The Regency Season Collection: Part One. Кэрол Мортимер

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СКАЧАТЬ ‘You cannot.’ Her eyes were wide in her distress. ‘Zachary, how can you be so cruel as to humiliate me further, by having my own brother turn away from me? I told you the truth earlier. I showed you.’

      ‘There will be no humiliation, Georgianna.’ Zachary sat forward on his own seat to reach out and grasp both of her tiny gloved hands in his, knowing it was possibly the last time she would allow him such familiarity. ‘There will be no humiliation for you, Georgianna, and your brother will not turn away from you,’ he assured evenly, ‘because there was no scandal.’

      She stilled at the same time as she blinked rapidly to hold back the tears now glistening in her eyes. ‘I do not understand,’ she finally murmured huskily.

      And Zachary had no wish to tell her when he knew it would result in those beautiful eyes hardening with hatred for him. But his behaviour towards Georgianna this past two days allowed for no mercy being given on his own behalf. He deserved no forgiveness from her, no mercy. For any of the things he had said and done to her.

      He released her hands to sit back against his seat as he looked across at her between narrowed lids. ‘The notification of the ending of our betrothal appeared in the newspapers only a week after it was announced.’

      Guilt coloured her cheeks. ‘I expected no other.’

      ‘That announcement stated,’ Zachary continued firmly, ‘that Lady Georgianna Rose Lancaster had decided, after all, against marrying Zachary Richard Edward Black, the Duke of Hawksmere.’

      ‘But that is not what happened!’

      ‘It also stated that it was your intention to retire to the Malvern country estate for the remainder of the Season,’ Zachary completed determinedly.

      Georgianna now looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

      ‘Your father died in a riding accident only a month later,’ Zachary continued evenly, ‘at which time it was decided between your brother Jeffrey and myself that he would announce that you both intended to remain secluded at Malvern Hall for your time of mourning.’

      She swallowed. ‘What are you saying?’

      Zachary drew in a deep breath before answering softly. ‘That there was no scandal. As is acceptable, you were the one to end our betrothal and since then it is believed you have been living quietly at Malvern Hall with your brother.’

      ‘How can this be?’ Georgianna gave a dazed shake of her head.

      The duke moved restlessly. ‘Your father, brother and I discussed it after it was discovered you had eloped with Duval, or Rousseau, as he was later discovered to be. It was your family’s hope that you would be found and returned before—well, before any harm might be done to your reputation and without any but the close family, and myself, being the wiser for it.’

      Georgianna’s cheeks became even more flushed in acknowledgement of the harm to which Hawksmere referred. ‘And you agreed with this decision?’

      Hawksmere’s mouth tightened. ‘Yes.’

      ‘Because such an announcement lessened your own humiliation?’

      His mouth thinned. ‘No doubt that was part of it,’ he allowed drily. ‘But I hope I also thought of you, and your family, in that decision. I am not a vindictive man, Georgianna,’ he assured evenly as she now looked at him blankly. ‘No matter the impression I may have given to the contrary these past two days,’ he acknowledged heavily.

      Georgianna did not believe Hawksmere’s behaviour to have been particularly vindictive towards her. She knew that she had fully deserved his anger, for her having eloped with another man so soon after the announcement of their own betrothal, causing him embarrassment. As she also deserved the distrust Zachary felt in regard to her return, when he knew that the man she had eloped with was actually a spy for Napoleon.

      But this? Having allowed her to continue to think, these past two days, that she was unforgiven by her father and a pariah to her brother, the only family she had left in the world, as well as ostracised in society, was another matter entirely.

      She frowned. ‘Does no one in society know of my elopement with André?’

      Hawksmere shrugged. ‘A few may have guessed at the truth of the matter, but none knows for certain.’

      ‘Then I am not shamed? Or ostracised?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘And does my brother know I shall be returning to him today?’

      ‘I sent him a note earlier informing him so and have received confirmation back from him, yes,’ Hawksmere added softly.

      ‘And does he welcome me back, despite knowing of my past behaviour?’

      ‘He holds Rousseau completely responsible for past events.’

      ‘Then I may return to my brother, my home, into society, without fear of rejection?’

      A nerve pulsed in the tightness of Hawksmere’s jaw. ‘Yes.’

      ‘And you have known this since we met again yesterday, known how much it pains me to think of my father’s disappointment in me, to be estranged from Jeffrey? And yet you have continued to let me believe...’ Georgianna did not even take the time to consider her next action, merely reacted, eyes glittering angrily as she lifted her hand and stuck Hawksmere across one hard and arrogant cheek.

      Zachary had seen the angry spark in Georgianna’s eyes, had noted the lifting of her gloved hand and guessed her intent. He’d made no attempt to avoid the painful slap she administered to the side of his face. Knowing he deserved it. That he deserved so much more than a single slap.

      So, yes, let Georgianna slap him. Again and again, if that was her wish. Zachary would neither protest nor attempt to stop her.

      ‘You are truly despicable!’ Georgianna now glared across the width of the carriage at him. ‘A despicable, unprincipled bastard! Oh, yes, Hawksmere,’ she declared scornfully as he raised surprised dark brows. ‘I assure you, I heard far worse than that during my months of working in Helene Rousseau’s tavern. And you—you deserve to hear every one of those words for the way in which you have deceived me.’ She blinked back the tears as they now blurred her vision of the arrogantly superior face across from her own.

      ‘Perhaps we should take them as having already been said?’ Zachary excused himself gruffly.

      She gave an impatient shake of her head, her hands clenched together. ‘I have spent months in despair of ever being able to see or speak to my brother again. Of ever seeing my home again. Of knowing that all in English society shunned me. This past few days of believing I would never be able to visit my father’s graveside and beg his forgiveness. A despair which you might have spared me, if you had a mind to do so. If you had a heart with which to do so. Which you so obviously do not,’ she added coldly.

      Zachary had no defence against Georgianna’s accusations. He knew he was guilty of everything she now accused him of. Except perhaps the latter.

      It was true he had offered for Lady Georgianna Lancaster ten months ago because he needed a wife and an heir before his thirty-fifth birthday. It was true also that he had been more annoyed than concerned at the inconvenience when she had eloped СКАЧАТЬ