Chapter 26

The butler ushered Lord Irlam into his master's study, and left them alone. The two tall men – effective strangers – stood and studied each other critically across the space that separated them, tension in the air. If Lady Louisa had been there, she might have remarked that they resembled nothing so much as two big, handsome, stupid dogs who happened to encounter each other in the street, and were not quite sure if they should fight for supremacy or decide to be friends.

The Duke moved to greet his reluctant guest. ‘Irlam,' he said. ‘I'm glad you got here safely at last. Perhaps you might not care to shake my hand, after all that you have heard of me. But I dare say you would be thankful to sit down, and take a glass of wine. You have had a long and weary day of it on my account, and I am sorry.'

‘I thank you, Duke, but my aunt gave me wine, and I do not wish for any more just now,' Hal said a little stiffly, very much upon his dignity. But he took the chair that his host had indicated.

‘I told your sister that I would see you alone, so that you might have your fill of abusing me for my conduct, and spare her your wrath. She laughed at me. But please, begin whenever you wish. I shall not say a word in my defence, for I am not sure there is anything to say.'

‘What is the point, after all?' said Lord Irlam, passing a hand wearily over his face. ‘You are a good two or three years older than me, Northriding, and my aunt has just been reading me a lecture on the dangers of hypocrisy. It's not my place to jaw at you like a damned parson. I just wish it hadn't been my sister… but Georgie always had a talent for getting into scrapes, without any help at all from you.'

‘So she tells me.'

‘And out of them, in fairness to her. The last fellow… well, she hit him with a poker. My wife and I rushed to rescue her, but there was no need. Knocked him down, stood there kicking him where it would do him most good.'

‘She did not tell me that,' said the Duke gravely, though his eyes were twinkling. ‘I hope I never give her cause to do the same to me.'

‘So do I, if it comes to that. But I shall not be the man to stop her if you do. You must know that I would knock you down myself without a second's hesitation if I thought you had hurt her.' The younger man's face was grim, his blue eyes oddly formidable, and his host could have no doubt that he meant exactly what he said.

‘I would not blame you. How could I? God knows I have no desire to hurt her, or to see her hurt. I'd marry her tomorrow if I could, and try my best to make her happy. But she has not accepted me, you know. Not explicitly. And she said you would not force her to take me, though I am well aware, as is she, that almost any other brother would insist we wed, after all that has passed between us.'

‘I probably should insist upon it. But then, if I was of that cast of mind, we would not be having this conversation, because she'd be married to the other fellow, Hart, by now, and he'd be making her life miserable and doing his best to play ducks and drakes with her fortune into the bargain.'

The Duke's mouth thinned, but he spoke lightly enough. ‘Well, I won't do that. Waste her fortune, I mean. Her portion is a matter of complete indifference to me, I hope you are aware, and I will of course make generous settlements, though I doubt that is of any interest to you just now. I trust I shall not make her miserable, either. God knows it is far from being my intention, but I am not sure that is a promise anyone can make when embarking upon a life together, in sober truth.'

Hal regarded him curiously. He said, ‘What would you do, if I were the sort of fellow to come the stern paterfamilias and force Georgie to marry you?'

‘Take her, damn your eyes for it like a cursed hypocrite, and consider myself lucky to have her,' he answered shortly. ‘Worry about everything else later.'

Like his sister on occasion, Hal found that at this moment he could not read his host's face. ‘And if, since we have established that I am not the man to force her, she cannot be persuaded, what will you do then?'

‘I do not know. It is enough to drive a man mad; it is driving me mad. Irlam, understand me – I do not have the luxury of infinite time at my disposal. Unlike you, I had one younger brother only, and one cousin to inherit Northriding if we both died without male heirs. But they both took mortal injuries at Waterloo – my cousin had in fact joined up in an excess of patriotic fervour without my knowledge, the young idiot. The heirs beyond them – well, it does not bear thinking of. I have a grave responsibility to others than myself; I must marry, and soon. I have already allowed a year to pass when I should not have done, when my duty was clear. But we have had some other family troubles, which I need not burden you with. And now this.'

‘I had not realised. You are in the devil of a coil, are you not?' Hal had not thought to find himself feeling sympathy for Northriding, notorious rake and seducer of sisters, but he did now. He was all too familiar with the crushing weight of family responsibilities, having endured plenty himself in the last eight years. And he was exceptionally lucky, he knew, that he did not lack for heirs, but rather the reverse.

‘I am, but I cannot – I will not – use the facts of my cursed predicament to put pressure on Georgiana. I have already told her too much of them, and I regret it bitterly. I find I am not always… clever where she is concerned, and say things I would wish to take back the moment the words have left my mouth.'

I remember that feeling, thought Hal. Well do I remember it. Perhaps Louisa is right after all…

He said only, ‘I think I will take that glass of wine now, Northriding, if I may.'

‘So will I,' said his host. ‘More than one, I believe, if you will join me. There are other things I need to tell you, and they will go more easily with a glass of wine.'