Page 26 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

He winced at the picture, a scene he’d witnessed before. “That is unfortunate.”

“And also fixable, now that you are here,” Esme suggested, brightening suddenly, prodding him with her fan. “Offer to dance with her, and other gentlemen will do the same.”

But Sebastian did not want other men to notice Gabby, and he shook his head firmly. “If men like Brookes continue to ignore Gabby Kimble, then that is their loss.”

It had been his loss, though, too. Keeping away from Gabby for the last few weeks meant he’d not known of her struggles against a romantic rival. He thought he was glad about it, though.

“Sadly, that is true,” Esme murmured, nodding, but it was clear to see she expected him to do something about her popularity still.

If he went to her, others would reconsider her again. But how else was he to talk to Gabby tonight to arrange her visit with Cordelia? He would not have Cordelia disappointed tomorrow. He made himself shrug. “Where might I find your husband?”

“In the card room with my cousin Bennett. When you see him, tell him to come dance with me. I’m feeling peevish,” she said, scowling.

“Perhaps he shouldn’t come then,” Sebastian suggested. Even with the ill use he’d been put to tonight, he did not want to pull his friend away from his pleasures just to potentially have an argument with his peevish wife.

“Oh, he’ll come, and running if you repeat my message word for word,” she promised with a sly wink.

Sebastian considered her expression for a long moment and decided it was best not to ask what that was all about. Some husbands and wives were said to develop their own private languages.

He ambled from the room as quickly as possible without drawing attention to himself. Windermere and Kimble were just getting up from a table when he entered the room. They both seemed pleased that Sebastian had arrived and in great spirits.

He relayed Esme’s message word for word, and Windermere fairly sprinted from the card room to lift his wife’s peevish mood.

Sebastian shook his head and Kimble laughed. “Best not to ask, I think,” he murmured.

“Yes, it was better for all concerned if we know nothing of what that message really meant to imply,” Sebastian agreed.

He turned to Kimble and smiled. “That matter we discussed a few weeks ago…I should like to revisit the idea again. Are you free tomorrow morning?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Kimble said, his tone a bit more reserved than the last time they’d met.

“Could you possibly postpone your appointment?”

“Morning calls?” Kimble admitted eventually, and then sighed. “My ward might skin me alive if I deny her the opportunity to talk with her dance partners from tonight.”

“Ah,” Sebastian said, and then he winced. He’d forgotten that Gabby would be glued to the parlor tomorrow morning, waiting for gentlemen to call upon her.

Although…she had not danced tonight, according to Esme. But she might still find a partner to take the floor within the next hours.

Hmm, how could he prevent her from dancing with anyone else this evening so she could visit Cordelia tomorrow instead? He could approach her to talk and frighten off other gentlemen with a ducal glare, or he could simply abduct her.

He shook his head at both ideas. Such measures surely were not necessary just yet. That smacked of too much desperation.

“I wanted to thank you for the introduction to Lady Cordelia,” Kimble said suddenly. “I have wondered how she fared for a very long time.”

Sebastian looked at the man sharply. “I was not aware you were acquainted with my sister.”

“Ah, she did not tell you how we met, though I suppose we were never formally introduced,” Kimble said, and a forgiving smile appeared on his face. “But I could never forget her. She is a remarkably beautiful woman.”

“She is,” he agreed, and curiosity got the better of him. “Where and when did you first see Cordelia?”

“Here in London, but we were never formally introduced. A lifetime ago, it seems now,” he admitted. “She had just come out into society. She was the talk of London from the very first moment.”

“Ah,” he said slowly. No wonder the man had stared at Cordie for so long when they were introduced. If Kimble had been present during Cordelia’s first season, too, then he might actually know more than Sebastian did about that time.

Sebastian cleared his throat. “It was Cordelia who expressed a desire to take tea with Gabby again and have you visit with me. She hopes to make a better impression than the last time you met, I believe,” he admitted. “Could you please convey that to your ward, and my desire she accept the invitation if you are both free tomorrow morning?” he asked. “Cordelia hasn’t asked anything of me, or to see anyone, since I became duke, and I am loathe to disappoint her in this matter.”

Kimble froze for a long moment, but then he nodded. “Well, in that case. We’d be honored to visit you both tomorrow. It won’t be hard to convince Gabby to disappoint any suitors who might call tomorrow. She’ll want to come and make things right.”