Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (4 page)

*

Phoebe found the people attending the
opera far more exciting than the opera itself. Often her eyes had
strayed from the stage to the occupants in other boxes and those
seated below. One would have thought that since she loved music,
she would love the opera. Such was not the case.

“
What is this called
again?” she whispered to Noah from behind her fan.

He leaned over.
“
The Noble Outlaw
by Henry Rowley Bishop.”

She tried to concentrate, but the
production simply did not hold her interest and she once again
looked around at the people. More than a few young ladies watched
Noah. Perhaps they didn’t like the opera either, or they liked Noah
better. She stifled a yawn and was grateful for the invention of
the fan. It hid much from so many watchful eyes.

When intermission came, Phoebe let out
a sigh of relief. Taking Noah’s arm, she allowed him to escort her
out for some refreshment. Sipping from the glass of lemonade he had
provided, she watched the people around her until it became almost
too crowded to breathe. Did everywhere she went in London have to
be this crowded? While Noah spoke with another acquaintance, whose
name and title she had already forgotten, she stepped back. A young
woman stepped between them and Phoebe retreated for fear of
spilling her drink on the young woman’s dress. More and more people
came between her and her brother and Phoebe eventually gave up
trying to make it back to his side. It was safer to dislodge
herself from this crowd and return to their box. As it was, she
could not even see her brother any longer.

She was certain she had gone the
correct direction but when she stepped through the red velvet
curtains she knew immediately she had made an error. Rodney Cooper,
a young man she had seen the evening before, lounged at the end of
the first row. He came to his feet the moment he saw her. “Lady
Phoebe, this is a delightful surprise.”

Heat infused her face and Phoebe
quickly curtseyed. “Forgive me. I am afraid I got turned around. If
you will excuse me.” She backed away and returned to the hall. She
stopped for a moment and looked in both directions. The stage was
to her left, so she must follow the curved hallway to the right.
That should take her back to the family box. If only she could
remember which one was theirs.

“
I’ll be happy to escort
you back.”

Phoebe fairly jumped and turned
around. Mr. Cooper stood in the doorway and offered his arm.
Perhaps it would be wise to accept his offer, or she risked getting
lost once again. “Thank you.” She linked her arm in his.

Cooper turned to the left and began
walking. Phoebe stopped. She could have sworn she needed to go
right. “I believe we need to go the other way.” Perhaps Cooper’s
sense of direction was no better than hers.

He smiled down at her. “I know a
shortcut that will deliver you to your seat quickly.”

Phoebe studied him for a moment. He
was only being helpful. And, just because the stage was at that end
did not mean the curved hallway didn’t continue. As it was, they
were far above the stage. “Very well.” She inclined her head and
let him take the lead.

It wasn’t long before the hairs stood
up on the back of her neck. This direction could not be right. With
each step they took it became darker and darker. Abruptly she
stopped. “I believe we need to turn around and go the other
way.”

*

Taylor massaged his forehead and
willed his eyes to remain open. He was already tired from a fitful
sleep the night before and this opera only induced him to want to
sleep more. He never enjoyed this type of entertainment and
couldn’t understand how others did. All it did was bore him.
Chambers had taken the ladies they escorted this evening for
refreshment, leaving Taylor waiting in the quietness. He absolutely
detested the crowds during the breaks, almost as much as he hated
the opera itself.

He glanced up toward the Felding box.
It was empty but he knew Noah and his sister would soon return. A
smile pulled at his lips when he recalled Lady Phoebe yawning
behind her fan. Had he not been sitting at this angle, down, to the
left and slightly back, he would not have seen her. Perhaps the two
of them should find something better to do next time someone
suggested the opera.

The thought was quickly shaken from
his mind. Lady Phoebe was the younger sister of one of his closest
friends. He was to keep an eye on her this Season, not befriend
her, or worse. Taylor stifled a curse in the middle of the lecture
to himself. What was Phoebe doing walking into Rodney Cooper’s box?
Taylor waited for Felding to step inside but he never did. When the
lady curtseyed and backed out he knew she was lost and that Felding
had once again misplaced his sister. And, Rodney Cooper was almost
as bad as Carlyle from the night before. Not only did he need to
marry an heiress, he was a degenerate as well. Cooper probably
couldn’t believe his own luck when Lady Phoebe simply dropped in
his lap just now.

When Lady Phoebe left of
her own accord, Taylor relaxed. At least until Cooper followed.
Cursing under his breath, Taylor stood.
The girl is a danger to herself
.
Taylor made his way along the curved hallway, waiting to encounter
the two sooner than later, but when he passed the entrance to
Cooper’s box, he knew his suspicions were correct. He just hoped he
made it to Lady Phoebe in time.

“
Through these doors is a
shortcut. I promise.”

“
I prefer we return the
way we came.”

Taylor rounded the corner to find the
couple a few feet away from the door that led to the backstage
area.

“
In fact,” Lady Phoebe
yanked her arm from Cooper’s hand, “I am sure I can find my way on
my own.”

“
There will be no need,
Lady Phoebe.” Taylor stepped toward them so she could recognize him
in the meager light. “I will be happy to deliver you to your
brother.”

Lady Phoebe whipped her head around
and looked at him. All color drained from her face and she looked
absolutely mortified. She recovered quickly enough, sniffed,
straightened her spine and marched to him. “I would be most
appreciative. Thank you, Lord Sandlin.”

The scent of her lilac perfume tickled
his nose. Lilacs suited her, as did the pale lavender gown with its
scooped neckline and form fitting bodice. Taylor clenched his jaw.
These are not the things he should notice about her. He should
think of Lady Phoebe as a younger sister, instead of Noah’s younger
sister, or at least a close cousin. Anything, other than a
beautiful, available young woman. “Did your brother not warn you
about wandering around by yourself, especially in an Opera
House?”

“
Not exactly.” She toyed
with the ribbon that fell from her bodice

“
Yet, I am sure you know
better.”

Lady Phoebe stopped and looked up at
him. “We were separated and I decided to come back,” Phoebe
defended herself. “I simply turned in the wrong
direction.”

Taylor rolled his eyes heavenward.
“And right into Mr. Rodney Cooper, who would like nothing better
than to marry your dowry first and you second.”

She blanched and took a step away.
Perhaps he was too harsh, and maybe insulting. “I am sorry. I am
sure he would adore you. But, the fact remains the man is
completely broke and you would be the answer to all of his
problems.”

“
He made no improper
advances,” Lady Phoebe defended, chin jutted out and shoulders
back.

“
He wasn’t going to risk
being caught in the hallway. Why else do you think he wished to
take the
short cut
?”

Lady Phoebe’s shoulders slouched, he
knew she knew he was correct. “I thought it was a harmless
escort.”

Taylor raised an eyebrow. He knew
better. He had heard the last of the conversation.

“
Until we came to the
door. I knew better than to continue on with him.

Taylor took her arm and
continued down the hall. “Cooper knows well and good that Felding
would never allow him to court you, not with his reputation of
being a gambler and …” He paused and bit his bottom lip. Phoebe
leaned forward, eyes wide with expectation at his next words. Well,
he wasn’t going to be the one to educate her on the various vices
of the gentlemen of the
ton
. “Regardless, he took a big
risk. Felding would have more likely called him out before ever
allowing a marriage.”

Felding stood at the door to their
opera box and looked around. His brows were knotted with worry but
they relaxed the moment he spied Taylor and Lady Phoebe.

“
I safely deliver you to
your brother.” Taylor relinquished her arm. He met Felding’s eyes
and held them for a moment. What he wished to say could not be said
in front of Lady Phoebe. “I wish you both a good
evening.”

This was Phoebe’s fifth ball in three
nights and so far she managed to stay out of trouble. In fact, she
didn’t leave Noah’s side except to dance. She may have suffered a
few missteps her first nights in society but it appeared those were
behind her now.

Phoebe shifted her weight from one
foot to the other, wishing the evening would come to an end so she
could take the offensive shoes off her feet. She glanced out the
French doors, but the steady rain kept her inside. She would have
gone to the ladies retiring room, but it was on the other side of
the ballroom and up another flight of stairs. As it was, she needed
to turn down any requests to dance for the remainder of the
evening.

She scanned the room and spotted a
darkened alcove not far away and headed in that direction with
cautious steps. Noah was speaking with friends and wouldn’t miss
her for a few moments. And, she knew better than to be found with
anyone there. If she could just escape on her own, just for a few
minutes of privacy, no harm would be done. Upon reaching the
entrance Phoebe glanced around. Nobody even noticed her there, too
caught up in their own conversations. She slipped between the part
in the curtains, into the darkened space, leaned against the wall,
slipped off her shoes and sighed.

*

Taylor cursed his luck. Of
all places,
she
chose the spot he had decided to stand. Why couldn’t she
disappear by one of the others? He made a mental note to discuss
the option of the use of a leash with Noah. He watched Van Sutton
make his way toward Phoebe’s hideaway. The man had watched Lady
Phoebe from the moment she walked in the room and Taylor knew he
was up to no good. Casually Taylor placed his arm against the door
jam and blocked the entrance to the alcove. The action brought Van
Sutton up short.

“
Where are you headed, Van
Sutton?” Taylor studied his recently manicured nails.

“
I wanted a break from the
crowd and since it is raining I thought this was my best option,”
the man offered a bit too quickly.

“
Is there any reason you
chose this particular alcove? The hallway is not far, nor the
library from what I understand.” Taylor crossed his arms over his
chest and watched the man.

Van Sutton shrugged. “As good a spot
as any, and closer than those others.”

“
I am sure it had nothing
to do with the fact that Lady Phoebe just walked through here,
would it?”

The man started to object, but Taylor
stopped him. “Don’t bother. Find another alcove and stay away from
the lady.”

“
How dare you presume to
tell me who I may pursue?” He stood tall and jutted out his
nonexistent chin.

Taylor flashed a cool grin. “I do
dare. I know, as does Felding, your need for an heiress. Putting
the lady into a questionable situation will not sit well with him,
or me.”

The man paled. “I-I…um, y-you
see…”

“
I see you grasp my
meaning. Now, move along.” Taylor turned back to studying his nails
while an indignant Van Sutton spun on his heels and marched
away.

He turned and lifted the curtain,
intending to remind Lady Phoebe of yet another lapse of good sense,
but was brought up short. He muttered a curse. She stood bent over
with skirts slightly raised. A small, delicate foot was in her
hand. The skirt was just high enough that he could see the other
small foot, shapely ankle and calf of the leg supporting her. Thank
goodness nobody could see her but him.

She remained unaware of his presence
and rubbed the appendage, midnight hair coming lose from the
arrangement, cascading down the side furthest from Taylor, touching
her knee. Her delicate profile was concentrating on her foot, eyes
downcast, thick, long dark lashes against rosy skin. Her posture
had created a gap in her bodice, and if he had taken a few steps
forward, he would have been able to see more of the rich, creamy
full breasts, already on display. Thank goodness she was well away
from the opening.

Taylor stopped himself
from moving further into the alcove and sent a number of silent
curses at Felding for putting him in this position. Taylor tried to
deny his body’s reaction to the sight, but couldn’t. He had been
married before and the last thing he ever expected was for this
young innocent to send desire coursing through his veins. He shook
his head and decided he had been widowed too long. Once he returned
Lady Phoebe to her brother, he might just consider finding a
mistress for the first time in his life. Heaven knew he may need
one this Season. He cleared his throat, stayed well within sight of
the
ton
, and
waited.