Page 2 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

“I still cannot see anyone new, or your lord,” Daisy whispered. Like Gabby, she too was hoping to make a good match this season but was willing to sacrifice her time to help Gabby with her singular pursuit of Lord Brookes’ favor first.

Gabby rose on her toes slightly, and then back down when she spotted their hostess headed their way. She was desperate to make a continued good impression on Lady Windermere. She was a countess of remarkable influence in the ton, both before and after she’d married her earl.

But she was also lovely and kind and had wished Gabby success in her first season. She didn’t have to feign her delight when the woman stopped in front of them and smiled warmly. Gabby dipped a low curtsy and rose. They had already spoken once at the door. “It is a wonderful evening, my lady.”

“Thank you, my dear, and may I say again how lovely you look tonight.” She smiled and glanced to each side of her. “You all look lovely.”

“Thank you,” they all murmured, the other two blushing a pretty shade of pink.

Gabby lowered her voice. “I took your advice to call on the bookseller you recommended this morning. Such a collection to choose from. Bennett was in raptures.”

“And yourself?”

She nodded quickly. “I found many a volume to please me, too.”

Gabby was not sure she should announce to the world how much of a bluestocking she already was. Prospective husbands were said not to like women who might exceed them in education. But since coming to live with her older cousin, she’d devoured every book in his collection and now had to wait until he added more when funds and fate permitted.

“A woman can never acquire too much knowledge of the world,” Lady Windermere told them all, before something caught her eye. “Oh, how wonderful. He came. Do excuse me, ladies. There is someone I must speak to,” she whispered and then rushed off, calling out, “Sebastian!”

They all swiveled to watch the woman greet an exceedingly handsome stranger with great enthusiasm. Someone Gabby had never seen before, but from whom she could not look away. The man had a presence she’d not encountered before. She straightened her spine as her cheeks grew strangely hot just looking at him from this distance.

Gabby cleared her throat. “Do we know who that is?”

Justine leaned close. “That is Sebastian Spence, the Duke of Mamble. They say he keeps his older sister imprisoned.”

Gabby gaped. “Who says that?”

“Well, everyone worth knowing in higher society,” Justine murmured. “My sister was speaking of him just the other day. She’s shocked he’s dared show his face in Town.”

The Duke of Mamble was a truly wicked man then. But this was the first gossip Gabby had ever heard of him. “He doesn’t look wicked,” she whispered, noticing a thousand things about him at once. Tall but not too tall, broad in the chest and strong-muscled legs encased in evening breeches. His clothing was first rate, but his golden-blond hair was a little long to be considered fashionable. He had the look of a man used to getting his own way. That was the nature of dukes, though.

Justine nudged her. “Looks can be deceiving. He banished his other sister to the countryside, too. My sister hasn’t seen her in years and years, and they were once very close.”

“I can’t believe anyone would talk to him if that were true,” Daisy whispered, eyes narrowed with suspicion, both on the duke and on Justine. “And why would Lady Windermere invite such a creature to her ball if it were true?”

“I’ve no idea,” Justine whispered. “My sister told me to stay far away from him and I intend to. Maybe she had to invite him for some reason.”

Gabby glanced at her cousin, Bennett, wishing he might be standing closer to hear these rumors and voice his opinion. He’d visited London before and seemed to know a surprising number of fellows in society. Bennett would not want her around a bad man and Lady Windermere might try to introduce her, as she had with many eligible bachelors so far.

Until she knew the truth of how to behave around the duke, she decided she must ignore his appeal, but once she peeked in his direction again, she could not seem to look away.

He didn’t look cruel, but as Justine warned, first impressions were not always accurate.

He was more handsome than anyone else in the room, though, and he had such a presence that she remained aware of him even when not looking in his direction. He’d a serious face, a straight nose, but his full lips drew her eye as he conversed. He did not smile with the same zeal Lord Brookes shared with everyone he met, but he was mesmerizing just the same.

Mamble’s dark gaze flickered restlessly about the room even as he conducted a prolonged conversation with Lady Windermere. It was clear they were well known to each other, and friends, which seemed absurd, given the rumors about his cruel behavior toward his sisters.

His eyes passed over her position quickly—but then they returned to her and her friends.

The warmth she’d felt upon studying him intensified as their eyes met and held across the crowded room. His eyes narrowed and Gabby could feel a blush climbing her cheeks with his prolonged scrutiny. It was almost impolite the way he stared at her, but she held her ground as long as she could, refusing to be intimidated by a powerful man so far above her.

Eventually, the corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement and he looked back at Lady Windermere, resuming his conversation with her as if Gabby was already forgotten.

Gabby dragged her eyes away from him and finally found Lord Brookes and his sunny smile directly across the room from her. She let out a sigh of relief to see the viscount at last. She was already halfway in love with the man and had no need to look at the figure of so notorious a duke.

Gabby whispered to Daisy, “Let’s move again.”

“But we just got here,” Justine complained. “Oh, has Lord Brookes arrived?”