Page 62 of Prince of Scandal

“You’ve been gone most of the day! No lady needs that long. And where are your purchases?”

GAH.

Her heart began pounding. Probably how criminals felt in the docks in front of London’s most notorious magistrate.

Georgiana forced a pout. “I couldn’t find anything I fancied. The attendants failed to understand that I wanted unique, special items. And then—”

“You’re lying. Where have you been, Georgiana?”

“Do confess, my dear,” drawled Rupert, as he stepped out past Lady Kingsford and loomed like a dark specter. “I was worried.”

Oh God. She couldn’t even look at him. How did mistresses do it? Feign affection or attraction toward the man who controlled their future but they couldn’t abide?

“Gigi was with me.”

They all turned to see Xavier sauntering toward them, a lazy grin on his face. On any other occasion she would have groaned at his jarringly vibrant primrose-yellow jacket, linen shirt with frothy lace cuffs, and sapphire-blue trousers, but right now she would literally kiss his diamond-buckled shoes for such a blessed lie.

“Oh really?” said Grandmother sourly. “Doing what?”

“To compensate for the shopping disappointment at Debenhams, I took her for a jaunt along the city streets…don’t scowl, Osbourne, in a curricle, not riding. Unlike many, I have my sister’s welfare in mind at all times.”

Rupert glared at Xavier, but didn’t challenge him in any way. In fact, he withdrew a few steps back into the parlor, similar to his behavior in Brundall. How curious! She was quite convinced her brother had said or done something to frighten Rupert when they’d traveled home from France, but had no idea what. This was Xavier. It also made her hate Rupert more, for he obviously restricted his evil to those less powerful.

“I haven’t seen you since yesterday, Gigi,” Rupert said eventually, in a sullen tone. “Not happy about that. I was going to take you out in my curricle.”

“Oh dear,” Georgiana choked out. “How…thoughtful. But I’m so tired. I need a restorative nap. Important to rest right now, wouldn’t you agree, my lord?”

Rupert nodded grudgingly. “A vessel’s core duty is to keep the cargo safe. I’ll call again in a few days. I am away to visit friends in the country tonight.”

A vessel?

Her fingers itched to slap him, but his last words jangled a warning. Instead, she forced a sunny smile. “Oh? Where? I dearly love the country. Your own estate perhaps, or further afield?”

“Yes,” said Xavier. “Do tell.”

Rupert tugged on his cravat. “Just to Surrey. I’d best be off.”

“Farewell,” said Georgiana, trying not to recoil when he bestowed a cold-lipped kiss to her cheek. After he finally departed Kingsford House, she turned back to her grandmother. “I’m off to bed.”

Lady Kingsford snorted. “How fragile you are. Even your vulgar mother managed to continue her duties without the crutch of a nap. I’m going to have more tea. That’s all a proper English lady requires to restore—”

“Come on, Gigi,” said Xavier, offering his arm. “Let’s get your poor, exhausted self upstairs for a nap. Good afternoon, Grandmother.”

Very unusually, they walked in silence to her thankfully empty bedchamber. But as soon as Georgiana closed the door behind them, she stared hard at Xavier’s smirking face.

“Out with it,” she said bluntly. “Why did you lie for me?”

He shrugged. “Isn’t that what big brothers do?”

“Spare the nonsense,” Georgiana replied as she sank onto the end of her four-poster bed, suddenly weary to the bone. “I’m not in the mood for games or lies or half-truths anymore. I cannot bear it.”

Xavier went still, then strolled over to the chaise beside the largest window, shoved aside her favorite green velvet cushion, and collapsed onto it. “Very well. Let’s both be plain. You tell me why you’ve been traipsing across London with a man other than your betrothed, and I’ll tell you why I lied for you.”

He knew? GAH.

She bit her lip. “It’s an outrageous tale. If I heard it, I probably wouldn’t believe it.”

“Tell me anyway. You might be surprised what I would believe.”