Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (21 page)

“
And your second wife?”
Phoebe prompted.

The thought of Heather brought a smile
to his face. “That would be Heather, sweet Heather.”

“
At least you remember her
with some fondness,”

“
You would have liked
Heather. I met her during her first Season and her only desire was
to marry, retire to the country and have as many babes as
allowed.”

“
Much different from
Nora.”

“
As different as night and
day. We did well together. She made an excellent friend and would
have been an excellent mother.”

“
What happened?” Phoebe
was almost afraid to ask.

“
Well, in a way, she got
her wish. She conceived.”

“
Oh no.”

“
That was when she was the
happiest. We spent hours together playing chess, walking. She
enjoyed the garden the most. Heather became the best friend I ever
had and I miss that friendship more than anything else.” He turned
away and walked to the window. “One night, she was out walking
during a break in a storm that had gone on for days. Apparently she
came too close to the flooded creek and fell in. Chambers heard her
scream and went in after her but she was already gone by the time
he had pulled her from the water.”

Tears were in her eyes now. “Oh
Taylor, I am so sorry.”

“
I was too. I spent the
night cursing everything from fate to my grandfather’s will. I
believe I was drunk for weeks.”

“
You had good
reason.”

“
Yes. I did.” Then he
turned and looked at her. “Now I have you.” He paused and tried to
put his emotions into words. “I never loved the others like I love
you. I did love Heather, but in a different manner. You are my
passion and my life. If anything were to happen to you, I don’t
think I could or would want to go on.”

“
Don’t say
that.”

“
It is true. When I saw
the horse rear today, all I saw was an empty life ahead. I didn’t
think about the heirs I wouldn’t have, or losing the estates, or
anything that had prompted me to take a wife before. All I could
see was a life without you and I don’t think I could live with
it.”

*

He knew he was dreaming, but yet,
everything seemed so real. The sunlight was warm, a soft breeze was
in the air, and he stood in the center of Heather’s garden, where
they had often laughed and talked together. Looking around he saw
the roses in bloom. He had forgotten their beauty, having not
ventured here since the burial. Why was he here now? Turning, he
took in his surroundings until he saw her, standing before him, as
beautiful as the day they had married. Golden blond hair flowed
down her back, strands being caught by the wind and carried away
from her body. Her blue eyes sparkled with the love and joy she had
felt after she had conceived, and her hand, long elegant fingers
reached for him, a warm smile on her full lips.

“
You have chosen well this
time, Taylor.”

He knew she was talking of Phoebe. “I
am not sure there was much choice in the matter.”

Her laugh was musical, just as he had
remembered. “You did choose her, even if you don’t realize
it.”

He shook his head and knew she was
right. How often had he allowed himself to be pulled into
situations with Phoebe that would force his hand? “You always knew
me better than I knew myself.”

Heather smiled at Taylor with warmth
glistening in her eyes.

“
Why are you here?” Taylor
finally asked.

For a moment her smile faded, then
returned with reassurance. “You still need me. You both need
me.”

“
I don’t
understand.”

“
You love her deeply don’t
you?”

Taylor didn’t know how to answer. How
could he tell Heather how Phoebe made him feel? Guilt that he was
somehow betraying Heather began to grow.

As if reading his thoughts, she
stepped closer, placing a cool hand on his chest. “Don’t feel guilt
over loving her the way you do. She is the wife you should have
always had, and she will make you happier than anyone has ever
before.”

Taylor opened his mouth to speak,
perhaps deny, but couldn’t. Already Phoebe had made him happier
than he had been in his entire life.

“
Taylor, love her with
everything you feel. She returns the feeling more than you will
ever comprehend. You both have been given a great gift in each
other. Cherish it for all your days.”

Relief washed over him, as if he had
needed her permission first, he could now move forward. He never
realized he had been holding back a small part of
himself.

Heather pulled away and strolled among
her roses, though she didn’t stray far from him. “Her music is
beautiful, don’t you agree?”

“
Yes.”

“
Her heart is in her
music. Did you know?”

“
I have been told.” He
watched Heather, her beauty, in the garden, and loving her as he
had before, as his best friend. Yet, deeply in love with Phoebe.
She was wrong. He had been given two gifts to cherish. Phoebe and
Heather.

As if reading his thoughts, Heather
turned to him and smiled. “Thank you, Taylor. I will always love
you as well.”

“
How did you know what I
was thinking?”

“
I know you. Remember?”
She gave him an impish smile, the way she used to when she
teased.

“
Why do I still need you?”
he finally asked in a quiet voice, suddenly realizing he should be
concerned about having a conversation with his wife, who had been
dead for over a year.

Her face lost all laughter, replaced
with sadness. “There is danger.”

“
Explain,” Taylor
demanded, becoming alarmed.

“
Phoebe is in danger and
you need to protect her. I am here to warn you. I can’t tell from
where the danger comes, nor can I see where it will appear in the
future. Just know that evil wants her gone, as well as your
child.”

“
My child?”

Her face lit again with a warm smile.
“Your son. Though I shouldn’t tell you. Phoebe carries your son now
in her womb.”

“
But she hasn’t told me,”
Taylor stated, confused, they hadn’t been married very
long.

“
She doesn’t yet know
herself. Let her realize it herself, then share the happiness with
you.”

“
I will.” Taylor was
stunned that Phoebe was carrying a child and Heather already
knew.

“
For these reasons you
need to protect her and watch for danger. I will warn you, when it
is possible.”

“
Shouldn’t I be able to
spot the danger?”

“
Evil is not easy to see
until it is too late and sometimes not even then. Accidents are not
always as they seem.”

“
How so?”

“
That is all I can say for
now. Hold her close and keep her safe.”

Heather began to disappear from his
sight.

“
Wait. Don’t
go.”

“
I must. We will speak
again.” Her voice faded away, leaving Taylor alone in the garden,
feeling empty and afraid as everything darkened around
him.

His eyes flew open and looked straight
into the deep, worried emeralds that were Phoebe’s eyes. “Taylor,
are you all right?”

It took him a moment to realize he was
no longer in the safe haven of the garden with Heather, but in the
safe haven of his bed with Phoebe. Was it really safe? “Yes, I am
fine. Why do you ask?” he answered a bit incoherent.

“
Who did you want to wait
and not leave?”

She was clearly worried about him. Had
he mentioned Heather’s name out loud? What would she think of him
if he told her he had just had a pleasant conversation with his
dead wife? She would think him mad. “What do you mean?” He decided
not to confess until he had a chance to think over the
dream.

“
You shouted, almost
begged someone not to leave. Who were you dreaming of?”

His eyes narrowed as he thought it
over. She didn’t know, that was good. “I’m not sure. I feel as if
something has been left unanswered.”

“
Dreams have a way of
doing that at times. Perhaps you will recall it later.” She settled
down beside him, her head on his shoulder. Before long, Phoebe was
fast asleep again. Though Taylor wished he could return to slumber,
hoping Heather would visit him again, he remained awake,
remembering everything she had said and how she had looked. What
had caused him to dream such a dream? Either Heather had truly come
to him from beyond to give a warning, which Taylor had difficulty
believing. Or, was she a product of his imagination because of the
danger Phoebe had been in earlier today?

That was the most likely reason. His
imagination was overactive and created Heather in his dreams
because of the raw fear that had raged through him earlier. As
Heather had been the last to die, it was natural he would dream of
her. Confident he had come to terms with the strange dream, he
finally drifted off as the sun was rising.

*

Despite his best efforts throughout
the day, he could not shake the dream, nor the message. Finally in
the afternoon, while Phoebe was at her pianoforte, Taylor made his
way to the stables to check on the horse.

“
Did you learn what caused
him to rear yesterday?”

“
We are not sure, Lord
Sandlin.”

“
What do you
mean?”

“
Well,” the stable master
started and turned to a young assistant. “Bring the saddle Lady
Sandlin uses.” He turned his attention back to Taylor. “The saddle
had recently been repaired and some of the stitching tightened. We
found needles still within the saddle and we suspect when she put
her weight into the run, the needles were pushed into his
side.”

Taylor bent to examine the saddle,
seeing the short, silver points.

“
We watched him through
the night, and he was as skittish as a trapped fox.”

“
But why would he act that
way?” Taylor was having difficulty understanding why this horse, of
all horses, was acting strangely.

“
The best we can guess is
he ate something that didn’t agree with him, and added to the ride
yesterday, he just reacted poorly.” The stable master shrugged his
shoulders.

Taylor simply nodded and wondered if
it was just a few minor coincidences, or if someone had done these
things on purpose to his horse. He couldn’t allow such thoughts.
Those who worked in the stables had worked there for seven years or
more. The most recent were those he hired when he inherited the
title. Had there been a new employee, he would be concerned, but he
knew them all. No, it was just an accident that Phoebe happened to
be riding yesterday.

Accident
. The thought made Taylor’s
blood run cold. Hadn’t Heather warned him of such? Knowing he would
never know the truth, he left the stable to search out Phoebe, to
assure himself of her safety, vowing to watch her and everything
surrounding her.

*

Ever since the horse had reared,
Taylor had stayed by her side constantly whenever she left the
house. She wasn’t even allowed to take a leisurely stroll around
the grounds, without him by her side, and Phoebe began to feel
suffocated.

Seated behind the piano, her fingers
brought forth the sound of Vivaldi, the only music that conveyed
her anxiousness being held at bay and increasing from the lack of
activity and restlessness.

Her eyes drifted to look out the
window. She longed to walk and run, but she knew the minute she
left the room Taylor would be at her side in an instant. She loved
him dearly, but a little solitude outside the house would be very
welcoming.

The energy it took to play the piece
was not giving her the peace she needed. Taking her hands away, she
stood and walked to the windows, trying to come up with a way to
escape. There were few exits from the house. One was through the
ballroom, which he would note immediately. The door in the foyer
wouldn’t go unnoticed either. The doors opened up to the seating
area outside of his library. The only door she could possibly sneak
through would be from the kitchen. Should she chance the escape? He
had never told her not to leave without him. He just suddenly
appeared at her side when she was ready to leave. Taylor had
suffered a scare the other day, and she could understand his
protectiveness. But strolling the grounds, close to the house,
certainly wasn’t a reckless adventure. Her decision made, she
walked to the kitchen. As usual, though busy, the cook and her
assistants worked in a relaxed atmosphere. Phoebe had been to the
kitchens before and servants no longer jumped to their feet when
she entered a room. Thank goodness she had put a stop to that
nonsense. “Good afternoon, Lady Sandlin.” This particular
afternoon, the young assistants were peeling apples, while the cook
worked with dough for a crust.

“
The apples look
delicious,” Phoebe murmured.