Chapter 2

The view of the water had been a good distraction when he first boarded the ship. George had managed to distract himself from the mess of his life for a bit, but that had all changed…

Well now it was no longer working. Now it was all coming crashing down on him all over again and it felt like the walls were closing in on him.

He needed to get out of this confined little cabin, even if he did not really want to face anyone out there.

But he was not sure that he would be able to take another meal in his quarters. He knew the captain preferred it when people ate with him, so for a change, that was what George was going to do. With a deep sigh, he edged off the bed and forced himself to examine his wardrobe so he could find his finest suit. If he was going to eat with the rest of the patrons aboard this ship, then he needed to fit in.

He used to love wearing suits. He always felt the most confident when he was dressed in his finest clothing, especially when he was around his father because it made him feel worthwhile.

It made him feel right.

And that was his main problem. He had done everything right, just as he was expected to do, and it had gotten him nowhere. He had lost everything, including the respect of his father, through no fault of his own. All because…

No. He screwed his fists up angrily by his side as memories of the past threatened to consume him. No, I will not think about any of that. Not until I have to.

Returning to London was going to take him back to the past and everything that he had left behind. Everything that he so desperately wanted to forget. He loved his life when he was traveling, but he loved it even more in Sweden. He had set roots down there, and made a happy life for himself. He had everything that he wanted in Sweden… or nearly everything anyway.

It was not a life that he wanted to leave behind.

It was only the letter which was bringing him home.

The letter from his childhood friend, Matthew, letting him know that his father had unfortunately passed away, and urging George to return home for the funeral.

Matthew might not have known what happened all those years ago, and what sent George running for the hills, but he still seemed to understand that if he did come back, it would be difficult for him.

That was why he never responded to Matthew's letter, because he did not want anyone to know that he was coming back. He also was not sure that he would have the courage to get on the boat. But he had, and it was not long before he would have to face everything.

It would not be for long, that was the main thing he had to remind himself. He would not be in London forever.

"I am not too happy about the food they have here…"

George would recognize that voice anywhere, especially when it was complaining. Gustaf was a grumpy lord who thought the world owed him everything. He did nothing but moan and smoke the Prussian Cigars that came from his homeland, which according to him were the best in the whole world.

"Oh, I do not agree with you there," he heard Lord Edward Abernathy reply as the two men passed George's quarters, just as he had cracked the door open. "I think they always have the best fish on offer."

Edward could not have been more different to Gustaf, it was strange that they were friends. Edward was kind but boisterous. Always laughing. Perhaps that was why their friendship worked, because Gustaf could never bring Edward's spirits down. No matter how hard he tried.

Unfortunately, the one person in George's life that he was truly opposite to, was someone that he could never see himself getting along with.

His twin brother, Gregory.

"Ah, there you are, George." His best friend's voice snapped him back to reality. "I was wondering if you would finally make it to the dining hall aboard this ship. It truly is wonderful."

George forced himself to smile for Sebastian, who was always sunny. "Yes well, I have heard the fish is very good."

Sebastian laughed as he brought George inside and sat him down at a very grand looking table. The captain was at the other end of it, but Sebastian was too busy introducing him to the people sitting near them.

"This is Lord Heath Dashwood, Marquess of Gracemeadow, and Amelia Louise Anne Frederick, sister to the Swedish queen." George nodded along as if he was drinking all of this in. "And this is their lovely daughter, Lady Sophie Dashwood."

George could not ignore this person.

She was a stunning young lady whose regal appearance really struck him hard, making his heart pound like crazy.

Her long blonde hair, those piercing blue eyes, the dimples that popped up when she smiled… she was truly captivating. For the briefest of moments, she actually took his breath away. She may well have been the most beautiful woman that he'd ever been lucky enough to lay eyes on.

But he rapidly reminded himself that he could not look her way, or waste her time by talking to her. Not when he was a disgraced lord who would only bring him down with her.

George forced himself to snap his gaze away.

"It is lovely to meet you, Lord Harrington," Heath declared in a friendly tone of voice. "I hope you are enjoying your journey to London as much as we are."

"The journey is just fine, thank you very much."

The trip over to London was never going to be an issue. It was going to be what faced him on the other side of the ocean that troubled him. The feud with Gregory that had probably gone on for far too long, and needed to end now. With their father gone, they did not have any other family. Only one another.

George wanted this meal to be a moment where he did not have to think of anything, certainly not the past, but unfortunately, he could not avoid it. It seemed that the more he surrounded himself with people, the more he kept thinking about what awaited him. Even if Gregory did not know for sure if he was going to be home or not, he had to be suspecting that he might.

Hopefully he was going to treat this reunion as a chance to make things right as well.

He slid his eyes closed for a moment, recalling the last time him and Gregory saw one another face to face, when terrible words were slung and fists too. When jealousy really got the better of Gregory and everything went to hell, all because of money, because of an inheritance that had been offered to George because he was the older twin.

No actually, that was silly. It was not because of the few minutes of difference in age, even if that was what they had been told at the time.

It was because George was always a little bit better at everything than his brother. With his studies as well as his athleticism, and he seemed to find life and socializing more straight forward as well.

Gregory seemed to have issues with everything, and never wanted his twins' help which would have made everything far more straightforward.

There had always been a divide there because of that, but naming George the sole heir to everything because he was the more responsible twin, and did not waste far too much of his time in gambling halls, had tipped Gregory over the edge.

In a fit of jealousy, Gregory had confronted George, yelling and screaming at him about the inheritance. It did not even seem to matter when George insisted that he did not want the title, only to see their family's success continue. Words which had fallen on deaf ears and only seemed to wind Gregory up even more.

The squabble escalated and a few punches were thrown. By Gregory. But he had spent the whole day drinking and could not seem to land anything. He hit harder and harder, but never connected with George's face.

Unfortunately, because he was so intoxicated, he tumbled and hit his head on a rock, all while screaming out obscenities the entire time, not listening to George's pleas to just stop it already.

Even the gash on his forehead did not seem to silence him.

If that had been the end of it, it might have been alright, but that was just the beginning.

By the morning after, everything had changed. Changed for the worst.

Gregory went to their father and concocted a story about how George attacked him to ensure there was no other claim to the title. Believing his son because of the proof of blood, their father made the difficult, yet rapid in George's opinion, decision to disinherit George, sending him away with only a small amount of money and the advice never to return to London.

He had never seen such disappointment in his father's eyes, and that was the moment he realized that it did not matter what he had done in his life, how many of the rules he had followed, it would never matter.

George did not fight it.

He was not concerned, he simply wished to escape then. He did not want to face any of his family members again because it seemed like they had never understood or known him, and that they did not even care to.

George took only a few things, including a small fortune he had stashed away on top of his father's money, and left for his own safety, knowing that Gregory might try again to harm him to ensure his inheritance.

And that was how he ended up in Sweden, where he had gone on to start a very successful business, eventually becoming a wealthy lord there.

He reminded himself yet again that he would not be in London for a long time. A week or two at most. During which time he would let Gregory know that he was only there to support him, to ensure that their family estate passed to him smoothly and that it was in good hands.

Then he could get back to his real life. To everything that he had built all by himself.

Everyone chattered around him, George could hear Sebastian charming the table with his wonderful personality and making everyone laugh, but George could not find the courage to engage himself. Not with this heavy weight pressing down on his shoulders.

Perhaps coming to the dining hall was a big mistake.

He was much more comfortable eating in his room where he did not have to worry about any eyes upon him.

Thankfully, the meal did not last too long. Or perhaps it just seemed that way because George was lost in his thoughts most of the time. It did not seem too agonizing an amount of time before Sebastian was leading him from the table and walking back to the room.

"There are some very nice families here, George," Sebastian informed him. "I think it would be good for you to open up a little, to speak to some people while you are here. I know that this is not the nicest journey a person has ever had to take…"

"That is putting it mildly," George interjected.

"Perhaps, but why not make it a little better for yourself? Why not socialize while you are here?"

George offered his friend a one shouldered shrug. He could not see any reason to argue this right now, even if it was the last thing that he wanted to do. He just wanted to make it, to get there to London without making too much of a dent in his life.

Then he wanted to return to normal and forget it all. Was that too much to ask?