and continued on a conversation which my sister had already put an end to, telling him that they were not already introduced.”
“But he would not accept that,” Miss Williams added, quietly, her eyes never leaving his.
“He snapped his fingers at one point and said that yes, he knew precisely how it was that we were known to each other.” Her eyes closed briefly, her fingers knotting.
“He knocked into me at the bookshop and then blamed me for it, even though I had been the one standing quietly at the shelf and he the one walking through the shop itself!”
Not understanding what she meant by this, George exchanged a glance with Lord Dorset. “I am sorry that happened, and it does sound as if he is a rude fellow indeed,” he said slowly, as Miss Williams looked down at her hands. “But what does that mean to me?”
Slowly, her head lifted, her eyes fixing back to his but within her gaze, there were heavy shadows. “He was the gentleman discussing the documents, Lord Surrey.”
The air seemed to pull out of the room as George gazed back at her, seeing how she caught her lip between her teeth for a moment or two. “This Lord Neath was speaking with another about my documents?”
“Documents that only yourself and Lord Turnhill know of,” Lord Dorset added, his brows heavy over his eyes. “I would surmise that Lord Turnhill and this Lord Neath were speaking together.”
“But why would they be doing such a thing when I am not known to Lord Neath?” George asked, a hoarseness to his voice that spoke of surprise and confusion. “That does not make any sense.”
“No, it does not.” Lord Dorset turned his full attention towards George, pinning him with a steely gaze. “Now will you accept that there is something amiss?”
George, spreading out his hands, let out a long breath. “When faced with all of this, what choice do I have but to accept it.”
Miss Williams clasped her hands at her heart. “Does this mean, then, that you think the match might not be made?”
The hope in her eyes set fire to the same hope in his own heart. Where it had been burning before, it now became a furnace, growing furiously as he gazed back at her. “It is a possibility.”
“A strong possibility,” Lord Dorset said, with an emphasis that George had not shared in his own response.
“But we must be careful. There is something here that could cause a good many difficulties, for the documents, even to your own solicitors eyes, appear to be real. Quite how you go about showing that they were falsified, if that is what they were, I do not know.”
Lord Warwickshire let out air between his teeth, one hand going through his hair. “I do not understand all of this, but what I do understand – something I had not before – is that there is hope of a match between yourself and my sister, Lord Surrey.”
George, unable to deny it, nodded. “I have long wanted to court your sister, Lord Warwickshire,” he answered, unable to look at Miss Williams for fear that his heart would explode.
“But documents were handed to me stating that, for various reasons, I must marry another. I have been unable to do so thus far, given the passing of my father and my mourning period, but now… now I must look in more depth and detail at what has been given to me. It may be that I am not bound as I thought.”
“In which case, you would then pursue a match with my sister.” Lord Warwickshire held George’s gaze as he nodded.