The Regency Season Collection: Part One. Кэрол Мортимер

formally before turning on his heel and abruptly leaving the terrace.

      Zachary had spoken with such finality that Georgianna could not mistake his words for anything other than what they were. An end to any hope of there ever being so much as a friendship between the two of them.

      ‘Georgie?’

      She was totally unaware of the tears falling down her cheeks as she turned to see that her brother, Jeffrey, had now stepped outside on to the terrace. ‘Did you hear any of that?’ she asked dully.

      ‘Most of it, I believe,’ Jeffrey admitted as he crossed the terrace to her side before taking both of her hands in his. He looked down at her searchingly. ‘I saw your expression as the two of you left the ballroom together and I was concerned enough to stand guard at the doors, so that I might be close enough to be of assistance if you should have need of me. Your conversation was not at all what I had imagined. Georgie, am I right in thinking you have fallen in love with Hawksmere?’

      ‘Yes.’ Georgianna made no attempt to deny it.

      Her brother nodded. ‘And he obviously has feelings for you.’

      ‘Desire is not enough on its own, Jeffrey,’ she assured heavily.

      ‘Are you so certain that is all that Hawksmere feels for you?’

      She smiled sadly. ‘I am sure you heard Zachary say goodbye to me just now? Not necessarily in words, but in the cold formality of his manner?’

      ‘I heard him saying a reluctant goodbye to you, yes. Georgie—’ Jeffrey frowned ‘—you are much changed since your return from France. You have suffered through so much, more than I know, I am sure. And yet you have survived. More than survived. You have grown into a beautiful and independent woman. More forthright in your manner. Less patient of society’s strictures and more determined where your own wishes are concerned.’

      ‘Yes.’ Again Georgianna did not attempt to deny it; she had indeed become all of those things these past months.

      Her brother nodded. ‘I have no idea how you and Hawksmere can have become so close in such a short time, but I am young still, Georgie, though I am far from stupid,’ he reproved gently as she would have spoken. ‘And there is most certainly something between the two of you. An emotion so strong, so intense, that it is possible to feel the tension in the air whenever the two of you are in a room together.’

      Her cheeks warmed. ‘As I said, desire alone is not enough.’

      ‘I do not believe Hawksmere came here this evening with any intention of making love to you, Georgie,’ her brother reasoned softly. ‘I heard enough of your conversation to know that he wished only to talk to you. To offer to get down on his knees and beg for your forgiveness, for any and all of his past misdeeds to you, if necessary. Can you not give him some credit for that, at least, Georgie? Some understanding of what it must have cost him, such a proud man, to have offered to do such a thing? And to question why he would have made such a self-demeaning offer of apology to you at all?’

      She sighed deeply. ‘Who is to know why Hawksmere does anything?’

      ‘You know, Georgia,’ Jeffrey chided. ‘You know Hawksmere better than anyone, I believe. Is it not time you searched your own heart? That you forgo a little of your own pride? Talk with him again, before the distance between you becomes too wide to ever be crossed,’ he urged softly.

      Georgianna did not need to search her own heart to know that she was in love with Zachary.

      Could she dare to hope, to believe, that his actions tonight implied he might love her in return?

      ‘What do you have to lose, Georgie?’ Jeffrey cajoled.

      Nothing. She had absolutely nothing left to lose when it came to loving Zachary.

       Chapter Fifteen

      ‘Good evening, Hinds.’ Georgianna handed her bonnet and cloak to the surprised butler as she stepped past him into the cavernous hallway of Hawksmere House. ‘Is his Grace at home?’

      The butler looked more than a little flustered by having her arrive at his employer’s home at eleven o’clock in the evening. ‘He returned some minutes ago and has retired to his study.’

      ‘Which is where?’ She gazed pointedly at the half dozen doors leading off the entrance hall.

      ‘The second door on the right. But...’

      ‘Thank you.’ Georgianna gave the butler a brightly dismissive smile, determined to go through with her decision to speak with Zachary again. ‘Perhaps you might bring through a decanter of brandy?’ Bravado had brought her thus far—she did not intend to let it desert her now.

      ‘His Grace has just this minute instructed I do so, my lady.’ Hind’s brows were still raised in astonishment at her commanding behaviour.

      Understandably so, when she considered the butler was fully aware that she had once been held here as Hawksmere’s prisoner.

      Although she did feel slightly heartened by the fact that Zachary had obviously felt in need of a restorative brandy—or two—upon his return home. ‘I will not delay you from your duties any longer then, Hinds.’

      ‘What on earth is going on, Hinds?’ Hawksmere came to an abrupt halt in the now-open doorway of his study, his expression one of stunned disbelief as he gazed across at her.

      ‘Georgianna?’

      ‘Hawksmere.’ She managed to greet him with the same brightness as she had addressed the butler seconds ago, determined not to lose her nerve now that she found herself face to face with Zachary.

      As Jeffrey had gently chided earlier, the situation between herself and Zachary had come to a breaking point, with no going back, only forward. Wherever that might take her. Consequently, Georgianna had nothing left to lose now but her pride. And where Zachary was concerned, she found that she now had none. How could she have, when she knew he had cast aside his own pride earlier this evening, by offering to get down on his knees and beg her forgiveness.

      ‘The brandy, Hinds, if you please?’ she reminded, sending Hinds scurrying down the hallway.

      Zachary was dressed far less formally than he had been earlier this evening, having removed his jacket and cravat, leaving him dressed only in his waistcoat over the snowy white shirt open at the throat and black pantaloons, which clearly showed the lean perfection of his muscled legs and thighs.

      He looked delicious, Georgianna decided, good enough to eat, in fact. The heated colour warmed her cheeks as she recalled that she had already tasted and devoured Zachary, when the two of them made love together yesterday afternoon.

      She held Zachary’s wary gaze unwaveringly as she softly crossed the hallway to join him. ‘May I come in?’ she beseeched huskily, her heart beating erratically in her chest as he made no effort to stand aside and allow her entry into his study.

      Zachary’s hand tightened on the doorframe, where he had reached out to steady himself in his complete surprise at seeing Georgianna standing in the entrance hall of his London home. ‘Is Jeffrey with you?’

      ‘Jeffrey knows that I am here, because he put me into our carriage himself. Otherwise, I am quite alone,’ she dismissed huskily.

      A scowl darkened Zachary’s brow. ‘That was most improper of you.’

      She gazed up at him quizzically. ‘As you stated earlier, we are well past that point.’

      Maybe so, but Zachary’s concern was on Georgianna’s behalf, rather than his own. His own reputation was such that her visiting him alone would only add to his reputation as being something of a rake, whereas Georgianna’s still bore a question mark, as far as society was concerned.

      ‘Why are you here, Georgianna?’ he prompted warily.

      ‘You