In her heart, however, Georgiana wasn’t. She replayed the waltz she had enjoyed with her husband over and over until she drifted off to sleep with one thought on her mind.
Maybe, just maybe, she could have a happy marriage, after all.
CHAPTER26
“Your Grace?”
Owen glanced over his shoulder, slowing down, to see his valet stepping out of his bedchamber with a confused look on his face.
“I’ll be there soon.” Owen paused. “If all is set up, then you may retire for the evening. There is something outside that I must attend to.”
His valet hesitated before nodding. “Yes, Your Grace. I’ll be available should you need me.”
Owen nodded and then resumed his trek toward the front hall. He had motioned earlier while removing his hat for the man to stay there. Wentworth didn’t appear particularly happy, but he helped Owen put on his cloak and then opened the door for him.
Fortunately, the drizzle had yet to become anything more. Owen didn’t bother with his hat. He walked down the steps and started toward the carriage.
No one had gone outside to find out who was sitting in that carriage, not without his explicit permission. He was grateful for that tonight. There was no reason for someone to be sitting on his property at this late hour, and he intended to see what was going on. If this was someone who wanted to speak with him, the least he could do was tell them to visit at a more reasonable hour.
I have better things to do with my time. Sleeping, for example. It’s been a long day and a longer evening. After Georgiana…
He couldn’t think back to the ball without the fury returning. But that memory was pushed aside for something more recent.
Owen listened to the thumping of his heart. He hadn’t heard a single beat when he kissed Georgiana. That had not been intended, the kiss, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Not one part of him regretted marrying the woman. She was a proud and fierce lady who did him proud. As for kissing her…
Maybe he would do it again. Soon, too, if he could manage it.
Warmth crept up his cheeks when he realized he was thinking about such an intimate moment. Even with his wife. He was not the sort of man to embrace anything beyond a friendly relationship. There was hardly a memory in his life of embracing anything or anyone. He had rarely ever hugged anyone after his parents died. It felt strange to be close to others.
There I go again. I can’t stop thinking about Georgiana. Perhaps I shouldn’t have kissed her.
The thought evaporated the moment he had it. He was unable to regret that moment with her in the near dark. He swore he could still taste her on his lips.
Shaking his head, Owen told himself to focus. There were other matters to attend to now. Like this carriage.
He squared his shoulders and fixed his gaze on the dark vehicle up ahead. The horses were still tethered. They shifted lazily, as if they had no reason to expect to be moved just yet. It was only when he stepped closer that he even noticed there had been a driver hunched in the front seat all this time.
The man arose to climb down from his bench. He moved toward the door as though to alert whomever he had brought here. Owen paused, watching to see what might happen next. His heart skipped a beat. There wasn’t any reason for anyone to come out here at this hour, he reminded himself again. No one would care to see him.
After he took two more steps, the door swung open. The driver moved back, so Owen could see movement from within. It was only more shadows until, finally, someone emerged from the compartment.
His steps faltered, and he could only stare in disbelief at the sight in front of him.
“Owen!” Benedict clambered out of the carriage with a broad grin on his face, as if he hadn’t been missing from town all this time.
Stunned, all Owen could do was gape at his cousin. He had been willing to send every Bow Street Runner out in search of the man if his aunt would have let him. A few men had accepted payment to begin looking for Benedict. Owen had sent them all over the country. A futile search, apparently, seeing as his cousin was standing before him now.
He looked Benedict up and down while his cousin walked over to him. The man was smiling happily without a care in the world. It didn’t seem that he even noticed the rain.
“Benedict…” Owen tried to find something more to say when his cousin drew closer.
Every garment appeared to be intact. While Benedict appeared a tad underdressed in simpler garb, this was still him. To be certain, Owen reached out to clasp his cousin’s shoulder. The familiar thickness was enough to tell him that it really was him.
But then the surprise quickly faded away. Owen gave his head a shake.
“Where the devil have you been?” he demanded, tightening his hold on Benedict.
He couldn’t bear to let go. He thought of how quickly and easily his cousin had disappeared. If they weren’t careful, he might just do it again.
