Chapter Twelve

I woke, feeling very disorientated. At first, I felt that I should be at home in Hammersmith. Then memories returned to me, thinking I was in the Bennett home. Only when I looked up to find George asleep very awkwardly in an armchair did I remember where I was.

I watched him sleep and smiled. He looked so handsome in his sleep, not that he didn't when he was awake. However, I felt guilty that he was asleep so awkwardly, it must be very uncomfortable for him and here I was stealing the bed that he was rightfully paying for.

I continued to watch him with thoughts of my feelings for him running through my head. I was so distracted by these thoughts that I did not realise that he had awakened and was smiling at me with a look on his face that once again I could no identify.

He got up out of the chair and made me feel even guiltier as he winced as he moved his neck. It was obviously sore as he had slept with it in an uncomfortable position. He grinned as he saw the look of concern on my face. He silently went over to the dresser and pulled out a stunning dress for me to wear. I looked at him very confused. If he had had a dress all along then why hadn't he just given it to Manda, rather than having to go to the rouble of buying her a dress?

George clearly saw the question in my face and quickly explained. 'I wanted you to have this dress. I haven't been able to get you out of my head. I saw this dress in the shop window the other day and knew that it would look stunning on you. This dress is for you alone. Please accept it, along with my apology about the fishmonger tale' he had walked closer to me as he was talking and stroked my cheek. I couldn't help but lean into his hand as his rough fingers caressed by cheek.

'Ok' I whispered.

'I'll go fetch us some breakfast while you get changed' he said quietly and gently leant down to brush his lips gently against my cheek. He then pulled back and strode quickly out of the door but not before he turned back to me and shot me another heart-warming smile. This man was quickly wearing down all of my defences.

I quickly got changed and found that I loved the dress. It was beautiful but I am also sure that it had something to do with it being a gift from George. He re-entered the room and stopped for a second when he saw me, just gazing at me proudly at me wearing his dress. He then seemed to manage to shake himself out of his trance and gave me some fruit that he had managed to acquire for out breakfast.

The rest of the day we walked about town. Anyone would most likely have mistaken us for a couple due to the looks we kept sending each other when we thought that the other was not looking. We talked about various things; nothing in particular and I found it remarkable that I felt this comfortable with him. I felt that I could tell him anything and that we would never run out of things to talk about. The conversation eventually fell on the subject of Jane and Collins.

'She is not supposed to marry Collins, she is supposed to marry Bingley' I ranted.

'So you keep saying, yet this is not what has happened. You say the most odd things sometimes' George said, giving me a curious look.

I'm not entirely sure why I did it. I trusted him, even though a part of me was telling me that I shouldn't trust him with this yet. I told him about how Manda and me arrived in this world; I told him everything, even about Pride and Prejudice.

He looked at me incredulously yet he seemed to believe me. 'So this is all a fictional story?' I simply nodded. 'Then you must know my fate?'

My mind suddenly flashed to Georgiana and Lydia. My hand dropped from the crook of his arm where it had been nestled for the majority of the day. 'Yes' I whispered painfully, jealousy was flooding me and it pained me to think that if everything ended up true to the novel, then I could never be with George. 'I can't tell you that though. It would change things; not that everything hasn't changed just by me and Manda being here. Jane is supposed to marry Bingley and right now Elizabeth and Darcy are supposed to be falling in love. Everyone is supposed to live happily ever after and we've changed everything. Everything is going wrong.' Tears began to roll down my face as I realised the extent that we had interfered with everyone's happiness.

'Happily ever after?' George asked as he gently wiped away the tears from my cheeks with his thumb.

'It's a term we use back home at the end of a story when everyone has a happy ending. The characters will live happily together for the rest of their lives' I explained.

'I'm sure if fate has her way, then everything will work out for the best' he smiled, 'now; let us return to the inn'.

We dined and then returned to the room. 'I had a lovely day George. Thank you.' I smiled.

'I love it when you say my name' he whispered and placed a kiss upon my forehead. 'You take the bed and I shall retire to the armchair.'

'I feel bad. I know that your neck has been troubling you all evening, don't even try to deny it. You take the bed and I shall take the armchair' I said finally and then quickly withdrew into the bathroom to change into my night clothes.

I returned to find George had removed his shirt and I blushed at the sight of his chest. I had seen many guys in the modern day without a shirt but this seemed different. I moved past him to head towards the armchair, when he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back against his bare chest.

'We are both too stubborn to allow the other to sleep uncomfortably in an armchair. The only solutions that we are presented with are to both share the armchair, or both share the bed. Now, I think that we would both be more comfortable in the bed. There is plenty of room and I am a gentleman of honour, I promise you that I would not touch you'

'Fine but I'm not sure I like this' I said reluctantly.

'Fine but I think you are lying in that respect' George whispered back and smirked when I blushed as I could not deny the truth in what he had said. When I was close to George I felt safe and could think of nothing better than spending the night close to him.

We both climbed into the bed but remained a safe distance from each other. I knew that if I got closer to him then I would not be able to resist kissing him. I needed to keep my head straight. I rolled over so that my back was to him and closed my eyes so that I could try to clear my thoughts and get some sleep.

I heard George sigh and settle back into the pillow. 'Goodnight love' he whispered quietly and I had no idea if I was supposed to hear that or if he thought I was asleep. Great, now I would never get to sleep.