Chapter Fourteen
Camilla found George pacing near the front window. She supposed that he had not slept much the previous night; she certainly had not knowing that Lord Treswick was on his way.
"George?" she approached him.
"C-Camilla," he stopped his pacing. "W-What do I d-do?" All night he had tried to think of what he would do when Lord Treswick appeared. He needed to build up his courage.
"Stay calm because you have my support should you need it," she told him. "Think of what will happen once Lord Treswick is dealt with and my brother gives his approval. Focus on that, George, and remember that I am at your side."
"I am g-glad," he said. "Otherwise I w-would probably be a c-coward."
"Never, George," she told him.
"I w-was the last time I f-faced him," he reminded her. He was still ashamed that he was unable to stand up to Lord Treswick that day at his house in London.
"No, you were just overwhelmed," she said. "Now you can prepare for his arrival. Do not let him intimidate you. He is your inferior in everything but status. You are his better in everything that is important to me."
"B-But he is s-still f-forceful," he sighed. "H-He knows how to intimidate m-me."
"Only if you let him," she said. "I know that it is easier said than done but I know that you can do it. You are stronger than you realise. How much do you want me?" She did not care about sounding immodest if it helped George.
"An im-immeasurable amount," he replied, managing a smile.
"Then bear that in mind," she shrugged. "Along with the fact that I absolutely need you. You can do it, George, you can tell him to leave us alone."
"Where did you come from?" Lucy demanded. Lord Treswick and Lady Augusta arrived as promised although it was evening before they actually appeared. George's brother had politely shown them into the house. There was no immediate reaction as even the Farleighs were mindful of Mr Oliver Blair's position in the village. It would not do for the rector to be seen with argumentative guests. However, now they were seated Lucy could not hold back any longer. "You are not supposed to be here."
"I am come for your sister," Lord Treswick replied, with a smirk. "We have unfinished business."
"I beg to differ," she replied. Lucy was annoyed. She never wanted to see Lord Treswick again after the way he treated her sister yet here he was and in a stranger's home. "How did you find us?"
"I used my brain," he replied. "It was not hard to find out where Mr Blair's brother lived. I asked at a few inns along the way and they recognised my description of you so I knew that I was on the right track. Did you really think I would let you go chasing after another man?"
"It has nothing to do with you!" Camilla laughed in disbelief. "I have made it quite clear that your approaches are most unwelcome."
"Just go away!" Lucy cried. "You are not wanted here. In fact, you are not wanted anywhere near my family. You cannot even claim friendship with Lord Cresthope. Just leave!"
"You are just as irritating as your sister," Lord Treswick remarked, glowering at her. Lucy refused to be intimidated.
"We should go," Lady Augusta said suddenly. She did not want to be here. Lord Treswick's plan to seek out Camilla and Mr Blair had been met with utter disbelief and dismay on her part. It was about time her brother gave up the idea of marrying Camilla. It was only causing them embarrassment.
"Be quiet, Augusta," he dismissed his sister with a wave of his hand. "It has nothing to do with you."
"I s-suggest that you l-leave," George managed. He was remembering Camilla's words of earlier and maintaining his composure.
"Do you now?" Lord Treswick said. "Why should I listen to you?"
"Because Lady Camilla r-requires your absence and I am d-determined t-to ensure her desires are met," George replied. There was hesitation but he was resolute and unusually calm. "You are also in my b-brother's house."
"Please, Nicholas," Augusta tried again. "You will not be successful. You are never going to persuade Camilla. Accept that you are not successful on this occasion."
"No," Lord Treswick said. "I refuse to be rejected. I am not going to be declined by a mere woman."
"That is the point!" Augusta exclaimed. "It is not just Camilla! Her entire family disapproves of a match. There is no chance of success anymore."
"Augusta, just shut up!" he said in annoyance.
"Please do not speak to a lady in that way," Frank said. He knew that he was interfering but he did not care. He had taken an instant dislike to this man and he refused to see him speak to his sister in that way. Especially she was the only one out of the two siblings talking any sense.
"Who are you?" Lord Treswick asked, forgetting that they had been introduced once at an assembly.
"Frank Morris," he said. "Lady Camilla's cousin."
"Interesting but this is still none of your business," Lord Treswick told him. He would prefer it if he could speak with Camilla without all her followers. It was becoming very annoying having to deal with everyone in the room.
"Then what is your business?" Camilla asked. "I should think that by now you should be well aware of my reluctance to do anywhere with you so you cannot be here to bring me back to London."
"Perhaps I am here because Mr Blair seems to have forgotten our little talk the other day," Lord Treswick said. "Perhaps I am here to remind him of my demand to cease his attentions towards Lady Camilla."
"I-I do not react t-to demands," George told him. He was tired of being patronised by this man. Lord Treswick was never a serious match for Camilla so he was certain that he had never been in his way. He was never a rival. "Especially f-from a man b-behaving in such an ungentlemanly f-fashion. Lady C-Camilla has made her f-feelings clear. You are d-defeated. P-Please accept that."
"Leave me alone," Camilla joined in. "You are not wanted."
"I want to speak with you," Lord Treswick said.
"Well, I do not wish to speak with you," she replied. She had spoken with this man enough times now and she would only be repeating herself because he just would not listen.
"Please, just another discussion," he said. "And I will perhaps then leave you alone."
"Fine!" she exclaimed, anything to put an end to this farce. "Mr Blair, do you have a room free?"
"My library," Mr Blair replied. "Will you be safe with him?"
"Of course," she replied. She stood up. "Lord Treswick?"
He nodded with satisfaction and followed her out of the room.
"I knew that you would yield to me," Lord Treswick said as they walked into Mr Blair's library.
"I can assure you that I am not 'yielding' to you," she said. "I simply want to speak with you alone in the hope that you will finally realise what I am saying. I do not want to marry you. I do not want anything to do with you."
"I know," he said to her surprise. "However, you have no opinion in the matter so I do not care whether you actually want to or not."
"I have no opinion in the matter?" she cried. "I rather think I hold the main opinion in the matter."
"You are a woman so you have n-" he began but she cut him off.
"Do not even dare say I have no opinion just because I am a woman!" she exclaimed. "I cannot believe you really think that to be so!"
"Oh, in the matter of bows and bonnets I agree that you do have the right to a preference," he shrugged, enjoying annoying her. "But in this matter? Ha!"
"Oh!" she cried. "I cannot stand this any longer! Why are you being like this?"
"Because you said 'no' to me!" he replied. "I will have my own way. I do not care about the nature of the matter in hand. I just refused to be rejected."
"That is why?" she said. She could not believe this. It was not as if he even liked her. He was more bothered about the fact he was declined. His behaviour might have been tolerable if it was because he felt passion towards her. "You do not feel anything for me?"
"Ha! I find you highly disagreeable, Lady Camilla," he told her harshly. "Perhaps at the beginning I found you charming but that soon went when I realised that you were a complete shrew."
"Really?" she exclaimed. "Then why do you continue in this silly charade if I am so disagreeable. Why are we having endless conversations about the same matter?"
"I am not going to admit defeat," he told her.
"I rather wish that you would," she countered. "This is beyond all tedium now."
"What do I need to do for you to accept?" he tried again. "I can promise you that once you are my wife I will leave you alone. All that you will need to do is provide an heir and occasionally act like a loving wife in public."
"I see," she said. "So rather than being with somebody that I love and be loved in return I can instead enter into pointless pretence with a man I hate. Are you entirely obtuse?"
"You will be provided with endless pocket money," he shrugged again. She found that particular motion was becoming extremely irritating. "You can lead your own life and you will be mistress of properties in England and Ireland. How can you object?"
"Quite easily," she informed him. "As I have frequently shown you. I do not want that as my life. Move on, Lord Treswick. You are wasting your time with me."
"I will even allow you to see Mr Blair," he suddenly said. He was not thinking straight any more. The only thought that filled his mind was that of how he would be forever tainted by a refused proposal, especially by one of the Cresthope sisters. He remembered what Augusta told him. What if he could not land a prestigious wife? He needed to attain a high status in society.
She looked at him in disgust. "I am even less likely to marry you after hearing that. What sort of woman do you think I am?"
"I did not mean it," he hastened to say.
"Yes you did!" she exclaimed. "I suggest you cease speaking lest you cause yourself further embarrassment."
"You are causing me embarrassment!" he told her. "You reject me in front of all society."
"That is all your own doing," she said. "I made my feelings very clear at the beginning. It was your own fault that you continued to pursue me. Good day, Lord Treswick."
She tried to talk to the door but he grabbed her arm. "Stay here! I am not finished with you."
She shook him off with a glare. "Excuse me?" She carried on towards the door, unwilling to continue any further. He followed her. "You, sir, are contemptible!" she cried as she walked to join the others.
"And you will rue your rejection of me," he replied as he came behind her. "As a member of a family such as yours you should be grateful that a man of standing is even considering marrying you. You are not exactly untainted. Remember your previous engagement! I have heard all about it. You are damaged goods."
Camilla looked shocked at his words. Unfortunately for Lord Treswick she had just opened the door to the room in which the others were waiting for her. They heard every word. They also looked shocked.
"Nicholas!" Augusta exclaimed. She had told him about Camilla's previous engagement in full confidence.
George stood. "Lord T-Treswick, I d-demand that you t-take back those words," he stated purposefully.
"Or what?" Lord Treswick said.
"Or I-I w-will have t-to avenge her honour," George replied.
Lord Treswick looked at him with disbelief. "Pardon?"
Frank placed his head in his hands and groaned. He had an awful feeling about what was coming next.
"And ch-challenge you t-to a d-duel," George finished.
"George!" his brother exclaimed as Lucy's eyes widened. Camilla clasped a hand to her mouth in alarm. She certainly did not expect this. The only person that currently did not look completely stunned was George but that was only because his brain had not yet caught up with his mouth.
"Are you serious?" Lord Treswick asked.
"Y-You offended her," George replied. "S-So I must r-remedy that offence."
"Very well then," Lord Treswick said. He had no objections to a duel. Sure, it was not legal by any stretch of the imagination but it was common enough and he was not afraid of George Blair. The other man would be easy to defeat. He doubted that Mr Blair knew one end of a pistol from the other. "Dawn, tomorrow. I will find us a set of pistols."
The implications of his words were starting to permeate George's mind but he realised that he could not withdraw now. "Y-Yes."
"You are just as silly as she is," Lord Treswick said. "Come on, Augusta, we are done here." He bowed to Mr Oliver Blair but did not wait to be shown out.
Once he was gone all eyes looked to George.
"George," his brother said again. "Did you just…?" he trailed off, scarcely believing this new state of affairs.
George did not say anything. Indeed, he was once again speechless. He could not believe that he had just challenged Lord Treswick to a duel. "Excuse m-me!" he said then fled from the room. Oliver put a hand up to stop Camilla from following him.
"I will be his second," Frank said as a way to break the silence. "I will not allow a man of the cloth to do such a role."
"Thank you, Mr Morris," Oliver said, his attention only partly on Frank. "I cannot believe… Did that really happen?"
"Oh dear!" Camilla exclaimed. "I cannot believe that it has come to this! I am sorry, Mr Blair."
"It is not your fault, Lady Camilla," Oliver assured her. "George has simply chosen the wrong moment to be impetuous. I will go and talk to him." He took his leave and went.
"Oh Camilla," Lucy said. "What will we do?"
"I do not know," she said. "But I am very afraid that Lord Treswick will kill him!" She was so pale with shock that Lucy hugged her and refused to let go.
Muah-haha! ;)