Chapter 10
When Georgina saw Colt and Emily retreat from the dance floor, she shook her head, marvelling at her friend’s audacity.
Over the years, she had witnessed many imprudent young women become enticed by Colt’s playful banter and handsome countenance.
She suspected Miss Coombes faced the same fate as many foolish damsels before her.
Georgina was confident, at least, that Colt would not consider marrying the young lady.
After her dance with Sarah, Georgina found herself pinned down by Lord Horace Blake, who performed an animated monologue about his interest in purchasing one of her famous chestnut mares.
She laughingly told him that he could offer her no price for the horse, as she was not for sale, and he went on to lament the quality of the horseflesh available at Tattersalls.
Upon noticing Colt’s return from the terrace with a somewhat flustered appearance, she took it as an opportunity to excuse herself. She made her way straight over to her friend, fetching them both a glass of Burgundy along the way.
Colt readily accepted the glass.
“A rather reckless choice, if I may say,” Georgina remarked, linking her arm with Colt’s to take a turn around the room.
He followed her lead obediently. “You assume I make everyone the object of my affection, George?”
She scoffed, almost choking on her laughter. “You did not seduce Emily on the terrace? I am surprised.”
He shrugged.
His silence spoke volumes. “Colt, I implore you. Please do not involve yourself with Emily. She is Arthur’s younger sister. We cannot complicate matters for her, just when I am trying to extricate him from a scrape.”
Colt rolled his eyes like a chastened boy who had a much beloved toy wrested from him.
“Moreover, Emily is calculating. Mark my words. She will entrap you to the altar. And that would be a tragedy.”
“It sounds like you have gone all soft, George. Whatever happened to our games?”
She leaned against the wall for a moment.
The mere weight of his question tired her.
“Romantic entanglements are too difficult to control. As it is, I have Prudence breathing down my neck, literally. Sarah would like to see me married off and out of harm’s way, while you would prefer me to make sport of everything. ”
He gave her the dimpled grin she always found irresistible. “It makes life less dull, George. You must admit that.”
“Did Sarah interrupt you and Emily? Or did Emily think better of accessing your services?”
“Sarah. She was in a most peculiar mood. I’ve rarely seen her so out of sorts.”
Indeed, Georgina had noticed Sarah become distracted when she saw Colt dancing with Emily. It was unlike her to take such a protective interest in a young debutante.
“Of course, Lady Mortimer also made her appearance on the balcony, meddling as usual.”
Georgina’s ears pricked up at the mention of her new friend, and an involuntary smile crossed her lips. So, the curious Lady Mortimer was here.
“I must dash. Excuse me.” She thrust her glass into Colt’s hand before stalking off towards the balcony.
***
Georgina spied Lady Mortimer leaning casually against the banister, her indigo gown rustling in the breeze as she gazed out at the garden.
Her hair was gathered up with diamond pins that glittered in the light afforded by the torches jutting out from the building above them.
Georgina felt lightheaded for a moment, drinking in the sight.
“Have you been rescuing fair maidens, Lady Mortimer?” Georgina lifted the hem of her gown as she stepped up onto the elevated terrace to join her ladyship. “You are almost comically chivalrous, you know.”
Lady Mortimer glanced over her shoulder, her lips parted on a sharp inhale. The reaction caused Georgina’s heart to thud noisily in her chest. Perhaps her dress was capturing attention just as she’d intended. The glint in Lady Mortimer’s eyes was unreadable.
“Miss Pace, what a pleasure it is to see you again. And there is no glass of alcohol in sight, I note.”
“How droll you are, to be sure.” Georgina shook Lady Mortimer’s hand in greeting, but also leaned towards her and rose on to her toes to place a light kiss on her cheek. It was a salutation like one might give an old friend. Or a lover.
“You are quite the saviour, it seems,” she teased.
“We have that in common, Miss Pace, do we not? I recall your efforts to rescue your friend from some trouble with Mrs Gardner. Are you enjoying the ball?”
“It’s delightful. Yet I would much prefer to be at home, drinking wine and reading, or playing chess.”
“Not everyone derives enjoyment from the diversions of a large ball like this. Your preferred pursuits are nothing to be ashamed of.”
“How do you typically spend your time?” Georgina leaned on the railing so she was facing Lady Mortimer. The woman was striking—tall yet curved, strong yet full of grace, eyes full of mysterious warmth.
“I am fond of many things. I too enjoy reading, playing the pianoforte, riding, dancing, studying art … gambling,” Lady Mortimer added with a grin. “Occasionally, I dabble in politics. I enjoy learning things and being as useful as I can be.”
“Goodness, how dull I must seem in comparison.” Georgina corrected one of the seams of her gown to make it fall straight.
“Not at all. It appears you seek to keep your mind active without filling it with social decorum, drama, flirtation and so forth.”
“I never denied liking flirtation,” Georgina objected.
Could she have been more overt? “I thought that was rather obvious.” She winked and discerned the slightest hint of a blush on Lady -Mortimer’s face.
Or perhaps it was merely a trick played by the torchlight.
“And I do enjoy going out. But my tastes are more relaxed than this.”
“Intriguing, Miss Pace.”
“Perhaps one day I shall take you to my club,” Georgina said, a playful tone in her voice.
“How goes your plan to help your friend?” Lady Mortimer asked, toying with one of her earrings.
After their banter about flirtation, Georgina felt a pang of disappointment at the lack of reciprocation. She had been told many times that her charms were impossible to ignore, yet Lady Mortimer seemed impervious.
“Slowly, my lady. I have made no inroads on behalf of my friend.”
“Yet, you appeared at Solitaires again, only a few nights ago. Why?”
Georgina stiffened. While she appreciated the directness, she had no desire to discuss what had happened with Mrs Gardner that night. Lady Mortimer, after all, was still a stranger to her.
“I wished to try my luck at the tables once more. Sadly, I lost a pretty penny.” She turned to look back into the garden.
“I presume it is no easy task to hold Mrs Gardner to account for her behaviour?”
Georgina regretted her candid disclosures to Lady Mortimer that first evening in the carriage. Perhaps her judgment had been impaired by the wine, or by the charisma of her companion.
“I confess, I have been shamelessly procrastinating.”
“It is kind of you to wish to intervene on behalf of your friend. I hope you know you might rely upon me to assist you, if you should wish to share the burden.” Lady Mortimer’s eyes were sincere and bright. “I have connections in that household.”
Georgina wanted to believe her. But although Lady Mortimer appeared trustworthy, her continued interest in the matter made her suspicious. Georgina could not let her guard down just yet.
“I am exceedingly grateful for the offer, but this is my problem to solve. Besides, your services are already engaged in assisting the Miss Coombes of this world. I daresay she will have plenty more ineligible lovers who will need to be sent about their business.”
“We can thank Mrs Fortescue for that,” Lady Mortimer responded. With a small nod towards the entryway, she indicated they should make their way back inside.
Georgina did not want to surrender their time alone together so quickly, but she could hardly force her ladyship to remain.
“I merely agreed to accompany her. It was she who insisted on intercepting the couple. Not I,” Lady Mortimer clarified, turning away.
Georgina, who wanted a chance to drive the conversation back to a more flirtatious direction, stared regretfully towards the door. One hand flexed at her side, resisting the urge to reach out and stop Lady Mortimer from walking away. Instead, she followed her demurely.
“Besides,” Lady Mortimer continued. “I would rather help you with your friend’s scrape. It sounds in need of a lot more attention.”
As they neared the door, both ladies reached for the handle at the same time. Lady Mortimer’s fingers brushed over Georgina’s for a moment, and whether by accident or design, their eyes locked—Georgina suddenly grew breathless.
“A-After you,” she stammered, moving to allow Lady Mortimer to pass by. She could not recall the last time a woman had flustered her. On the contrary, it was most always the other way around. She cursed under her breath. This circumstance thoroughly confused her.
Back inside the room, an attendant approached, and they both accepted a glass of wine.
“You seem to have a devotee, Miss Pace.” Lady Mortimer made a gesture towards Prudence across the room, who was surrounded by a group of admirers yet trained her eyes quite obviously upon Georgina.
“Lady Ravenscroft looked for you high and low at Solitaires the other evening, if I am not mistaken. She seems most desirous to catch your attention.”
Georgina rotated to avoid the direct gaze of her former paramour. “Not a devotee, I fear. Only my sins returning to haunt me.”
Lady Mortimer lifted one shapely brow. “Indeed? How fascinating.”
Georgina’s cheeks were warm. “If only it were, my lady. But there is nothing more tiresome than a mulish young lady throwing her cap at you.”
Lady Mortimer’s face tightened, her expression inscrutable. “Such disdain, Miss Pace. You surprise me.”
Georgina experienced a sudden, unexpected tightness in her chest. She was accustomed to society censuring her behaviour and rarely let it worry her. This new feeling troubled her.
“It surprises you, my lady, that I have enjoyed liaisons?”
“No, Miss Pace. Only that you regard the young lady with contempt. I should imagine the circumstance of unrequited love to be painful. Particularly when one is in love with you.” Lady Mortimer’s emphasis on that final word was unmistakable.
Georgina’s chest gripped still further. Lady Mortimer had a way of complimenting her at a striking depth, yet without overtly flirting. She bit her lip instinctively. “Indeed, how heartless I must seem.”
Lady Mortimer examined her with a shrewd eye, but in the softness of the candlelight, she did not seem unkind. “Not heartless. Only very cautious when it comes to your own heart, I should say.”
Georgina held her breath, waiting to hear what further insights Lady Mortimer might share.
“Sadly, Miss Pace, I think your luck has run out. Your Prudence is heading this way.”
A sudden alarm sounded inside Georgina. “Please, dance with me? We must tell her I have already promised the next two dances to you.”
Prudence was easy to spot in a crowd, as her stunning red hair flashed in contrast to an elegant gown of dark blue satin. She elbowed her way through and paused in front of Georgina.
“Good evening, Lady Mortimer. Georgina, might I steal you for the next dance?”
Georgina was about to claim her prior commitment when Lady Mortimer spoke over her. “Indeed, Miss Pace was just telling me that she was looking for a partner.” She smiled sweetly at Georgina.
Of all the underhanded tricks.
With Prudence radiating obvious joy, Georgina had no choice but to comply. She straightened her gown, fingers sinking into the red fabric, and glared at Lady Mortimer, who returned a placid smile.
Taking Prudence by the hand, Georgina escorted her towards the next set that was forming, all the while considering how to exact revenge against the Countess.
“You have been very elusive, Georgina,” Prudence murmured, taking her place in the dance.
“Forgive me. It has been a trifle hectic settling my father back in town and becoming reacquainted with everyone.” Georgina hoped their position in the dance, surrounded by other guests, would limit what Prudence might say to her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Colt leading Sarah into the dance as well.
“I might almost describe you as rude when I saw you at Solitaires.”
Georgina lifted one brow. “I could hardly sweep you up in my arms in greeting, Prue. Your husband was walking around.”
Prudence pouted. “Did you receive my letter?”
“I had the pleasure. You have such a pretty way with words, my dear,” Georgina remarked, wishing to deflect from the content of the missive as much as possible.
Prudence’s keen eyes regarded her without blinking, despite the movements in the dance drawing them away from each other.
“And have you put any thought into my suggestion?” she probed as the dance brought them back together. “I did everything you told me to do in Cornwall.”
“Ah.” Georgina gave an uncomfortable little laugh. “I am flattered, Prudence. One cannot jump into these things.” She noticed Prudence’s full bottom lip quiver. “But I shall give it some more consideration.”
To her relief, the dance progressed, moving her away from -Prudence and alongside Colt. She smiled at her friend. “Sarah is a much more sensible flirt than Emily.”
Colt regarded her in annoyance. “I daresay you are correct, George. I hope your own love, Lady Mortimer, will not see fit to intervene in my dance with her.”
Heat crept up the back of Georgina’s neck. She gazed through the crowd and observed Lady Mortimer standing off to the side with another small group of guests. Their eyes met for an instant before she turned back to her friend.
“I will never have a love, Colt.”
“We shall see,” he replied as the dance drew him away again.
Prudence returned to Georgina’s side. “When you say ‘consideration’, what does that mean, exactly?”
This was why Georgina rarely entangled herself with young lovers. They were never content, and she hadn’t more to give.
She thus endured the remainder of the dance, fending off questions, feeling each second drag on, and inwardly cursing Lady Mortimer and her knowing eyes.