Chapter Fourteen
Marianne, Lady Fortescue, proved herself a lady of considerable resources and within a short couple of weeks from asking, had brought together all the necessary arrangements for a ball to be held in honor of her scapegrace brother who, she assured everyone she invited, had turned over a new leaf.
The ball was arranged for mid-April and everyone who was anyone in the ton had been invited.
And almost every invitee had replied that they would be attending.
In Marianne’s somewhat biased opinion, this was probably out of curiosity about a young lady who had succeeded in taming such a desperate rake.
Georgiana, still pencil slim despite her condition, had ordered, on the suggestion of Marianne, Fanny and Harriet, a new gown for the occasion.
As a consequence of which, Fanny, ever an arbiter of fashion, had pooh-poohed the suggestion of going to Marianne’s dressmaker.
Harriet had concurred, although why, Georgiana had no idea as from the way her new niece dressed it was clear she cared little for clothes.
Instead, the three ladies, Marianne suffering from a degree of pique at her dressmaker having being spurned, took their new family member to Fanny’s preferred modiste, Mrs. Bean, in Albemarle Street.
“We cannot go wrong with her,” Fanny informed an awestruck Georgiana, “For she has been commissioned to provide gowns for Princess Charlotte’s trousseau, no less. ”
The thought that she was to be wearing a gown created by a dressmaker who was also dressing royalty rendered Georgiana, for once, almost speechless.
If only Papa could have seen this, or the humble grandfather she’d never met.
She would have liked both of them to know how high she’d climbed in society.
Perhaps she should invite Aunt Patience…
her conscience told her that it would be a gesture of possible reconciliation and would foster a better relationship with the last remaining member of her family.
Absence from her aunt’s establishment was making her view that stern lady in a more charitable light. She would swallow her pride and her misgivings and invite her because she was her father’s only sister and Papa would not have wanted her to remain on bad terms with her.
“Are you sure?” Fitz asked as they travelled to Mrs. Bean’s in their now refurbished carriage drawn by the two matching bays Georgiana had chosen.
To her surprise, he’d offered to accompany her on this later visit and cast his eye over some of the designs being paraded before her.
He’d been the one to suggest she should choose a trousseau of new gowns, to which Fanny had heartily agreed.
He took her hand. “I thought you didn’t like her.”
She nodded. “I’ve decided it would be un-Christian to exclude her from our celebration. My dear papa would not approve of me doing so.”
He frowned. “But she must know the truth.”
Georgiana also frowned. “She is, I am certain, too polite to share her knowledge with anyone. I can assure you of that. She would consider spreading news of my ‘fall from virtue’ a blight on the family’s name and honor.
” The fact that Fitz thought her aunt might be loose-tongued annoyed her a little.
He must have picked that up. “It’s not that I fear she might say something, but that I don’t want her to make you feel awkward on what should be your special night.”
That was a good point. Georgiana pursed her lips as she considered this previously unthought of point. Yes, she might very well feel awkward meeting her aunt again after the way they’d parted company.
Fitz put a hand over hers and she felt the warmth of his skin even through her glove.
A warmth that transmitted itself through her body.
Over the last week or so he’d taken to frequently touching her hands in this way and she wasn’t at all sure how she felt about it.
Of course, she liked it, but after Alexander she couldn’t bring herself to respond, even though she ached to.
However, she didn’t remove her hand from the contact.
“Perhaps you should meet her before the ball,” Fitz said. “To clear the air, so to speak.” He cleared his throat. “If you wish, I will come with you. We can deliver the invitation by hand.”
Georgiana’s eyes widened. “You would do that? For me?”
He grinned, his dark eyes flashing with mischief. “Of course I would. I have a yearning to meet this dragon for myself.”
How very devilish he looked. That was a large part of his charm.
A charm she knew ladies fell for in droves and she had to admit she had done as well.
She’d been talking to Fanny about him, and his cousin had not been reticent in revealing his past. A past Fanny saw as sordid, but which Georgiana couldn’t help but think fascinating.
She was, after all, a girl who had succumbed to the ardor of a handsome lover already.
Added to that was the suspicion that despite several weeks of a marriage that he’d so far not pushed to consummate, he didn’t appear to have reverted back to his pre-nuptial habits.
As far as she knew, he’d been completely celibate since their hurried wedding.
“She isn’t that much of a dragon,” she said, although she wasn’t sure she was telling the truth.
“She just has her principles.” She paused.
“And to be honest, I don’t blame her for being angry with me.
She told me on numerous occasions that my father had confided my care to her and she intended to do right by me.
” She wrinkled her nose. “It was just that her version of doing right by me included thinking me not ready to go into society until I was an old maid like her, if ever, and not allowing me to meet any gentlemen. She had a strong dislike for young gentlemen.” She frowned.
“In fact, I fear you meeting her might not be the way to obtain any kind of truce.” She let her eyes run up and down his alluring figure.
“You are the epitome of what she holds as bad. You are a rake. You are handsome in the most devilish manner. And you are what she would call a fortune hunter.” She forebore from calling him that herself.
Fitz however, had no such reticence. “But I am a fortune hunter and a rake.” His eyes twinkled at her in a most suggestive fashion. “And I’m flattered to hear that you now think me handsome, instead of just adequate.”
The blush came hot and fast.
But Fitz ignored it. “And stuff and nonsense to her not liking me.” Maybe he had a misguided confidence in his own charms. “I think it would be best if she were to see us as a couple and understand that I am in full support of you.” His gaze fell to her waist. “And your child.”
Georgiana felt even more heat rising to her cheeks, as it always did when her condition was mentioned.
Not that Fitz raised the subject often. She had a sudden longing to know what he really thought of the situation they found themselves in.
Was he only being so nice to her because of her fortune?
Her spirits descended towards the toes of her smart new boots.
“I mean, if you would rather not come, I shan’t mind. ” Give him a way to avoid this meeting.
He shook his head. “No. I would like to meet her. I would like to meet the woman who threw you out just when you needed her support.”
Uh oh. This sounded a bit challenging. “If you come, then you must promise to say nothing inflammatory. You have to understand that I committed a sin that my aunt could not forgive.” She paused and licked her lips.
“And perhaps my dear papa might also have found unforgiveable. Although, if he had been alive I should have been presented at eighteen and probably would have been safely married long before Alexander Crichton came along and in all probability already a mother.”
“True. So it’s really your aunt’s fault for keeping you locked up like Rapunzel in her tower.”
Georgiana frowned, but inside she liked the idea that it was all her aunt’s fault. Not that she was going to ever say that to her face. But it bolstered her confidence.
The carriage came to a halt outside Mrs. Bean’s establishment.
Georgiana leaned in closer. “But I cannot say that and neither must you. You must promise to be tactful.” It hadn’t escaped her notice that he was inclined to say what he thought more often than not, as though the feelings of others didn’t matter a jot to him.
He squeezed her hand. “I promise. I shall be the soul of discretion. And now, let us go and see what this so oddly named lady has to offer in the way of day dresses and evening wear. I intend my wife to be the best dressed lady in society. You shall rival the princess herself.”
Later that afternoon, Georgiana penned a letter for her aunt. This task proved harder than she had expected and led to a bin full of screwed up attempts to word it correctly. Eventually, she gave up trying to be tactful and went with the first version she’d penned.
Dear Aunt Patience,
You will know by now that I have married Captain Fitzwilliam Carlyon. My husband’s sister, Marianne, Lady Fortescue, is holding a ball at her house in Cavendish Square for us and we would very much like it if you would grace us with your presence.
My husband and I would like to call on you tomorrow afternoon to personally deliver your invitation.
Cordially, your niece Georgiana, Mrs. Fitzwilliam Carlyon
She read it through again then wrote it out in perfect copperplate handwriting and before she could change her mind, sealed it and sent for a footman to deliver it to her aunt.