The thought made her smile as she passed, until the feel of a hand, fingers sinking into her skin, took her elbow.
Damn.
Georgina rolled her eyes, praying for the patience she’d need to put off Woodstock. He must have spotted her and given chase. The least Ben could have done was trip him or engage him in conversation to stop his pursuit. Now she would need to refuse him in a very firm but polite way. Woodstock wasn’t a bad sort. Under different circumstances, such as, if he didn’t have fingers which were the stuff of nightmares, Georgina might have considered him.
Turning, she pasted a patient smile on her face and looked down at her arm, prepared for the sight of those obscenely long fingers, but instead saw only a broad gloved hand.
“I beg your pardon.” She tilted up her chin, catching a hint of leather and sandalwood. “Please release me.” The last word lodged in her throat.
Once, when visiting Grandmother’s house, Georgina had taken it upon herself to climb a sprawling maple tree at the edge of the lawn. One of many poor decisions she’d made in her life. She’d slipped not even halfway up, her foot caught in her skirts, and fallen to the ground, knocking the wind out of her and breaking her arm. Georgina remembered looking up at the cloudless sky, unable to breathe and thinking she was dead.
It was exactly the same feeling. Except the sky before her was as dark as sapphires, with an unusual ring of indigo.
Barringtoneyes.
Eyes identical to her child’s but with no warmth.
“Hello, Georgina.”
17
I’ve had too much champagne.
Georgina blinked, willing the image of Leo away, but he neither disappeared nor smiled. A prickling sensation washed over her skin as her heart hammered inside her chest.
“Leo,” she said stupidly.
Leo was here.
At her mother’s opera party. In Manhattan. Dressed in the same dark evening clothes as every other gentleman. As if he belonged here. She shut her eyes because blinking hadn’t worked. Had she fallen and hit her head?
No. Impossible.The sounds of the guests drinking and laughing still reached her ears. She could hear her own breathing, startled and ragged.
Georgina’s eyes fluttered open. He was still staring at her, furious and cold, like an unexpected winter storm.
“You haven’t forgotten me, then.” The words were icy and filled with such biting dislike, she shrank back. “Merely failed to impart certain important facts to me.”
He knows.Of course, he did. Why else would he be here?
Leo stared at her with such loathing, such dismissal, Georgina trembled with fear, afraid of him for the first time since they’d met. She twisted, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp.
He tightened his hold. “Don’t, Georgina. Let’s not make a scene. Not at your mother’s lovely party.”
Her heart sobbed in relief at his presence even though he was hardly welcoming to her. No more guessing at how he would react if he knew about Daniel. Leo’s manner made perfectly clear that Georgina had made the wrong choice in not telling him, especially after her conversation with Mr. Lind. After—
‘Don’t leave Georgina. Please.’
Taking a deep breath, or as much of one as she could in this gown, Georgina tried to compose herself. They were in a room full of people. This was not London. This was her home. Georgina straightened. Her chin tilted at a dangerous angle.
“Ah, now there’s my girl,” he purred.
God, how she’d missed the sound of him.
“Stubborn to a fault. Refusing to give in to anyone. Except me.” His words rippled against her skin. “Do you remember the way you screamed my name when you climaxed?” he whispered into her ear. “I do. You destroyed a pillow on my settee. Tore the bloody tassel clean off.”
“Are you sure it was me?” she snapped. “It could have been Lady Dunley. I’m sure she’s spent some time on that horrid piece of furniture.”
His fingers dug into her skin. “I’m not here to discuss Lady Dunley. Shall we dance?”
