Chapter 36
The following morning, Georgina glimpsed herself in the mirror while she prepared for the day. Her complexion lacked its typical vibrancy and pink cheeks, and her blue eyes and black lashes stood out against her translucent skin. She pursed her lips, deciding she would benefit from some fresh air.
She sent word to have her horse brought around, and donned her riding breeches, coat and knee boots. At the front door, she slid on a pair of gloves and sat a top hat on dark curls tied recklessly back with a ribbon.
She left the house to find her beautiful black Arabian mare being walked up and down the street by Buckby.
“She’s a sweet goer today,” he remarked, holding the glossy beast by her bridle.
“Hello, Artemis,” Georgina said in a caressing tone, petting her silken head. She thanked Buckby and, with the freedom afforded by her breeches, sprang up. The horse whinnied and bucked in a restless circle while Georgina settled into the saddle. She took the reins and urged Artemis forward.
Georgina turned to the park, for the open spaces would be less distressing for her mare than the bustling streets.
The crisp morning air bit her face, and a few soft rays of sunlight filtered through trees that glinted a vibrant green after a recent downpour.
She rode at an unfashionable hour, hoping to enjoy a relatively solitary experience uninterrupted by social pleasantries.
But as she turned to recover the ground towards her home, Georgina noticed two other riders coming her way.
Lady Prudence Ravenscroft rode alongside her groom. She murmured something to him, and he advanced forward with his horse, while she proceeded towards Georgina.
Georgina glanced over her shoulder but realised there was no way to retreat without being completely uncivil. She mustered a smile.
Prudence rode side-saddle and wore a bright blue riding gown and matching blue hat with a lace veil that shrouded her eyes. The colour magnified the deep red of her hair and her fair skin. They exchanged polite morning greetings. She turned her horse to ride alongside Georgina’s.
“Have you settled well into married life?” Georgina inquired.
Prudence sighed. “I am not unhappily married,” she admitted. “Lord Ravenscroft is kind and patient, just like he was when I first met him in Cornwall, in fact.”
Georgina gave her a sidelong look. “However?”
“He is not passionate,” she confided impulsively. “I hoped to have a child, but when we make love, I feel no particular desire for him.”
Georgina stared off into the distance. She was not inclined to hear about Lord Ravenscroft’s sexual deficits at this hour of the morning. “Perhaps you might … I do not know … explain to him how you want him to touch you?”
Prudence pouted. “You did not need me to explain that to you.”
Georgina gave a little laugh. “But I am not a man.”
“I hoped you might call upon me.” Prudence stroked the mane of her horse.
“You have made your hopes quite clear.”
“I thought that … well, you might like to call upon me so that we can spend some time together … when my husband is not at home,” she said with a meaningful wink.
“In fact, Alfred left a few days ago with Lawrence. They have gone to Bath to take the waters. After that terrible duel, Lawrence was in the most awful despair about his lost love. I persuaded him that the waters would be just the thing to restore him. I do not expect them back until next week. You might visit me without fear of tiresome interruptions.”
Georgina gave a reluctant laugh, not wishing to be cold, but she did not reply. Here, Prudence offered her a discreet opportunity to revitalise herself. Yet, an uneasiness crept over her.
Prudence rode her horse closer to Georgina’s, so that their legs grazed against each other. She slid her hand up along Georgina’s thigh. “Spend the night with me, Georgina. All night,” she purred in a soft, seductive voice. “Like the night we almost spent together in Cornwall.”
Artemis flung her head down and whinnied loudly, separating the two riders for a moment.
This provided Georgina with a reprieve from answering.
Her chaotic thoughts raced. Bitterness, hurt and sadness blended, leaving her in a jumble.
Her instinct urged her to decline at once because her feelings were utterly and completely engaged elsewhere.
Georgina clenched her teeth together. Elizabeth did not return her regard. The brief glimpses of emotion detected within her had either been feigned or shared with another, and her entanglement with the hideous Mrs Gardner was unforgivable.
Georgina settled her mount by stroking her neck gently. “Very well,” she agreed.
***
As Georgina arrived home, Buckby emerged from the mews to take Artemis, and a voice calling her name caught her attention. She turned to find Mrs Gardner herself standing outside her house, a serene smile on her face.
“Rather daring of you to present yourself on my doorstep without someone to protect you,” Georgina remarked, removing her gloves. “Or should I assume you have a burly retainer waiting out of sight?”
“Oh, Miss Pace. There’s no need to be hostile.”
Georgina scoffed. “Perhaps you lost all your protection when the authorities imprisoned your friends.”
“Shall you invite me inside?”
“I would sooner have my man decapitate me and feed my corpse to my dogs, Mrs Gardner.” Joshua would approve of that rejoinder. Georgina’s expression remained stony, though inside her heart raced. She wished to deliver a right hook to this woman’s face.
“Very well. I can conduct my business on the street.”
Georgina folded her arms across her chest.
“I thought, given you had such a pivotal role in the closure of my house, my home, you might see yourself to assisting me.” Mrs Gardner peeped up at her from beneath the rim of her bonnet, to see if her appeal was meeting with any favour.
Georgina could feel her eyes widen at the woman’s effrontery. “Are you mad?”
“Elizabeth would want you to help me.” Mrs Gardner was wrapped in an older woolen shawl, which she tightened around her. Her fingers were knotting the fringe, releasing a nervous energy.
“Why is Elizabeth not helping you, then? She has been supporting you this far,” Georgina demanded.
“Business took her away. And the manner in which Solitaires closed left our relationship somewhat strained.”
Georgina raised a brow. “So, you are applying to me?” A gurgle of laughter caught in her throat. The irony was irresistible.
“If you cannot see a clear way to helping me, I see no reason why I shouldn’t make life difficult for you, Miss Pace.”
Georgina’s mouth dropped open at this woman’s ability to switch tactics so swiftly. Indeed, she must be desperate. “More than you have already? Goodness, do tell me what you might do now?”
“Well, Mr Leggett told me all about Lord Coulthurst’s duel the other day. How shocking.”
Georgina blinked, unsure what devilry she was attempting now. “Mr Leggett is not known for his discretion. I daresay all of London has heard of it. Why you think I should care has me in a puzzle.”
“Oh, Miss Pace, you mistake me. He also mentioned that you were there. How irksome to yet again find yourself in the centre of a scandal.” She clicked her tongue.
Her tone was sweet, but Georgina read the threat beneath her words.
“I understand that Elizabeth has held you in high esteem until now. Sadly, I believe it is my duty to provide her with any information that I have about your behaviour.”
This was almost comical. “What do you want?”
Mrs Gardner lowered her voice to a whisper. “I could be discreet, for a price.”
Clarity broke, like warm light illuminating the dark, making everything suddenly comprehensible.
And utterly absurd. Georgina tossed her head back with genuine laughter.
“So, with your income stream severed, you wish to try to blackmail me? Oh, Mrs Gardner, go to the devil, with my love. She and I are good friends.”
“I will tell Elizabeth all your scandals! I know everything!” Her voice rose in volume.
Georgina plunged her hand into her vest pocket, withdrew the crumpled-up twenty-pound note she’d pulled from Arthur’s stack, and dropped it in Mrs Gardner’s direction, not caring if she caught it.
“This is for the amusement you have given me this morning.” It was more generosity than she deserved.
Georgina’s fingers clenched around her riding crop.
“As for your threats, you must do as you see fit.”
Mrs Gardner snatched the note and, as her eyes drifted down to the crop, she took a small step back.
With a firm grasp on the whip, Georgina strode up the steps to her front door and let it swing shut with a bang behind her.