Page 74 of Watching the Earl

She spun around to face the open parlor doors and found Rose striding in, fury clear on her face. “Rose, I didn’t say anything.”

Rose waved away her comment. “Of course you didn’t. It’s abominable. Who let it slip?”

Arabella wheeled herself in. “I promise I didn’t.”

“Nor I.” Felicity came in as well.

Georgina swallowed hard at the support of her friends. “It was none of you. I know who spread it about. I’m so angry I could slay an ox.”

Felicity smirked. “An ox is quite difficult to slay. Maybe you should tell us, in order to save the poor animal.”

Rose held up her hand. “Wait. My brother sent for Ellie, and she is on her way. Then tell us all so we can figure out what to do.”

Georgina curled and uncurled her fingers. “Do? Nothing can be done. The truth is out.”

Dory nodded sagely. “There is always something. Now, here is some tea. Everyone gather around and partake while we await Ellie’s arrival. We can find comfort in our mutual friendship. Plato said that friendship is far beyond a simple transaction but a way to lift all in virtue, and—”

“Dory, I think we all know how important our friendship is.” Felicity took a teacup and passed it to Arabella.

Georgina couldn’t even think about drinking anything, so she stayed on her feet, tapping her foot, too distraught by her husband’s accusations.

Rose came to stand next to her. “As soon as we heard what was being said, we left the aviary. Arabella and I went straight to your townhouse and were told you were here.”

Georgina wanted to ask if they’d seen her husband, but, of course, they wouldn’t have. “As soon as Philip heard it, he took the dowager and me away, but I just know his mother will hear of it soon. His whole family will be shamed.”

“Where’s Georgie?”

At the sound of Ellie, the one who always mothered them when they needed it the most, Georgina couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. “I’m in here.”

“My dear one.” Ellie swept into the room in a flourish of blue skirts, knocking a knickknack off a small table onto the rug, her red hair barely held in place as she wrapped her arms around Georgina.

She cried against Ellie’s shoulder. She wasn’t sure how long she stood there, but eventually they seemed to dry up and someone handed her a handkerchief, which she promptly used to blow her nose. When she finally looked at everyone, she almost started crying again. They were all there, even Lord Harewood and Lord Ferncroft, Dory’s and Ellie’s husbands. The only people missing were Sophie and Lord Tamworth, whom she owed so much. And they were all here for her. No individual in her family had ever supported her like this. Not even once.

Lord Harewood, Rose’s brother, moved to the fireplace and commanded everyone’s attention. “Now that we are here, I suggest we go over what we know, so as to plan a strategy to save Lady Durham’s reputation.”

She almost laughed at such an absurdity, but bit down on her lip, not wishing to appear ungrateful.

Rose, who stood next to her, answered him. “What we know is that someone has told the ton about Georgie’s being ruined before she married.”

“Sister, since you heard the rumor directly, did anyone mention who the culprit was?”

Rose looked at Arabella and Felicity, and they both shook their heads.

Lord Harewood looked at the others. “Did anyone else hear anything on that front?”

Both Ellie and Dory shook their heads. Lord Ferncroft confirmed it. “We have not heard the rumor yet, so we cannot say.”

Georgiana didn’t consider it a rumor, since it was the truth, but that seemed unimportant.

“Brother, Georgie knows who spread the rumor, and now that I’ve thought upon it, I believe I do too.”

Georgina turned to Rose. “You do?”

“Yes. It has to be Lord Ashfield.”

Lord Harewood frowned. “That doesn’t make sense, since he’s the culprit.”

“Actually, Lord Harewood, it does.” Georgina looked at Arabella and Rose, who nodded at her to continue. “When I came to visit Rose last, I walked the last block, too anxious to wait for traffic to clear. I’d barely taken ten steps when I bumped into Lord Ashfield. When he saw it was me, he suggested we continue our relationship, at which point I told him in no uncertain terms that I was married, and happily so. I even made it clear that I was much happier with my husband than I’d been with him.”