Chapter 19 #2
There came no response for some moments.
George watched Lord Neath carefully, wondering what it was that the gentleman was thinking.
Was there any way for him to escape? Any way to deny what had been said?
No, he considered, there was nothing at all that the gentleman could say, no excuse made or plea given that would convince anyone present that he had not done a great evil.
“You should have done what I asked, Turnhill.” Finally, Lord Neath spoke, his voice low, his hands curling into fists. “Had you only done so, then none of this would have happened.”
“That is your response to all of this?”
It was not Lord Turnhill who responded, nor George himself. Instead, the gentleman who had spoken to Lord Neath at the first, threw up his hands, his voice seeming to echo across Hyde Park.
“Lord Jeffries, I hardly think – ”
“You will try to blame Lord Turnhill for simply bringing up the evil you have done?” Lord Jeffries exclaimed, taking a step or two nearer to Lord Neath now, as the others around him nodded and murmured their agreement.
“You have not – and cannot, it seems – deny what they have said about you and your actions. We have all heard them speak of the evil you have done, and instead of admitting it, instead of even thinking to apologize for it all, you try to blame Lord Turnhill?”
Lord Neath glared at Lord Jeffries. “You do not know all that I have lost, all that I have had to fight to regain. How can you speak to me in such a way when you have no knowledge of all I have had to endure?”
“Endure?” George retorted, before Lord Jeffries could speak. “Whether you have faced difficulties or not, that does not justify the evil you intended to do to me. Nor does it justify what you did to Lord Turnhill and your threats to my late father.”
Lord Neath’s face went scarlet. “At least you had a decent and upstanding father, Surrey! At least he was one who did all that he could for you, whilst mine left me with nothing but debts and brokenness! I have had to claw back coin so that I can make enough of myself.”
“That still does not defend your actions,” Lord Jeffries spat.
“You have not only brought shame upon your name, but you now make a fool of yourself in attempting to defend your heinous actions.” He gestured widely as George saw Lord Neath’s jaw set in anger.
“Look at everyone here. They have all heard everything you have done, all that you have admitted to, and not one of them feels any sort of sympathy for you. No one has any understanding of your situation, nor will they accept your explanation. You are nothing to us now, Lord Neath. You will not be able to hold your head up again.”
George allowed himself a small smile, almost relieved that Lord Jeffries had said something more so that he did not have to.
He had not intended for such a large company to overhear this conversation, to hear all that Lord Neath had done, but he was glad of it now, glad that Lord Neath’s character and actions had been exposed in such a way.
Every person of the ton in London – if not further afield – would soon hear of it, for the gossip would be rife.
Lord Jeffries was quite right, Lord Neath would not be able to hold his head up in company…
indeed, he would not have any company to speak of for no one would wish to be seen with him!
“Leave me be!”
With a roar, Lord Neath flung out his arms wide, his eyes blazing with fury.
He shot a glare towards George, then spun on his heel, elbowing his way through the now gathered crowd.
George watched him silently, seeing the many heads turning in Lord Neath’s direction, hearing the whispers and murmurs that instantly followed him.
“I thank you, Lord Surrey, for revealing the truth about Lord Neath’s character to us.
” Lord Jeffries came closer and shook George’s hand, agony in his eyes.
“I was about to accept his courtship of my daughter, believing him to be genuine in his desire to court her. He had made me believe that he was quite taken with her, that this courtship would lead to marriage – and I would have been taken in by his words had you not spoken.”
George shook Lord Jeffries’ hand firmly. “I am glad to have spared your daughter from such a dreadful fate as Lord Neath’s company,” he said, with a wry smile. “I did not know that he had done or said such a thing, but it brings me a good deal of satisfaction to know that she is now safe from him.”
Lord Jeffries nodded, just as the lady came towards them both, wringing her hands.
“Oh, good gracious! Goodness, gracious me!”
George put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you quite all right?”
“I – I had thought that…” The lady closed her eyes. “I thought Lord Neath to be the most respectable of gentlemen. My daughter – Lady Margaret – thinks herself half in love with him!”
“I am sorry for that,” George replied, as the lady opened her eyes again but blinked furiously. “But it will be best for her to know the truth, I am sure.”
It took a moment, but the lady eventually began to nod. “Yes, yes, you are quite right. I thank you, Lord Surrey. My heartfelt thanks, truly.”
George bowed his head. “I am sure Lady Margaret will recover from her heartbreak very soon, Lady - ?”
“Lady Andover. My husband will want to thank you also but for the moment, I must go and find Margaret.”
“And I should find my own daughter also,” Lord Jeffries replied, looking away from George. “Thank you, Lord Surrey. I pray now that you will be able to move into your future with confidence and happiness, now that you are unencumbered by Lord Neath’s coercions.”
A broad, confident smile spread right across George's face as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young lady approaching him. “Thank you, Lord Jeffries,” he said, as Miss Williams drew closer. “I am quite certain that I shall.”