Chapter Eighteen #2
Bessie nodded. “I think I’ll take the children to the schoolroom now as it’s too cold for the mites to be out in the yard for long, much as they enjoy it.
We don’t want any of them catching a chill.
I’ll leave you, miss, to get better acquainted with Violet.
And,” she patted her apron pocket and addressed Miss Anscombe, “I’ll put this money in the strong box in the parlor for you. Gabriel brought it for us.”
“I shan’t ask you where it came from,” Violet said, with the air of someone who knew exactly where that was. “But it’ll be very welcome. I’ll put it down as a donation, as usual.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’d stay and let you ladies get to know one another, but I fear I need to get Phoebe home before her absence is spotted.
Gadding about the rookeries dressed as a boy is not something her aunt would approve of, nor my stepmother if she were to find out I’d had a hand in it.
She’d accuse me of debauchery, for sure.
I’m sure she thinks I’m some kind of dissolute rake, like Ambrose.
” He stood up. “Until next time, my dear Violet.” And he bowed to her.
“Come, little brother Will. Best to put your hat back on again and cover up your hair. You and I must leave.”
Phoebe got to her feet, eyes cast down, cheeks pink again.
Clearly she was once again thinking about the proposition she’d suggested.
Should he mention it? Probably not. She hadn’t meant it and must now be regretting her hasty words.
He’d pretend she’d never uttered them. That would be the easiest solution.
*
The journey back to Grosvenor Square seemed to take far longer than the outward one had done, possibly because, with her excruciating embarrassment about what she’d said, all Phoebe wanted was to get away from Gabriel.
She shouldn’t have said anything. She should have thought before she spoke.
She should have considered her words more carefully.
Oh, if only she could turn back time by an hour.
And he must be angry with her because he remained silent for most of their journey. She wouldn’t think about it. If she concentrated she could pretend it had never happened.
This time, he chose to walk along the length of Oxford Street instead of negotiating the myriad of smaller streets once again.
As this was a much more salubrious street than most they’d taken on the outward journey, and straight as an arrow, she began to feel safer the closer they drew to their goal.
And with that sense of safety and normality returning, came the conviction that she could ignore her little outburst as though it had never happened, because it had been part of a quite different world.
Instead, to distract herself, she concentrated on what was going on along the street.
The people on it were more like the ones she was used to seeing.
Smart carriages passed up and down it, and the shop windows were bright with the sorts of goods she liked to spend her pin money on.
This was much more her world. She didn’t feel the need to grab hold of Gabriel’s coat for safety, and, even if she had, she would have been too embarrassed to do so.
He continued to show no inclination to talk, which was good, as she would have been tongue-tied with embarrassment, but walked in silence beside her, not even glancing in her direction.
What was he thinking about? Had he forgotten that ridiculousness she’d come out with?
Oh, she hoped so. Had she even meant it?
She felt heat flood her face once again as she found herself admitting that she had, and that if she had to marry someone, she would most definitely prefer it to be Lord Gabriel Wycliff.
And not only because she wanted to give him her money.
She took a sideways peek at him. He was looking straight ahead and taking long strides she had to scuttle to keep up with.
Not for the first time she reflected that he had a very attractive profile.
In fact, now she came to think of it, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen—either here in London or when she’d lived at Coakham.
It would be the nicest thing in the world to marry someone who not only was so caring about others less lucky than himself, but was also so devastatingly handsome.
What more could a girl want? Plus, in his company today she’d not been the least bit awkward or clumsy.
She promptly tripped over a paving stone and nearly fell flat on her face.
Gabriel’s left hand shot out to save her and she found herself gazing up into his deep-blue eyes, utterly mesmerised. He had no right to possess eyes like that.
He kept hold of her for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, before releasing her arm with a frown and setting off again, even faster than before, determinedly not looking at her.