Page 25 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

His sister had said not a word about approving of Gabby Kimble after her last visit. “How do you know Gabby is smart?”

“Because you must think so.” Cordelia winced. “You wouldn’t have introduced her to me if she wasn’t someone you admired or respected.” She smiled quickly. “You used her first name from the very beginning.”

“She thought you were my prisoner, Cordie, as many in society do still,” he murmured. “She knows better now that she’s met you.”

Cordelia looked down at her hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t make a better impression when we met. Had I known of your interest, I would have tried harder to ignore the flutters in my stomach and stayed.”

“You did fine,” he assured her. “But she’s in love with that fool, Brookes, and that is the end of it. Esme will ensure she marries well.”

Cordelia stood. “I’m sorry she’s already fallen in love, Sebastian. If she’d met you first, it would have been you she fell for. You’re ten times the man Brookes could ever be.”

“Thank you, sister.”

Cordelia frowned suddenly. “I would like to see her again. Here. Tomorrow. You and her guardian can take tea or do whatever men do while we talk again,” she announced suddenly. “I promise I won’t run away this time.”

Cordelia smiled and swept out of the room then, leaving Sebastian stunned by her announcement. She’d never wanted anyone around before. But it seemed discussing Gabby, a woman he admitted he liked, had finally loosened her tongue and eased her mind.

Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief and ran a hand over his face.

If this went well, perhaps Cordelia might invite Gabby and even others for tea in the future.

Feeling a great weight lift from his shoulders, he grinned and stood, his restlessness and bad mood purged by a single conversation with his older sister. Cordelia was intrigued by Gabby. That gave him hope. It was a clear sign that Cordelia would not cut herself off from the world entirely forever.

He wanted to shout with glee, in fact.

But most of all, he wanted to find Gabby and thank her. She might not have done anything on purpose, but because of her, Cordelia would host her very first social engagement since Sebastian had become the duke.

It was definitely cause for celebration, and not just at his club. He wanted to dance.

He wanted to dance with Gabby again.

He rushed upstairs and along to his bedchamber, summoned his valet to change for an evening out at a ball. Lady Foxwood’s ball was tonight, and although he’d given his excuses, she would forgive him for having a change of heart at the last moment. He was a duke, and changing his mind was one of the best perks he knew.

Gabby would certainly be there.

His valet was a little rattled by his summons and his impatience to make himself presentable. But it only took an hour before the Duke of Mamble was deemed fit for presentation to society.

It took no time at all to reach the ball and the hostess gushed over his arrival, as expected. He could not outright ask if the Kimbles had arrived already. That would draw unnecessary attention, so he had to mingle first, moving slowly from group to group until he found Lady Windermere at last.

She was delighted to see him. “I so hoped you’d change your mind about tonight.”

“Yes, I had a change of heart. Your husband visited me today and nearly got down on his knees to beg me to join him here, claiming you’ve all but abandoned him.”

“Windermere played his part beautifully then,” Esme said, grinning.

“His part?”

“He knows how vital the first season can be for a debutant, and I knew if I got a little too busy, he would run to you and complain right on cue. Gabby needs your help again, I’m afraid.”

Sebastian froze in utter shock. Windermere had been manipulated by his own wife and had then unknowingly duped him as well. The countess had used her husband to lure Sebastian out into society again—and all to help Gabby make a match with someone else.

He did not dare turn straight away to glare at the man’s wife, but his mood turned decidedly toward anger. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely,” Esme complained with some heat, missing or perhaps ignoring his frosty tone. “It seems one of her friends has also set her heart on capturing Lord Brookes’ attention, as well.”

“Well, there is no accounting for taste,” he bit out.

“Without your fleeting attention, her popularity has plummeted,” Esme confessed, drawing even closer. “Despite my best efforts to guide her toward other men, you’ll find her determined to remain standing on the sidelines most nights, waiting for Brookes to ask her to dance.”