Gentleman's Guide 02 - His Contrary Bride) (13 page)

During the last set before the supper dance,
he noticed Chester and his wife disengaged Sabrina from her circle
of admirers and led her in his direction. Marius smiled when he saw
she wore his gift. The necklace complimented the gown and Sabrina
complimented the necklace.

Beside him Noah murmured to Dillon that she
looked vaguely familiar but couldn’t seem to place her. Marius
chuckled to himself as the Chesters stopped before them and made
the introductions.

As Noah raised her hand to his lips, he
looked at her closely. “Have we met previously, Lady Sabrina?”

She grinned mischievously. “Yes, we have
Lord Felding.”

Felding frowned and Marius knew this was a
first for his friend. Felding never forgot a lady once introduced.
“Forgive me, but I can’t seem to recall where or when.”

Marius for his own part was enjoying his
friend’s discomfort as the man rarely found himself in this
predicament. Nobody had discussed how Sabrina’s past would be
mentioned so Marius left it to Sabrina to decide what story she
would like to tell.

“Actually, Lord Felding, we were never
officially introduced and I am surprised you even recognize me from
that inconsequential meeting.”

Marius noted Felding relaxed when he learned
they had never actually been introduced.

“Where was that, Lady Sabrina?” Felding
asked.

Smiling even more brightly, Sabrina
answered. “Lady Davies Academy for Young Ladies.”

Both Felding and Chambers got a curious
expression on their face, trying to place her. Marius enjoyed the
spectacle very much.

“You did not dine with us. I would certainly
have remembered,” Chambers insisted.

Sabrina chuckled softly. “No. I did not, nor
would it have been my place.”

The two men were even more confused by the
statement from the lady standing before them.

Sabrina turned to Marius. “Shall I explain
Mr. Parker?” She was enjoying this.

Marius returned her smile. “May I offer a
few clues?”

“By all means.” Sabrina laughed.

Turning to his friends, he gestured toward
Sabrina. “Picture a cobweb in her hair and a smudge of dirt on her
nose. Replace the gown with an overly large wool dress, and then
put her on the roof of a cottage.”

Felding and Chambers stared at her
critically before the light dawned in their eyes. It was Chambers
who spoke first, “Cinderella?”

Sabrina sank into a curtsey. “It is I.”

“But how …?” Felding began to ask,
though apparently not sure how he should proceed with such a
delicate question.

Marius patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll
explain everything later. Tonight Cinderella is attending her first
ball and we won’t discuss that previous life further.”

*

As the next dance was to be a waltz, Sabrina
refrained from dancing due to another odd rule amongst society.
Soon, she found herself standing alone with Mr. Parker after Ramsey
and Juliet took to the floor as the others did.

Sabrina felt slightly uncomfortable given
her cousin had asked Marius to remain by her so he could dance with
his wife. If Marius had wanted to spend time with her, wouldn’t he
have sought her out earlier? She had known he was here as soon as
she had entered, having spotted him across the room. Their eyes had
briefly met and he had nodded his head in greeting. Yet, he had not
walked over to her and Sabrina doubted they would have even spoken
if Ramsey hadn’t escorted her to them. It was unfair of Ramsey to
ask Marius to forgo the waltz on her behalf and told as much to
Marius.

“As you cannot dance this particular set
Lady Sabrina, I find I have no desire to either.”

“Why is this dance any different than the
others?” Sabrina thought he was just being polite.

Marius raised an eyebrow. “Did you not know
this is the supper dance?”

“No, I did not. Is it significant?” Clearly
not everything had been explained to her yet.

“Most certainly.” Marius answered in
seriousness. “When the music ends, all the couples will adjourn for
dinner.”

“I believe that much I understood.”

“Did you also know that the person you
happen to be dancing with or, in our case, speaking with, at the
time, is the person they will sit with during the dinner?” A smile
began to form on his lips.

“No. I had not been told that particular
detail.” Sabrina’s pulse quickened slightly.

“I can think of no one else I would rather
escort, Lady Sabrina.”

She prayed he wasn’t just being polite
because Ramsey had stuck her with him.

*

Following that first ball it appeared
Sabrina had been embraced by society. Ladies called on her for
friendship, or that is what she believed. Gentlemen called as well,
usually leaving flowers along with their card. Her days were filled
with visitors, shopping, or riding in the park. The nights included
dinners, balls, routs and on occasion the theater. It was rare that
Sabrina found time for herself and she could not comprehend how the
Season could be busier than this.

Only one dark cloud hung over her new found
happiness. Sabrina rarely saw Marius. He did not call on her during
the day as he had before. When she would meet him at an evening
gathering, he was polite but remote. While she found herself
surrounded by interesting and entertaining gentlemen, Marius
remained away except for the one dance they would share at each
event. Things were turning out exactly as she had been afraid they
would. Marius had only spent the time with her until she found her
footing. Now he was slowly disappearing from her life.

By the end of the three weeks, Sabrina was
finding it more and more difficult to find enjoyment in her outings
and entertainments. Her face began to ache from forced smiles and
she constantly disciplined herself to keep from looking for Marius
amongst the gatherings. Unfortunately, he was everywhere she went.
He never failed to approach her for a short time nor failed to ask
for a dance if it were appropriate for the gathering. But this was
always done towards the end of the evening, as if he had put it off
until the last moment and his addressing her was more a requirement
than a desire. Not that his attitude betrayed his intentions for he
was always courteous, charming, and a gentleman.

*

Marius’s irritation and frustration grew
with every evening. His biggest fear with Sabrina making an early
entrance had come true. She had almost every available gentleman
panting after her. Who could blame them? She was a beautiful woman,
intelligent, young, and innocent. Yet, she lacked the silliness
young ladies usually possessed when making their debut. He didn’t
doubt Ramsey would be receiving a number of offers for her hand in
the weeks to come. If Ramsey hadn’t already assured Marius that no
offer would be considered until they were officially into the
Season, he would not have held back. It still wasn’t easy to stay
in the background while she was courted by mostly worthy gentlemen.
Nor did he like hearing about her from the men at the various
clubs, knowing they were visiting her even during the day. Did she
even miss him?

Marius had watched closer than he probably
should, but he didn’t want to be taken by surprise if she became
overly attentive to anyone in particular. If that occurred, Marius
was ready to step in and remind her of him.

His other pursuit was eating at him as well.
After the old man had been murdered, Marius had gone to the war
office to obtain a list of anyone who would have been with Jonas
Chester around the time of his demise. The list was not very long
and Marius had been tracking each man for these past weeks hoping
one could tell him how Sabrina’s father had died. Of the ten names
listed, three had not returned from the war and five died after
returning to England and under questionable circumstances,
recently. Until the remaining two were found, Marius would not be
able to relax.

While his quest had started simply to know
how Sabrina’s father died, the situation had grown far beyond that.
Besides Jonas Chester and the man at the home, five men were dead
and Marius had a sick feeling it wasn’t all a coincidence.

*

Sabrina searched the ballroom and found
Marius across the room, talking with an exquisitely beautiful young
lady. Why did she do this to herself? Tearing her eyes away, she
returned her attention to the seven gentlemen surrounding her. She
couldn’t pretend tonight and she felt like the room was closing in
on her, they were closing in on her. Politely, Sabrina excused
herself and walked toward the ladies retiring room. She knew if she
didn’t escape at that moment she would surely scream.

Not even the retiring room was vacant and
Sabrina stepped back into the ballroom in search of Ramsey. She
just wanted to go home. To crawl in her bed and forget about
Marius, the young lady he was about to dance with, Christmas Eve,
his kisses.

Sabrina could hear Ramsey’s boisterous laugh
but could no longer see him and the Lord and Lady Sandlin were
dancing. The first of the suitors she escaped from approached from
across the room. She could not be surrounded by them again. Not now
anyway and she turned on her heel and marched toward the open
doors. It may not be the wisest choice, but she needed to get
away.

*

Lady Naomi had barely been holding Marius’s
attention as it was, but when Sabrina disengaged from her
following, he had only half listened to what the young woman was
saying and marked Sabrina’s progress across the room. When he saw
her moving in the direction of the retiring room, he attempted to
concentrate more fully on Lady Naomi. This lasted less than a
minute when he saw Sabrina return, far too soon by his estimation,
and walk in the direction opposite of her family and court. When he
saw her slip out the back doors, onto the terrace, he politely
excused himself and discretely followed. Irritation grew that she
would act so foolishly and he wondered if this is how Sandlin had
felt, often.

When he arrived on the terrace, no one was
about, especially Sabrina. He looked toward the grounds, straining
to see into the darkness. Certainly she wouldn’t have been so
reckless as to wander the dark, barren gardens on her own?

At one end of the terrace stood a greenhouse
with a few lights by the door. Perhaps she had gone in that
direction. It was too cold to remain out doors for long without a
cloak. Even if she had gone in there, it was still just as
dangerous as the gardens.

Sabrina took a deep breath to relax and
settled on the bench among some greenery. Alone at last. The air
heavy with humidity and musty smell of fresh dirt made Sabrina long
for the country. She’d had enough of the London entertainments. All
she wanted now was peace and quiet. She would never make it through
a
true
London Season and considered
telling that to Ramsey and Juliet. As much as they wanted her to
have a Season, Sabrina didn’t see how she could possibly enjoy it
since the activities would be increased twofold, twice the boredom.
Sighing, she let her shoulders drop. What was wrong with her? All
ladies enjoyed the London activities, why was she so different?

“May I ask what you are doing?” Mr. Parker
leaned against the door frame.

Sabrina had been so lost in her thoughts
that she hadn’t heard the door open and jumped at the sound of his
voice. “Are you always so quiet?”

“You seem to bring that trait out in
me.”

What was he doing here?

Marius stopped just before Sabrina and stood
over her. “I had assumed Ramsey, Juliet, or at least Phoebe.” He
paused for a moment. “Though perhaps not on second thought, warned
you about leaving a ball alone, unchaperoned.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. She was not in the
mood for a lecture and certainly not from him. “Nobody saw me.”

“Oh?” Marius raised an eyebrow. “I did so I
can assume others did as well.”

Sabrina tilted her head up to look at him.
“So you came out here to scold me like a child. Well your point has
been made and you may return. I doubt anyone else will follow
me.”

“Actually I am surprised one of the
gentlemen that are constantly surrounding you hasn’t already.”

Sabrina was surprised Marius had even
noticed. “I don’t expect any of them to risk ruining me. They all
need an heiress, which I am not.”

“They aren’t the only gentlemen in the room.
Any number of men could have followed you and some would not
consider it necessary to marry you if you were caught alone with
him.”

“Your point is taken. May I suggest you
leave before someone finds you with me?”

“I would do the honorable thing.” Marius
stated, indignantly, settling onto the bench beside her.

Sabrina offered a half smile, her heart was
torn that his offer would only come if forced. Why would he just
not go away and leave her be?

“What is wrong Sabrina?”

His voice was soft, caring, and her chest
tightened with emotion. “Why did I come out here?” She countered
instead of explaining. She wasn’t sure he would understand. She
wasn’t even sure she understood.

“Yes, why did you need to leave the
ball?”

“I had to get away from the people. It is
too much and I am tired of these entertainments.”

“Perhaps you should refrain from activities
for a few days.”

“I would love to, but I don’t think it would
be enough.”

“Do you dislike London?”

“Not London itself. Only the mindless,
purposeless entertainments.” Sabrina tried to explain.

Marius grinned. “You are bored.”

“Yes, to the point that if Lord Lindsey
tells me one more time how his horse won last year, I am sure I
will scream.”

Marius laughed beside her.

“I don’t know what I am doing here.” Sabrina
moaned in misery.