Page 35 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

It was brief, and he turned quickly to look at Gabby over his shoulder. She held a book in one hand and her eyes were wide on the pages, but nothing else in her expression hinted she’d done anything out of the ordinary.

Yet, he hadn’t imagined it.

Gabby had made a bold move toward him—and it made his pulse race with wicked anticipation for future encounters.

She walked past him, book in hand, but a nervous giggle escaped as she hurried to another bookshelf. Sebastian followed, drawn to follow a woman whose good opinion and laughter he craved more and more each day.

“I could spend years trying to read all of these,” she murmured, glancing at him over her shoulder.

She could too, but only if Sebastian might have her whole heart in return.

CHAPTER NINE

“I cannot bear this,” Gabby complained to Daisy as they stood on the sidelines at yet another ball. Gabby had been dancing all night for a change, and this was her only free set of the evening to speak with Daisy at any great length.

News had spread about her second visit to Lady Cordelia, and people regarded her with greater curiosity now. Everyone wanted to know about Lady Cordelia and her situation and Gabby discovered she had an unsettling number of new female friends. Aside from confirming Cordelia’s good health and freedom, Gabby refused to reveal anything more personal than that.

Lady Windermere and a few other important women had looked upon her approvingly from nearby, too, as they heard her dismiss any outrageous claim made against the Duke of Mamble as evil hearsay and outright slander.

And then, one by one, the gentlemen she’d danced with at previous balls had drawn closer, too. First Lord Triscot, then Lord Paul Holtby, and even Lord Henry Foxwood, too, had asked her to dance with them.

As the evening wore on, Gabby began to suspect she’d passed some kind of test and was now fully approved by the ton. A pity the Duke of Mamble was not here to see it and enjoy the night with her, though.

Daisy leaned close. “She has forgotten us.”

“But she was our first friend in London, besides each other, of course. What did we do to turn her away from our company?”

“I don’t know,” Daisy said, worrying her lip.

“Well, I cannot spend the rest of the season wondering about that. Can you?”

“I don’t think you’ll ever let me forget,” Daisy teased. “But, no, I agree. I would like an answer, too.”

It was an irritation to Gabby that a perfectly nice young woman was giving them both the cold shoulder for no good reason. Justine had been their friend and confidant. It was an uncomfortable sensation to see her ignore them, and they could hardly avoid running into each other. They were always attending the same events; they shared mutual acquaintances and mutual goals of finding a husband this season. There had to be a good reason for why things had changed.

Gabby squared her shoulders. “Let’s get this done now, tonight.”

“All right, but please, let’s not make it too obvious what we’re doing,” Daisy pleaded, looking about the room. She hooked her arm through Gabby’s. “I don’t need to give my guardian another reason to scowl at me.”

“Why was he scowling tonight?” Gabby asked.

“I may have mentioned I purchased silk stockings today,” Daisy said with a careless shrug.

“He has never liked it when you spend your allowance,” Gabby noted, patting her hand.

“It wasn’t that I spent the money, but that I showed him I was wearing my purchase tonight,” Daisy replied, and then she laughed wickedly. “His eyes rolled toward the ceiling so fast, I thought he might have fainted clean away for a moment. He’s been scowling ever since.”

“I wish I had been there,” Gabby said, imagining such a scene.

“It was a moment I will not forget for the rest of my life,” Daisy promised.

They circulated through the room, speaking to anyone with whom they had an acquaintance, and eventually found Justine and her sister more or less alone.

Gabby cleared her throat a few times until the pair looked over their shoulders. “Good evening, Justine. Lady Whitlow.”

The older woman inclined her head, but Justine stiffened when her sister moved immediately away. She smiled at them, but it contained none of the warmth of days gone by. “Good evening, Miss Kimble. Miss Ellis.”

“It is lovely to see you again, Justine,” Daisy gushed. “What a wonderful evening it is.”