Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (33 page)

She was trying to protect herself. As
much as she tried to hide it, the hurt he had caused still lingered
in her eyes. Yet, she wouldn’t address the situation directly. He
wanted to assure her that they could go back, that nothing had
happened, but he knew she wouldn’t believe him. Not at the moment.
No, he would have to find a weapon as equally useful as the one she
had just used on him. He just had to wait. “I can see you have it
all figured out. I will leave you then to think about how we are to
proceed from here.”

Taylor left the house for a ride. One
thing he knew for sure was that he wasn’t leaving. Even if he
wasn’t in her room, he wouldn’t be far away. That was the only
definitive decision he came to on his ride, still at a complete
loss on how to bring her around.

His answer arrived early that evening.
A knowing smile came to his lips as he watched Olivia step from her
carriage. Now, to make her visit work to his advantage. Taylor left
his room quickly and met her before she had taken a step toward the
house. Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her. “Play along, dear.
My marriage may very well depend on how you are
received.”

Olivia only chuckled. In the month
they had spent together, she had come to know him very well and
trusted his judgment. “Patrick is in the carriage.”

Taylor started, surprised. He had
arrived a month early. How wonderful for her. But now was not good
timing. “Tell him to stay put.”

“
I can hear you two and I
won’t move,” a laughing voice came from the carriage.

With an arm around her waist, Taylor
escorted Olivia into the household. He was hoping Phoebe was
within, watching. They were talking with their heads closely
together and Taylor was trying to quietly explain what had
happened. Olivia was nodding when they walked into the
parlor.

Hearing voices, Phoebe looked up and
went visibly pale. It was one thing to read about her husband’s
mistress and another thing to have to face her in person. His
attention to the woman and her striking beauty left no doubt in
Phoebe’s mind. Standing quickly she tried to hide her
feelings.

“
You left so suddenly and
I was afraid something dreadful had happened so I came right
away.”

“
How considerate of
you.”

Phoebe ground her teeth. They hadn’t
even noticed she was in the room.

“
Besides, I wanted to
share my own little surprise with you.”

“
I noticed. In the
carriage. You must be thrilled.”

“
Beyond thrilled,
darling,” Olivia purred.

Phoebe cleared her throat and she no
longer tried to hide her anger. How could he escort her here? Into
her own home?

Their heads lifted at the same time,
smiling, acknowledging her. “Phoebe, let me introduce Lady
Bates.”

“
I know who she is,”
Phoebe acknowledged coldly. “Now if you will excuse me.”

“
Don’t you think you are
being rather rude, dear?” Taylor asked in a disciplining
tone.

He brings that woman into her house
and expects her to be hospitable? “Forgive me, where are my
manners,” Phoebe replied with false sweetness, gesturing to the
chairs. “Please have a seat. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll ring
for some tea.”

“
Would you mind letting
your mother know I have arrived, please,” Lady Bates finally
asked.

Slowly she turned, surprised at the
gall of the woman. “I didn’t realize my mother was expecting
you.”

“
Well, I am a few days
earlier than planned. I hope she doesn’t mind the inconvenience. I
can use any old room, if you have one available.”

She was going to be staying here? In
her house? Visiting with her mother? Had the world gone mad? “I
will let her know you have arrived,” Phoebe said slowly.

“
Surely your mother told
you of her cousin’s visit,” Taylor finally said.

“
Cousin?” Phoebe repeated,
then turned to look at the woman.

Lady Bates approached Phoebe, smiling,
looking her over. “You don’t remember me, do you, dear?”

Phoebe shook her head slowly in
denial.

“
I stopped by for a quick
visit a few months ago, but you were resting..”

She vaguely remembered a
visitor.

“
I didn’t get a chance to
see you then.”

“
You visited here before
you met my husband?” Phoebe was beginning to feel ill.

“
That is why I sought him
out in the first place. To offer my assistance.”

Phoebe shook her head in denial. No.
Could she have been that wrong?

“
Certainly you didn’t
believe all those vicious rumors?” Lady Bates asked,
laughing.

“
Given what I have read
and heard, I would believe the worst as well,” Taylor
admitted.

Phoebe tried to put the pieces
together. “You spent three nights together. Shared a
room.”

“
Is that what finally
convinced you?” Taylor asked.

“
I didn’t want to believe
any of it. But a wife can be told only so much before she realizes
denying the obvious truth is foolish.”

“
So you had faith until
that weekend?”

“
Yes, mostly. It was very
difficult with you two in constant companionship.” She pointed an
accusing finger at Lady Bates.

“
I told you I thought we
were overdoing it,” the accused woman offered weakly.

“
Do you know how
humiliating it is to read daily about your husband and his lover?
Where they were seen, what they were doing. What was missed in the
newspaper was provided in letters.”

Taylor threw up his hands in defense.
“I admit it. I appear incredibly guilty. ”

“
It hurt, Taylor. It hurt
very much. I don’t want to ever feel that foolish again. I won’t
let it happen again.” Phoebe choked back tears.

“
Foolish? Why?”

“
Because I told you how
much I loved you, how I didn’t want a marriage like the others. How
I would hate for you to take a mistress and you threw it back in my
face. I imagined how you must have laughed at me.”

He stepped forward, concern in his
eyes. “I would never laugh. Don’t you have any idea what you mean
to me?” His voice had dropped to an anguished whisper.

Olivia exited the room and closed the
door behind her.

“
Once I thought I knew,”
Phoebe admitted, tears pooling in her eyes.

“
It hasn’t changed. If
anything, those months we were apart only made me realize how much
I need you.”

“
Oh, I don’t know what to
believe any more.”

“
I am so sorry. Had I any
idea you had started doubting me, I would have dropped everything
and come home.”

“
Then Boris wouldn’t have
been caught.”

“
I would have risked
it.”

She looked up at him, deeply into his
eyes, searching for the truth.

“
When I saw you yesterday,
on that wall with Boris, I realized nothing mattered if I didn’t
have you. I was so afraid for your life and that of our son. Then
when you hung over the side, I prayed harder than I ever had in my
life that I didn’t let go.” Taylor’s own pent up emotions were
coming to the surface, and Phoebe knew the truth. Moisture
thickened in his warm eyes. What a fool she had been. Not for
loving him, but for doubting him.

“
Oh, Taylor, I am so
sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

“
I would forgive anything
if you promise to never doubt me again. Phoebe, you are all that
matters. I mean it when I say nothing means anything if I don’t
have you. I have found love and I never want to be without it
again.”

She clung to him, sobbing joyful
tears, tears from all the emotions building over the past months.
Tears of relief that it was all over and that she had him
back.

“
Can we go home
now?”

Phoebe pulled away and looked down.
How could she tell him she didn’t want to go home yet? She had
already caused enough pain by doubting him.

“
What is
wrong?”

“
It’s just that…Taylor I
want to be with you more than anything.”

“
But?”

“
I do want to be near my
mother.” Walking away from him, she tried to explain. “This is her
first grandchild. I know it is silly, and I still have a few
months. It is just that, well, I am scared and don’t understand
everything that is happening. She has been through this before and
she always makes me feel better…” She trailed off.

She became aware of him behind her as
he pulled her close, sliding his hands around their child. “Phoebe,
I understand perfectly. We have a few options.” Turning, she faced
him and waited. “We could see if she would like to come with us,
then she can be with you when the time comes, and available to
answer your questions. Or,” he kissed her forehead, “we can travel
home, only long enough for me to put a few things in order and pack
some belongings for a long stay. I promise to return you within a
month. Before Christmas. And our child can be born
here.”

Tears of gratitude filled her eyes.
“You would do that?”

He kissed her deeply. “Don’t you know
by now I would do anything for you?”

True to his word, Taylor had Phoebe
under her mother’s roof within two weeks of their discussion, less
than the month he had requested. The couple settled in, awaiting
the arrival of their son, due sometime at the end of
January.

Taylor placed his arm around Phoebe
and assisted her up the grand staircase. Tomorrow was a new year.
One that he hoped held promise. In the summer he would turn
thirty-years-old and, God willing, have a healthy son.

Phoebe placed her hand at the small of
her back and paused in the middle of the stairs.

Taylor stopped and looked down at his
wife. “What is wrong?”

Phoebe smiled up at him. “Nothing. I
am just uncomfortable at times.” She continued up the
stairs.

Taylor glanced at her abdomen, swollen
with his son. No wonder she tossed and turned a good portion of the
night and her back ached.

She paused again at the top of the
steps. One hand still supported her lower back and the other on top
of her stomach. Taylor put his hand next to hers. “Your stomach is
hard, solid.”

Again Phoebe smiled. “Mother says this
is normal.”

The two made their way to their
chamber to settle in for the night. Phoebe settled in bed on her
side, away from her husband. As he had for the past month, he
massaged her lower back, giving what little comfort he was able
to.

Phoebe sighed. “That feels so nice,”
she said, just before she fell asleep.

He wasn’t sure what woke him, but
Taylor opened his eyes to near darkness. He turned and reached for
his wife. Her side of the bed was empty. He sat up, worry knotted
in his stomach. Of course, it wasn’t unusual for Phoebe to wake
several times at night for personal reasons, but his gut told him
this was different.

Moonlight streamed into the room and
he saw her pacing at the end of their bed. Her white nightgown
billowed around her. She stopped, grabbed hold of the bedpost and
almost doubled over. Taylor was out of bed in an
instant.

“
Phoebe, what is
wrong?”

Pain-etched eyes looked up at him. “As
soon as it is light, could you send for a doctor?”

Taylor grabbed his pants. “If you are
in pain, or if something is wrong with our child, I am not waiting
until the sun rises.” He walked to the bell pull and yanked on it
six times. That should awaken everyone.

“
Taylor, it is only three
in the morning. Let the servants rest.”

He tossed his shirt over his head.
“You can’t tell me you are not concerned?”

Tears formed in her eyes. “Yes, I am.
It is too soon. What if something is wrong? What if we lose the
child? What if …?”

“
Shhhh.” Taylor pulled her
into his arms. “I am sure everything will be fine. As soon as your
maid gets here, I will have her awaken your mother.”

Phoebe pulled back. “No. Let her
sleep.”

“
So she can be angry with
me for not alerting her? No thank you.”

A harried maid appeared, her hair
barely contained in her cap, as well as Taylor’s valet. He wasn’t
sure either was completely awake, but they were properly put
together, almost. “Wake her ladyship and send for the
doctor.”

Taylor turned back to Phoebe and
insisted she lay back down.

“
No, it isn’t so bad when
I walk.”

He wanted to argue that she should be
abed, but didn’t want to be responsible for any further pain. After
all, he was responsible for what she was facing now. Instead, he
stayed by her side, reassured her all would be well.

The doctor arrived as the sun was
beginning to streak the sky, and he forced Taylor from the room.
Downstairs he waited with Noah, worried, pacing. It was too early
to drink or he would have been imbibing heavily. Two meals of the
day came and went with no arrival of his son. Holly reported
regularly on his wife’s progress and the doctor made an appearance
on several occasions, assuring Taylor that these things took time
and that he was only staying because it was a month
early.