Miss Darby's Debut by Marilyn Clay

Author:Marilyn Clay [Clay, Marilyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1999-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Tessa hardly slept at all that night. She had hoped now her debut was behind her and she was officially out, she’d be accorded more of the freedom she so desperately craved. Instead, by assisting Deirdre to run away tonight, she feared she had further imprisoned herself.

It was almost morning before she finally drifted off to sleep and barely a quarter hour later when she was quite rudely awakened.

“Miss Darby!”

The sound of a deep male voice calling to her penetrated her consciousness. Tessa at once recognized it to be Lord Penwyck. That he sounded inordinately angry sent a sharp pang of fear racing through her.

“Miss Darby!” The insistent summons was punctuated by a loud rapping at her bedchamber door.

Flinging back the coverlet, Tessa drove her toes into her slippers and snatched up her wrapper, which she shrugged into as she scampered across the room.

Opening the door a crack, she aimed a wide-eyed gaze upward.

“W-what is it?” she asked innocently.

“Deirdre’s father is below stairs,” Lord Penwyck replied curtly. “He wishes to speak with you.”

“Oh.” It was more of a squeak really. “I-I’ll just be a—”

“At once, Miss Darby!” the irate earl commanded.

Tessa attempted to gulp down the large lump of anxiety in her throat as she flung open the door and fell in beside the outraged earl. Clutching at the loose edges of her cotton wrapper, she nervously fumbled with the ties in an attempt to secure the garment across her nearly bare breasts.

“Montgomery declares his daughter has taken flight,” Lord Penwyck informed Tessa as the two hurried to the stairs. “He fears she and her . . . ahem . . . young man have run away to get married. He is convinced you know who the fellow is and something of the couple’s whereabouts.”

Tessa’s breath was coming in fits and starts. From the corner of one eye, she saw Lord Penwyck cast a sidelong look at her half-exposed bosom. The effrontery of the man only added to her upset. No doubt he would now chastise her for appearing abroad in so shameless a state.

“I would have dressed had you accorded me the time!” she snapped, in answer to his imagined rebuke.

A dark brow quirked. “We are all of us in a state of undress, Miss Darby. I doubt anyone will especially remark upon your . . . choice of apparel.” The gentleman sniffed piously. “Miss Montgomery’s disappearance is quite a serious matter. The girl has succeeded in ruining herself. The scandal will not only follow her the rest other days, it will also adversely affect her family. She has behaved in quite a foolhardy manner.”

Tessa had no time to defend her friend, for the very second Mr. Montgomery and Lady Penwyck heard the earl’s deep voice in the corridor, the angry man, with an anxious Lady Penwyck close on his heels, rushed into the foyer to meet them.

Tessa blanched at the sight of Mr. Montgomery’s face. He was quite a large man with piercing black eyes. When he spoke, his brusque manner put Tessa in mind of her fearsome stepfather.

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