Conrad shook his head slowly. “If I may be candid?”
“Please.”
“My entire life, my mother and I have been at odds. I was an unhappy child and, until I met my wife, an unhappy adult. In fact, the only thing spoiling my home life is that my mother insists on living in the house. With us.”
Percy nodded. He was aware that though it was common practice for a dowager to have her own quarters, Conrad’s mother did indeed reside with her son and his wife.
“But it has taken this terrible tragedy to help me see clearly what a terrible son I’ve been.”
“Pardon?”
“You saw her in there, lying on the settee, moaning, obviously in pain.”
“Indeed.” Percy ran his hand over his face. He couldn’t do it. It didn’t seem right in light of what Conrad had told him to burden the man further with inquiries of his mother’s love for Conrad’s long dead father.
Giving himself a shake as if to snap out of his morbid reverie, Conrad focused on Percy. “Do forgive me. We came in here to discuss a concern of yours.”
Percy put up his hand. “Under the circumstances, I believe now is not a good time.”
“Are you certain?”
“Quite.”
Conrad’s shoulders slumped. “I suppose I should be returning to the parlor.” He was halfway to the door when he stopped and turned. “Percy, I’m sorry about all the fuss happening at your house. And that my mother somehow has mistaken you for my father.”
“Please, think no more of it. I’m… I’m sure everything will work out as it should.”
“Thank you.”
Percy watched Conrad leave the room and head across the hall.
What shall I do now?
Chapter Ten
Percy watched out the window as Dr. Hervey walked toward his carriage. Though he’d deemed Miriam fit to resume physical activities, the physician felt strongly that her mental faculties were still fragile. Therefore, Miriam was to reside at the Radcliff’s for the foreseeable future.
Damn the luck!
Percy rubbed his hand over his face, asking himself for the hundredth time why. Why him? Just when he’d been getting closer to Georgiana. It was so unfair.
“Darling!”
He groaned. “Coming, Miriam.” With legs that felt as heavy as lead, Percy trudged to the parlor.
There she sat. His wife. She patted the settee. “Come and sit with me, won’t you, darling?”
His skin scrawled at the thought of being near her again. Hadn’t he sat for hour upon hour at her side already? Patting her hand in reassurance? Murmuring endearments he hadn’t felt?
But spend time with her, he must. Every time he even contemplated leaving, going to visit Georgiana, guilt crashed down on him like a clumsy elephant. No. He must stay, though his heart was breaking.
Reluctantly, he sat down, positioning himself as far away from the woman as he could without falling to the floor.
She pouted, a most unbecoming sight. “Why are you so far away? Since my accident, we have so much time to make up for.” She moved a little closer. He leaned away.
“Miriam, I… that is, we don’t wish to tire you out, now do we?”
She moved a few more inches in his direction. He edged forward on his seat, trying to escape, hoping to avoid the awkward dance of her delusional obsession. “I’m not tired.” She reached up and stroked his neck. “Not at all.”
Percy swallowed, hating that the movement pushed against her fingers. He wasn’t wearing a cravat, to his shame, because she put up a fuss whenever he did. She’d absconded with the first one. In order for him to retain the rest, he’d chosen simply not to wear them in her presence. “But the physician—”
A slow smile spread on her thin lips. “Dr. Hervey said I can resume all physical activities.” She fluttered her stubby lashes. “All activities.”
Good heavens, she couldn’t mean—
“I’ve been so terrible lonely, my love. Picturing you and me together… it’s all I can think of.”
Percy recoiled from her, abruptly standing and stepping away. “Madam, I bet your pardon?”
“Ah, begging? That could be arranged.”
His mouth dropped open. Did she expect him to… for them to… No! “I’m afraid—”
“There’s no need to be afraid. Don’t you remember how it was between us? In bed?”
In bed!
He took another step back, longing to make a sign with his hands to ward away the evil that surely was Miriam. The woman was a harridan and a shrew at best. Vile and evil at worst. The more time he had to spend in her presence, the more Percy was convinced it was the worst.
“Lady, er, Miriam, I cannot in good conscience—”
“I don’t give a rat’s arse about your conscience. In fact, we’d have so much more fun if you left that useless thing at the bedroom door.”
What a despicable, vile creature.
Miriam slumped against the back of the settee. Her loud groan sickened Percy. “Oh… please… I’m feeling faint.” She held out a limp hand. “Won’t you come and sit beside me again?”
Letting out a deep sigh, Percy once again sat next to her. He had no desire to touch her but finally took her hand when she flopped it onto his thigh, very near his—
“There now.” Miriam edged close and laid her head on his shoulder. “Isn’t that better?”
Better than what? Being eaten by a snake? Trampled by a herd of angry oxen? He tried not to breath in her scent of onions and something worse he couldn’t quite identify.
Her fingers slowly but deftly made a trail from his chest downward. What did she think she was — Shock rolled through him as her hand came in contact with his—
He grabbed her wayward hand and thrust it safely away from his private area. “Please! Stop this at once!”
Her lip pushed out again in a pout. Did she think she was a child? “But, my love, I’ve missed you so. I have needs.”
He leaned forward to stand, to escape her, and damn the consequences to her mental stability. Because right at that moment, he would lose his faculties if she persisted in her efforts to seduce him.
Apparently, Miriam had other ideas. With a strength she’d not shown until that moment, she wrapped her tentacles around his neck, tugging him close. Too close.
“Please, Miriam, you mustn’t!”
Her lips, dry and rubbery, moved against his in a seemingly sensuous dance.
His internal scream remained silent as he tried to disengage the suddenly strong woman. Finally prying her hands off of his neck, Percy jumped up from the settee and fled the room.
Once in the hall and around the corner, Percy allowed himself to finally breathe the sweet air of freedom. Or, as free as he could be until the blasted woman went home.
What if she never went home? Never recovered from her injury? What if he was tied to her forever?
Sweat broke out over his forehead as a queasy sensation overtook him. No. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t!
“Percy?”
He jumped and turned, ready to flee once more, though he relaxed when he saw it was only Amelia. “Ah… g-good day.”
She stepped closer and touched his arm. “Are you unwell? You’ve gone quite pale.”
He fished a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his brow. Gesturing vaguely in the direction of the parlor, he muttered, “I don’t know how much more I can stand.”
Amelia followed the movement of his hand, tilted her head, and then faced him again. “Oh. I see.”
Was she upset with him because he’d spoken ill of her mother-in-law? “Oh, pardon me for—”
She held up her hand. “Nothing to pardon. Where she’s concerned, I’m amazed you’ve held up as well as you have. Lesser men would have run away.”
Percy lowered his brow. “Are you saying…”
“That’s right. I’ve never cared for her. She’s unkind to me, but more importantly, she’d terribly unkind to Conrad. Always has been.”
/>
“Is that so? Amelia, may I ask you something of a personal nature?”
“Please. I’ll gladly answer anything for you if it will help your cause.”
Ah yes, his cause. Trying to not be shackled with the dowager. “I’ve wondered, that is since this whole mess began, well, could the reason for Miriam latching onto me be that she’s so lonely for her dead husband?”
Amelia’s sputtered laughter was so loud it was startling. “Oh my goodness. Is that what she’d told you? Percy, she couldn’t stand the man. Nor he her.”
“Truly?”
“From what Conrad has told me and what I’ve gleaned through wicked comments by her, his mother was happy when her husband died. Thrilled, in fact.”
Percy’s mouth dropped open. He looked at Amelia and blinked before remembering his impoliteness and closed his mouth.
“Why,” she asked. “Does that matter?”
“I’m not sure exactly how, but yes. I think it might. Thank you, Amelia, for your insightful comment.”
She smiled and patted his shoulder. “Happy to help.”
“May I ask an enormous favor?”
“You, my dear man, may ask anything.”
“Could you, perhaps, keep Miriam company, distract her for say an hour or so? There’s someone… I must see.”
Amelia’s mouth pulled down at the corners. “Is it that pretty Lady Ollerton?”
“How did you know?”
“It was obvious seeing you with her how much she means to you.”
“Through all of this,” he pointed to the parlor, “I’ve not been able to see her or even fully explain. I’ve sent notes, but so far, I don’t think she believes me.”
“Of course. I’ll take care of everything. You run along and see your Lady Peregrine.” She winked.
Percy’s heart warmed at her use of his pet name for Georgiana. He kissed Amelia’s hand and hurried out the door before Miriam called for him again.
The short journey to Georgiana’s seemed to take three lifetimes. Why was his coachman going so slow?
As soon as they went up her drive, Percy leaped from the carriage before it had completely stopped. Who cared if someone saw him? He was on a mission for love.
He hurried to the door and knocked. Mary opened the door, her welcoming expression changing to a frown. “Oh. Good day.” She didn’t open the door all the way but left only enough room to peer out at him.
Obviously, Georgiana had confided the events of late. “Good day. Is Lady Ollerton at home? It’s imperative I speak with her.”
“I’m not sure she would—”
“I’ll see him,” came from the behind the door.
Percy’s shoulders slumped in relief at Georgiana’s voice. When the door opened wider, Percy stepped inside without invitation. Mary scowled but stepped aside when Georgiana shook her head.
Georgiana tilted her head toward the parlor. “If you have something to say, let’s go in here.” But she held up her hand. “I’m not saying it will change anything between us. I’m only agreeing to listen.”
“That’s all I ask.” Though his heart yearned for more.
Once seated in a high-backed chair, for Georgiana refused to share the settee with him, Percy removed his hat, played with the brim nervously, and tried to form the needed words to convince her of the truth. “First let me apologize for any discomfort this… this situation may have caused.”
“May have caused?” She raised one eyebrow.
He nodded. “Yes, of course, well… You see, it was as I explained in my note—”
“Which note?”
“The… the first one. That is, at first it was the first one. Then the second one was… I’m not really certain how—”
“Please state your point. I have other things to which I must attend.”
“Certainly. What happened was… the dowager, uh, you met her at the—”
Georgiana narrowed her eyes. “I’m aware of her, yes.”
“She accompanied her son and daughter-in-law to our home, and when she crossed the hall, I offered her my arm and—”
“You offered her your arm?”
He lowered his eyebrows. “It seemed the polite thing to do.”
“If you say so.”
“When I offered her my arm, she reached out to take it and fell.”
“Fell.”
“And hit her head.”
Georgiana’s mouth gaped. “I do hope she’s not too badly injured.”
“That’s the problem. It’s as I explained in my note.” He eyed her. “The second one. Somehow, someway, after she struck her head, it affected her reasoning and she believes me to be her…” He swallowed. “Husband.”
“What?”
“I don’t really know how it happened. Just all of a sudden. She… I…”
Georgiana sliced a hand through the air. “This is preposterous.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“To come in here and tell me such a wild tale.”
“But I haven’t—”
“If you did not wish to be in my company any longer, a simple note saying such or even a short visit and a few kind words would have sufficed. But to have—”
“No!” He stood. “Please, you must believe me. The physician said that if I didn’t play along, something terrible might befall her. It would be entirely my fault. The guilt — it would have eaten away at me.”
She closed her eyes briefly. “How could I have fallen… No. I need you to leave. Now.”
“Please, Georgiana. My Lady Peregrine.”
“Do not ever refer to me as such ever again. Leave my house”. She pointed to the doorway.
“But—”
“Go!”
Percy stuffed his hat on his head and did her bidding. Once in his carriage, he blinked back tears that threatened. So that was it. His brief time of joy was over? No, he couldn’t believe it. But with that awful woman residing at his house still believing he was her husband, Percy couldn’t risk coming to see Georgiana again anytime soon at another try of convincing her. Because he wasn’t finished trying. No. There must be a way to convince her. There had to be. He’d found the woman of his heart, and fight for her he would!
Chapter Eleven
Percy returned home, his heart heavy and aching. Georgiana had been so adamant that he not try to see her again. He’d longed to convince her otherwise.
Miriam screeched from the parlor. “Get out and leave me alone!”
What was going on? He rushed toward the open doorway but stopped when he heard another voice.
“I can’t believe what you’ve done!”
It was Amelia. He took another step closer.
“I’ve done nothing,” said Miriam.
“Mother Croome, please don’t continue with this. You’re going to hurt him.”
“I’m doing nothing of the sort, Amelia.”
“Please don’t do this. If you don’t tell him, I’ll—”
Percy edged closer but nearly stumbled and caught himself as he grabbed a nearby small table.
“Is that him? My love? Have you returned?” Miriam’s voice increased in volume with each word.
Percy sighed. Might as well get it done with. He’d not be able to sneak past the doorway now. He turned the corner and entered the room. Amelia stood, her hands fisted at her sides. Miriam was on her usual perch on the settee, a scowl on her face.
“Finally you’ve come back.” Miriam’s mouth transformed into something resembling a smile and she reached out her hand. “Come and see me, my darling.”
Percy’s quick glance at Amelia showed a ridge of muscle along her jaws where she clenched them together.
“Yes, I’ve come back.” Not wishing to sit anywhere near her, Percy took the chair opposite, reminded as soon as he sat down that Georgiana had refused to sit with him.
Miriam glared at Amelia. “I think it’s time you leave now.”
“But—”
“Leave, or I might have to h
ave words with Conrad, telling him you’ve aggravated my condition. How do you think he would respond to that, hmm?”
Amelia tapped her boot on the carpet. “Very well. For now. But this isn’t finished.” She stomped out of the parlor and slammed the door.
Percy winced. Not only had the door closing been loud, but now he was stuck in the room with her. Alone.
Miriam slumped against the arm of the settee. “Oh, I was so worried when I didn’t know where you were. You mustn’t cause me such pain.” She raised her hand to her forehead and moaned.
Fresh waves of guilt poured over him. Against the physician’s wishes, Percy had left the house, left Miriam, and now she was in pain. What if his attempt to make things right with Georgiana had pushed Miriam over the edge? What if her condition worsened?
Or she died?
Much as he loathed her, didn’t want anything to do with her, he couldn’t do that. He might never recover from the guilt.
“Please, come closer.”
Percy gripped the arm of the chair, not wanting the leave the safety of being a few feet away from her.
“I beg of you. I… I’m not feeling well.” Miriam laid her head down on the settee arm and pulled her legs up on the other cushion.
He closed his eyes briefly and then took a slow breath, hoping to relieve the pressure building in his chest. How was he to get out of this predicament? With slow movements like those of a man walking to the guillotine, Percy stood and edged closer.
Miriam wiggled her fingers in invitation to take her hand. Percy did, trying not to think about actually touching her. If he imagined it was Georgiana, would it make it any easier?
Since she was lying down now, he had to either bend over in an uncomfortable position to hold her hand or kneel down.
Fifty-one-year-old knees weren’t made for standing in awkward positions, so kneeling it would have to be.
Once in place, he took her hand, closing his fingers over it, but not too tightly as to convey any enjoyment.
“I’m so relived you’ve returned to me. I’d started to despair you might have left me. For good.” A tear traveled down her cheek.
How was he to comfort her so her condition wouldn’t worsen but not appear to have feelings for her?
“I’m in need of an embrace, my darling. Would you mind?” She held out her arms.
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