Zachary lessened his grip, but refused to release her completely, at the same time as his own expression remained one of bland politeness. No doubt also for the benefit of their audience. ‘I realise I am not your favourite person, Georgianna, but I do not think that ignoring me is in any way going to help quell the gossip, as this evening was predisposed to do, regarding our past broken betrothal,’ he muttered impatiently.
Zachary believed he was not her favourite person?
Georgianna’s feelings in regard to Hawksmere were now in such confusion that she no longer had any idea what she felt towards him. Despite the fact that he only had to touch her, it seemed, for her to melt into his arms.
Surely her reaction could be termed as being merely a physical response to a handsome and desirable gentleman?
Merely?
Her responses to Zachary were above and beyond anything Georgianna had ever experienced in her life before him. Not even that imagined love for André had filled her with such longings, such desires, as she felt when Zachary took her in his arms and kissed and caressed her.
Longings, and a desire, she had no right to feel for a man who would never be—could never be anything more to her than her reluctant guardian. And even that tenuous connection would very soon cease to exist.
Her chin rose defensively now. ‘Is it not enough that I am here, as you instructed me to be? I do not recall your having said I had to enjoy or like it?’ she added pointedly.
Zachary drew in an impatient breath. ‘You appeared to be enjoying the attentions of those other gentlemen just a few minutes ago.’
Georgianna arched a brow. ‘Was that not what I was supposed to do?’
As far as Zachary was concerned? No, it was not. In fact, he found he did not enjoy having any other gentleman within ten feet of Georgianna.
His jaw tightened. ‘I do not think it a particularly good idea for you to encourage a repeat of society’s past belief in your reputation as being something of a flirt.’
Her eyes widened with indignation. ‘You— I— You are insulting, sir!’
Deliberately so, Zachary acknowledged heavily. And knowing he was not endearing himself to Georgianna in the slightest by acting the part of the jealous lover.
Even if he knew that’s exactly how he felt.
He had hated every moment of watching Georgianna being flattered and admired by those other gentlemen this evening. Had wanted nothing more than to sweep her up in his arms and carry her off to a place no other man could look at her, let alone flatter and charm her into possibly falling in love with him.
Quite what Zachary was going to do about the heat of his own emotions in regard to Georgianna he had no idea, when she now gave every impression of disliking him intensely.
Was he, as her guardian, to be forced to stand silently by whilst some other man charmed and flattered her into falling in love with him?
Would he then have to welcome that suitor into his own home, when that gentleman came to ask his permission for seeking Georgianna’s hand in marriage?
Impossible.
Just the thought of it was enough to cause Zachary’s hand to clench into a fist at his side. He would not, could not, allow it. ‘Are you ready to leave this insipid entertainment?’ he prompted harshly.
Violet-coloured eyes widened in the pallor of Georgianna’s face. ‘If you have somewhere else you wish to go, then I am sure Jeffrey is more than capable of acting as my chaperon for the rest of the evening.’
‘The only somewhere else I wish us both to go is far away from here!’ Zachary bit out harshly, only to draw in a long and calming breath as Georgianna’s face became even paler at his vehemence. ‘I believe we need to talk further, Georgianna,’ he added softly.
Her brows rose. ‘About what, exactly?’
‘In private.’ A nerve pulse in his tightly clenched jaw. If he did not find himself alone with Georgianna in the next few minutes then he was afraid he was going to do something that would cause them both embarrassment. Not that he cared on his own behalf, but Georgianna was likely to be less forgiving if he caused a scene on her very first evening back into society.
And a Georgianna who felt angry and resentful towards him was not what he wished for at all.
Georgianna eyed Zachary warily, not sure that she wished to be anywhere private with him, when he was in his current mood of unpredictability. Not that he had ever been in the least predictable to her, but there was such an air of tension about him this evening she felt even more wary of him than she had in the past.
‘To what purpose?’ she persisted guardedly.
A nerve pulsed in his throat. ‘Does it matter?’
‘Yes, of course it matters,’ Georgianna answered irritably. ‘As you have already pointed out, this is my first venture back into society, and my leaving with you now, halfway through the entertainments, would seem... It would look improper,’ she concluded lamely.
It was possible to hear Hawksmere’s teeth grinding together. ‘Then let it.’
Georgianna’s eyes widened in alarm. ‘Can it be that you are foxed, Hawksmere? I seem to recall I thought I could smell brandy upon your breath when you arrived at Malvern House earlier this evening.’
‘I am most assuredly not foxed, nor do I have any intentions of being so,’ he bit out harshly. ‘I am merely expressing a wish for the two of us to leave this hellish torture and go somewhere where we might talk privately together.’
Her brows rose. ‘I do not recall your having been so eager, or particularly interested, in anything I had to say to you in the past.’ She felt no qualms in reminding him that he had not so much as had a conversation with her before offering her marriage mere months ago. Or of his distrust of her, and of the information she’d wished to impart to him, when she’d first returned to England just weeks ago.
Was it really only three weeks since she had secretly returned to England? So much had happened in that time it seemed so much longer.
Zachary knew that he well deserved Georgianna’s criticism. But he wished to remedy those wrongs now. He wanted to make amends for his past arrogance and thoughtlessness. If Georgianna would only allow it.
‘I freely acknowledge that I have behaved appallingly towards you in the past, Georgianna.’
‘How gracious of you to admit it!’
Zachary closed his eyes briefly as he heard the sarcasm underlying Georgianna’s tone. As he inwardly fought to hold on to what little temper he had left. ‘I am asking, politely, that you now leave this place with me, Georgianna, in order that we might talk together in calmness and—’
‘This hellish place?’ she interrupted tauntingly.
It had been hellish for him to have to sit at Georgianna’s side and listen to the often painful musical efforts of half a dozen twittering young women, all of them hoping to impress the gentlemen present with their questionable talents. A so-called entertainment which Zachary would never have bothered himself to suffer through in the past and had only done so this evening as an open support of Georgianna’s return to society.
But enough was enough, as far as Zachary was concerned; he simply could not sit through another minute of either of those painful entertainments, or Georgianna’s coolly distant presence, as she sat silent and unmoving beside him. Nor could he witness further demonstration of the attentions of other men.
‘Do not pretend you have the least interest in listening to any more of this unholy caterwauling,’ he muttered disgustedly.
Georgianna quickly