That brought her head up and fire into her heart, just in time to prevent it dying. “Did you not take a good look at her?” she demanded, truly outraged. “Did you not see Jamie in her smile? In her whimsy and, sweet lord, her beautiful hair? All she got from me were her eyes and her reserve.” Without her permission tears collected again in her eyes. “If she had received Jamie’s personality, she would have taken you under her wing and patted your hand like a puppy. She would have dragged you outside to play and fed you scones in the kitchen.”

She wasn’t as astonished as she should have been to see Adam’s eyes brighten with his own tears. “I know. “He cleared his voice and dipped his head. “It is her smile most of all. That is the imp of Jamie as sure as I’m born. My apologies, Lady Georgiana. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Yes you do,” she admitted, sinking back into her seat and wishing she had yet another few fingers of brandy. “And you had every right to ask. No. There is no question who Lully’s father is.”

“Then what is the problem?”

She looked up, silently begging his understanding. Knowing she had no right to it. Knowing too that this was the moment she reached the crossroads and set off on her path alone.

“The problem is that Lully has no right to a title of any kind.”

He went very still.

“Why?”

It was all she could do to keep her eyes open. “Because Jamie and I never quite managed to marry.”




CHAPTER 6




GEORGIE THOUGHT she would never see another human as shocked as Adam Marrick. He opened his mouth, but for the longest time couldn’t seem to manage words. She swore she could almost hear the thoughts whirling in his head.

“Jamie never told me.”

She flushed miserably. “No. He wouldn’t. I had hoped he could get home in time to rectify the matter.”

A shrug completed the thought, the truth that would never change.

This time it was Adam who gained his feet much faster than he should have and began to pace, his cane thumping and his right leg dragging just a bit. Georgie remained where she was, a miserable lump of shame.

“Who knows?” he asked, not bothering to turn from where he was pouring another tot for himself.

Georgie almost asked him to simply bring the bottle over. She didn’t have enough courage left.

“My parents. Hattie Clark, my companion.”

He stopped. Looked up. “That’s all? Not even your brother or his wife?”

She shrugged. “What would have been the point? There was no consequence to the lie. We fully assumed we would spend our lives tucked away out of sight.”

“But what about when Lully came of age? She must be presented.”

Georgie lifted an eyebrow. “Must she? You saw what happened when my father found out where she was. Do you think he would be any more considerate if I were brazen enough to try to pass off my daughter among the ton?”

He downed the liquid in his snifter and refilled it before heading off again, his limp increasing with every step. She was close to begging him to sit for his own sake, but she knew how necessary movement was sometimes when shock was suffered.

“I’m sorry,” she managed.

Which brought him to a dead stop right in front of her. “What in the name of God are you apologizing for? This was as much Jamie’s fault as….”

She shook her head. “He never knew.”

Adam stared. “He certainly did. I never received a letter without a recitation of every achievement you shared of his brilliant daughter. He evidently went on a two-day drunk when she learned to walk. He wasn’t there, you see, and...”

Tears welled again in both their eyes. “Of course he knew about her. He was over the moon.”

Adam dropped back into his chair. “Then what?”

She drew another breath. “He thought I had permission for the marriage. When we stood before the priest. I was under-age when we married in Portsmouth before he sailed that first time. When my parents found out they disowned me.”

He blinked a couple of times. “That’s it? You had a license and a priest and everything?”

“Banns read. But in Portsmouth where my father wouldn’t find out. I...forged his signature.”

“But there is a license? It is recorded in a church?”

“It doesn’t matter. My father was happy to tell me he he would be delighted to announce my crime if I dared try to tout my supposed marriage. They took the license. It is undoubtedly ash long since.”

For the longest moment Adam just watched her, his eyes dark, thoughtful. And then, amazingly enough, he smiled.

Then he laughed. Georgie stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Not only are you married,” he told her, taking hold of her hand. “But Lully is as much a duchess as I am a duke.”

Georgie tried to pull her hand away. He wouldn’t budge.

“Impossible...”

“No.” He actually lifted her hand and kissed it. “All you need is permission. We can easily obtain that. ” His grin grew piratical. “And even if the permission is after Lully is born, it changes nothing about her title.”

“Of course it does.”

He shook his head, laughing outright. “Not with a Scottish title. Believe it or not, the title is valid if the child is born out of wedlock, as long as the parents normalize relationships. Your Lully is a duchess, whether your father wishes it or not.”

It was Georgie’s turn to leap to her feet. She backed away, as if space would impose reason. “He will never allow it. Think of the scandal.”

“Don’t be silly. The scandal will be if a certain duke spreads the tale that because your father was so hateful, his granddaughter was not only forbidden her rightful title, but labeled a bastard when any loving and supportive parent would have blessed a wedding between his child and a lost war hero.”

She gaped at the mad look in his eye. “You would never.”

“Of course not. But your father doesn’t know that. The only thing he knows about me was that I came looking for you in order to secure Lully’s title. Imagine his reaction to my threat that I would happily divulge the truth if he fails to assure all and sundry that your wedding to the man who should have become the Duke of Kintyre went forward with his blessing and approval. Especially with your brother as witness.”

She stepped forward. “No. No, Jack has enough problems.”

Adam regained his feet with a wince. “I hope we settle this situation soon. I don’t think my knee can take another round.” Balanced on his cane, he reached out once again for her hand. “Jack will never forgive you if you do not allow him to stand by your side. He will truly never forgive you if he cannot give you away when you wed your duke.” He grinned. “Your next duke.”

She faltered, tried to gage the expression in his eyes. Tested her own heart to realize that she was terrified he wasn’t being serious. She wanted this. Oh, Jamie, she wanted this.

“You don’t have to go to those lengths, Adam.”

His smile grew and softened. “Oh, but I do, Georgie. Please don’t make me face this dukedom all on my own. I need someone who understands how to be flexible and bold, brave and loyal.” Now, he was grinning outright. “It would help if she set my blood to fire with her kisses.”

Georgie blushed, her own blood heating quite effectively. “She does?”

“Most assuredly. I have a confession to make. I began to fall in love with you through Jamie’s letters. I tumbled the rest of the way when I watched you thoroughly rout the kidnappers with the help of people who you have inspired into loyalty and respect. They would all die for you. Our attraction is only the icing on the cake. You would make an exemplary duchess. I only hope you could find your way to being my duchess.”

Those pesky tears rose again. This time, though, they were cleansing, joyful, verdant. Spring had come to her soul, and the sun rose. “I believe I could,” she admitted.

He dropped his cane and caught her other hand. “And you could settle for an old soldier who comes to you a bit worse for wear?”

“With all my heart.”

He pulled her close, nestling her against his heart where she had so longed to be. “Do you think Jamie would have approved?”

“I think he made sure that if he couldn’t be here to see Lully and I through, you would. Do you mind?”

He laid his hand against her back and bent his head to hers. “I will be thankful every day of my life.”

For the longest time they remained where they were, pledging a new love, honoring an old one, setting a path for the future.

“Now,” he finally said. “Shall we go secure a duchy for your daughter?”

And for the first time in years, Georgie laughed with a free heart. “Yes,” she said, reaching up to kiss him one final time before sharing their news. “Let’s.”

ANYONE LOOKING on the tableau in the Marquess of Wyndham’s Great Parlor would at first assume that the family gathered before him was seeking a boon, not making an accusation. The Marquess, white-haired and rigidly erect, sat in his favorite chair, the one that looked suspiciously like the Regent’s throne, his beringed hands clutching the chair arms, his austere face set in a terrifying scowl. His wife the Marchioness sat alongside him, just as regal in her puce damask day dress and ropes of heirloom pearls. Her patrician face, though, betrayed a bit of bemusement, as if she had stumbled onto a conversation that had already been in progress.