Page 18 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

“I will,” Gabby promised.

Lady Pendleberry moved away, and Sebastian faced the dancers again, standing shoulder to shoulder with Gabby. He couldn’t help but notice she was without those little friends of hers. Miss Ellis and Miss Dawes must not have been invited. He was happy about the latter’s absence. “Aside from the bruised toe, have you enjoyed your night so far?”

“Very well, thank you. Lady Pendleberry is lovely and very kind,” Gabby told him, and then frowned. “She speaks highly of you.”

“Yes, she’s been very helpful over the years,” Sebastian confessed. Lady Pendleberry had given him sound advice from the moment he’d taken Cordelia from the madhouse. Her own family had committed an uncle to Bedlam, and she’d urged him to free Cordelia as soon as possible and to treat her very gently.

“She reminds me of our old neighbor in the country. Forever dropping by to check that I have everything I need,” Gabby said, beginning to sway as a new tune started, played by an unseen quartet.

The skirts of her gown brushed his leg, and he smiled to himself. Gabby Kimble probably had no idea the gesture was in any way provocative to gentlemen. “You were orphaned, I hear?”

“Yes, poor Bennett had his hands full when I arrived on his doorstep at just eleven years of age,” she said, apparently not the least bit hesitant to confide in him. “He’d just lost his own father and been alone for a mere six weeks at that time. We were both nursing a broken heart. He’s been a wonderful guardian.”

“And your late father and mother? What were they like?”

“I am ashamed to say I have trouble remembering them clearly now,” she whispered. “My mother died when I was very young. I kept my father’s pipe and light it occasionally, to remind myself of his scent.”

“It is good that you had family to go to and friends that care about your welfare,” he murmured. “Kimble seems a decent fellow.”

“He is indeed. He’s become a friend and confidant. You have your sisters, I believe, though I’ve never seen either one in Town yet,” she said, her brow arched, clearly fishing for information again.

He sighed. What would be the harm in being equally forthcoming? “My younger sister is married, and partakes of London society no more,” Sebastian advised. “I’m expecting to hear I am an uncle, any day now.”

“How wonderful. And your other sister? Cordelia, isn’t it?”

“Correct,” he said and felt his spine straighten.

“What is she like?”

His sister was difficult to explain. Once he might have said she was funny and accomplished, but those days were long ago. What could he say about his sister now, to counteract the gossip Gabby had obviously heard about how he treated her? Oh, my sister might be mad. No, that would never do.

But given her connection to Lady Windermere, there was every chance he’d see Gabby again and again and be subjected to her constant questions. And it bothered him that she might believe the gossip as well. He did not want this particular young lady to think the worst of him.

Gabby seemed the type to be kind, and perhaps Cordelia might like her enough to actually talk with her one day, were they ever to meet. Given her connection to Lady Windermere, it couldn’t hurt to drop a hint of what the real situation was, and, if fate might ever lead to an introduction, it would disprove the gossip with proof.

And if it did not go well, then Gabby would have all the answers she could ever need about his supposed cruelty toward his sister.

But not even Esme could get an interview with Cordelia lately. Not unless she dropped by unannounced. That was the only way Cordelia spoke to anyone outside of him and the servants.

He debated a moment, and then moved a little closer to Gabby to whisper, “Your cousin asked to speak with me tomorrow about a matter of some sort. Come with him in the morning and meet Cordelia yourself, if you can. I’ll expect you both at ten o’clock for breakfast.”

“I should like that very much,” Gabby said instantly, though her brow creased with confusion the next moment.

He’d no more time for conversation with the debutant tonight though. Other guests were already looking his way, and a few brows were being raised at their prolonged discussion. He must mingle before tongues wagged in earnest—even among friends.

He excused himself as the current set ended, found an unpartnered woman keen to dance for the next, and devoted his attention to conversing with her instead.

As they took to the floor, he felt a pang of guilt to see Gabby standing so forlornly beside her guardian. And he realized he’d much rather have danced with her again tonight instead of the woman he was with. But with an injury, of course, Gabby couldn’t dance with anyone.

He went through the motions of the dance blindly, and when he looked up again, Gabby was surrounded by a pair of bachelors.

It seemed his attention to Gabby still convinced others of her worth for conversation, at least. He suspected it would continue to happen the more he met with her. Men flocked to what other men found desirable, after all. A pity they could not choose women based on merit alone. But they looked for beauty first and intelligence last. Gabby Kimble seemed to possess both in abundance.

When he finished his set and parted ways with his dance partner, he positioned himself on the opposite side of the room from Gabby. Watching over her since her guardian seemed quite popular with the unmarried ladies tonight. Despite not dancing, she appeared to be having a marvelous time, and it was clear she had no trouble conversing with other gentlemen.

Sebastian had not enquired about the extent of Gabby’s dowry, but, with her connection to the Windermeres, surely, she could do much better than Viscount Brookes.

The pair of bachelors exchanged a glance over her head that suggested they were interested in the debutant—and not in a good way.