Gentleman's Guide 01 - His Impetuous Debutante Read Free Page B

them,
exiting out into the night onto the balcony.
    Lord Sandlin escorted Phoebe onto the
dance floor. She studied him and decided he was very handsome in a
boyish sort of way. “I am somewhat confused,” she finally
admitted.
    “ About?” He returned with
a smile.
    “ My mother asked me to
stay away from my brother’s friends, but you are one of them. Now
my brother has granted us permission to dance.”
    He chuckled. “That was before I was
seen escorting you from outside.”
    Her face grew cold. Oh,
dear, was she ruined now? So quickly? Her mother would be
mortified. She was mortified.
    He seemed to read her thoughts. “No
worry little one. Your reputation is still safe.”
    Confusion followed next. “But,…” she
trailed off, not sure what the question should be and the two
separated as the dance pulled them apart.

    *

    “ Who is that woman?”
Taylor expected Lady Phoebe to finish the question she was about to
ask but she changed topics. With a quick glance, Taylor realized
who Lady Phoebe meant. He groaned inwardly. Why did she have to ask
about that one particular woman? “That is Lady Draden.” He was not
willing to offer more.
    “ Is she a friend of
Noah’s? She seems quite taken with him.”
    “ Why do you ask that?” He
hadn’t thought Lady Draden one to let her feelings show.
    “ When I was standing with
Noah, shortly after we arrived, she was watching him and appeared
amused.”
    Taylor could well believe that. Noah
had recently told the woman in question that he would not be
spending as much time with her this Season because he would have
his hands full watching his sister. Lady Draden hadn’t believed him
and thought it was only an excuse to distance himself while
searching for a wife. Obviously, once she had seen Phoebe, she
realized Noah spoke the truth.
    “ She is an acquaintance of
your brother.” He didn’t offer anything further. Actually, he
wasn’t really sure what relationship existed between the two, and
if what he suspected was true, it was not something he would share
with an innocent, young woman.
    Phoebe’s eyes sparkled and she leaned
in to whisper. “Would she be his mistress?”
    No statement or question could have
stunned him more, and he cleared his throat, trying to regain his
composure, and prayed no one overheard her. “What do you know of
such matters?” ,he asked in a hushed voice.
    She gave him a quick, irritated look.
“I may be from the country, but I’m still aware of how matters are
in the world.”
    Taylor smiled and chuckled. “If that
is so, why were you about to let young Carlyle lead you into a dark
corner?”
    Phoebe bit her lip before she
answered. “It was a momentary lapse of judgment on my part, which
will not be repeated.”
    “ See that it isn’t.” She
was a delight to talk to. Charming, honest and uninhibited. While
refreshing, it could prove to be very dangerous.

Chapter 3

    Phoebe woke later than usual to find
her maid, Holly, preparing her clothing for the day. The lavender
day dress she absolutely adored was already laying out, ready for
her.
    “ Good morning, milady. Did
you sleep well?” Holly’s cheerfulness matched Phoebe’s morning mood
and she rose from the bed. It was also one of the reasons Holly was
her maid and nobody else’s. The rest of the household didn’t
appreciate her morning exuberance, preferring to lie in bed and not
be spoken to until fully awake.
    “ I did, thank you.” Phoebe
pushed the palm of her hands toward the ceiling and
stretched.
    A grin pulled at Holly’s mouth and she
sank down onto a cream cushioned seat beside the window. “What was
the ball like?”
    Phoebe turned toward her maid and
placed her feet on the floor. “It wasn’t nearly as bad as I
expected.”
    Holly’s blonde eyebrows rose. “Didn’t
I tell you all would be well?”
    Phoebe laughed and stood. “Indeed you
did. I will not doubt you again, Holly.”
    “ See that you don’t.” The
maid wagged a finger at her and