Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (23 page)

“
Moral

Young children, as we
clearly see,

Pretty girls,
especially,

Innocent of all life’s
dangers,

Shouldn’t stop and chat
with strangers,

If this simple advise beats
them,

It’s no surprise if a wolf
eats them,

And this warning take, I
beg:

Not every wolf runs on four
legs.

The smooth tongue of a
smooth-skinned creature

May mask a rough and
wolfish nature.

These quiet types, for all
their charm,

Can be the cause of the
worse harm.”

Noah put the book back into the
basket. “I can certainly see why you would feel Phoebe resembles
that young woman.” He continued to chuckle as they exited the
townhouse.

*

The ball was the most well attended
they had been to all Season. Costumes of various colors and types
filled the room. Phoebe stood at the side speaking with the friends
she had made this Season. On the other side of the room, Taylor
stood with Noah, Chambers, Parker, Sir Lavins and Martin while they
had a good laugh at Phoebe’s costume and remembered the different
wolves Taylor had saved her from.

“
It appears you and Phoebe
are not the only ones who borrowed from Perrault’s book.” Chambers
gestured to the door. They all turned to look at the tall man, with
broad shoulders and dark hair. He wore a long shaggy black beard
with glints of blue.

“
I don’t recall that
particular character,” Taylor acknowledged.

“
Did you read the entire
book?” Noah asked.

“
No. Phoebe had been
reading it to me, but there were a few she didn’t share.” Taylor
shrugged. It hadn’t really mattered to him one way or the other as
it was Phoebe who had gotten the enjoyment from the tales. He just
enjoyed listening to her.

Noah and Chambers shared a look.
Taylor was about to question them when a voice approached from
behind.

“
Lord Sandlin, I hear
congratulations are in order young man.”

So, he had finally returned. Heather’s
father had been traveling when she died. The two had corresponded
occasionally since, but the man had not been able to return to
England. Taylor dreaded facing him, feeling like he had let the man
down. Slowly he turned. “Lord Caruthers.” Taylor inclined his head.
Their friends, knowing this was a first meeting since the death,
retreated to other areas of the ballroom.

“
You have married a lovely
woman, again.” The man appeared more at ease than
Taylor.

“
Yes, she is.” What does
one say to the father of a dead wife?

“
You don’t have to be so
ill at ease, son. I couldn’t expect you to stay in mourning
forever.” The man smiled encouragingly. “I am well aware of the
pressure you are under.”

“
I am glad you understand,
sir.” Taylor was getting warm. Why did he feel so guilty for having
married again? He had truly cared for Heather and had a great
fondness for her father.

“
Let’s find someplace we
can talk alone.”

Taylor followed Lord Caruthers out
onto the balcony.

“
You needn’t feel guilty
for moving on with your life. I know you cared for my daughter and
perhaps loved her.”

“
I did, sir.” Taylor’s
tension eased.

“
I also know she was very
happy with you and ecstatic over the fact she was going to have a
child. You are still young and have a duty to your family and
title.”

“
You don’t blame me then?”
Taylor had to finally ask

“
Blame? No, how could I?
It was an accident. A very unfortunate one.”

“
Thank you,
sir.”

“
This is where you have
gone off to,” Phoebe exclaimed from the door. Taylor would like her
to leave. He was just coming to terms with Heather’s father and
didn’t welcome flaunting his new wife in front of the man. Despite
his secret wishes, Phoebe glided towards them, a bright smile on
her lips.

“
I assume this is Lady
Sandlin.” Heather’s father bowed.

“
Yes, sir. May I introduce
Phoebe Qualls, my wife. Phoebe, this is Lord Caruthers.”

“
It is a pleasure to meet
you, Lady Sandlin.”

“
And you, Lord
Caruthers.”

“
She is as dark as my
daughter was fair.” The man smiled warmly at Phoebe.

“
Your daughter,
sir?”

“
My daughter was the late
Lady Sandlin.”

The smile froze on her
face.

“
Lord Caruthers is
Heather’s father.”

Phoebe’s face was transformed into
sympathy the minute she heard the name. “I am so sorry for your
loss, Lord Caruthers. Taylor has spoken quite fondly and lovingly
of your daughter. I wish I would have had a chance to meet
her.”

The man’s eyes softened. “I believe
she would have liked to have met you as well.” Then he turned
toward Taylor. “You have chosen well, young man. I think Heather
would have approved.”

“
I would like to think
that, sir. Thank you.”

“
I stopped by your estate
on my way to town, but didn’t see my daughter’s grave with your
other wife.”

“
No, sir. She is not
buried there. She is in her garden.”

The man’s eyes softened. “I should
have realized.”

“
Lord Caruthers, we will
be leaving for the country in a few days. Please come by anytime
you wish to visit your daughter’s grave or to simply visit.” She
had reached out and grasped his hand.

“
Thank you, my dear.” He
straightened. “Now, I must be returning to the ball.”

Taylor was grateful to her beyond
words. He should have known Phoebe would make him feel welcome in
their home.

“
Heather had a garden?”
Her voice intruded on his thoughts.

“
Yes. I haven’t returned
since I buried her.”

“
It is on the estate
then?”

“
Yes, further away from
the formal gardens, more of a hidden, wild paradise she
cultivated.”

“
You do still have the
gardener’s tend it, don’t you?”

Taylor was almost shocked by her
accusing tone. “Of course. I just haven’t returned myself.” He
shouldn’t have been surprised that Phoebe would want the garden
kept up.

*

Taylor was dancing with Janine when
screams came from the far wall. Flames licked the curtains in the
very spot he had left Phoebe standing. He broke away from Janine
and dashed across the room, pushing guests out of his way until he
found her. Phoebe lay on the floor with Parker hovering over her.
He was pressing his jacket to the back of her legs.

The blood drained from his face as he
focused on his wife.

Parker lifted his coat and revealed
the lower portion of Phoebe’s dress, burned. The cape had been
tossed to the side, still smoldering. He rushed to her side and
knelt down.

She smiled up at him.

Only Phoebe would smile when she had
been injured.

He looked up and the flames continued
to climb the curtains, yet they couldn’t be ripped down and
extinguished until she was moved. “I need to get you out of here. I
know it is going to hurt and I am sorry.”

“
That is okay,” she
mumbled and Taylor feared she was about to go into
shock.

He carefully rolled her over and
lifted her in his arms, supporting her behind the knees, careful
not to touch her burned calves, and carried her from the ball. He
passed Dr. Tompkins on his way and asked the man to join him at his
townhouse.

The ball was forgotten as Taylor held
Phoebe on his lap in the carriage. “How did this happen?” He asked
when they were half way home, when his voice no longer betrayed his
emotions.

“
I am not sure.” Her voice
was low. “I was standing where you left me, speaking with Lady
Bettina, when someone knocked over some candles. My cape caught
fire before anything. Parker tore the cape from me, then threw me
on the ground. Apparently I was on fire.” She gave him half a smile
that didn’t reach her eyes. She had to be in tremendous
pain.

“
You could have been
killed,” his voice choked.

“
I wasn’t.” She lifted a
hand to touch his face. “Taylor. Accidents happen. They often
happen to me. I will survive.”

He grasped her hand and squeezed and
once again found himself praying for her life.

Once the doctor had attended Phoebe
and left her sleeping, he assured Taylor that though she had burns
to the lower portion of her legs, it was unlikely there would be
any scarring. However, she would be very uncomfortable for a few
days and should rest. He gave instructions to Holly on changing the
bandages and applying the ointment. Taylor was just walking back
down the stairs from checking on his wife when the butler opened
the door, allowing Taylor’s friends to enter. Without a word
spoken, the six men adjourned to his library, where they closed the
door and poured drinks.

“
Have you learned what
happened?” Taylor asked.

“
The candles were knocked
over and Phoebe’s cape caught fire,” Parker offered.

“
There is
more?”

“
We have suspicions,”
Martin began.

Taylor’s blood chilled and he wondered
if he were caught in a nightmare, one visited too often. “Go
on.”

“
We asked around, to find
out who was near Phoebe and the candles at the time,” Lavins
offered. “Apparently, the only person she was speaking to was Lady
Bettina.”

“
So?”

“
The other person in close
proximity to Phoebe and the candles was the person dressed as
Bluebeard.”

“
Who was he?”

“
Nobody knows.”

“
Why is this significant?
Do you think he intentionally knocked over the candles?” Taylor
didn’t want to believe such a thing, though it wouldn’t be the
first time he had wondered if someone was intentionally harming,
no, killing his wives.

Noah pulled at his cravat. “Perhaps I
am becoming as paranoid as you, but do you know the story of
Bluebeard?”

“
No. It was in the book
Phoebe read, correct?”

“
Yes, and I know very well
why she didn’t share that particular tale with you. Given the
circumstances of tonight, I think you should hear the
story.”

“
Go on.”

“
Bluebeard had lots of
wives, and bad luck as well, as they all died.” The hair rose on
the back of Taylor’s neck with Noah’s words.

“
Then he married a last
time, instructing his wife that she could go anywhere in the castle
she wished, except one room, for which she had a key. While he was
away, her curiosity got the better of her and she unlocked the door
and found all of Bluebeard’s wives, dead, apparently murdered and
kept in the room.”

Taylor sat in silence for a few
minutes while he absorbed the tale. No wonder Phoebe hadn’t read
the story to him. “But I didn’t kill my other wives.”

“
We know that, but all of
us wonder if tonight was an accident, or if the carriage was,
or…”

“
Or a drowning or a throw
from a horse,” Taylor finished for him.

“
Perhaps it is all a
coincidence,” Martin offered.

“
Do you believe that?”
Taylor’s eyes met his friend’s.

“
I am not so sure
anymore,” Martin’s voice was almost hushed.

“
Find out what you can,”
he ordered as he stood to leave the room. “I am taking my wife to
the safety of the country as soon as she is well enough to travel.
Also, find out what my cousins have been up to. They are the only
ones with anything to gain if I don’t meet the stipulations.” He
left the study, slamming the door behind him.

They had been back in the country two
weeks, and when Phoebe was able to finally move about, she needed
to be out of the house. It was a warm day and they sat by the lake
enjoying a quiet picnic when she finally decided to tell Taylor.
She dreaded telling him, afraid he would become overprotective,
given his past history. As it was, he didn’t leave her side now, so
how much more protective could he become? If she didn’t say
something soon, he would figure it out for himself.

“
Taylor, I have something
I think I should tell you,” Phoebe began, looking at her hands. She
was thrilled with the news, but would it bring up sad memories for
him? He wanted a child. No, needed an heir. But would he be
happy?

“
Yes?”

“
I believe I am carrying
your child.” She quickly looked at him before going back to
studying her hands.

“
Why do you believe
that?”

Phoebe’s face heated all the way to
the roots of her hair. “I have my reasons which are much too
personal to discuss.”