Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (12 page)

“
Not a word. She returned
and played a game. But, she did keep watching the door. I believe
she was waiting for you.” Noah gave a small smile.

“
Then nobody knows.”
Taylor dismissed the entire situation.

“
You were lucky this time.
I won’t ask what you did with my sister in a dark garden for three
hours.” His statement brought Taylor up short, offended Noah would
think anything occurred to be concerned with.

“
Calm down. I believed
Phoebe when she said you talked. I also rely on your honor as a
friend.”

“
Thank you for your
confidence,” Taylor bit out. If only Noah knew his thoughts he
would be called out immediately.

“
People are beginning to
talk.”

“
There has been talk for
some time,” Taylor dismissed again.

“
So far the
ton
finds it
entertaining when Phoebe ends up in questionable circumstances and
you always appear in the nick of time to rescue her.”

“
I know. I have heard
it.”

“
There are even
bets.”

“
Yes, I know.”

“
Had anyone seen you
tonight, the situation would no longer be humorous.” A warning edge
came to Noah’s voice.

Taylor shot up and began pacing.
“Don’t you think I know that? Why am I the one who is always there?
Don’t you think I know the repercussions of tonight? It would have
been just as damaging had I left the garden with her. You know that
as well as I do. My only choice was to wait.”

“
I know. I meant no
offense.”

Taylor could tell he didn’t and calmed
considerably as he refilled his glass. Sitting back down, he
decided not to wait until after the party. “I am leaving London
after the weekend.”

“
What? Why?”

“
I need to find a wife.
You know the reasons as well as I. My connection to Phoebe has made
it more than difficult.” He took another drink and waited for a
reaction. He didn’t get one, as Noah continued to stare into the
fire slowly burning down. “That is not it alone. I will never find
a wife here. You know that. Everyone is afraid my third wife will
end up like the others.”

“
I know. I am sorry for
that,” Noah finally offered with sadness.

For an instant Taylor considered
broaching the subject of Phoebe, but decided not to press Noah any
further. The friendship was on shaky ground this evening. If he
offered for Phoebe, Noah would no longer trust him, and they had a
long weekend to get through yet.

“
I am sure Parker or
Chambers can step in for the rest of the Season.”

Noah looked up at him. Confusion
marred his brows.

“
I want you to know I have
used the best judgment with your sister, but she makes it damn
hard.”

“
I know you have. She is a
reckless girl.” Noah relaxed back in the chair, weariness showed in
his eyes.

“
Perhaps you should just
marry her off.” Taylor waited for a reaction. It didn’t hurt to
test the situation just a bit.

“
I have thought about it.
Heaven knows I have received plenty of offers, but the only person
she seems to like is you.”

“
No, there is
another.”

“
Who? She hasn’t mentioned
anyone to me.”

“
She didn’t give a name.
She only said it was someone she couldn’t have. I have no clue who
she meant.”

Noah studied him, head cocked as if
thinking through something.

“
Do you know who she
meant?” Taylor would like to know the name so he could have a talk
with the gentlemen. Then again, perhaps not. It all depended on who
the man was.

Noah shook his head and turned away.
“No, she has not confided in me.”

He placed his glass on the sideboard.
“Well, we won’t find the answer tonight.” He turned to Taylor, his
hands on his hips. “I don’t suppose another lecture would
help.”

Taylor rose, chuckling. “I seriously
doubt it.”

“
Good night then.” Noah
let himself out, leaving Taylor to finish his drink in peace.
Unfortunately, Taylor never found peace. What had Noah said? “The
only person she seems to like is you.” Phoebe had said the same
thing. But she only saw him that way because he was not a
threat.

What a mess. Perhaps he should just
leave tomorrow and let someone else watch over her. Even as he
thought the words, he knew he wouldn’t leave until after the
weekend. Whoever thought this would be a safe environment for
Phoebe?

*

Phoebe had tossed and turned a good
portion of the night. When she finally woke, dressed and made her
way downstairs, the others had already gathered. Taking the stairs
slowly, not wishing to put much weight on her ankle, she finally
entered the drawing room and made her way to the closest
chair.

“
My goodness. You are
limping, dear. What happened?” Mrs. Patterson asked from across the
room.

Noah, who had his back to the room,
studied the scenery out the window. Taylor leaned on the fireplace
mantel and showed only mild interest.

“
Oh it is nothing. I just
turned it last night,” she answered and looked away to speak with
Janine.

“
How did that happen,
dear?” Mrs. Patterson wouldn’t let the matter drop when she knew
very well what had occurred.

Phoebe looked up at her and wondered
if a lie would suffice or if she should simply state the truth. She
decided on something in the middle. “I went for a short walk before
retiring and must have stepped wrong.”

Phoebe held her breath and
waited.

“
You don’t mean to tell me
you were taking a walk, alone, in the dark?” Mrs. Patterson
persisted.

“
Would you have preferred
I was with someone?” Phoebe retorted. “That would not have been
very proper, now would it?”

“
Anyone could have come
upon you, dear. You really need to be more careful.”

“
It is not as if we are in
London, Mrs. Patterson. We are in the country and when I left,
everyone was still in the house. I only planned to be out for a
short time, and I didn’t wander overly far.” Phoebe looked her
directly in the eye, daring her to tell what she knew.

With a quick glance at Taylor’s
speculative face, the widow must have decided not to press any
further. “Do take care, child. I would hate to see something cast a
shadow on your reputation.”

Phoebe gave her a very sweet smile. “I
will try to remember.” Did Taylor think of her as a child as well?
She wasn’t sure she wanted an answer to that question.

Seconds passed and the room began
discussing the day’s outings. Phoebe was slower to relax as she
waited for the revelation from Mrs. Patterson. It didn’t come and
by the time they left for the picnic, her accident had been
forgotten by the rest of the guests.

*

Seated on a blanket with friends,
Phoebe was kept from moving about because of her ankle. Taylor kept
his distance, enjoying himself with the other guests. Phoebe did
her best to try to ignore him, but was finding it difficult, as she
only half listened to her friend’s gossip. She was not used to
simply sitting and found her irritation growing as the day wore on.
She began to wonder if these girls could think of anything other
than gentlemen, fashions and gossip. Mildly she wondered out loud
if there were any fish worth catching in the lake only to be
rewarded with laughter from her friends, thinking she
jested.

After returning to the house, a small
group decided to take some horses out for a ride before dinner.
Phoebe was on her way to the stables when Noah stopped her. “You
aren’t riding,” he informed her sternly.

“
Why not?” She demanded,
trying to pull her arm from his grasp.

“
Think of it as punishment
for last night,” he stated for her ears only. “For one, you should
rest that ankle. For another, you need to think of the consequences
had Mrs. Patterson decided to enlighten everyone to what had really
occurred.”

“
She wouldn’t,” Phoebe
retorted as she tried to pull away from him.

“
What would stop
her?”

“
What I could say about
her.” Phoebe gave him a confident smile.

“
There you are wrong. It
was no secret to anyone that she left with Sandlin.”

Phoebe searched her brother’s face.
She could tell by his eyes that he was telling the truth and it
tore at her. Taylor had planned to seduce that woman and she would
have let him. Oh how she wished it didn’t bother her. Raising her
chin she huffed. “Then I am sorry I spoiled his evening.” She tried
to yank her arm away.

“
You are retiring to your
room. That is the end of the discussion and I suggest you don’t
make a scene.”

Phoebe fumed. But she knew he would
haul her upstairs if she didn’t go on her own and she had no desire
for further humiliation. She was facing enough of it secretly on
her own. “Very well.” Turning she limped to the house, fighting the
tears in her eyes.

From her room upstairs she watched
them ride away. The further they rode, the angrier she became. How
dare he send her to her room as if she were a child? He didn’t have
control over her, despite what he thought, and she would prove it
to him. As soon as they were far out of sight, she made her way
downstairs and to the stables. After a horse was saddled for her,
she rode off in the direction of the other riders, and then veered
off on another path as soon as she was out of sight. She wanted to
ride and be defiant. Yet she wasn’t brave enough to flaunt it in
Noah’s face.

After a long, hard ride, her anger
dissipated and she turned the horse back the direction they had
come. She still had a few hours of light left so she didn’t bother
hurrying. Besides, the horse had been run a good portion of the
trail and she had no intention of over exerting the poor
animal.

Phoebe hadn’t really thought about
much as she ran from the house. Only the need to be away and out
from under Noah’s command. Now upon reflection, with her own temper
cooled, she had to admit he was right. In retrospect, her actions
had been spontaneous and foolish. However, they never seemed that
way at the time. Even taking the horse on her own didn’t seem
foolish. She rode her own horse often alone at home. This wasn’t
home. This was someone else’s house and there were a number of
guests who would have frowned if they knew her recent actions. All
she had to do was return to the house before the others and sneak
upstairs to her room. If she didn’t make it back before them, she
would still sneak up to her room and hope the stable hands didn’t
mention her actions to Noah. Hopefully they wouldn’t know that Noah
was her guardian. If her absence was noticed, most likely they
would tell Martin or Janine, and Phoebe could only hope they would
keep silent.

Leading the horse into the woods, she
stopped at a stream. Dismounting, she allowed him to drink, while
she wandered along the bank, favoring her ankle and wishing she
were anywhere else but at this house party. The events of the night
before came flooding back to her. Why of all men did she have to
have feelings for Lord Sandlin? He didn’t even recognize that she
could be a potential wife and she had never felt so dejected. Not
that she would put her mother and sister before a gentleman; it
would still be nice if he felt for her a smidgen of what she felt
for him.

He will never see me
differently
.

It was not a pleasant thought at all.
The only action she could take would be to put Sandlin out of her
mind and return to the house. That was her firm decision as she
began walking back to her horse when a shot rang out from across
the stream. Before she could react to the noise, she felt something
tear through her upper arm and fell to the ground, striking her
head against a rock. Spooked, the horse didn’t wait for its rider,
but tore off toward the stables, leaving Phoebe alone, lying on the
ground.

Phoebe lay quiet and still, waiting
for the person who had fired the shot to appear. After several long
minutes passed, she realized whoever he or she was, had gone. As
she struggled to sit up, pain tore through her arm and head. Phoebe
looked down to inspect the damage. It actually felt worse than it
was, though the blood soaking into her sleeve certainly gave the
illusion of a serious wound. She ran her fingers over the bump just
above her temple and winced at the tenderness. She struggled to
stand and surveyed her surroundings, fighting the dizziness. Her
spontaneous, reckless streak had certainly gotten her in trouble
this time.

Phoebe had no idea how far from the
house she was nor how long it would take to walk the distance.
Taking a few steps back toward the trail she was reminded of her
ankle and groaned in irritation. Finding a long stick, she used it
as a cane, to keep as much weight off her ankle as possible. Her
other arm lay cradled across her abdomen, and she tried to move it
as little as possible. Setting her teeth, she set out for the
house, anger at herself growing with each painful step.