Inheriting Trouble: A Sweet Regency Romance (The Bequest Series Book 1) Read online

  “Do you think I am a gossipmonger, my lady?” Crossley’s voice sounded equal parts amused and appalled.

  “I don’t really know you at all, my lord,” she answered with a sweet smile that would have made her mother worry if she were there to see it.

  Georgia saw and again swallowed her laughter. While she appreciated her friend’s efforts to defend her, she couldn’t allow her to get into trouble on her behalf. She shook her head at Vicky and quickly stepped into the conversation.

  “Why don’t we rectify that, my lord? You could tell us a little bit about yourself.”

  The earl looked surprised by her statement. “What could I possibly tell you that Debrett’s hasn’t already written about?”

  “Lots, I would imagine,” Georgia countered with a small laugh. “Why don’t we start with something simple like, do you enjoy spending time in London or do you prefer life on your estate?”

  Georgia felt his gaze sweep her from head to toe, but she kept her own eyes focused on the scenery of the large park they were strolling through. She felt overwhelmed with the desire to ask him why her question prompted such a reaction from him but daren’t pursue the more personal question. Perhaps he was unused to anyone taking an actual interest in him. From what little she knew of High Society it wouldn’t surprise her in the least to hear no one actually asked each other for their thoughts.

  His tone, when he finally answered, was dry. “Would you believe I can only say both? I do enjoy spending some time in London, but it always ends up feeling like I’ve stayed too long, and I am relieved to return to my estate.” There was a brief silence before he returned the question to the two of them. “What about you? Do you prefer London or the country? I think you, my lady, mentioned that you found London to be a bore?”

  “Not at all, my lord, I said the Season was a bore. I quite adore London. It isn’t the city’s fault that being the third unmarried daughter of an earl is deadly dull.”

  Crossley laughed over her words but prompted Georgia to answer with a lifted eyebrow.

  “This is my first day in London, so I have yet to form an opinion, but I am predisposed to love it from everything I have read and from what Lady Vigilia has told me.”

  “You have never visited our capital? It seems your education was sorely lacking.”

  Georgia wasn’t sure if his words were meant to be insulting or not, but she decided not to take exception to them. She agreed with him. “That it was, my lord, but it is being rectified now, so we shan’t cry over spilt milk.”

  She couldn’t decipher the expression on his face. If she hadn’t observed how haughty he had been earlier, she would almost think it was admiration, but that was highly unlikely. No doubt the man was thinking he had fallen in with a couple of simpletons. The thought made her want to giggle, but she refrained. It would not do to confirm that opinion.

  There was a moment of silence before Georgia thought of a subject she would love to know more about. “Do you sit in the House of Lords, Lord Crossley?”

  “I do.”

  “Is it terribly fascinating?” She recognized the awe in her voice and felt warmth creep up her cheeks again, but she tried to ignore her embarrassment. In her opinion, running the country was a huge responsibility, and she respected those who tried to do it well. Of course, she was well aware that many lords did not make much effort, and that was resulting in growing unrest in some quarters. She had heard murmurs in the village but knew there was much she didn’t know.

  Chapter Three

  Crispin Crossley hoped his fascination was not displayed on his face. The chit hanging onto his left arm seemed to be different from any young woman he had ever encountered before. But he knew he was a terrible judge of character. His countess had fascinated him, too, when he had first made her acquaintance. That meant next to nothing. But he had never heard a young woman show interest in the workings of the government. He felt compelled to tell her about the latest session. But he was interrupted before he even spoke.

  “Georgie, don’t be silly, his lordship isn’t about to tell us any of that. Papa says it’s confidential and not for our ears.”

  The earl smirked. It wasn’t true that the workings of the House were confidential, there was actually a visitors’ gallery where anyone could stop in and listen if they were so inclined, but it was a good way of getting out of trying to explain to a woman how it all worked. Not that he doubted a woman’s ability to understand it, he had just never met a woman who was interested in doing something selfless like trying to make decisions for the benefit of the multitudes.

  The young woman’s face coloured, and she stammered out an apology. “I had no wish to ask for state secrets, my lord. I didn’t realize it would be confidential.” He could see that she was frustrated by the thought. Perhaps she had been genuinely curious. He shook his head. It would pass, he reminded himself firmly. Women did not stay interested in such things for long.

  Why had he volunteered to spend time with these two chits? He questioned his impulsive decision. He had been intrigued by Miss Holton’s reaction to his assumption that their encounter was premeditated. She was nothing like most of the highborn young women he encountered during the Season. Her uniqueness had lured him, but he needed to ignore it and rid himself of his companions as quickly as possible. It was a good thing there were two of them. If he ensured he paid equal attention to them both, it was unlikely he would be raising any sort of expectations with either. Or so he hoped. Heaven knows he had a poor track record when it came to his dealings with the female race.

  The silence began to stretch, and Crispin realized he ought to exert himself. Sherton’s daughter, the one clutching his right arm, seemed content to walk along at his side. Or so he concluded from the wide smile stretching her face. His friend had been correct, she was a taking little thing and would have probably been a huge success if not for her older sisters. But her grin was probably one of triumph to be seen on his arm, he reminded himself as he turned to glance at the girl on his left. He could see that she no longer looked as confident as she had when she had laughed over his assumptions. She was nibbling her lower lip, a fact that shot an arrow of desire to his core, which he chose to ignore. Besides that, she was casting what appeared to be worried glances at him and trying to catch her friend’s eye discretely.

  With a silent sigh, the earl gave in to his impulse to set the girl back at ease. He strove for a suitable topic. What does one discuss with a debutante?

  “It is a lovely day for a stroll, is it not?” The weather? That was the best he could come up with? Crispin realized he had grown socially rusty. He used to be good at this sort of thing.

  The Sherton chit merely nodded with an affirmative murmur, but the other miss was prompted into conversation. “Is it unusual to be so fair, my lord? I have heard that the weather in London can be unreliable.”

  “The temperature is seasonable, I would say, but the rumours you heard were accurate. The weather cannot be counted on. Or should we say rather that the weather can be counted on to be unreliable?”

  This nonsensical comment brought a quiet laugh and a small smile to the girl, and Crispin found his chest puffing with pride over his accomplishment. He wanted to roll his eyes but could feel her attention. Strangely, he did not want to hurt her again.

  “I must say, though, despite how mild it is, I am rather surprised to see so many people about. And everyone looks so well dressed,” she added at the end as she glanced down at her own attire.

  Crispin followed her gaze. His wife had been obsessed with fashion and had insisted on educating him on the subject. For that reason, he knew Miss Holton was not dressed in the first stare of fashion, but it was acceptable and not overly travel worn despite the length of time she had no doubt been cooped up in a carriage that day. He could tell her confidence was slipping another notch.

  “You look fine,” he murmured to her, so as not to be overheard. “If you hold your head up high no one will even question it.
”

  She flashed him a dubious glance but lifted her chin slightly and plastered a tight smile to her lips. He was surprised when she relaxed slightly and asked him a question. He had thought she would maintain her silence as well as her nerves.

  “Are most of these people friends of yours, Lord Crossley?”

  He glanced around. “Not particularly. Why do you ask?”

  He felt her slight shrug. “They all seem to be looking at us. Since I’ve never met a single soul from London besides the Shertons, and Vicky tells me about all the friends she has, it must be you.”

  Crispin glanced around again then turned his attention to the girl on his left. “They aren’t my friends, but I have a passing acquaintance with most of the people here.”

  “I’m surprised at the level of curiosity they seem to exhibit about you if they aren’t your friends.”

  “I would advise you to get used to it, my dear girl. The ton is nothing if not avidly curious, as you will discover as you go about with your friends.”

  She wrinkled her nose to display her disbelief, but he just laughed over how much it made her resemble a rabbit. They continued to amble along, making polite conversation. The Sherton girl had finally joined in and added a few thoughts, but it seemed none of them had too much to say. The girls were probably tired from their travels, and he was out of practice in the art of small talk. It was starting to feel as though their walk would never end, even though it had probably not been over long. Crispin was relieved when they left the park behind and were finally on the street.

  When they reached the Sherton townhouse the trio stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Lady Vigilia looked up at the house and back at the earl with an expression of anxiety.

  “Would you care to stay and greet my mother? We could have tea served.”

  “No, thank you, my lady. I wouldn’t want to put you to the trouble. And since your family has just arrived in Town, your mother may not thank you for bringing guests.”

  The chit nodded but then had the audacity to laugh. “You are the Earl Crossley, I am most certain she would be happy to entertain you.”

  Crispin grimaced over her words and asked himself why he had bothered offering to spend time with the two young women. He didn’t want to be rude to them, but he had absolutely no intention of raising false hopes in either of them. He was just about to offer a mild set down when Miss Holton stepped into the conversation.

  “Vicky, I am most certain his lordship has other things he ought to be doing with his day. He was just being polite to escort us after I bumped into him and interrupted whatever he was about when we encountered him. We really ought to let him take his leave.”

  Lady Vigilia looked as though she wished to argue but then seemed to accept the wisdom of her friend’s words. “Very well. Thank you for your escort, my lord,” she said, her tone displaying that her politeness was begrudged.

  The other girl didn’t say anything at all, just smiled at him and dipped into a curtsy before hurrying up the stairs and into the house. Crispin was surprised to find himself staring at the door after it had been closed, bemused how the inexperienced girl from the country could have so readily dismissed him.

  Chapter Four

  “What a coup,” Vicky crowed as she flopped onto her bed after they had rushed up the stairs to her room and shut the door behind themselves. “Did you see how many people were wondering about what we were doing with Lord Crossley? We shall be the talk of the ton, and we have only just arrived.” She cast Georgia a reproachful glance. “I still think we should have made him come in for a cup of tea. My sisters would have been beside themselves.”

  “And your mother would never let us out of her sight again,” Georgia countered, her tone dry before adding further reasoning. “Besides, if we had insisted on him remaining for our hospitality, you can be sure he would turn away from us swiftly the next time we encounter him. This way, he will remember that we were not so trialsome, and perhaps he will wish to repeat the experience.”

  Vicky stared at her with her mouth agape. “You are the most brilliant girl I have ever met. How could you understand such a thing? You have never been to Town before, but you already know how to go on.”

  Georgia felt a splash of colour on her cheeks and knew her smile was bashful, but all she said was, “People are people, Vicky, whether here or in the village. You might be able to make a man do what you want, but he certainly won’t thank you for it.”

  “Well, you certainly handled the earl expertly. I am sure he will be of assistance to us this Season.”

  Georgia had to laugh over Vicky’s words. “Whatever do you mean? Why would we need assistance? And of what use is the earl to us?”

  “I mean to have a much different Season than I did last year. I’m certain being friendly with Lord Crossley can make that happen. I’ll happily follow your advice on how to deal with him.”

  Georgia laughed again. “Not that I have any experience with men, gentlemen in particular. I would think you should be advising me.”

  Now Vicky laughed. “Very well, then we shall be partners. But you certainly seemed at ease with his lordship for all your inexperience. I think we are going to have a fine time.” Vicky paused briefly. “I must say, after all the excitement, I am now ravenously hungry. I do hope the kitchens are preparing something hearty for this evening.”

  Both girls giggled and carried on discussing their encounter with the earl as well as their plans for the next several days.

  “I have to ask you, though, Vick, what made you tell Crossley that I’m an heiress?”

  For the first time, Vicky’s face creased into discomfort. “I can’t really say what came over me, Georgie. I’m dreadfully sorry.”

  “I’m not looking for your apology. In a certain way, it wasn’t a lie. I am inheriting the money from Mr. Byram, since it was from his Will that the Bequest has been set up, but surely you know that isn’t the current understanding of being an heiress.”

  Vicky nodded. “I just launched into speech.” She shrugged. “I felt tongue-tied and awkward and felt a moment of jealousy that you had so soundly routed him with your words. I wanted to do the same.”

  “Jealous? Of me? But we’re best friends.”

  Vicky hung her head. “We are, but we’re also almost like sisters. Sometimes sisters can be beasts.”

  Georgia laughed. “I have a couple of them myself, as you know, so I’m well aware. But it would be strange indeed if word got around that I was an heiress. Your mother wouldn’t be pleased, I’m sure.”

  “Well, the earl did give us his word that he would keep our confidence.”

  “That he did,” Georgia agreed, still uncertain. She then reassured herself with her next words. “To be sure, he probably won’t give us a moment’s thought anyway, so it isn’t something we need to concern ourselves about.”

  Vicky didn’t appear too pleased by this thought, but Georgia quickly distracted her with a change of subject. “What are we to do with the rest of our day?”

  “Since we have been traveling all day, we do not have any engagements for this evening, but we are sure to be committed to attend something tomorrow. I will check with Mother as to our agenda, and we can plan what to wear through the day.”

  “I must thank you again for your generous offer of sharing your gowns with me. I don’t think anyone has had such a good friend as you.” Georgia was a little ashamed of her circumstances but tried to ignore it.

  “Please, say no more. As I have told you already, your being here is thanks enough. Believe me. You are doing me a great service. Everything is so much better when one has a friend by your side. Besides, my sisters and I have more gowns than we know what to do with. It is no hardship whatsoever to share with you. You have already proven your worth this afternoon. Now come along, let us go down to the kitchens and see about some food. I swear I cannot wait until the evening meal.”

  The two girls traipsed down to the kitchens. Georgia sensed they were
making the staff uncomfortable, but they indulged the girls’ hunger despite that. Later that evening, Lady Sherton and the four girls had a quiet meal together before retiring for the night. The whirl of activities would begin the next day.

  As they prepared for bed, Vicky explained, “Many of the other families have been in Town for at least a week already so in a sense we are a little behind, but Mama hired a modiste to come to Sherton to take our measurements and plan out our new gowns so we wouldn’t have to be in residence early. This way we are ready to make the social rounds as soon as we got here. Which is a good thing, since you won’t agree to stay any longer than two weeks.”

  Georgia sighed. Vicky had been harping on this subject since they had made their plans. “I am so grateful for this opportunity and have every intention of enjoying it to the utmost but, as I have told you multiple times, I would hate to overstay your mother’s welcome.”

  “Mama doesn’t mind, I promise you.”

  “Vicky, my heart is warmed by the fact that you want me here with you, but surely you realize that I don’t have just myself to think about.”

  Now Vicky sighed, but hers was much more dramatic. “Your brats will be just fine without you. I really cannot fathom why you give such heed to them.”

  Georgia chuckled but answered softly. “I’m all they’ve got, Vick.”

  Vicky wrinkled her nose and sighed again. “I know, I know, don’t worry about me. I realize I am being unfairly selfish for pressing you, but I can already see that having you here is going to be far more enjoyable than without you.”

  Georgia threw her arms around her friend. “Let us not dwell upon my departure but instead, let us make the most of these fourteen days. It shall be a lark we shall remember always. And you were quite correct. I am ever so glad we needn’t spend half my time here making the rounds of all the mantua makers and such. I would find that deadly dull.”