Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (25 page)

“
Then, after this evening
and Lady Sandlin’s apparent distress, I thought over your losses.”
He paused, looked at the group of men. “Is it possible, Lord
Sandlin, that somebody doesn’t want your wives to live?”

“
I am afraid you are
right,” If the doctor, a learned man of medicine, was beginning to
believe they may not have been all accidents, perhaps he wasn’t far
off. This meant he had to form a new plan. He paced the room
thinking of different scenarios to keep Phoebe safe as well as
reveal the culprit desperate enough to kill twice already and
willing to kill a third. An idea finally came to him. The key was
to keep the attention away from Phoebe, in seclusion and safe.
“Doctor, could you do me a favor?”

“
Of course, Lord
Sandlin.”

“
Could you let the word
slip out that my wife has lost the child.”

“
I am not supposed to
discuss my patients.” The doctor became indignant.

Taylor gave him a half smile. “I know
you are not, but in this case it is important that you do. If
someone is trying to kill my wife or child, I would like to make
them believe they have at least succeeded in part. It will give me
more time to investigate.”

The light dawned in the doctor’s eyes.
“Of course, Lord Sandlin. I will selectively repeat the
sorrow.”

A few minutes later a soft knock came
at the door and Holly entered. “Here is the food you requested,
doctor.” She handed a cloth to the man.

Taylor watched
suspiciously.

“
This is what is left of
your wife’s dinner. The meal she was eating before the pains began.
I had requested her maid wrap it up for me so I might examine the
contents.”

“
Do you think someone
deliberately put something in her dinner?” Martin asked.

“
It is the only possible
answer. It was all she had eaten since earlier in the
morning.”

“
Let me know what you
learn.” Taylor escorted the doctor out of the house.

Phoebe slowly opened her eyes to
Taylor standing by her bed and looking down at her. She tried to
give him a reassuring smile but failed miserably as tears began to
form. Taylor sat immediately, pulled her into his arms and rocked
her as she sobbed. “Hush, Phoebe. All is well. You are fine, as is
the babe.”

“
I was so
scared.”

“
I know.”

“
Why would anyone do such
a thing?” Phoebe cried, tears coming again, truly afraid for the
first time in her life.

“
That is what I am trying
to determine.” He laid her back against her pillows, then crawled
onto the bed and pulled her into his arms to offer protective
comfort.

Eventually she fell asleep in that
haven.

It wasn’t until she was in deep
slumber that he remembered his friends waited downstairs. He would
need their help in finding the man, or men, who was behind all of
the accidents.

Without proof he knew one of his three
cousins was behind the deaths and attempts on Phoebe. They are the
ones who would gain the estate and wealth and as long as there was
no heir, Boris would inherit the title. But, nobody knew who would
get the rest if he continued to live without wife and
heir.

Though he tried to think of any other
enemies he may have made over the years, none came to mind.
Besides, his gut told him it was a relative and he assumed it was
Boris, but the other two could not be dismissed either.

Further evidence was a missing maid
and stable hand, husband and wife, who had joined the household
shortly after he inherited the title and married Nora.
Unfortunately, the two had disappeared without a trace and Taylor
wondered if the needles had been intentionally left in the saddle
and the horse given poison as well. It also brought into question
Nora’s fall.

With no clear answers, Taylor believed
his worst nightmare was coming to life.

*

Phoebe was recovering and her body
exhibited no signs of danger to the child. It was time to leave
again and put his plan into motion, but he hated leaving
her.

“
I don’t want to leave
you,” Taylor insisted once again. “How can I protect you while in
London and you remain here.”

“
I could join you?” Phoebe
offered for the tenth time.

“
You know as well as I do
that the doctor doesn’t think it wise for you to travel so soon.”
He lifted his hand brushed the hair away and cradled her cheek. “I
don’t want to risk harm coming to you or our child.”

Tears pooled in her eyes, but Phoebe
nodded her acquiesce. “I will be careful if you promise to do the
same.”

Holding her close, they fell asleep
the night before he was to leave. Once again he found himself in
Heather’s garden. Waves of relief flowed through him. She would
have the answers.

“
Heather. Thank you for
coming.”

“
I wanted to assure you
that Phoebe and your son are healthy.”

“
Thank you.” A feeling of
great dread lifted from him.

“
For the moment they are
both safe and you need to proceed.”

“
You know of my
plans?”

“
You will find your
answers with deception.”

“
That is what we hope
for,” Taylor sighed with relief.

“
You should seek my
father’s help.”

“
How can I ask that when I
failed to save you?”

“
He will understand. Send
word to him. See him before you leave.” Then she was gone. Taylor
tried to remain in the garden, willing her to return but all his
efforts failed and he woke as the sun was rising. He slipped from
the bed and walked down to the library where he penned a note to
Lord Caruthers. He hoped Heather was correct.

Lord Caruthers arrived within half an
hour. It was not possible the man could have responded so quickly.
Taylor rose as he entered the library and both took a seat.
Heather’s father seemed much disturbed.

“
The oddest thing has
occurred and I needed to see you immediately.” He rose from his
seat and began to pace. “Heather visited me in a dream last night
and begged me to help you.”

So he wasn’t the only one with these
dreams. Perhaps he wasn’t losing his mind, after all. If Lord
Caruthers had been visited, maybe she was trying to help from the
grave. That in itself was a bit disturbing, yet strangely
comforting.

“
She asked that I help
you, but wouldn’t explain. She also said her death was not an
accident and begged me not to blame you.” He stopped and turned
toward Taylor. “Am I going mad?”

What could he say to the man? No, he
wasn’t going mad. Or possibly, yes he was and Taylor along with
him. Either way, the man deserved an explanation. If Heather
trusted him enough to send him here, then he deserved the entire
truth.

“
Lord Caruthers, please
have a seat and I’ll request some coffee. There are some things you
deserve to know. Things I have just recently become aware of
myself.”

Reluctantly the man sat and waited for
the coffee to be delivered. Once they were comfortable again,
Taylor proceeded to tell the man all that he knew and believed.
“Truthfully sir, had I known what I believe now while your daughter
was alive, I would have never left her side.”

“
Oh, I am sure you would
have protected her with your life,” Lord Caruthers assured Taylor.
Not that it lessened his guilt. “But, now, Phoebe is in danger as
well, and you need to find the responsible party.”

“
That is my plan, sir.” He
sipped his coffee and thought about how much he should tell Lord
Caruthers. Perhaps he could be able to help, if only to keep an eye
on his wife. “In fact, I do have a plan if you would care to hear
it.”

“
Of course.” Lord
Caruthers sat up, much intrigued.

Taylor laid out the entire plan to
him.

“
It might just work. I’ll
stay close by and visit often.”

For that, Taylor was immensely
grateful; though he had no doubt Noah would be a frequent visitor
as well.

“
Have you thought about
sending her to her mother’s?” Lord Caruthers asked.

Taylor just looked at him. The thought
had never crossed his mind.

“
It would possibly add to
your ruse if she no longer resided under your roof. And, it could
be safer.”

He was right, Taylor agreed, after
thinking about it a few minutes more. The danger to his wives came
from his own household. Could he trust any that remained. He knew
he should be able to, at least those who had been here before the
will became an issue, but what of the others. At least Phoebe knew
all of their servants and he didn’t believe there were any new
additions, though he would need to check first. And, Noah was in
residence most of the time. He would protect her when Taylor could
not. “Thank you for the suggestion. I believe you are
correct.”

“
Just be careful, Taylor.”
Lord Caruthers stood. “Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to
visit my daughter’s garden.”

*

For anyone watching, Taylor appeared
well into his cups and angry as sin. Acquaintances avoided him and
his closer friends, though sitting with him, were careful to keep
their distance. Word had been whispered that Taylor’s wife lost the
child she was carrying and Sandlin had not taken it well. This
really wasn’t such a surprise given the necessity of that heir.
There was still plenty of time for her to have a child before the
deadline.

The anger came from the rumor she
refused to let him back in her bed. Apparently, Lady Sandlin wasn’t
ready to produce the required heir and go through all of that
sickness again and thought she had a few months left before being
forced into doing what was necessary.

The proprietors of Whites looked on
Taylor with sympathy, as he hoped they would. After all, he was a
man about to lose everything and would shortly be turned away from
polite society, reduced to nothing.

Entering Whites, Noah walked directly
to Taylor and stood over him.

Taylor raised his eyes to his friend,
trying to fill them with the hate he felt for the man who had
murdered his wives and tried to kill Phoebe. “Get away from me,”
Taylor growled.

“
Not until you cease this
talk about my sister.”

“
I’ve only told the truth
when asked.
I
have done nothing wrong. Your sister,” Taylor spit out the
words, “on the other hand, has set out to ruin me.”

“
So you intend to make her
pay?”

“
Why not? I am going to
unless she does her duty.”

“
What do you intend to
do?” Noah asked, fists clenched at his side.

Taylor gave him a cold smile. “Well, I
am not going to let her renege on her vows if that is what you are
asking. She has an obligation, as you well know, and she will do
her duty.”

“
I didn’t want to believe
it when Phoebe admitted she was afraid. Now I see that she may have
cause.”

“
Is she claiming I abuse
her?” Taylor demanded. He hadn’t planned on Noah making him a
villain but what harm could it do? Why should Phoebe be the only
one in the wrong?

“
Not in so many words, but
the implications are certainly there.”

“
Regardless, there isn’t
much you can do about it now, is there? After all, I am her husband
and have my rights. Whereas you gave up your control of her the day
you released her to my care.”

“
Something I will regret
until my dying day,” Noah muttered as he stormed from the
club.

Taylor watched him go, then fell back
into his seat and picked up his glass once again. He looked around
over the rim and noted most of the patrons watched them. They could
not have missed the confrontation. With a lazy, half-drunk grin, he
raised his glass in a toast and proceeded to drain it. It had gone
well. He had half a mind to place a bet in the book that there
would be bets on the morrow about what had happened between him and
Phoebe.

Perhaps he should watch the book.
Maybe the bets made as a result of this evening would reveal some
clues.

*

Phoebe was expecting Noah’s arrival.
She had spent the morning reading the article over and over of her
brother and husband’s meeting. The writer had alluded that she had
committed a great sin against her husband, but not the exact sin.
She already knew the story being sent about. What had surprised her
was to learn she feared her husband. In privacy, she laughed at the
impossibility. It was now time to leave her husband’s estate and
return to her former home.

She heard the door bang open and left
the parlor to greet Noah. If she did not know better, she would
have believed he was furious.

“
You are packing and
leaving this house immediately.”

“
Noah, I cannot. Surely
you know that as well as I.”

“
You can and you will.
Furthermore, I am going to see what can be done about an annulment
from that man you unfortunately married.” He took her arm and
escorted her up the stairs and deposited her in her room. “I am
going to find your maid.” He left, slamming the door behind
him.