Page 4 of Miss Kimble Bites Back

“Well, maybe that isn’t quite the right description for him.”

“No, it is not,” Daisy promised. “I swear, sometimes the way he looks at me, he’s considering putting me over his knee because I disagree with him,” Daisy announced, her face turning an even brighter shade of pink.

Gabby was shocked. “Has he ever done so?”

“No. But I’m sure that time I went shopping alone with you without telling him where I was going sorely tried his patience.”

Gabby laughed. “You were not unprotected.”

“To his mind, debutants do not make adequate chaperones for each other,” Daisy said, laughing merrily. “If not for your cousin Bennett claiming we had a servant watching over us, he might have forbidden me from your friendship entirely.”

Gabby glanced at Bennett, filled with gratitude for his deception and support. Bennett and Throsby had become close in recent weeks, and it had helped strengthen her friendship with Daisy. “I have long suspected our guardians have made a pact.”

Daisy’s eyes widened in alarm. “What sort of pact?”

“To keep you wild pair out of trouble,” Bennett murmured, laughing, as he suddenly rejoined them. “Stow your complaints away for later, ladies. Throsby returns and he’s easily made suspicious by your laughter.”

When Lord Throsby joined them, frowning still, and had passed her and Daisy a drink, Bennett said nothing of Daisy’s complaints but did engage in conversation with the man to distract him.

Gabby smiled to herself. Her cousin was the best friend she had ever had. Loyal and not at all severe like Throsby. She couldn’t imagine living with that viscount as her shadow. He’d no sense of humor or sense of adventure.

When their glasses were empty, they returned to the edges of the dancefloor and then Bennett asked Daisy to dance with him.

Lord Throsby gave Daisy a nod of permission to accept before she answered Bennett’s invitation.

Bennett swept Daisy away to the dance floor, leaving Gabby standing with the glowering Lord Throsby on the sidelines. Gabby shuffled her feet, unhappy with this turn of events. Not once had Lord Throsby ever asked Gabby to dance. He insisted he was there to watch over his ward, Daisy, and not engage in frivolous nonsense.

She looked around for Justine to save her but found her dancing, as well.

Gabby tried not to sigh with disappointment at being left on the sidelines. She had no hope Lord Throsby would offer to partner her tonight, or introduce her to someone who might, so she begged to be excused to visit the retiring room.

“Up the stairs and to the right,” Throsby informed her as he took out his timepiece. “You have five minutes to return.”

She struggled not to roll her eyes. Daisy had mentioned before that Lord Throsby timed absolutely everything she did. Five minutes was hardly long enough if other ladies were using the facilities ahead of her, but she did not bother to argue with the viscount and took herself off alone, fully intending to take the amount of time she needed.

Bennett was never so strict about her movements or punctuality, and for that she was profoundly grateful.

The Windermere London home was vast. While it might have intimidated her at first, she’d quickly grown used to such opulence. Yet she still glanced upward at the elaborate plasterwork ceiling and marveled at the effort it must have taken the craftsmen to complete.

As she lowered her gaze, she spotted a figure disappear into the library. Gabby was convinced it was Lord Brookes, and she debated the wisdom of following to find out for only a moment. If she could catch the viscount in the library, he might ask her to dance.

Gabby squared her shoulders, headed for the library doors, but she did check over her shoulder first to make sure Lord Brookes had not followed. No one was nearby, not a guest or even a servant and she slipped inside unseen.

Gabby spotted Lord Brookes, already sitting in a high-backed armchair with his back to the door and facing the fireplace. She could just see the top of his uncovered head and the candlelight illuminated his hair until it glowed gold.

Gabby moved toward him. “My lord,” she whispered.

“Leave it and go,” he drawled.

Gabby was not to be deterred by his abrupt tone. “I’m not a maid, my lord, but someone who wishes to say how ardently I admire you.”

His head turned slightly. “Really?”

“Indeed.” Gabby gulped and decided there was no point in hiding the truth. He was alone, and she was being bold, but it was too late to turn back now. “My lord, I wish to tell you that from the first we met, I have longed to know you better than anyone could.”

There was silence for a long moment, and then he stood and turned.

Gabby’s mouth fell open, and she covered her lips as she whispered in horror, “You’re not Lord Brookes.”