Oh no, not that! After the way she’d tried to seduce him earlier, he had no wish to go through it again.
Another tear joined the first and she sniffed. “Please. I beg of you…”
His stomach clenched. Why did guilt have to be such a strong emotion? “Very well.” He leaned forward, ready to accept a light embrace.
“I knew it! I knew you still loved me!” She tugged him close.
He could barely breathe. “Please, Miriam, I can’t—”
She pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he recoiled. With the same surprising strength she’d shown earlier in the day, Miriam grabbed his head on each side and turned him so he was looking directly at her. She pressed her lips to his. He tried to think of something else. Anything else! But when her slimy tongue snaked its way into his mouth, he nearly jumped.
“Oh Percy, you’ve made me so happy.”
Why did this have to be happening?
Wait…
He leaned back and grabbed her arms, holding her still. “What did you just say?”
Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. “You’ve made me so… happy.”
“No.” He sat back on his heels. “You addressed me as Percy.”
She shook her head. “No. you’re mistaken.”
He stood. “I know my own name, madam.”
She sat up quickly. “Why are you calling me that? Come back and let’s—”
He held out his hand as if warding off something evil. But perhaps he was. “You know who I am. Who I really am?”
“I don’t… that is—”
A brisk knock on the door preceded Amelia and Conrad. Amelia glanced from Miriam to Percy. “Forgive our intrusion, but we heard shouting. Is everything…” She eyed her mother-in-law and then looked at Percy, her eyebrows raised in question.
Percy stepped toward the couple and safely away from Miriam. “Your mother just addressed me by my name. My real name.”
“What?” Conrad widened his eyes. “Mother! Is this true?”
She forced out a huff. “I’m admitting nothing.”
Amelia grabbed her husband’s arm. “Conrad, it’s true. I’d guessed what she was up to and confronted her.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were having such feelings of guilt about it all. That perhaps—” Amelia glanced at Miriam and shook her head. “But you needn’t feel bad any longer. As you can see, your mother appears to be quite healthy.”
Percy switched his attention to Miriam. It was true? She sat up straight, pressed a wrinkle from her dress, and then reached up to smooth a wayward lock of hair from her eyes. She seemed to care about her appearance. When she’d been ill, pretended to be ill, she’d appeared to not care about anything except her discomfort. And keeping Percy near.
“Has this been a farce all along, then?” Percy clenched his hands at his sides, longing to pummel the woman.
Miriam stood, her face transforming from the teary-eyed lovelorn woman into a scowling harridan. “All right. It’s true.”
Shock rolled through Percy. “But the physician. He said if I left, you might not recover. Had you fooled him too?”
With a shrug, Miriam waved a hand. “I simply paid him enough and he went along.”
“But why? Why would you do this? I barely know you. Was it only for your amusement? Have I done something to offend you in some way that you felt you needed to punish me?”
She took a step closer, reached out her hand, and then lowered it again. “It was…” She glared at Conrad and Amelia as if wanting them to leave.
Percy shook his head. “They aren’t going anywhere. I’ll not be alone with you again.”
“Fine. If I must say the words in front of my son, so be it.”
Percy crossed his arms and waited.
“When I saw you at your family’s picnic, I was… intrigued.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
Miriam bit her lip and had the decency to blush but didn’t answer.
“If I may be so bold?” Amelia stepped forward. At Percy’s nod she continued. “It seems Mother Croome saw you, desired you, and came up with a way to… have you.”
Conrad gasped and clasped his hand over his mouth.
Percy, suddenly unsteady, plopped into the same chair he’d occupied before. Feeling deflated, he slumped down. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“No,” said Amelia. “You would have been had she succeeded. Now, though, you are free to pursue the woman you really want.”
Miriam stomped her foot. “That awful Lady Ollerton? She’s worthless.”
Percy jumped up, rage suddenly giving him strength. “You will not speak of her that way. Ever. I happen to love her.” He pointed at Miriam his hand shaking. “And if your scheme has ruined my chances with her, may God help you, because I’ll—”
Conrad took his mother by the hand. “No need, Percy. I’m taking Mother home. This instant.”
Chapter Twelve
Georgiana sat on her favorite bench at the Bird Sanctuary. She’d not had any desire to leave her house, but somehow had let Mary persuade her into coming here. Perhaps her maid had grown so weary of hearing Georgiana weep that she couldn’t stand it anymore and for once showed her temper.
Georgiana had been so taken aback that she’d agreed simply so Mary would calm herself. If the maid had suffered an apoplexy on Georgiana’s account, the guilt would have done her it.
Guilt.
Hadn’t Percy mentioned that as a large reason for his staying with the dowager? Had Georgiana been too hard on him? She’d brushed aside his words, but… She glanced over at Mary, who was feeding bread crumbs to some ducks. Guilt certainly could be a strong motivator to do things one would rather not.
He’d told her to examine her heart for the truth. She remembered his kisses and embraces. The way he’d touched her skin and whispered endearments. She had felt an instant connection with him the first time they met. Georgiana was sure, sure that he’d felt it too. Not just by what he said or did, but by how he seemed when with her. She couldn’t even quite explain it to herself, but the two of them… it was as if they’d been made for each other.
They simply fit together.
Did any of that really matter? Even if he forgave her for tossing him from her home, if his story was true, then he was stuck. Stuck in his home with that awful woman. And who knew how long it might take for her to recover her right mind?
What if she never did?
She watched Mary for a few more minutes as she fed the ducks. Would Georgiana’s short leave from the house to visit the sanctuary appease her angry maid?
Mary tensed as if something startled her and glanced toward a grove of trees on the other side of the pond. Had she seen some animal that frightened her? Though the ones Georgiana usually saw were quite small. Rabbits, squirrels, and of course birds. Mary poured out the contents of her bag and without a backward glance at her employer, took off walking at a fast clip in the opposite direction.
How odd.
She had no desire to run after Mary and retrieve her so they could return home. No, ever since all of the unpleasantness had begun with Percy and the dowager, Georgiana had felt as if all her strength had flowed out through her toes, leaving her listless.
In that case, I’ll just wait here. She can’t walk around the sanctuary all day.
She sat and listened to the warbler sing in a tree right above the bench. Georgiana closed her eyes. The bird’s sweet song lulled her into a near sleep. How pleasant to just sit. If she was lucky, maybe she’d fall asleep and dream of Percy.
The sound of footsteps registered somewhere in her mind, but she cared not enough to open her eyes. Whoever it was would surely—
“Ah… It seems I’ve discovered a lovely maiden in the middle of a nap.”
Percy?
Georgiana’s eyes flew open and she gasped. It was true! “Why are you here?”
He sat down, uninvited, and angled around so that h
e partially faced her. “It seemed a lovely day for a visit to my favorite spot. And of course to visit with my favorite lady.”
She lowered her eyebrows. “How did you know I would be here today?”
“Your maid.”
“But—”
“If one offers enough incentive, it often spurs people to do one’s bidding.”
“You paid my maid? Again?”
“Well, yes.”
Georgiana fumed. Of all the nerve! Thinking he could force the issue with her to try to worm his way back into her heart. But wait… How could he even be here? Be away from his house and the dowager? “But why are you… I mean, how could you leave home?”
“There’s where the story gets interesting, Lady Peregrine.”
“I told you not to call—”
He grabbed her hand, not giving her a chance to pull away. “If you would please just listen to what I have to say?”
She struggled in his grasp. “I don’t—”
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, and a warm sensation went up her arm straight to her heart. “Please. Just listen. If after I’m finished you still wish to not be of my acquaintance, then…” He swallowed. “Then I will honor your wishes.” He tilted his head and waited.
Oh how she longed to reach up and touch his face, stroke his cheek. But no, that wouldn’t do. With a nod, since she couldn’t seem to form the words, she agreed.
He sighed and then smiled. “Thank you. Now, you already know the first part of the story… that the dowager fell, hit her head, and then mistook me for her… her husband.”
Not trusting her voice to come out as anything other than a sob, she simply nodded.
“What you didn’t know was what happened yesterday after I left your house.”
She took a deep breath, wanting to apologize for how she’d acted yet feeling that it would be wrong to say she was sorry when she really hadn’t been.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” One side of his mouth rose.
Familiar warm feelings flowed through Georgiana’s mind as she remembered his quick wit and odd sense of humor. “Aren’t you going to just go ahead and tell me anyway?”
He chuckled. “Well yes. That was the plan.” He winked. “Anyway, when I returned home, she — that is the dowager…” He cleared his throat. “She seemed to be in deep distress because of my hasty departure. The guilt crept in anew and—”
“Oh I know how—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “Please let me finish, for I fear if I do not say the words, I might expire from the need to express them.”
She smiled. “All right.”
“As I said, the guilt threatened to overtake me. So when she requested… when she asked me, begged me for an embrace, I felt I couldn’t refuse.”
“I… see.”
“As I knelt on the floor next to where she lay, and she wrapped her arms around me…”
Her stomach clenched. Oh the agony of picturing Percy in the arms of another!
“She pulled me close and addressed me.”
Georgiana frowned. “What do you mean? Did she call you darling again as she did when I was there?” The memory tore another small piece of her heart away.
“She did call me that, But also—”
“What? What did she call you?” Georgiana chastised herself. She’d been so adamant about not speaking, about holding onto her hurt and anger. But she couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand not to know!
He reached for her other hand and now held them both. The warmth of the gesture, in thoughtfulness along with actual warmth from his skin nearly caused her to weep. “Georgiana, what I mean to say is she said my name.”
“Pardon?”
“My name. She called me Percy.”
“But—”
“At first it didn’t hit me, the significance of it. But when I asked her about it, she became defensive, saying I’d been mistaken. That she hadn’t said it. I began to despair that I’d have no way of proving it when an angel by way of Amelia entered with Conrad.”
Georgiana smiled in spite of herself. “I like Amelia.”
“Me too.” He grinned.
“And what… what did Amelia say?”
“She’d been suspicious of her mother-in-law from the start. From some things she told me afterward, the two have always had a tempestuous relationship. That Miriam didn’t possess one positive attribute or trait.”
“Go on.”
“Amelia came right out and demanded that Miriam speak the truth. So she did.”
“And what was it? The truth, I mean.”
“Miriam definitely had a plan in mind, a reason for what she did for her scheme.”
“Tell me.” Before I expire from not knowing.
“It seems, my dear Georgiana, that Miriam desired me.”
Georgiana waited for more. When there wasn’t anything forthcoming, she tapped her boot against the grass. “And…”
“That’s it.”
“She did all of that, caused all of the harm and told lies simply because she desired you?”
“You don’t think that’s good enough reason? Woman, you wound me.”
“Of course I think you’re desirable.”
He smirked.
“But… it just doesn’t seem like something a person would go to all the trouble to…” Her words died off when she realized how it sounded. “Oh, I didn’t mean that you’re not—”
“Perhaps, just perhaps, I need to refresh your memory.”
“Of what?”
“Of how I can make you feel.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “I—”
He tugged her hard against his chest, which caused her to gasp. With the force of the embrace, she’d expected his kiss to be hard and quick. Instead, it was so soft, so gentle Georgiana nearly melted into the seat of the bench. His lips traveled over hers in a sensual dance of want and need, love and promises. Her heart raced, and she pressed closer to him.
“Well!”
The exclamation from a few feet away startled Georgiana. She pulled apart from Percy. That same large woman and skinny man from before stood on the path, staring.
Oh good heavens…
The woman grabbed the man by the arm. “Come away, Mr. Smyth. You shouldn’t be watching such disgusting behavior.” The woman harrumphed and turned, tugging him in her wake. But before they’d gotten very far down the path, Mr. Smyth peeked over his shoulder. And winked.
Amusement overtook Georgiana, starting in her belly and climbing up until laughter bubbled out from her lips. She turned to Percy to see if he’d been as startled as she. His face was red, but she didn’t think it was from embarrassment at being caught doing that in public.
No, he was shaking. Trying to hold in laughter as well. He sputtered, obviously unable to contain his mirth. He offered her his handkerchief, and she giggled as she wiped her eyes. She handed it back and he wiped his eyes before stowing the cloth back in his pocket.
Georgiana swiped at a stray tear. “Well, that was certainly… uh…”
“Indeed.” He took her hand again. “Georgiana, when I kissed you, I was, that is, did it convince you that…”
“That you’re desirable enough for the dowager to have pulled a scheme in order to ensnare you? Oh. My. Yes.”
He laughed. “Thank you for the compliment, Lady Peregrine.”
“You know, even though I told you not to address me as such, I actually do like it.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid the term just won’t do any more.” He shook his head sadly.
“Why not?”
“Because soon, very soon, I’ll be able to call you Mrs. Radcliff.”
As Percy pulled her to him for a gentle kiss, Georgiana’s heart soared. She had indeed found the man of her heart.
Her love bird.
The End.
About the Author
Bestselling author Ruth J. Ha
rtman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning sweet romantic tales that make you smile, giggle, or laugh out loud. She, her husband, and their three cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats, Maxwell, Roxy, and Remmie, sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's. You know how selfish those little furry creatures can be.
Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, Jeep driving, farmhouse-dwelling romance writer uses her goofy sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women and the men who adore them. Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her in spite of her penchant for insisting all of her books have at least one cat in them. Or twelve. But hey, who's counting?
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