Chapter 15
“You have not yet engaged yourself to my daughter.”
George stiffened as Lord Turnhill, without introduction or greeting, spoke sharply and with clear irritation. “Good afternoon, Lord Turnhill.” He looked about him. “I see you have come to join the other members of the ton here during the fashionable hour. I must wonder if – ”
“Might we get directly to the point I have only just raised?” Lord Turnhill, frowning hard, waved one hand. “You have not told me as to why you are not proceeding towards engagement. I thought that was the intention, was it not?”
“As you know, my solicitors are studying the documents again,” George replied, disliking the tone and the manner in which Lord Turnhill spoke. “I must be sure if I am to engage myself to Miss Burnley. It is not a matter that I take lightly.”
Lord Turnhill scowled. “But your father was quite sure that all was just as it ought to be!” he exclaimed, as George’s jaw tightened, his irritation growing.
“My own solicitors have studied them – for it would have been foolish of me to approach you without being quite certain – and now your own solicitors are taking a second look at them all… if not a third look?” His eyebrow lifted.
“Anyone might think that you did not want to marry my daughter.”
“I do not.”
The calm response seemed to shock Lord Turnhill, for his eyes flared and his eyebrows shot towards his hairline. George, however, continued without too much concern. It was best to speak openly and honestly, he decided, for Lord Turnhill seemed to think that this was all just as George desired!
“I have always had the intention of making my own match,” he said, when Lord Turnhill did not respond. “To have a match foisted upon me is not something that I wanted. I am quite sure that your daughter – ”
“She is more than contented with you,” Lord Turnhill snapped. “Just as you ought to be with her.”
George spread out his hands. “I speak honestly, Lord Turnhill. That is why I hesitate when it comes to the engagement itself. I want to make sure that everything is as it ought to be.” Seeing Lord Turnhill frown, George probed a little, wondering if he might garner something from Lord Turnhill’s response, should he speak a little more about his concerns.
“The solicitors are somewhat concerned about the seal on the documents. They are studying it carefully, wondering if it is real or if it might have been placed upon the documents by another at a separate time.”
Lord Turnhill’s expression grew darker still. “I have never heard anything more preposterous! Of course the seal is genuine!”
Seeing the anger flare in Lord Turnhill’s eyes, George spread out both hands.
“As I have said, I am making quite certain about everything,” he said, honestly.
“I do not want to engage myself to your daughter and then pull away from her, for that would cause quite a scandal, and I do not want that for either of us.” Thinking that it was best to bring the conversation to a close, he inclined his head.
“I shall tell you more the moment I hear of it, Lord Turnhill. Good afternoon.”
Making to walk past the gentleman, George was astonished to feel the man’s vice-like grip catch his arm.
Pain shot through him, and he yanked his arm away, turning his head to glare at Lord Turnhill, but the man’s dark expression stopped him short.
There were heavy shadows held in Lord Turnhill’s eyes, a weight about his frame as he jutted his jaw forward.
“I will not accept any further delay,” he said, looking straight into George’s face. “You have one week, Lord Surrey.”
George’s eyebrows rose. “One week?” He shrugged.
“Then I am afraid that I cannot promise you anything in that regard, Lord Turnhill. If I have not made a definite conclusion within seven days – and I doubt that I shall, given that my solicitors still have the documents – then there shall be no further connection between myself and Miss Burnley. Is that what you are suggesting?”
Lord Turnhill shook his head. “If you do not announce the engagement within seven days, Lord Surrey, then I shall make certain that the wedding goes ahead with or without your consent.”
A frown pulled at George’s forehead. “I beg your pardon?”
“There are many ways to make certain a gentleman and a lady marry,” Lord Turnhill replied, finally releasing George’s arm.
“I do not want to have any sort of scandal surround my daughter, but if you do not engage yourself to her by the end of next week, then I shall do what I must to ensure the marriage goes ahead.” Stepping back, his lip curling, he held George’s gaze for another moment, then swung around and marched through the crowd, disappearing into them.
George took in a ragged breath, hardly daring to believe what he had just heard. To be threatened in such a way was not only concerning, it was also astonishing! Whatever made Lord Turnhill think that he could try to coerce George in such a way?
“There you are.” Lord Dorset, his face set in a serious expression, put a hand on George’s shoulder. “I was just saying… goodness, my friend, are you quite all right? You are very pale indeed, and that with the sun blazing down as it is doing!”
Letting out a slow breath to keep himself composed, George closed his eyes again and nodded. “I am well,” he said, his anger beginning to spike as he curled his hands into a fist. “Lord Turnhill has just finished speaking – nay, threatening – me.”
Lord Dorset’s eyebrows lifted. “Threatening you?”
“Indeed. If I do not announce my engagement to Miss Burnley by the end of next week, he will make it so that we are engaged regardless.”
His friend’s eyes rounded. “You mean to say – ”
“He will lie and produce some sort of scandal that will force us together,” George muttered, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose as an ache formed behind his eyes. “I most certainly did not expect such a thing to happen and – ”
“Brother!”
Lady Norah appeared, pushing through the crowd to come to join them both, her smile warm but her eyes darting between George and Lord Dorset.
“Norah.” Lord Dorset greeted her, but then gestured to George. “I am afraid that I must speak with Lord Surrey, my dear. My solicitors have finished with the documents and – ”
“I must speak with him also,” Lady Norah interrupted, looking back at George with wide eyes. “Lord Turnhill, Miss Williams, Lord Warwickshire, and I have found a name.”
George blinked. “A name?”
“A name connected to the Surrey family through marriage,” Lady Norah said. “It is not a lady marrying a gentleman from the Surrey line, as we suspected, but the other way around.”
It took him a moment to understand what she was saying. “You mean to say that despite gaining money and property from the Turnhill family, my great-grandfather’s family also ensured a marriage between their daughter and the Turnhill’s son?”
Lady Norah nodded.
“But that does not make any sense, given that they – the Turnhill family, that is – had already lost a good deal by giving up property and land for so low a price!” George exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “What if – ”
“My solicitors think there is another page of these documents that is, for whatever reason, now missing from the others.”
George dropped his hands.
“I can tell you a little more detail, if you wish, but to their mind, it is imperative that the final page of the documents is found.”
Curling his hands into fists so that he might keep a hold of his composure, George drew in a long breath and then let it out again slowly, struggling to keep all that he had been told in his mind.
“Miss Williams and her brother are nearby, but they suggested that we might meet elsewhere to share this news in greater detail,” Lady Norah said quietly, as George nodded, feeling as if his mind were scurrying from one thought to the next. “I am sure you will want to hear more.”
“I do, I – ”
“My dear nephew, I was not in the least bit hopeful that we would find you present here this afternoon, but here you are!”
Another voice broke into the conversation and, turning around bodily, George was greeted by his aunt and uncle, with whom he had stayed during the Christmas Season when he had first met Miss Williams. “Aunt!” he exclaimed, before reaching out to shake his uncle’s hand. “Whatever are you doing here?”
His uncle chuckled. “Your dear aunt wanted very much to come to London for a little entertainment, and given that I would do anything I could to make her happy, I was more than willing to attend with her.”
“I did think to write, but then I was not certain if you would still be present in London or if you would have returned home by now,” his aunt continued, her eyes bright. “How good it is to see you.”
George smiled as best he could. “Let me introduce you to my dear friend, the Earl of Dorset and his sister, Lady Norah,” he said, turning back to his friends.
“My friends, this is my aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Welton. I resided with them almost eighteen months ago, intending to remain with them over the festive Season… although that time was shortened.” Pain struck him, but he ignored it, keeping a smile on his face.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Lady Norah curtsied quickly. “Might I ask, then if you are already known to Lord Warwickshire and his sister, Miss Williams?”
“Yes, yes, we are!” Lady Welton beamed at Lady Norah. “Are you acquainted with the family yourself?”
“We are very good friends, Miss Williams and I,” Lady Norah replied. “They are present here this afternoon also.”
“Then I shall have to make certain that I greet them both,” Lady Welton said, as George darted a glance towards Lord Dorset, a little worried that they would be seen by Lord Neath and Lord Turnhill. “I am sure that – ”
“Goodness, is that fellow…?” Lord Welton put one hand out and caught his wife’s arm. “There, look.”
George followed his aunt’s eyes as she looked in the direction her husband was pointing in.
Much to his surprise, they both appeared to be looking at Lord Turnhill who was, at present, laughing at something before gesturing to his daughter.
She, in turn, flashed a warm smile but then sent a cold look towards George, clearly aware that he was nearby but that, as yet, he had not come to speak with her.
His stomach twisted.
“It is.” Lady Welton grimaced and turned herself bodily away from Lord Turnhill. “We should step away.”
“Might I be rude and ask if it is Lord Turnhill that you look at?”
With a nod, his aunt wrinkled her nose. “We are not to associate with that family, as I am sure your father told you.”
George’s mouth fell agape.
“Not to associate?” It was Miss Williams who spoke, sounding just as astonished as George felt. “Are you – are you quite sure?”
Lady Welton looked to Miss Williams, then frowned. “I beg your pardon, but – ”
“We must all return to my house at once.” George put one hand out towards his aunt.
“I will explain all once we are there, but I am afraid I must insist upon it.” He looked to Lord Warwickshire, who nodded.
“All of us. It seems this mystery is not nearing its end at all, but instead, adding more difficulty and confusion to it.”
“But this may bring the clarity we need,” Miss Williams said, as her brother took her arm to lead her away. “Let us pray it finally gives us the answers you require, Surrey.”
“The answers we both require,” George replied, garnering himself a confused look from his uncle and aunt. “I pray it may be so.”