A Scandalous Countess: A Novel of the Malloren World Read Free Page A

supervise, their various officers could, and Dickon’s mother had continued to live at the castle.
     
    Instead, as soon as Maybury achieved his majority and control of his large fortune, they’d moved to Town to become leaders of fashion. Visits to Maybury had been brief, and in most cases Dickon Maybury had visited alone. Georgia had lived in this Mayfair house, which was done up in the very latest style, leaving London only in the heat of summer for a Chelsea villa they’d named Sansouci.
     
    Without care.
     
    Carefree might seem all very well, but careless was to be deplored. Maybury had paid little attention to his estates, and Georgia had cared for nothing but amusement and fashion.
     
    Lady May, they called her, as insubstantial as a mayfly, but darling of much of the beau monde.
     
    The “beautiful world” could turn vicious in a moment, especially toward those it envied. As Perry had said, as soon as they heard the news, the jealous cats would be sharpening their claws, ready to shred Lady May’s reputation.
     
    The maid carried the sleeping draught toward the bed, but Lady Hernescroft put up a hand to halt her.
     
    “Georgia, listen to me. You shall drink the potion and sleep a little, but then you will leave Town with me and return home to Herne.”
     
    “Herne? No, no, I’ll go to Sansouci.”
     
    “Are you with child?”
     
    Georgia looked away. “No.”
     
    Lady Hernescroft turned her daughter’s tear-soaked face to her. “Pay attention. You said that Maybury came to your bed last night. No, don’t weep again. Does that not mean you could be with child?”
     
    Georgia wiped away tears. “Perhaps. But…but it’s been three years, Mother. Why would last night make any difference?”
     
    That was true. Three years and no conception.
     
    If a miracle had happened, it would be revealed in time, but that in itself could cause problems. An heir conceived around the time of the husband’s death was always suspect. Georgia must be carefully chaperoned so that many could testify that she could not have coupled with some other man after the duel.
     
    Then there were the rumors about Vance. No matter the truth, people would speculate.…She should have told Perry to make haste to take hold of Vance so that he could assure everyone that the duel had been over driving skills and no lady was involved.
     
    Perry would think of that on his own.
     
    It was a damnable mess, however, and all her flighty daughter’s fault. Her daughter, who did not yet grasp the situation.
     
    “If there’s no child, Georgia, Sansouci is no longeryour home, nor is this house, nor Maybury Castle. All will go to Maybury’s heir, his uncle, Sir William Gable-Gore.”
     
    “What?” Georgia looked as shocked as at the death. “Everything gone? Everything?”
     
    “Everything except your personal possessions.”
     
    “No.…”
     
    “Here, my dear. Drink this and sleep.”
     
    Georgia took the glass and sipped, then screwed up her face at the bitter taste. It seemed to act as a restorative, however, for she braced herself and drained the glass in one go.
     
    That was one good thing—her willful daughter had never lacked courage. She’d need it now. Her path back to the world would not be easy, no matter how skillfully this crisis was managed.
     
    The maid took away the glass and gave Georgia one of water to wash some of the taste away.
     
    First Georgia must return to Herne and live quietly there in mourning, allowing the furor to die down. There would have to be a few visits from neighbors to scotch any rumors that she was, in fact, abroad with her lover.
     
    Here in Town, Perry and others would make it clear that the duel had been exactly as it seemed—a folly of young men soaked in drink. If the truth was otherwise, it must be suppressed.
     
    Ah. There would be an inquest, of unfortunate interest to the curious. That must be managed too, so that the Perriam name wasn’t dragged in the