Georgiana hurriedly walked down the path, randomly wiping away the tears that still flowed, as she headed away from other people as much as she could. How long she walked, she had no idea, but she only slowed to a stop when she was out of breath.
It was only then she realized she was not alone, as she had thought. Walter had followed her. He was standing a few feet away from her, giving her plenty of space, and awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“Why have you followed me?” she asked with a sigh. She hoped it was not to tell her that he still loved her or something like it, because she really didn’t feel like talking about that at the moment.
“Well, I … Felicia mentioned you weren’t going to be paying attention to where you were going and that you probably shouldn’t be alone…” he replied, his expression clearly stating he had no intention of intruding on her thoughts and had merely wished to make sure she was safe.
“Then why didn’t she follow me?” she asked after a moment.
He froze like a startled deer. “I … I didn’t think of that,” he told her honestly.
She managed a slight smile at his reaction. It was not hard to guess Felicia might still want them to be together. She had been very enthusiastic about them as a couple, and, no doubt, knew a little timely comfort from Walter might help draw them close again.
“If you would rather have her here, then I am sure I could go and—”
“No,” she interrupted him. “It’s … fine. I don’t mind you being here.” She wiped at her eyes one last time, as the tears finally seemed to come to a stop.
They lapsed into silence, and Georgiana found herself walking again, this time at a slow and thoughtful pace, as she tried to take in everything that had happened.
Ambrose, her dearest friend, had betrayed her. True, it had been Walter’s choice to leave for France but, considering the source from which he had heard the rumor … well, even she would have believed it if she had been in his place.
Replaying the recent conversation in her mind once again, she recalled Walter had taken full responsibility for his part. Even though he could have tried to push the blame onto Ambrose, he hadn’t.
Georgiana couldn’t resist the temptation to look over at Walter, who was still walking nearby, matching her pace. Though clearly paying attention to her, he remained several feet away, looking around at the park, so as not to bother her by staring at her. He didn’t even look as if he wanted to talk to her, being content just to be there…
She felt herself flush and instantly turned her gaze back to the path in front of her before he could catch her looking at him. After a few more minutes of silence, she stopped and turned towards him.
“We should … I mean, I should probably go home to the manor. Aunt and Uncle should be back from the luncheon by now, and I…” she exhaled sharply and looked away into the distance without finishing her sentence.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he tentatively asked.
Eventually, she replied as she started walking back to the entrance of the park. “If you and Felicia would come with me to tell them…” she drifted off again, not entirely sure how to even say it.
However, he easily caught on to what she was asking. “Yes, I have no doubt Felicia would be willing to do that with me,” he replied, as he walked a little closer beside her than previously.
“Thank you.”
He seemed surprised. “What are you thanking me for? I didn’t do anything, not really.”
“Well, you could have chosen not to tell me…” she replied.
“But you deserved to know.”
“Hmm, I don’t know that everyone would feel the same way about that. So, thank you,” she repeated.
“Since you are determined to thank me, I suppose I should reply that it is my pleasure, but … instead, I will say how sorry I am that my news has brought you such sorrow,” he told her.
She felt her eyes begin to water slightly again, but not enough to spill onto her cheeks. At the same time, her heart was fluttering in her chest at how good and kind Walter was being. The knowledge that she was no longer spoken for certainly wasn’t helpful either.
Glancing at him surreptitiously, she thought to herself he