Charles paused in the hall outside the dining room, well aware he was late to dinner. Still, he hesitated and studied the letter in his hands, reading it again to reassure himself he was doing right by showing it to her. He had no way of knowing her reaction to this latest news. He listened for the sound of conversation coming from the dining room, but there was none. His sister would be seated opposite his mother, neither one speaking, concentrating solely on their meal. It was the silence itself that decided him, for he could bear it no longer.
“I have had a letter from Edward’s cousin.”
Georgiana paused and lowered the fork in her hand to her plate again as Charles entered the room, closing the door behind him.
“You are uncommonly late,” his mother complained.
Ignoring her, Charles continued, “It seems the young Mr. Rupert Fairchild has run away from home.”
“And what is this matter to us?” asked his mother, with a small toss of her well-coiffed head.
“Few have such a compassionate heart as yourself, Mama,” Charles said dryly, as he seated himself at the head of the table. “I am constantly astounded by the depths of your benevolence.”
The butler opened the door for a footman who entered with a tray, and his mother waited as Charles was served his crimp cod and oyster sauce. The butler poured him a glass of white wine.
“It is an unwelcome intrusion in Georgiana’s delicate condition, Charles,” she replied, unruffled. “I think only of her.”
He glanced at Georgiana at this surprising statement.
Taking a sip of her wine, his mother continued, “It would not be advisable to continue further with this subject.”
“What does he say?” Georgiana asked, having lost interest in her food.
“He has been missing four weeks as of this letter. They have had a search party out to find him but have had no luck. Edward’s cousin thinks he may be on his way to us.”
Georgiana stood up suddenly, sending her chair flying backwards. “Four weeks and he only thinks to write now! I doubt he means to find Rupert, for he will inherit if something befalls him. I should never have left him.”
“See now the consequence of your lack of delicacy,” his mother scolded him. “Georgiana, calm yourself.”
“I will not.”
“Finally,” Charles said.
“You have no claim over him,” Lady Wyndham said, annoyed. “It’s truly astonishing that this imposition comes from one who would see you gone from Ravenstone the very day after the funeral of your child. I simply cannot bear it.”
“It’s not yours to bear, Mama,” she said, equally adamant. “It is mine alone for having won him in the first place I then cast him off.”
“Charles,” his mother admonished, “you should have entirely concealed the matter from her. See the state she is in now. What possible good can come of it?”
“Such precaution would surely not serve the young fellow,” Charles said dryly. “My thoughts are with him.”
“Perhaps you should think of Georgiana’s nerves, instead. Let’s not discuss the matter further.”
“Georgiana’s nerves will recover. I much prefer her in a state of anxiety over what may have befallen the young rascal than to continue as the docile halfwit she has played at of late.”
“I have to do something,” Georgiana said, clenching her fists. “I can’t just wait and hope he arrives safely at our doors.”
“Bravo,” Charles cried. “What will you do?”
“You surely do not consider us liable? He is but your stepson and not even that anymore,” her mother asked.
“Certainly I do,” Georgiana said, approaching her brother. “Does the letter hint of any other possibilities?”
Smiling, Charles turned the page in his hand over to her, and she read it twice as if to decipher from it far more than the words said.
“Ridiculous,” she said, lifting her head from the page in frustration. “He mentions naught of what Rupert may have taken with him or if indeed he even knows where in London to find me.”
“In short, there is nothing more to be done,” Lady Wyndham said. “Eat your dinner, Charles, so we may enjoy the evening yet.”
Georgiana began to pace while Charles ate, watching her.
“Well?” he said impatiently. “You know Rupert best. Where would he have gone?”
Georgiana paused in front of the dark window. A thick fog had settled over the city, and she could barely see out to the street.
“He will not come here if indeed he even knows where here is. I betrayed him. Rupert takes betrayal rather seriously.”
“Where then?”
“To sea,” she said after a while. “He would have gone to find his hero.”
“And who might this illustrious fellow be?”
“Nicholas,” she said, turning away from the window and back to them.
“No,” Lady Wyndham said and stood up from the table herself, her own chair falling over. “I forbid it.”
“You can hardly forbid Rupert anything, Mama, since the little chap is very much absent from this conversation,” Charles said, amused, and took a sip of his wine.
“Do not play the imbecile, Charles,” Lady Wyndham said harshly. “You know I refer to Georgiana. I have much too much experience with her schemes. She means to find the man who has thrown her into the very pit she finds herself in and that, Charles, I will not stand for.”
“Then you best sit down again, Mama,” Charles said as he turned to study his sister, who still had not moved. “For I believe you have given her the idea yourself.”
“I have done no such thing.”
“I will go,” Georgiana said, sitting down abruptly at her place. “I will find him.”
Charles smiled victoriously.
“You most certainly will not,” Lady Wyndham said, her voice rising.
“You must comprehend that I am at fault.”
“I only comprehend that you already live as a pariah, and I by, association with you, have suffered a decline in invitations from the circles to which I am accustomed—the best circles. Charles has struggled in his political ambitions since your fall. I shudder to think what new banishments you will bring upon us with any further mismanagement of your person.”
“Mama,” Charles said, trying to still his amusement. “As it happens, my political ambitions are thwarted only through lack of integrity in the system itself and cannot be credited to Georgiana’s social ineptitude. Besides, the prejudices of society are fickle, and you are better removed from it.”
“The conclusion to this folly, Charles, will still be felt by us all,” Lady Wyndham said in immovable gravity. She straightened, her head high, and bestowed a look of infinite contempt on them both before quitting the room.
“Upon my soul, she is overly serious,” Charles said and turned to his sister. “What is your first consideration?”
“He always spoke of going to sea, of being a pirate.”
“If Rupert has indeed managed to become a pirate, I must warn the British navy of the grave danger they find themselves in.”
“Charles, please,” Georgiana said, her voice angry. “I have not had one response to any of my letters. I am very concerned.”
“As am I,” Charles said, far more seriously and reached for his wine glass.
“Is there a list anywhere of naval hiring?” Georgiana asked.
“There is,” Charles said. “And before you request it, I have already decided on it. Leave it to me. If Rupert has joined the navy, I shall know of it.”
“I cannot believe they would take a boy his age.”
“He is at the perfect age.”
“Surely not,” she said. “What good can a boy of nine be to the navy?”
“The navy is in short supply of men, as you know. He would make an excellent powder monkey, for he is both agile and fearless.”
“And where is there a need now for warships?”
“The war with Napoleon continues and must be won. We cannot face another defeat after the loss again in the Americas.”
“Is that where Nicholas is now?”
Charles hesitated and studied her.
“I ask for Rupert’s sake, Charles, not my own,” she said with great composure as to almost fool him. “I assure you I am quite steady when it comes to Captain Markham.”
“So, you have bid adieu to him and have extinguished forever the love between you so recently still aflame?”
“Do not mock me with your flowery language. Rupert holds my attention, Charles. I must safely bring him home. I resolve to spend every hour of every day for his return, so do not doubt my motives.”
“I show only concern,” he said, frowning. She had not answered his question, which he had only posed in that way out of sympathy and awkwardness.
“Then show it in favor of Rupert.”
“Very well,” he relented. “What will you do after we discover where our young seafarer has absconded to?”
“I will follow him, of course,” she said.
“I feared as much.”
“You have not,” she said. “I almost believe you have made up this whole scheme only so you can watch Mama and me at odds again.”
“I confess it is true that the notion of you continuing to sit in the drawing room languid and low while meekly following Mother’s every wish has made me ill with concern for you. But I can assure you I have not removed Rupert from his nest only to see you again returned to yourself.”
“Then you do not hide him under your desk?”
“Rupert has never shown an aptitude for patient compliance to anyone’s wishes.”
“Oh, Charles what if something terrible were to befall him?”
“My concern, dear sister, with Rupert at large in the world is not for Rupert, but for the world itself. If anyone can take care of himself, it is that young man.”
He did not feel confidence in his own words. The boy was too young to be on his own, and he was also starting to doubt the wisdom of encouraging his sister.
***
Days passed in such slow succession that Georgiana became restless and was driven to riding in the park at a great speed or submitting to madness at the frustration of the slow progress. Charles returned home day after day with no news of Rupert’s whereabouts.
“Surely, at this pace, Rupert will have reached the Indies by now,” she said, her voice raised in argument with Charles as tea was brought in by the servants.
“I recommend a tone more befitting,” Lady Wyndham said.
“I cannot stand this delay,” Georgiana continued even as the tea was served.
“Charles, surely there is some news by now?” Lady Wyndham agreed to both their surprise.
“You fear for the boy?” Charles asked, an eyebrow raised, accepting a tea cup.
“I fear for the safety of the good ladies who stroll in the park. Lady Armstrong was nearly run over this morning by Georgiana’s great haste on her horse. I, of course, denied knowing who had so nearly brought about her resolution.”
“Well, I assure you both that I am doing all I can, but there is no relief for the pace at which information travels.”
“Then my suffering is to continue,” Lady Wyndham said and glanced at the servant to refill her cup.
“Can you not concentrate your enquiries on ships that have sailed?”
“It is not that simple,” Charles replied. “Often men and young boys are forced onto ships against their wishes and records are not kept accurately for this very reason. I fear he may even have used a different name.”
“Then what hope is there?”
“There is always hope, Georgiana. It’s patience we are lacking here.”
“I cannot wait any longer,” she said and pushed her chair back from the table.
“What will you do?” Charles asked.
“I don’t know,” she said and left the dinner table, her food uneaten. “I will search for him myself.”
“At this hour?” her mother asked.
Georgiana did not answer. Leaving the house, she wrapped her coat around herself and walked out the gate, turning left up the busy street as the day turned dark.