Read Bexley-Smythe Quintet 01 - Flight of Fancy for Free Online Page B

Joshua had never gotten on very well. Joshua thought her a wiseacre who didn’t know when to remain quiet, and Georgie thought him an imbecile with a knack for troublemaking. They each had their points, though they might not see all aspects of one another. Cedric couldn’t imagine what she might wish to speak with his brother about.
    “ Oh, please, Monty!” she rushed on before he had sorted out her reasoning. “There’s a message I’m simply desperate to get to Pippa, and I’m sure Lord Harrison will deliver it to her for me.”
    With that confession, Cedric relaxed almost immediately. She didn’t want to see Joshua—just Casemore. If he took her with him, he could keep an eye on her and be certain she didn’t go off in search of Haworth, and at the same time find out what Joshua was doing in Town. He couldn’t have thought up a more perfect situation if he’d tried.
    He held out his arm for Georgie to take. “If it’s all right with your mother…”
    Georgie didn’t wait for her mother’s reaction, however. She was tugging on his elbow, as eager as an overexcited puppy.
    Cedric had to fight to keep pace with her, and all because his nerves were near the fraying point from the simple touch of her gloved fingers in the crook of his arm.
    On second thought, perhaps he was the puppy, not Georgie—a lovesick puppy on a lead, following wherever she wished him to go.
    Cedric might be in over his head this time.
     
    “ What message am I to deliver to my sister?” Harry drawled in a somewhat bedraggled, harrassed tone.
    And really, Georgie couldn’t blame him for it. There’d been numerous occasions in the past where she and her friends had used and abused his willingness to run between them, delivering silly missives from one girl to another.
    This was a far different situation, however. She glanced back over her shoulder to gauge the distance to Monty. Still too close. She couldn’t risk him overhearing their conversation, and she had little doubt that he’d try, given his recent behavior.
    Georgie shook her head slightly and indicated with her eyes a spot several feet away, near an alcove. They’d still be in full view of everyone in the foyer, so it wouldn’t be scandalous. She moved over and waited for him to accommodate her wishes.
    With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, he finally did. “Something so wicked it can’t be overheard then? Let’s be out with it, my lady.”
    “ I can’t remember the last time you called me ‘my lady,’” Georgie muttered.
    “ Nor can I, but you are a young lady in your first Season. Or have you forgotten that you’ve made your debut? You girls all seem ready and willing to throw yourselves to the wolves.”
    There wouldn’t be any wolves in the gas balloon, whenever she finally made it up in the air with Lord Haworth. Georgie thought it might be best to keep that thought to herself at the moment, though.
    She waved her hand through the air between them in a dismissive gesture. “I don’t really need you to tell Pippa anything for me. That was just a ruse to get Monty to bring me over here so I could speak with you.”
    A devilish gleam appeared in Harry’s eye. “A ruse, you say? What, pray tell, did you wish to discuss with me then?”
    She knew Harry had been her best option. He loved a good lark. Georgie fought to keep her elation from pouring forth too freely, lest she rouse his suspicions. Harry’s interest in her plans would be a boon; an excess of curiosity, however, could spell her ruin.
    “ There is a certain gentleman I wish to meet.”
    “ A certain gentleman?” Harry repeated. He narrowed his eyes and raised one eyebrow. “And which gentleman might that be?”
    The direct path was always the surest, where Pippa’s brother was involved. “Lord Haworth. Can you arrange to introduce me to him— without Monty being involved, or even aware?”
    “ So this is to be a secretive ruse.” Harry nodded slowly, placing the tip of his forefinger