Page 44 of Prince of Scandal

“As you like. Any other instructions for downstairs?”

Georgiana nodded reluctantly. “There may be another carriage arriving tonight or early in the morning. With my father, brother, and…their guest. So all the bedchambers will need to be made up, and a hearty supper prepared. Beef, I think.”

Mary curtsied and dashed away.

Taking a moment to check her reflection in the bedchamber looking glass, Georgiana straightened her gown and smoothed her hair. One small mercy, Grandmother hadn’t arrived a few hours ago when she’d been at Ashton’s manor. Or attired in shirt and breeches. Or bathing. But she could no longer delay the inevitable, or subject the servants to further dowager spite.

Ensuring her shoulders were ramrod straight, Georgiana marched downstairs, pasted a smile on her face, and strolled into the parlor. “Grandmother. What a thoroughly unpleasant and unwanted surprise.”

The elderly woman raised one fine white eyebrow. Despite two days of carriage travel, her silver hair and lilac gown were immaculate. “Only you would dare to take such a tone with me when I have been forced to leave London for Norfolk.”

“No one forced you to do anything,” Georgiana replied, striving for a breezy reply, when already she could feel her resolve wavering in the face of the gimlet stare that regularly reduced society to a stammering mess. “And do not say Norfolk like it is a tavern alley in Whitechapel. It is lovely here.”

“Norfolk is as I declare it is. And of course I had no choice. It is my solemn duty, as true head of this family, to resolve this disgraceful matter with Major Lord Osbourne once and for all. You will marry him.”

Georgiana’s fists clenched. “No.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me quite well, Grandmother.”

Lady Kingsford clasped her hands, a sure sign that poisoned arrows were about to start flying. “As you are an exceedingly stupid girl, perhaps you do not understand the gravity of the situation. All of London has not ceased talking about it. The Nash name is a laughingstock. Your father was refused a table at his club. Lilian was not asked to be on the newest hospital fundraising committee.”

“Dear me, how will they ever recover from such snubs?” said Georgiana sharply.

“Georgiana. That is exactly what your vile, common mother would have said. Her bad blood is strongest in you, always has been. Your ridiculous curly hair…your vulgar weight…that terribly brazen, impulsive nature…not really a Nash at all.”

Georgiana sucked in a breath, trying to shield herself, but that old, familiar shame was creeping in. Not a calm and proper lady like Lilian. Not intelligent and steadfast like Pippa. The bad daughter. The one most like the mother they remembered but she didn’t. “Papa assures me I am indeed a Nash, as do my sisters and brother.”

Grandmother’s lips lifted into her shark smile. “Speaking of your brother…I suppose you also care not that Northam put himself in harm’s way, the very future of the Kingsford title at risk, to fetch Major Lord Osbourne home from France? All Northam’s efforts to defend your worthless honor…to be thrown back in his face?”

Georgiana gritted her teeth, willing herself to be calm in the face of such chilly, calculated insults. Of course she cared. She’d never wanted Xavier to go after her former lover, nor bring the scoundrel home. Finn might claim Xav was far more capable than anyone knew, but that was just him being a loyal brother-in-law. Xav’s greatest gifts were dressing outrageously and avoiding their grandmother by staying out all night to game, drink, and seduce women. He’d said himself that was how he spent his evenings; hell, when she’d pointed out bruised knuckles or scratches or messages he tossed into the fire, Xav always winked and said feisty wives, angry husbands. Ugh.

“Don’t you dare pretend to care about Xavier,” she shot back. “We all know it’s the title.”

Lady Kingsford gasped and pressed a hand to the perfectly matched pearls at her throat. “Such vicious attacks when I’ve been travelling for days and am near-faint with hunger. Poor Major Lord Osbourne. What a lackluster wife he’ll gain. Obviously I shall take control here at Rose Cottage; the servants Exton sent are clearly woefully incompetent and the worst he had, your Brundall maid far worse…but now I wonder if I must accompany you to your future marital home. Can’t have you disgracing the family further with a poorly run household.”

Do not shove her out a window. Do not.

In surely an intervention by God himself, Mary bustled in with a tea tray and set it in front of the dowager. “My lady. Tea, lemon, sugar cubes, and some ginger cake to settle your stomach after all that rocking in the carriage.”

Grandmother sniffed. “I suppose that looks adequate. But really, far too slow.”

Georgiana smiled tightly at Mary, indicating with a brief head tilt that she should flee, and the maid nodded, clear gratitude on her face. No doubt there would need to be further heavenly interventions to retain staff until morning. Not even boxes of March marzipan would keep them here.

“Drink up, Grandmother,” she said. “And feel free to retire upstairs.”

Lady Kingsford added a slice of lemon to her tea, then stirred it gently. “Oh no, my dear. I’m not moving an inch until the others arrive. How it shall warm my heart to see you reunited with your one true love…do I hear hooves? Is that them now?”

Bile rose in Georgiana’s throat. But a glance out the window confirmed a second carriage was indeed pulling up in the tiny courtyard, and soon Papa stepped into the torchlit area, mopping his brow before turning and gesturing for the others to follow. Xavier alighted next, smoothing the sleeves of his ruby-red jacket and shaking the lace at his wrists. There was a long pause, and for a moment it seemed there’d been a huge misunderstanding, that everyone was wrong and they didn’t have Rupert. Then a third figure climbed out of the carriage, his shoulders military straight as he glanced all around him, revulsion etched on his face.

Their gazes met. Rupert sketched a bow, his face unsmiling, before all three men made their way to the front door.

Oh God.

Her nightmare was about to begin.

CHAPTER 10