Gentleman's Guide 02 - His Contrary Bride) (6 page)

“Does Lady Sabrina need a doctor?” Taylor
asked as his wife and Marius came into the dining room.

“No. Nothing a few days off her feet won’t
cure,” Phoebe answered. “How did she get so many blisters?”

As he helped himself to a cup of coffee and
sat to join his friend, Marius told them all that had transpired
since Taylor had left him a few days earlier. “That is why she
offered to do some mending,” he explained to Phoebe.

Taylor relaxed back in his seat, cradling a
cup in his hands. “What do you plan to do now?”

“I planned on leaving Sabrina here while I
travel to London and pay a visit to Ramsey. I have to believe that
he has no idea what his cousin has been doing.”

“I agree. I don’t think he would have stood
for this.”

“Those were my thoughts exactly.” Marius
stood. “I’ll say my goodbyes to Sabrina and be on my way.”

Taylor nodded some more. “Yes. Contact me as
soon as you know something. If Ramsey is as surprised as we expect,
bring him back here to see Lady Sabrina.” He cast a quick glance at
Phoebe before continuing. “Given my own family experience, I am not
sure you want her reunion to be in London until you know what is
going on.”

Phoebe and Marius both grimaced at his words
recalling the devastation Taylor’s own cousin had brought to keep
him from inheriting.

*

A maid helped Sabrina bathe and wash her
hair. She was tucked into bed, reading
Sense and Sensibility
when Mr. Parker knocked on the door. It had been so long since she
had been treated as a lady that she had forgotten how wonderful it
could be.

“I have come to say goodbye.”

The smile faded from her face. She hadn’t
expected him to drop her in this household and up and leave. She
sat up.

“I am going to London to see what I can find
for you.”

She relaxed back against the pillows. Marius
would have better luck in knowing what positions were available. If
he had friends like the Sandlins, chances were he knew others in
society. Surely one of them could give her a position within their
household with his recommendation. At least she hoped that was the
case. She just had to be sure there was no chance of Ramsey
learning. Maybe working in a country home would be best. She would
just need to come up with some excuse of why she was no longer at
the academy.

“I won’t be gone long.”

Sabrina tried to force the smile back to her
lips. She had known this couldn’t last. The days with him and the
comforts. All too soon the real world would intrude and she would
have to make her place in it. “Thank you for everything you have
done.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Take care of yourself
and stay off those feet until Phoebe says it is fine for you to
walk.” He bent and kissed the top of her head.

Sabrina tried to keep a smile on her face.
He kissed her as if she were a child. She would much rather he had
really kissed her and wondered what it would be like. After all, if
you sleep with a man all night, is it any wonder that you would
want to know what it was like to be kissed by him? Then again, he
had no idea how they had slept and she realized how important it
was to keep that information to herself. He obviously only felt a
small affection, if any, for her. The thought was not pleasing at
all. “Have a safe trip and good luck,” she finally offered with
false brightness.

When he finally left, Sabrina could only
stare at the door and wonder what he really thought of her and if
he was only helping her because he felt responsible. Would he have
gone to all this effort it she hadn’t revealed why she had left the
academy? Perhaps. One thing was very clear however, he didn’t seem
to have developed the strange affection she had.

Sabrina picked up the book. It was probably
better. They were from two different worlds. It was best that he
left before her feelings had a chance to grow stronger. The best
thing she could do for herself at the moment would be to enjoy the
few days she had to read and be pampered. With effort, she
concentrated on the words before her until her mind was fully
engaged in the story and Marius safely tucked in the back of her
mind.

*

Marius awoke late in London the next morning
as grumpy as he had been the day before. He had ridden long into
the night to arrive at his home, not wanting to stop when the
darkness fell. His sleep was about as disturbed as it had been the
night before. While he didn’t have a beauty waking him, she was
ever present in his dreams. Restless, tired and irritable, he
allowed his valet to prepare him for the day. Marius wouldn’t wait
for an invitation or go through the hospitality of leaving a card
and waiting. He would see Ramsey today and clear the entire mess
up, if that were possible.

Two hours later, Marius stood in the foyer
of the Ramsey’s townhouse waiting for the butler to return. Looking
around the entrance and reminding himself of the prestigious
address, Marius couldn’t help but note the wealth. The furnishings
and artwork in the foyer alone were probably worth more than the
total wages Sabrina had earned since being orphaned. Why had she
been reduced to servitude?

“Parker, is that you?” Ramsey called from
the end of the hall. Ramsey had always been one to ignore the rules
by greeting his guests instead of allowing them to be escorted to
the appointed room and being announced.

“How are you, Chester?”

“I am doing very well indeed. What brings
you here? I haven’t seen you in some months. I didn’t even know you
were still in London,” he said as he turned to the servant. “Please
bring coffee into the library.”

Following him down the hall, Marius decided
to dive right in, instead of spending wasting minutes on formal
pleasantries. “I recently met your cousin, Lady Sabrina.”

Stunned, Ramsey turned to him just as they
entered through the door. “Do tell.” As he gestured him toward a
seat he said, “Where was she because I can’t imagine you visiting
Lady Davies’ Academy for Young Ladies?”

Taking the seat opposite of where Ramsey
intended to sit, Marius answered him but remained guarded. He
wanted to be sure his instincts were correct and Ramsey had no idea
what his cousin had been brought to. “At the moment she is at the
Sandlin Estate.”

“Thank goodness.” Ramsey settled back. “It
is about time she got some sense into her head. I wonder why she
didn’t tell me she had decided to leave her position.”

Feigning ignorance, Marius asked, “What do
you mean good sense? She seemed the most sensible woman to me.”

Ramsey appeared delighted Sabrina had left
the academy. “I do wish she would have told me. I will have to plan
her come out for the spring.” He laughed and rubbed his hands
together. “Do you know that Sabrina is twenty and has had it in her
head for these past three years to remain at the academy teaching
instead of being introduced to society? I can’t tell you how many
times I wrote and insisted she return to London and marry.” He
leaned forward and poured more coffee into his cup. “I wonder why
the change of heart now? Not that it matters. It is time she got
out of that school.”

“Did you visit her often?”

“No. Uncle James said she didn’t want us to
visit. She also wrote and asked me not to visit. Lady Davies
frowned heavily upon male visitors and as a teacher Sabrina was to
be setting an example.”

“So you haven’t seen her in three
years?”

“Four. Not since my grandfather’s funeral.
Shortly after that her father was killed. That was when she started
writing about staying at the academy. I thought it was because of
the shock from the deaths. I was sure she would get over the insane
idea when it came time to make her debut.”

“Apparently she didn’t.” Marius studied
Ramsey. His gut told him Ramsey had no idea what had become of
Sabrina, but past experience with Sandlin’s family warned him that
not all family members wished the others good health.

“I wonder what finally changed her mind.”
Ramsey’s smile spread across his face. “I wonder how she knows Lord
and Lady Sandlin. I take it that is where you met my cousin.”

“Um, actually no. I introduced your cousin
to the Lord and Lady Sandlin.”

“Really?” The surprise on the man’s face was
evident. “How and where did you meet Sabrina?”

“Actually, I met her at the academy.
Prinny’s horse came up lame and we stopped there for a short
time.”

“By chance are you the one who convinced her
she was wasting herself teaching?”

Marius glanced into his cup and couldn’t
bring himself to look into Ramsey’s hopeful eyes. It was clear the
man knew nothing or he would show some alarm at how he had found
Sabrina. “In a manner of speaking.”

“Do tell.” Ramsey sat forward and
waited.

Marius couldn’t return the smile. “She
wasn’t teaching when I met her.”

As the smile faded to confusion on Ramsey’s
face, Marius explained the circumstances as he knew them. By the
time he had finished, Ramsey was visibly pale and almost shaking
with anger.

“You are sure she will be fine and is
recuperating at the Sandlin Estate?”

Marius assured Ramsey of Sabrina’s
health.

Ramsey stood and began to stalk about the
room. “Why in the hell would my uncle do something so horrendous?
The man is filthy rich, as am I. Either one of us could have paid
for the rest of the academy’s tuition and launch Sabrina a dozen
times over.”

“Those were my thoughts when she told me the
story.”

“Did you at least tell her the truth?”

He shook his head. “Once I got over my shock
I thought it best to talk to you first to see if you knew
anything.”

“And had I?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think it would
have been pleasant for you.”

Ramsey started to pace again. “It was
probably best you didn’t say anything yet because I cannot fathom
why my uncle would do such a thing.”

“No clues at all?” Marius hoped this would
be easier.

“None. Perhaps Uncle James is in a very poor
financial situation and was trying to hide it from the rest of
us.”

“Still,” Marius offered. He was not willing
to let Ramsey make any excuses.

“Of course. It doesn’t erase the fact of
what he had done and if finances are the case, I expect to find out
why he didn’t seek me out.” He settled in the chair. “To think that
all of this time she has been working as a servant and I have been
living like this.” Ramsey gestured to the expensive furnishings in
his home. “I’ll send a note around to the solicitor to expect me
this afternoon.”

Marius stood, relieved to have this
conversation come to an end and glad he had not misjudged his
friend. “I would like to go with you, if you don’t mind.”

Ramsey eyed him with curiosity. “Of course,
I’ll let you know the time and direction.”

*

Marius met Ramsey at the appointed time just
as Mr. Jacobs returned to the office. The man had been the Chester
family representative for years, having taken over the task from
his father. After escorting the gentlemen into his office, Mr.
Jacobs assumed his seat behind the desk, pulling a file
forward.

“After your note, Mr. Chester, I gathered
your family documents. How can I help you?”

“I would like to know about my uncle’s
finances.”

“Is there a reason for this inquiry? I need
a justified cause before I reveal another’s status, even if he is
your uncle.”

“The fact that I am his heir should be
sufficient enough.” The words came out short and deliberate,
revealing Ramsey’s irritation.

“Regretfully sir, I need a more substantial
reason.” The solicitor studied him.

Ramsey sat forward and slammed his hands
down on the desk.

Marius sat forward and concentrated on
keeping his own voice calm. “Perhaps you should explain that your
concern involves your cousin.”

Ramsey turned to look at Marius. His face
relaxed for a moment. He took a deep breath and returned his
attention to the solicitor. “Sir, it has recently come to my
attention that perhaps my uncle is not doing his best by Lady
Sabrina Chester as her guardian.”

Mr. Jacobs sat back in his chair and folded
his hands over his protruding belly. His wire rimmed glasses
slipped down his nose and he now studied Ramsey over the rim before
speaking. “I’m afraid I can offer you no assistance. You gave up
your right to be concerned about Lady Chester some years ago.”

Marius again leaned forward. “Excuse
me?”

Ramsey tilted his head. “What right? I don’t
understand.”

Sighing deeply, Mr. Jacobs lifted the file
and rummaged through it. “I am surprised you don’t remember. I
dismissed your actions on account of your younger age. Still, I
wish you would have consulted me first.”

“Mr. Jacobs, I have no idea what you are
talking about.”

“Ah, here it is.” Mr. Jacobs replied and
withdrew a paper. He handed it to Ramsey. “This is the affidavit
you signed yourself relinquishing guardianship of Lady
Sabrina.”

Ramsey sat back to read and re-read the
foreign document while Marius studied it over his shoulder. Ramsey
lifted his eyes to Mr. Jacobs. “I have never seen this document in
my life and that certainly is not my signature.”

Mr. Jacobs paled for a moment. “Lord
Chesterfield assured me that you insisted on this document being
drawn up because you didn’t have time to worry about the girl and
felt a more mature man would be better suited to take care of her.
Perhaps you just don’t recall.”

“I assure you, Mr. Jacobs, I knew nothing of
this.”

“Oh dear,” Mr. Jacobs mumbled. He took a
handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed his forehead.

“Mr. Jacobs?” Marius asked. “You said you
would have liked to counsel Mr. Chester at the time. Why?”