And as she climbed into the carriage, the gentleman following quickly behind her, she offered one final glance to the duke before the door was shut.
Walter slammed his fist against the carriage, and the coachman obeyed; the carriage swiftly carried them away from the lake, away from everything, away fromhim.
Chapter 24
George shivered immeasurably against the chill wind that had started to blow through the branches of the bare trees surrounding the lake. Yet, he could not bring himself to leave, nor could he turn away as he watched the carriage leave, carrying Cecelia, her family, and his dearest friend from the place where tragedy had almost occurred.
Every fibre of his being bid him to go after them.
A hand landed upon his forearm, Lady Elizabeth having stood beside him as everyone bundled into their carriage.
“You poor thing,” she said, her grip tightening until he was certain her glove must have been sodden.
With no idea what to respond, he continued to stare after the carriage.
“Your Grace, I wish to thank you,” Lord Greystone said, approaching as if it were his God-given right to be the one to offer gratitude on behalf of the Flannerys’.
In truth, he needed none. He would have done the same for anyone; that it was Catherine, Cecelia's youngest sister, only made the matter worse.
“I need no thanks,” he stated, staring over the gentleman's shoulder after the carriage.
Absentmindedly, he began to peel Lord Greystone's coat off his shoulders, but the gentleman shook his head.
“Please, keep it. You have greater need of it.”
George scoffed silently. A pity Cecelia was not here to witness the man's chivalry.
“I shall have it cleaned and returned to you,” George assured him.
Lord Greystone tipped his hat. “I shall not keep you.”
“Very good of you, My Lord,” Elizabeth said, and she gripped George's arm. “Come, let us get you to your carriage before you catch a chill.”
George was too frostbitten to argue.
He allowed Elizabeth to guide him blindly to his waiting carriage, and his manservant, who had already appeared with a blanket.
“I must say, George,” Elizabeth sighed, “this afternoon has taught me a great deal.”
He glanced sideways at her. “How not to drown?”
She laughed, charmed, and George cursed himself. After Walter's proposal, he had done his best to keep his sister at arm's length.
“Yes, that, and well ...” Elizabeth paused beside his carriage, and he halted before her. She glanced down, her hand removed from his arm. “You were quite the hero, George. And, well, I couldn't help but notice—”
She trailed off, and her gaze travelled in the direction where Cecelia's carriage had disappeared.
“Notice what?” George asked. Though he was practically frozen now, his curiosity was piqued.
“The way you and Cece looked at each other,” Elizabeth said, releasing a long inhale. “It was like nothing I have ever witnessed before.”
George's stomach twisted. “I am unsure of what you mean.”
Elizabeth's cheeks, though red from the cold, seemed to redden further.
She lowered her gaze, and George noticed how she gulped.
“I understand now,” she said gently, placing a hand upon George's arm once more. “Why you would not wish for an arrangement to be made between us.”
