Stranger on the Cliff (ONC 2021)

London Calling

Tav watched Georgiana's panicky glances. She was trying to be subtle, guiding them through the crowds all whilst managing to keep her pristine white gloves free of the filth of the city. Even so, she couldn't hide the fear that was simmering.

"What is it?" Tav stopped her with a hand on her shoulder as the speed with which she was moving threatened to separate them.

She stopped but didn't respond, her face pale as she glanced over his shoulder.

"Tell me, Georgiana. Now." He tried to imbue a certain dominance in his voice, the same type that Darcy carried with ease. He wasn't sure how successful he was being, but something clicked with her, because she finally looked at him.

"'Tis something wrong," she admitted.

"Wrong? Do you think Darcy has found us?"

She shook her head and took his hand in hers, pulling him along the busy street. "A feeling only. Ignore my foolishness."

They had slipped away from Darcy with a claim to need to look at silks in a dressmaker, leaving him happily perusing the window of an antique shop while they crept out of the tradesman's entrance of the dress shop. During the journey into London, that they had completed only hours earlier, Tav had told her everything that had transpired between them the night before. She'd become positively giddy at the news, and it had prompted her to push even harder. She insisted that it still wasn't time to tell Darcy, for fear that he wouldn't understand, or, worse, that telling him would somehow prevent Tav's challenge from being successful, but she demanded they take action quickly.

So, she'd come up with the plan to slip away, leaving Darcy none the wiser, while they found Lord Greencester's uncle.

"What do you actually expect to find?" Tav asked as Georgiana dragged him along a peaceful street, lined with large villas and tall trees, her arm hooked around his elbow, apparently feeling safer now they'd left the crowds behind.

"Not sure yet. Answers, I hope."

And Tav was hopeful she knew which questions to ask, because he had no idea.

As they drew up to the house, she paused again, worry flitting over her face as she stared toward a wide tree.

"What?"

"Nothing. I- I just thought I saw something. Someone watching. But there's no one around."

She was right, there was no one other than a bustling cook much farther down the road, paying them no mind as she went about her day. Tav wasn't sure if it was Georgiana's nervous influence but he was starting to get a prickle on the back of his neck, and was thankful when she pulled him up the broad stone steps of the villa.

They were accepted into the cool, dim house with ease, and a florid older gentleman with bushy grey mutton chops came towards them, holding two hands out to take Georgiana's much smaller ones, to her clear surprise.

"Miss Darcy, what an absolute pleasure to see you again. Ah! I see you don't remember me. Of course, why would you remember such an old fuddy duddy as myself? You were very young when we met, and I was always struck by what a vivacious girl you were. I was very sorry to hear of your retirement from society."

Georgiana blushed, but Tav couldn't help himself.

"If you were aware of her, um, retirement, why the engagement?" He was careful with his wording, still not sure if the gentleman would claim to know him as his nephew.