glance up at Dominic’s face, but, as usual, his features told her nothing.
The curricle swayed to a halt. Before she could attempt to climb down, he was there, lifting her effortlessly to the pavement. Breathless, she stood for one moment within the circle of his arms and dared to look up into his face. “There’s really no need—”
“There’s every need.” Dominic’s face remained shuttered. His hand at her elbow drew her up the steps.
Georgiana, trembling inwardly with an odd mixture of exhilaration and sheer terror, drew a deep breath and swung to face him. “My lord—”
“Ah, Johnson.”
Georgiana turned to find the door open and Bella’s butler bowing deferentially. The next instant she was in the hall.
“We’ll use the drawing-room, I think.”
Borne inexorably over the threshold, Georgiana gave up all hope of avoiding the coming interview and crossed the room, her fingers fumbling with the ribbons of her hat.
Dominic shut the door and watched with relief as she cast the offending headgear aside. He moved to a side-table and stripped off his driving gloves, dropping them on the polished surface.
“Now—”
The door opened.
“There you are!” Bella came tripping over the threshold, big eyes bright.
Georgiana looked on her with undisguised relief.
Dominic looked on her with undisguised irritation. “Go away, Bella.”
Brought up short, Bella turned to stare at him. “Go away? But whatever—?”
“Bella!” The dire warning in his voice was enough to send Bella about and start her for the door. Then she remembered she was in her own house and no longer needed to heed her brother’s orders. She stopped, but before she could turn again a large hand in the small of her back propelled her out of the room.
The drawing-room door shut with a sharp click. Stunned, totally bewildered, Bella turned to stare at its uninformative panels.
Inside, Dominic turned to find Georgiana regarding him with distinct trepidation. Wondering how long his patience was going to last, he crossed the room and took her hands in his, covering her cold fingers with his warm ones. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to eat you.”
Georgiana smiled weakly.
“But you are going to tell me what’s wrong.”
Glancing wildly up at him, eyes wide, Georgiana drew breath to reiterate that there was nothing wrong, when she caught his sceptical look and fell silent.
“Precisely.” Dominic nodded sternly. “I’m not addlepated enough to swallow any tale you might concoct, so the truth, if you please.”
Standing there, her hands warm in his, the temptation to cast herself on his broad chest and sob out all her woes was dreadfully strong. In desperation, Georgiana sought for some way out, some tale he would accept for her not seeing him again. But another upward glance under her lashes convinced her the task was hopeless.
“It’s… It’s just that our…our association has become sufficiently marked that people might start talking and…” Her voice trailed away altogether.
She looked up to find an oddly amused expression on Dominic’s face.
He smiled. “Actually, our association has, until today, been sufficiently well hidden. However, I dare say they will start talking now.”
Distracted, Georgiana frowned. “You mean after our drive in the park?”
Still amused, Dominic nodded. “That. And tonight.” At Georgiana’s puzzled look, he explained, “It’s the Rigdons’ ball. And as from now, I’m going to be so very attentive to you that even the blindest of the gossips will know my intentions.”
“Your intentions?” Georgiana’s voice had risen strangely.
Dominic regarded her with some slight annoyance. “My intentions,” he repeated. After a moment he sighed and went on, “I know I haven’t proposed, but surely, Georgiana, you are not so scatter-brained you don’t know I’m in love with you and intend asking you to marry me?”