Page 29 of On the Ropes of Scandal (With Love in Their Corner #3)

Bedford Square, Mayfair

P hoebe had barely entered the drawing room before the butler appeared at the open doorway. She greeted him with a smile. “What it is, Peterson?” A week with her staff—how had she become a lady with servants?—and it was still awkward for her to think that people had been employed to wait on her.

What would my mother say if she could see me now?

The butler, a man of indiscriminate years, nodded. “The Dowager Countess of Lethbridge is here to see you.”

“Now?” Knots of worry pulled in her belly. “Lord Frampton and I are to leave for the rout soon.” In fact, Duncan was in the process of finishing his toilette with his valet.

He shrugged. “I couldn’t say, my lady. Shall I send her up?”

“Yes, please.” Phoebe nodded. She smoothed her gloved hands down the front of her navy silk gown.

Hundreds of tiny clear glass beads had been sewn onto the skirts so that she twinkled each time she moved.

A sprinkling of small silver spangles had been sewn along the scooped bodice, and her silver satin slippers matched that embellishment.

Whyever was her mother-in-law here?

In a few moments, the dowager swept into the room clad in a gown of russet-colored silk. “Good evening, Phoebe. The navy hue suits you.”

She couldn’t help but smile, for she felt like a princess. “Thank you. You are lovely tonight as well, Regina.”

The older woman nodded. “The gown was a wonderful choice with the necklace.” Then she turned to the butler.

“You’ll need two footmen to take two trunks out of my carriage.

I’ve brought some bric-a-brac items for your curio cabinets, a few pairs of draperies if you’d like to change colors at the windows, and a gown for you of bronze taffeta because it will set off your blonde hair and blue eyes, Phoebe.

” She waved a hand at Peterson. “There are also a handful of paintings in the carriage. I thought Lady Frampton could have them hung in this room. They were of particular interest to her husband’s father. ”

“Of course, Your Ladyship.” Then the butler departed.

Then the older woman rested her attention on Phoebe. “I hope you don’t mind, dear. Starting out housekeeping when one is young is sometimes difficult with no coin.”

She nodded. “Duncan is doing his best.”

“He always does, but I fear the boy will become distracted. I want your home to be elegantly appointed for the time when the pair of you host your first event.”

Oh, dear heavens. I hope that isn’t any time soon.

“Thank you for the assistance, but why did you decide to bring such things over tonight? We’re to leave soon for Alexander’s rout.”

“I wanted to see how you faired before you and Duncan went out, but now we can ride together.” She tugged on the edge of one glove as she glanced at Phoebe. “Dear, why do you seem so green about the gills?”

Something about the older woman’s composure made her envious.

“I’m so nervous about tonight. Dancing isn’t my strong suit.

I’ve barely had any lessons. My parents didn’t put much stock in such things as they assumed I’d never have cause to use those skills.

” She heaved out a sigh. “And I’ve never been in society, not even in passing.

I fear I’m going to embarrass Duncan and quite possibly the whole Stapleton family. ”

After you have all been so kind to me.

“Well, no doubt that will happen.”

Phoebe gasped. “What?”

“It happens to every one of us, even me a few times.” The dowager softened the comment with a mischievous grin that made the lines framing her mouth and eyes a bit more prominent.

“Truly?”

“Oh, my, yes.” Amusement twinkled in her brown eyes. “Though I was the daughter of an earl, I was reared within society and the rules therein. I thrived in that life and in that social circle, but when I was a young bride, everything changed.”

Drawn into the story, Phoebe drifted a few steps closer to her mother-in-law. “How so?”

“For one, George was quite handsome.” The older woman tittered.

“In fact, Duncan resembles him quite heavily. So I was distracted in those days.” She nodded.

“Four months after I wed him, we appeared in public as a couple for the first time. My husband had just come into the title—in fact, when we returned from our wedding trip, his father unexpectedly died from an ailment of the lungs—and he was anxious to show the beau monde that he’d married well and would be successful as a new earl. ”

“What happened? I can’t imagine you as anything as elegant.” It was the truth, and one of the reasons the dowager intimidated her.

“It was a summer ball hosted by a duke, and I remember it being quite steamy that evening.” Her eyes took on a faraway look as she reached back into her memories.

“Combine that with my being both excited and nervous, with my husband determined to prove himself worthy of the title so was being gregarious than usual, and the fact that I was na?ve and didn’t know I was increasing at the time, and it was one big brewing storm. ”

“Oh, dear.” Phoebe put a hand to her cheek. “What happened?”

“I vomited all over my partner during the steps of a Viennese waltz. Unfortunately, it was the very duke to whose home we were invited.” The dowager chuckled over the remembrance.

“I was mortified at the time. So much so that I refused to leave my townhouse for a full two weeks afterward. My husband was beside himself with worry and frustration, but it wasn’t until the duchess paid me a call and told me that her husband found it amusing that I relaxed enough to show my face again. ”

“I don’t know if I could overcome something like that,” Phoebe admitted with a tiny shake of her head, but some of her anxiety eased. “Retching is so unpleasant to begin with.”

“It certainly is,” Duncan said as he came into the room, looking extremely handsome in his requisite dark evening clothing.

There was something special about seeing a man in satin knee breeches and a tailcoat that set the heart to fluttering.

“Of course, when I speak from experience, it is usually because I’ve imbibed in too much brandy. ”

The dowager chuckled. “While that is true, I’m impressed by the way you’ve reined yourself in since your nuptial ceremony. It is almost as if you are a new man.”

“Perhaps I am.” He went over to his mother and bussed her cheek, then he did the same to Phoebe. “I didn’t know that being a husband would practically demand that I change.”

She frowned at him. “I appreciate it, though.”

“I haven’t said I minded,” he added, with a wink. “We should go else we’ll be late, and I don’t wish to do that to Alexander.”

“You’re right.” The dowager moved toward the door as she resettled her gold wrap about her shoulders. “I’ll tell the butler to have the carriage brought around.”

Once she left the room, Phoebe glanced up at him. “Again, I want you to know that I didn’t want you to change so terribly much that—”

“Shh.” He cupped her cheek with a gloved hand and tipped her head backward.

“I hadn’t, truly, but I think we can both agree that limiting vices is something we can both be glad about.

” Before she could answer, he brushed his lips over hers then pulled away with a soft growl.

“That kiss won’t be enough to assuage my desire, but we are obligated to attend this rout. ”

“Oh!” She couldn’t help her giggle. “Then let us make certain we don’t linger tonight, hmm?”

There were times when she adored having a husband… despite the challenges.

*

No 6 St. George Street

Hanover Square, Mayfair

Westminster, England

With a pleasant sort of ache in her muscles and her breathing a bit shallow, Phoebe laughed as Duncan escorted her over to the side of the drawing room.

As soon as dancing commenced twenty minutes ago, he’d partnered her in a country reel, and miracle of miracles, she knew all the steps to the dance.

“That was more fun than I had anticipated,” she confided to him with a hand on his arm. “I only stumbled twice.”

“You were remarkable out there.” He slipped a hand about her waist, and then at her ear, he whispered, “And you are quite the looker in that gown. More’s the pity we aren’t alone.”

Heat went through her cheeks. “I appreciate the compliment, for the gown is lovely; your mother has been generous with her time and coin.”

He waved a hand. “For whatever reason, she has taken a liking to you. Which is odd. I don’t recall her ever doing the same with my brothers’ wives.”

“Then perhaps she feels sorry for me. After all, I’m not of the ton , and she’s probably wondering if I have any manners at all. Perhaps she’s waiting for me to make a mistake.” The knots of worry were back in her belly.

“Nonsense.” As a Viennese waltz was announced and couples filled available spots on the makeshift dance floor, Duncan took one of her hands.

“I think Mama genuinely likes you. We should all be grateful for that. She didn’t take kindly to Cecilia at first, and when Alexander announced his intentions to court Lydia, she wasn’t pleased. ”

“That’s disheartening in and of itself, for those ladies are infinitely better suited for this life than I am.” She shook her head as a feeling of inadequacy came over her. “Unless she didn’t hold out much hope for you and has accepted the fact that this is as good as you can do.”

Am I not good enough, then?

“I’m sure that isn’t true at all.” He drifted the fingers of one hand over her cheek regardless of whether they were in public. “But if you are truly worried, I can broach the subject with her.”

“Oh, please don’t do that.” A heavy sigh escaped her. “We shall see how things go.” Then the waltz was underway, and she sighed again, for a different reason this time, for she might have enjoyed partnering with her husband during that set.

“Are you disappointed we aren’t joining in?” he asked in a low voice.