Miller, Raine - The Undoing of a Libertine (Siren Publishing Classic) (8 page)

“You attack her character as well as her person? God, Pellton, what kind of a monster are you? Be gone—off the property if you know what’s good for you.” He cocked the gun. “Now.”

“You’ll be sorry for this, Greymont!” Pellton sputtered, his voice shrill.

“No, I won’t.” Jeremy threw back his head and kept the gun trained on Pellton. “I am sick of watching you leer at her over dinner. And now this? It’s enough to make me puke!”

“Whyever for, Greymont? She’s got your prick twitching as well. I can see it in your eyes! You can think of nothing but how badly you want to fuck—”

Jeremy silenced the foul words with the gun barrel pressed an inch from Pellton’s nose.

“Time to go, Pellton. Not another word out of you. I don’t know how much longer I can hold my finger still. I’m feeling a bit tense at the moment. Hunting accidents are an all-too-frequent occurrence these days, what with firearms being so unpredictable.”

Pellton breathed hard at Jeremy from behind the barrel of the shotgun, his eyes bulging.

“This gun might jam though. I had some trouble with it last week. You could always take your chances and keep flapping your mouth, Pellton,” Jeremy taunted. “Or not. Either way, you’re buggered,
my lord
!”

Georgina sobbed from a heap on the grass, praying Lord Pellton would just go and for the torment to cease. She didn’t look up, and she couldn’t bear to see what was happening between the two men.

Lord Pellton must have taken Jeremy’s threat to heart because he never said another word.

* * * *

Jeremy tracked Pellton’s departure, never taking his eyes away as he watched the letch slink off. It gave him a moment to will his racing heart to slow its thundering inside his chest. He heard the hysterical sobbing of Georgina on the ground at his feet, the sound slicing his heart like a dagger.

“Shhhhhhh. No harm done. He is gone and won’t hurt you again.” Jeremy dropped to his knees, gathering her up. “I am here, and you are always safe with me. Always.”

Georgina clung to him in a panic, trembling, burying her face in his chest, her hands gripping his jacket. She shook so hard the vibrations moved his body along with hers.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Jeremy rubbed her shoulders and upper arms and just held her, wishing there were something more he could do. Long minutes passed with her in his arms before she cried herself out and her trembling finally ceased. Pellton had clearly terrified her. Jeremy tensed again, remembering what he’d seen Pellton doing to her. The pig had been grappling her breasts with his hands and mouth. How dare he touch her! The idea of another man putting his hands on Georgina made him want blood for payment.

“What can I do for you?” he asked as gently as he could, hating that she was scared.

“You’ve already done it! You saved me and made him go. I don’t know what he would have done.” Georgina lifted tear-filled eyes to meet his. “I was so afraid—thank you a thousand times, Mr. Greymont. You are a remarkable man to do—”

“Let me get you home and I can go to your father and tell him about Pellton.” He cut her off and pulled her up to standing.

“No! You must not!” she begged, shaking her head and digging her heels in when he tried to lead her forward.

He whipped his head around to stare at her. “But your father must be informed of his low character and know of what he tried to do.”

She hung her head. “You will pay for it if you persist in this. Don’t you see? They’ll look to you.”

“Look to me for what?”

Georgina widened her eyes at him. “You don’t
know?”

He didn’t answer but felt certain he did indeed know very well.

“They will look to you as a husband for me. I cannot believe that Tom didn’t say anything about it. I am sorry, Mr. Greymont, it is not of my doing.”

She composed herself and looked him square in the eye. “My father wants me married and gone. He doesn’t much care to whom, obviously. He will be angry that Lord Pellton has left us.” She put her hand on his arm. “But you can get away if you leave now. You should go, Mr. Greymont. Just take your leave, and get as far away from this cursed place as you can. No one will ever know about today. I won’t say a word to anybody.”

Jeremy held her gaze throughout her speech, even surer of what he must do. He looked down to where her hand rested on his arm, and then slowly up to her face, still tear streaked and red. Portions of hair had come undone from the loose knot she wore and trailed wildly in the soft breeze. He wanted her back in his arms, those soft curves tight up against him. Everything became so crystal clear all in an instant. He wanted her. Such a simple truth in the emotion, he thought. Wanting a person. For him, that person was Georgina, and no other would do.

“I still need to talk to you, but I realize you are upset and this is not the best moment. I’ll leave you with this. Would you like it if I were a candidate for your hand?”

“Are you?” she whispered, her eyes rounding in surprise.

“Do you want me to be?” he whispered right back.

“Mr. Greymont, regardless of what I would like, you don’t want to be a candidate, trust me.”

Yes I do.
Determination fueled him. “I am calling in the favor you promised me the day I arrived. Tonight. You must meet me in the library at midnight. I’ll be waiting for you.”

She started to shake her head.

Taking both of her hands in his, he worded his request carefully, but firmly. “It
is
important. Come to me, Georgina. My intentions are nothing but honorable. You have naught to fear from me, I give you my word. I only wish to talk to you.”

He brought both of her hands up, observing the fine bones of her fingers, before kissing each palm right at the center. Then he entreated with his eyes, locking onto hers.

“As you wish.” She dipped her head elegantly, turned, and walked away, leaving him under the sheltering leaves of the ancient oak.

He stood frozen, powerless to move, only able to watch over Georgina until she found her way safely inside the house.

Jeremy was positively savaged with worry for her. Yes, he was fussing already. Might as well don a nanny’s apron and cap, he thought, wryly. The urge to hover and stay close by was difficult to curb. In fact, Jeremy had no intention of curbing the impulse. What he wanted to do was flay Pellton and snarl at anyone who looked at
his
Georgina in a way they shouldn’t. Then, he’d take her sweet, innocent form into his arms and kiss her senseless. Or until he was senseless. Hell, he was already senseless!
Yes, she will be
my
Georgina.

Was he really going to do this?

Yes, you are.

Jeremy needed a whiskey right now, or three. He felt surprisingly steady in the nob, considering what he would be doing come midnight. Hellfire and damnation! Courtship is torture on a fellow, he thought.

Chapter Eight

His love was passion’s essence—as a tree

On fire by lightning, with eternal flame

Kindled he was, and blasted.

—Lord Byron
,
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
(1812)

Honesty was the only option open to her. Georgina knew she would have a difficult time denying Jeremy anything that he asked. She also knew she couldn’t betray him either. He was too worthy and good. She’d have to tell him the ugly truth before he asked her the question. And then he’d no longer want her. He’d be repulsed and embarrassed, and she hated do that to him, but couldn’t see any other way.

Life felt so very unfair at the moment. It had not turned out at all how she’d imagined when she was an innocent and still whole, and dreamed of the fairy tale. Dreamed of the brave knight who battled dragons and rushed in to sweep her to safety. Her life was no fairy tale. Although Lord Pellton could fill the role of a dragon, she thought wryly. No, the knight of her dreams married her and took her away to his castle where he loved her for the rest of their days.

Making her way to the library with a heavy heart, she could guess what the honorable Mr. Jeremy Greymont would be asking her, and she also knew what her answer must be.

Georgina quietly entered the library to find Jeremy pacing impatiently. He faced the clock as it closed in on midnight. The click of the door latch caught his attention, and he turned abruptly.

Her heart stuttered painfully as she drank him in. His sharp blue eyes fastened on to hers and softened. Still in his evening clothes, his hair was a little tousled, as if he’d been dragging a hand through it. Pieces of sandy brown skittered over his brow. His lips stood out smooth and full against the shadow of beard that surrounded them. They were the same lips that had kissed her forehead and her palms.
What a beautiful man you are, Jeremy Greymont.

He kept still for a moment, his stare raking over her fast before coming to rest upon her face.
She’d worn her hair down but tied together onto one side, and had covered up with a blue brocade dressing gown over a lacy nightdress.

She suspected he liked how she looked because he swallowed deeply before speaking. “Thank you for meeting me, Georgina. Please sit down?” He indicated a chair for her.

Seeing the swallowing and the admiration in his eyes, she felt even more regret for what she must tell him. She took the seat, lifting her eyes to him. “Mr. Greymont,” she whispered in greeting, wanting his admiration for her to go on, but knowing he wouldn’t feel it once she explained why she couldn’t accept his hand.

He cleared his throat. “You told me today that your father has imposed the requirement of marriage for you. I confess I did know of his intentions to see you wed. Your brother told me when I met him in London. And the idea intrigued me. I have admired you for years, but you were too young before, and I was not of a mind to settle down then. But now, my aspirations have changed.” His voice trailed off as his eyes swept over her again.

She looked up at him, still standing, so tall and strong before her and thought he was the most handsome man she had ever known. And then she felt the pang hit her in accepting that she would probably never see him again after this night.

He sat down in the chair opposite to her. “I had to come to see you again and learn more about you. Being in your company has not been a disappointment. Rather, it has been quite the opposite. Georgina, I think you are perfect for me.” He reached out and gently clasped her hand. “My grandparents raised me, and my grandfather, Sir Rodney, will leave a baronetcy when he goes. He is getting on in age and wishes to see the line secured, impressing urgency for me to wed and get an heir for Hallborough Park, our estate in Somerset. So you see I also have the necessity of marriage on me.”

Georgina felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of fate. Jeremy wanted to marry for the purpose of getting an heir just like Lord Pellton did.
But he’s not like Lord Pellton.
How could two men want the same and her reaction be so vast in difference? Easy answer, that. One man was good, and one was bad. Jeremy saw her as a person, while Pellton thought of her as something to use. Jeremy was kindness and comfort. Pellton was lecherous and frightening.

He gathered up her other hand so that now he held both of them in his. “If I could bring about such with you, it would not be a burden in any way. It would be a privilege. I would be honored to have you for my wife.” He straightened in his seat and swallowed. “Georgina, will you—”

“Jeremy,” she interrupted, “don’t.” She bowed her head. “Do not ask the question.” The regret in her voice sounded so pitiful, even to her own ears. She tugged her hands out of his clasp.

He resisted her withdrawal for just an instant before letting her hands go. “What is it?” he asked.

“I cannot marry you because I am not fit to be wife to any man,” she whispered, praying she could get through the rest of the explanation when he demanded it.