Page 100 of A Single Obsession

After greeting Georgie, he turned to her and executed an exaggerated bow.

“How do you do, Miss Merry? I hope you have recovered from your recent exertions.”

Eliza shuddered and lowered her eyes. Why was he speaking to her with such formality? Was it to remind her they were no longer engaged? Had he come only to mock her, making a sly reference to the race to emphasise his relief at being freed from his betrothal to such an unprincipled girl?

No. That wasn’t like Beau, but the stiffness in his manner still bothered her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him sit down beside her, but he didn’t address her again.

As the silence continued, it seemed increasingly unlikely he was here to reiterate his declarations of love and persuade her to change her mind. So why had he come?

Her chest tightened as an unwelcome thought occurred to her. Perhaps he was only here at his mother’s insistence.

Georgiana witnessed the constraint between them and attempted to draw Beau into conversation, avoiding the subject of the race.

“When did you return to London?”

“Yesterday.”

“I understand Frances has given birth to a boy.”

“Yes.”

“What will they call him?”

“Charles, after his father.”

His answers were brief, and as Eliza said nothing, the exchange was slow and stilted.

After fifteen minutes, Georgiana stood up, an exasperated expression on her countenance.

“You must excuse us. We have other engagements.”

Eliza cringed at her words.

Yes, other engagements, whereas her own with Beau was over.

She had thought the look of horror she had seen on his face at the races had been dreadful, but this was more painful—to have him so close, and yet so distant.

Would they ever be more than strangers to each other again?

Chapter 44

After Beau’s visit, Eliza refused to leave the house. She would not walk in the park or go for a drive or attend a rout for fear she might meet Beau and be treated like a stranger again.

If he called, she locked herself away in her bedchamber and wouldn’t see him. Yet perversely, she was glad he had come, and when his visits stopped, she sunk into a pit of despair from which she could see no escape.

She wished they could be friends as they’d been before love got in the way. Before she had put unrealistic expectations on him, which had ruined what they had.

For the first week, Georgiana let her wallow in her misery and grieve the loss of her love in peace, but then she started coaxing Eliza to go out with her.

“Charlotte and I are going shopping. Would you care to come?”

“No, thank you. I’ll stay here.”

“You’re unlikely to bump into Beau in Bond Street.”

Eliza scowled at her sister, ignoring the probable truth of her words. “I said no.”