I really don’t think I can stand it one more time, while knowing what I do…”
“You forget, the moment he catches sight of me, he is going to know his game is up. He will likely be too busy trying to find an escape to even think about glaring at you.”
“True, I hadn’t thought of that,” he admitted.
Felicia gave him a few more tips before they pulled up the drive to Irvington Manor. When they finally came to a stop, they took a deep breath almost in unison before stepping out of the carriage.
Walter felt out of place as he walked up to the front door and knocked. His pulse raced as he waited for the door to open, certain his face was pale and that he looked far from composed.
It felt like an eternity before the elderly butler answered the door, taking one glance at him before narrowing his eyes. “What can I do for you, Lord Bartlett?” the man asked in a severely professional tone.
Knowing how much the servants adored Georgiana, the lack of friendliness came as no surprise. “Where is Miss Montgomery?”
“She is not home at the moment,” the butler replied briefly, his gaze almost challenging Walter to ask for more details.
Fortunately, Felicia interjected her own question. “What about Lord or Lady Irvington?”
“They are also out.”
“Where are they?” he asked, finding the brief answers to be mildly irritating when he felt the need for haste. However, he was glad Felicia was present, for he would not have even thought about the need for Georgiana’s aunt and uncle to know about Rowley’s betrayal.
“Lord and Lady Irvington are attending a luncheon.”
“And where is Miss Montgomery?” he tried again.
“She is out with Mr. Rowley,” the butler replied.
It seemed Felicia could tell Walter was growing frustrated by the servant’s obvious loyalty, however commendable it was. She put a hand on his arm and took over the questioning. “And where have they gone?”
“I don’t believe I am at liberty to divulge their whereabouts,” was the cold reply.
“Please,” she pressed. “I know you are loyal to them, but this is a matter of the most urgency.”
The butler glanced at Walter, clearly wavering in his determination to tell them nothing. Walter added his own plea to Felicia’s. “We wouldn’t have come here without invitation unless we felt it to be imperative to speak to them. Please, just tell us where we can find Miss Montgomery.”
The older man sighed and relented. “She and Mr. Rowley went to the park together, I believe. If they are still there, or if they have changed their minds and decided to go somewhere else, I do not know.”
“Thank you,” Walter told him and nearly bolted for the carriage.
Felicia stopped him, so she could ask one more question, “Which park were they going to?”
“Hyde Park,” came the quick reply.
“Thank you so much!” she said, then nudged Walter towards the carriage so they could leave.
Once they were seated and moving towards the park in question, Walter said, “Thank you for getting the name of the park. I wouldn’t have thought to ask until I was already near one. I would have either had to drive all the way back here to ask or driven around from park to park until I found them.”
“And that is why I insisted I come along,” she said.
With everything of importance already discussed, Walter felt the journey was taking even longer than the trip to Irvington Manor had. His mind was repeatedly replaying the different possible things he could say to Georgiana when he saw her.
How will she react? How will Rowley react? What if I can’t control my anger and end up punching him? What if she doesn’t believe me? But she must believe me, because Felicia is the one who heard about the engagement from his own lips…
These thoughts, and many more like them, plagued his mind. What worried him most was concern for the state of Georgiana’s heart. Please don’t fall in love with him…
Chapter 27
Georgiana put a smile on her face as she and Ambrose arrived at Hyde Park. It had been a week since she had agreed to court him, and things had been going quite smoothly.
Admittedly, after the second day, she had felt the need to take him aside and tell him she wanted to take things more slowly. Even though they had known each other for a long time, she still needed to learn to love him in the way he did her, and him hinting at weddings was