“I am sure that you will have a wonderful time,” Georgette said brightly.
“Just be careful that you do not eat too much cake,” the Duke went on, and Georgette really rather hoped that he was not about to spoil everything. “When I was a little boy, not much older than you are now, Aunt Cynthia used to hand me slice after slice. Being a little boy, obviously, I did not refuse any of it, the result being that I would spend the rest of the day with a belly full of cake, quite unable to move.” He smiled at the girls, and Georgette could almost feel his awkwardness as if it were her very own.
And yet, the fact that he had simply tried was almost enough for her. Georgette had felt uncommonly moved by it and was delighted to hear Eleri give a little laugh in response. She had been amused by her uncle’s little story and had simply shown it. She had immediately forgotten everything else, his harsh words or tone, and had accepted him at that moment. What a fine little girl she was.
Ffion remained silent, as was her custom, but when Georgette looked at her, she could see that the little girl had a beautiful smile on her face. Being more sensitive than Eleri, Ffion’s countenance also clearly displayed her relief. It was as if she were enjoying a moment of respite from her cares, even if she could not put the thing into words.
The Duke, clearly having said all he could manage, nodded briefly before turning to look out of the window of the carriage once more. He did not speak again throughout the journey, and yet Georgette still felt her spirits were high. Whilst the exchange might have seemed awkward and rather inconsequential, Georgette could not fight the feeling that she had just witnessed the biggest slice of progress to have been made between an uncle and his nieces in all of their acquaintance.
Throughout the entire service, Georgette found herself quite unable to concentrate on the Reverend Merrydown’s words. However, if she were honest, she had never found him or his sermons particularly engaging. It was not the words, necessarily, but rather a very distinct lack of character in the man. She found him insipid and tiresome, and his snobbery and sycophancy made her despise him just a little.
Instead of listening, Georgette simply allowed her mind to wander freely. The preceding days had been something of a revelation to her, something quite unexpected. For one thing, she had never imagined for a moment that she would ever come to like the Duke of Draycott. Although the difficulties had not been dispelled from her mind altogether, she had allowed all that had been good in that week to rather take their place for a while.
And she found that she could not wait for the opportunity to tell Lady Cynthia what had passed between the Duke and the children in the carriage on the way over. Surely, the woman would be incredibly pleased and warmed by the whole thing; perhaps she could even take some comfort in it and hold the idea that things might work out for the best in the end.
As they left the church, the Duke passed a few words with Lady Louisa Wimborne, who seemed to wait for him in the churchyard. Once again, the young lady looked incredibly beautiful and was wearing a pink gown which made her skin look ever more youthful and bright.
Keeping her eyes down, suddenly assailed by a curious sense that she did not want to regard the pair in conversation, Georgette simply followed along behind Lady Cynthia. She had quite assumed that she and the children would simply travel in Lady Cynthia’s carriage back to her home for tea.
However, she had not taken more than a few steps when the Duke called out rather loudly,
“I shall take you in my carriage, Miss Darrington,” drawing the attention of several other churchgoers. When Georgette looked back at him, he continued, “There is more room in my carriage; you and the children will find it more comfortable.” He then turned to look back at Lady Wimborne.
As he made his rather hasty apologies to the young lady, Georgette stood a little awkwardly. She tried to busy herself with the girls, straightening their bonnet ribbons and checking over their adorable little Sunday gowns.
Georgette looked over in the direction of Lady Cynthia, who was squinting at all of them a little quizzically. Lady Cynthia then turned to look toward the wide road outside the churchyard where her carriage was parked and then back again. Georgette caught her eye for a moment before Lady Cynthia allowed her attention to wander again, this time in the direction of the Duke’s coach. At that moment, Georgette realized what was running through Lady Cynthia’s mind. The carriages were quite the same size, and she and the children would take up no more room in Lady Cynthia’s than they would in the Duke’s.
As the Duke hastened away from Lady Louisa Wimborne, Georgette rather wondered if he had simply sought an excuse to extricate himself from her presence. But, why would he? She was young and beautiful and seemed inordinately interested in him. In truth, Georgette could hardly imagine any man turning from such a young lady and with such a poor excuse.