Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante (8 page)

He was angrier then she
thought.

“
Some men would not take
‘No’ for an answer, Phoebe. They would assume you played a game of
coyness. Your actions in appearing alone would make them believe
you were after the same excitement.”

She felt the blood drain from her
face.

“
Then what? Keep telling
him no, hoping he would go away? Unfortunately, it doesn’t work
that way with some men. This evening could have ended much worse
for you. Worse than any assumption the
ton
would make at a slight
indiscretion. Worse than your worst nightmare,” he finished in a
low, angry tone.

Phoebe found that she was pushing
herself back, needing to get away from his anger. Could what he was
saying be true? Phoebe shook her head in denial. She didn’t want to
hear it. Tears pooled in her eyes. Could that have happened to her?
Oh, how could she have faced her family ever again?

*

Taylor saw he was finally getting
through. The fear and shock was written all over her lovely face.
Her eyes were wide with fright, all color drained from her cheeks.
He hated to see her scared, but apparently it was the only way to
get through to her. Now, maybe she would listen.

When she sniffed, Taylor produced a
handkerchief for her.

Phoebe wiped her eyes and tried to
compose herself. “Are you going to inform Noah?”

He had thought about telling her
brother, but what would that accomplish? Only to have her receive
another lecture, perhaps locked in her room? There wasn’t any need.
He believed that he had now finally accomplished what they had all
been trying to tell her since the Season started. “No.” Pausing, he
looked at the window as the carriage stopped. “I assume you have a
plan for sneaking back into the house.”

“
Yes, I do. Thank you,
Lord Sandlin. I’ll be much more careful now. I promise.”

“
See that you are.” He
helped her from the carriage and watched her go around the side of
the house, deciding she must be using the back entrance. He waited,
wondering if he should accompany her. When he saw a lamp light in
an upper window, she appeared and waved to him. Nodding his head,
Taylor got back in the carriage, threw his head back against the
seat and sighed. He had played a dangerous game tonight. Not only
with Phoebe, but with himself. He had wanted to seduce her, wanted
to take her home, to his bed and make love to her. What was to
become of him? He had to find a way to put distance between them
before it was too late for both of them. She was too inexperienced
to understand what was happening, but he wasn’t and it was up to
him to protect her from himself.

Taylor was out of sorts when he
entered Whites. His mood didn’t improve when he saw his name in the
Book. Bets were being taken on who the mysterious lady was and if
she would reappear. Did these dandies have nothing better to do
with their time than to wonder about other peoples’ affairs?
Questions were thrown at him. None were answered. Winnings were
quickly collected when it became clear he had not had an enjoyable
evening and there would be no new mistress. Some bets would never
be satisfied, as he refused to give a name.

Unable to stand any more, he strode
from the club in the direction of Felding’s townhouse. He needed to
find out the plans for the evening. At least that was the excuse he
gave himself. He really wanted to see Lady Phoebe and how her
demeanor toward him would be. He hoped to find the reckless
mischief gone from her eyes so they could all have a harmless
Season.

Taylor could hear the music before he
even knocked on the door. Someone was playing the pianoforte loudly
and emotionally. If he were correct, he was hearing Bach as he had
never heard it played before and mildly wondered who was creating
such powerful music. As he waited to be announced he listened more
intently. The music made him feel off center and he didn’t know
why.

Felding came from the library to greet
him. When Taylor nodded to the door, Felding said, “Phoebe, and
don’t ask.”

So
she
was creating that sound? Just
another reminder of the passion within her soul and another
reminder to keep away.

The butler approached and nodded to
his friend. “Lady Felding would like to see you, my
lord.”

“
Did you advise her Lord
Sandlin is with me?”

“
Yes, my lord. She would
like to speak with him as well.”

“
Then we will go right up.
Thank you.”

“
Very good,
sir.”

The music followed them up the stairs
and Taylor still had a very unsettled feeling, now combined with
concern. Had her escape the night before been found out? If so, why
didn’t Felding mention the situation? If they had found out, surely
Lady Phoebe would have told them who brought her home. All these
questions would remain unanswered until their audience with Lady
Felding.

“
Good afternoon, Noah,
Lord Sandlin.”

“
Good afternoon, Lady
Felding.” Taylor bowed before the woman.

“
Why did you wish to see
me?” Felding asked his step-mother. She lounged in an overstuffed
chair that overlooked the back garden. There was a pale, yellow
blanket draped over her legs. Taylor glanced around the sitting
room. He had not been in this part of the house before. The room
was rather small in comparison to other parlors, but it probably
suited Lady Felding. She rarely entertained and she hadn’t walked
since she was left paralyzed by the carriage accident that took her
husband’s life. Lady Felding also no longer went out in public,
which was why Felding was saddled with his sister this
Season.

“
As if you can’t hear. I
want to know what is going on with that girl,” she demanded. Though
the force was firm, her eyebrows were etched with worry.

“
Apparently, she is
troubled,” Felding offered, leaving Taylor confused.

“
I should say so. First,
she claimed to be indisposed last night, which I know for a fact is
not the case. Didn’t you think that odd, Noah?”

“
No. Should I?”

“
Yes, you should. Have you
ever known Phoebe to be indisposed a day in her life? Never,” she
answered for him. “I can’t recall her having even a sniffle. Broken
bones, yes, but never simply indisposed.”

“
You are right. It didn’t
occur to me as odd.”

“
Of course not. You were
too happy to be free of your obligation for a night,” Lady Felding
wagged a finger and scolded him. “I simply assumed she was tired.
What I want to know is what is bothering her. She has been playing
Bach for almost two hours. Can you imagine?” She threw up her arms
in frustration. “Phoebe has never played Bach that long before
moving on.”

Felding’s eyebrows shot up and his
mouth opened in surprise. “Two hours. Are you sure?”

“
Of course I am sure, I
began watching the clock as soon as I heard her, waiting for the
answer.”

“
You’re sure she didn’t
slip into Pachelbel or Mozart?” Felding pressed.

“
She has only thrown in a
few Vivaldi pieces.”

Felding started to pace. Taylor
remained where he stood, lost in the conversation.

“
Have you spoken to her?”
Felding asked.

“
Yes, this morning. She
told me everything was fine, only a bit tired.”

“
Not too tired to play
though.” It was almost as if Felding spoke the words to
himself.

“
Exactly! That is why I
called you up here. Has something happened to cause her to act this
way? Why is she so disturbed?”

“
Excuse me, I am lost.”
This was the oddest conversation and one impossible to
follow.

Both turned to Taylor, as if suddenly
remembering he was in the room.

“
Phoebe always plays Bach
when she is disturbed, confused, thinking matters through. It is
hard to explain. It is the way she works through the problems or
emotions in her mind,” Felding offered absently.

“
And two hours is
long?”

“
Oh yes,” his step-mother
answered. “She rarely plays longer than an hour before moving onto
one of the others. Then we know she has found her
answers.”

Taylor nodded as if he understood,
though he wasn’t sure he did. He could answer the question as to
what disturbed her possibly, but he had given his word and he
wouldn’t betray her. Perhaps the fact she was playing so long after
last night meant she was really thinking about her actions and
Taylor took it as a positive sign.

*

Phoebe’s fingers hurt and
her arms were beginning to ache, but she didn’t have her answer
yet. The frustration was overwhelming. Last night had been dreadful
and she should have stayed home. She should have listened before
now to what could happen to young women who strike out on their
own. But no, she hadn’t and something much worse had happened. She
became aware of Lord Sandlin, as a man. Not simply a gentleman. He
had been so close. The suggestions he had made still made her face
heat. He had only said those words for the sole purpose of shocking
her, but it didn’t make any difference in how they made her feel.
They had stood so close, his muscular thighs pushed against hers.
He had touched her chest. Nobody had ever touched her there, ever.
He had even begun to kiss her…
there
.

Until last night, he had
been a friend to her brother, her friend, and her protector, so she
thought. Now she was beginning to understand why her friends were
so taken with certain gentlemen. Did they feel as she did? This was
the first time in her life she had been totally aware of being a
female, wanting to be kissed and held. Why did
he
have to be the one who made her
feel that way? He saw her as troublesome baggage, to be watched and
kept out of trouble. He probably didn’t even see her as a female in
the ways he had described.

She played louder, careful not to
damage the delicate instrument, as she worked through her troubles,
but could find no answers this time. No solution came to her. It
was the first time she hadn’t found peace at the keys. Why did she
have to go and fall in love with a man she irritates and who has no
need of her family and wealth? No, she couldn’t be in love. It was
silly to think such a thing. It was attraction, that was all, and
it would go away soon. But, what if it didn’t? What if she always
felt this way about Sandlin? Oh, why couldn’t she have found him a
wife as she had planned?

She already knew the answer to that
question. She hadn’t found anyone she thought would be perfect for
him because she wanted him for herself. If she were honest with
herself, she would acknowledge that these feelings had been growing
for some time, ever since he first rescued her. Phoebe hadn’t
wanted to acknowledge the feelings and had done an excellent job
until last night. If he just hadn’t touched her, then she never
would have known how it felt, or want to learn the secrets others
alluded to. Curse him for making her feel this way.

*

They stood in the room watching her.
Felding had knocked three times, but received no answer. Taylor was
taken aback by the intensity that flowed from her being. He had
seen her laughing, irritated and angry. Whatever she was apparently
feeling now was coming from very deep within. Her passions did run
deep. Quickly, he shoved that thought aside. He didn’t want to
think of Phoebe with passions, it would do neither of them any
good. Instead, he listened to the music. He had heard his share of
young debutantes play at various gatherings, and a fair number had
been pleasant to listen to. But he had never heard anyone play with
such emotion. The music pouring forth surrounded his soul, speaking
to his own frustration.

Lady Phoebe became aware that she was
no longer alone, slowing her fingers she looked up and saw Noah,
then removed her hands from the keys. She looked weary and
apparently she had slept as little as he. Perhaps he had pushed too
far last evening. Had he provided too much of the ugly truth of
what could happen? He dismissed the thought. Lady Phoebe needed the
shock before she was ruined. They waited for her to
speak.

“
Good day, Noah,” she
acknowledged, then caught another movement by the door. Looking in
that direction, she saw him. Her eyes widened just a bit, but she
quickly schooled her features. She nodded her head in greeting.
“Lord Sandlin.”

“
You play like no one I
have ever heard,” Taylor admired.

“
Thank you.” She rose.
“Will you be joining me for tea?”

“
Yes, we will,” Felding
stated, while Taylor thought they should leave her to
herself.

When the servant appeared, Lady Phoebe
ordered the tea and cakes then seated herself. Felding and Taylor
casually took seats across from her. Taylor couldn’t bring himself
to leave. After the tea was poured and the servants left, Phoebe
acknowledged her brother. “Did Mother send you? She must have, you
have never …”

“
Disturbed you during your
rendition of Bach,” he offered with a smile.