Scandal and Miss Smith by Julia Byrne

Author:Julia Byrne [Byrne, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-11-13T18:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Two days later Phoebe had not changed her mind about the advantages of a household free of gentlemen. In fact, she told herself, rubbing salt into the wound, if she’d remained at Kerslake she could have looked forward to such a household once Gerald was settled at Oxford.

But no. She had insisted on bringing Deverell’s wards to London and look what had happened. Instead of alleviating all her problems, she now had a whole new set to worry about. All of which had to do with males.

She never seemed to be rid of the creatures.

Every morning when she descended the stairs she bumped into Mr. Filby, on his way up to haul Gerald from his slumbers. She tripped over Lord Bradden in the drawing room. Mr. Charlton appeared to have taken up residence in the library. Only the sounds of Mr. Toombes’s measured tones wafting into the morning room prevented a disastrous encounter in the hall.

She couldn’t even take comfort from the fact that Crowhurst hadn’t called. Instead, he was bombarding her with flowers that came attached with invitations to dinner at a discreet coffee-house at a time of her choosing. As if he had only to ask!

Her bedchamber was the only place where she could be guaranteed any peace and privacy. And even that was invaded by memories of her last encounter with Deverell. For some strange reason, she was constantly beset by a desire to tell him she wasn’t at all anxious to leave his employment. It was very odd. Why should she care if he’d taken her helpful suggestions the wrong way?

In fact, it was just like him, she fumed, to be the only gentleman to make himself scarce precisely when he was needed to oust the others.

Typical Deverell behavior.

Rallying her spirits with that stricture, Phoebe tried valiantly to oust him from her mind.

Her efforts had not been crowned by any great success when she ventured cautiously into the dining room in anticipation of breakfast on the third morning after Lady Grismead’s party.

She immediately perceived another problem. The room was mercifully free of gentlemen, but it was too empty. Phoebe eyed the vacant places at the breakfast table with foreboding. They did not augur well.

When Thripp tiptoed into the room and carefully placed the coffee pot on the table, her uneasiness increased. One glance at the butler’s face aroused the unpleasant suspicion that another breakfast was about to be rendered hideous by disclosures she would rather not hear.

She fortified herself with a mouthful of coffee and braced herself for the worst. “Don’t try to break the news gently, Thripp. Tell me at once. Where are they?”

Thripp shook his head. “That I couldn’t say, miss, but I doubt the young ladies have gone to the theaters.”

“That’s a relief. I think. What makes you say so?”

“They prevailed upon his lordship to lend them his new phaeton, miss, which they would hardly do if they intended to pay frequent visits to theaters.”

“Gerald lent them his phaeton?” She contemplated her empty plate while she mulled over that piece of news.

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