Page 19 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

He was moving before he realized it. Moving toward Gabby with thoughts of protecting her from the lascivious pair. He stopped himself short of joining them, but the pair noticed his scowl and made excuses to leave her rather suddenly.

Sebastian had paused beside the refreshment table, so he made a request of the servant and discovered Lady Pendleberry was serving only Negus punch. Not a particular favorite of his, but he drank it anyway. When he finished, he had to decide where he should go next. He felt restless and strangely drawn to return to Gabby’s side.

He was saved by the hostess. Lady Pendleberry stopped in front of him, scowling. “You’re not dancing. Let me find you a partner.”

“I’m no longer in the mood to dance,” he told her. In truth, he’d not intended to stay this long at all. He’d planned to already be at his club and halfway through a bottle of claret by now, talking about investment or politics to anyone who cared to join him.

He’d lingered because of Gabby.

“Perhaps supper will put you in a dancing mood again,” she suggested. “Or do you only desire a certain young lady’s conversation tonight?”

“I enjoy conversation with ladies of all ages,” he promised. “Tell me of your children. I believe your youngest will be making her come out next year.”

“That is not the conversation you want to have tonight,” Lady Pendleberry whispered, and then winked. “I’ve known you too long to believe you’re still here because of my ball.”

He could have denied it, but Lady Pendleberry did know him very well. He was interested in Gabby, but it was not the time or the place for that. He risked making a spectacle of himself and disappointing her.

He bowed to his hostess. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, Lady Pendleberry, but you must excuse me.”

“Oh, Mamble. Don’t run away yet.”

“I promised Cordelia I would not be out too late tonight,” he said, fibbing greatly. If he arrived home early, Cordelia probably wouldn’t see him, anyway. But he would prefer to return home rather than the alternative of walking across the room and speaking to Gabby again. “Good evening.”

“Good evening, your grace. Give my love to Cordelia when you see her in the morning.”

“I will,” he said before strolling away. He glanced back once before he reached the threshold of the room. Gabby had come to the notice of yet another bachelor. She did not need him.

But then their eyes met across the dance floor, and he saw her disappointment that he was leaving clear as day.

He might have stayed, but he didn’t trust his interest in Gabby Kimble. He did not like that he couldn’t trust himself around her.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Gabby, would you make haste? We are going to be late!” Bennett called to her from the lower floor.

Her cousin Bennett could be the slowest man in the entire world, but today, Gabby was the one dragging her feet. She was on her way to visit Lord Mamble’s home, but it was his sister who she was most worried about meeting.

The prisoner. Although why Mamble would invite her to meet Lady Cordelia still seemed odd to her. But she was going—and she had all the money she possessed tucked into her reticule, and the address of a friend who could harbor Lady Cordelia, should the duke’s sister wish to escape his clutches.

She hurried downstairs and into her cousin’s carriage, breathless. She took a deep breath once they were underway. Her stomach was full of flutters. How would Mamble behave? Why would he want her to meet his sister?

She was eager to see the duke again, though, bad reputation or not. She had enjoyed their conversation last night. No other gentleman seemed to want to know her opinions the way he did. But it was so odd that the duke had invited them so early that she’d not slept a wink last night.

When they arrived before the grand entranceway, Bennett bounded out of the carriage. Gabby descended more slowly, looking up at the building’s facade as her feet touched the ground. Mamble House didn’t look like a prison. It was an impressive abode though, just like all the rest in the Grosvenor Square seemed to be.

A smiling butler invited them in and took Bennett’s hat and gloves and Gabby’s pelisse. He led them toward the back of the building, through a series of twists and turns that thoroughly confused Gabby before they stopped outside a wide set of closed doors.

They entered into a sunny, bright chamber. There was a canary singing in one corner, and a meal on the table. On the far side of the round table stood the Duke of Mamble, and by his side was a woman of incomparable beauty. Gabby had definitely never seen the duke’s sister before, or she would have certainly remembered that face. The woman wore a soft green round gown, her blonde hair pulled back from her face and secured at the nape of her neck.

Not a shackle in sight though.

Quickly realizing she was staring at the woman, she glanced at the duke. Mamble was dressed informally this morning. Clad in a navy-blue waistcoat and breeches with a white linen shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, he seemed entirely at ease.

Gabby dipped a deep curtsy, but as she rose, she realized something was amiss. Bennett had not bowed.

Mamble remained on his feet, now tense, and there was an odd expression on his face as he looked across at them. Gabby glanced to the side. Bennett was there—staring—clearly struck dumb by their surroundings or the exalted company. She subtly elbowed him, and he stumbled through a smooth recovery that impressed her.

Mamble’s shoulders eased down, and he invited them to sit as he introduced his sister, Lady Cordelia.