“Your mother agreed to this farce?” Josiah demanded. “You cannot convince me of it. She’s always wanted an aristocratic title for you. And for Juliet. I doubt she’d have given her blessing to the Prince Regent himself!”

Georgie raised her brows and dodged the question. “I needed no one’s permission. I am of legal age to make my own decisions, especially those which concern my future happiness. In three weeks, I shall turn twenty-five.”

“You’ve lost your wits, girl! You should be sent straight to Bedlam. A sailor?” Josiah repeated incredulously. “Good God, what will the world think?”

“I haven’t the slightest intention of finding out. There’s no reason for anyone in the ton to know about my marriage. My affairs are my own, as are my wits. Besides, I doubt my husband will ever set foot in a ballroom, once he returns to these shores. We plan to retire to Lincolnshire.” She sent Josiah a sweet smile and twisted the verbal knife. “I know I can rely on your discretion, Josiah. Such an undesirable connection might reflect badly on you.”

Her cousin was as obsessed with the family’s social standing as her mother. He’d spent his entire life trying to ingratiate himself with the ton, glossing over what he saw as the family’s “shameful” background in trade. In his opinion, a fortune that had been earned was of far less merit than one that had been inherited. He would never lower himself to actually work for a living—which was good because as far as Georgie had seen, he had no discernable skills, save perhaps a talent for overindulgence. He spent his time trying to emulate his betters, lounging in gentleman’s clubs, playing cards and dice, attending prizefights, and patronizing eye-wateringly expensive tailors and boot makers he could ill afford.

“You have as much to lose as I do if word of this comes out,” she reminded him quietly.

Josiah shook his head and his lip stuck out stubbornly. “I simply don’t believe you, Georgiana. This all some ridiculous joke at my expense. But mark my words, I will discover the truth.”

Georgie shrugged. “Believe what you will, but my marriage is fact.” She gestured to the door. “That is all, Josiah. I’m sure you have plenty of other places to be. Pieter will show you out.”

As the door slammed behind him, Georgie breathed a sigh of relief. Pieter returned and gave her a meaningful glance from under his bushy brows.

“He won’t be taking your word for it, Georgie. Not when he’s been after you for so long. No man wants to think he’s been pipped to the winning post.”