Confessions of Lady Tabitha, page 10
“I’m wondering which dress to choose,” she finally told the woman. “I usually like blue and green, but I do not like the marquess. I suppose that leaves me with the pink one.”
“I had a feeling you would choose the least flattering,” said Mandee. “Fortunately for me, you can never look ugly. Hold your arms up so I can slip it on and secure it.”
Tabitha did as Mandee bid without argument, shivering slightly when the cool material glided over her body. It was a perfect fit as she had expected, but Tabitha had hoped the seamstress had got her measurements wrong.
“There,” said Mandee, adjusting the short sleeve. “Doesn’t that look lovely?”
“The dress or me?”
“Both. Sit down so I can do your hair. I fear we do not have much time, so a simple braid and then a twist up with pins in place will have to do.”
Mandee brushed Tabitha’s hair until it shone, quickly plaiting it and twisting it to form an updo. Tabitha had to admit that the effect was lovely.
“I did not want to look pretty for the marquess,” she complained.
“We spoke about this already,” Mandee reminded her. “Do not do anything to upset your parents today, Tabitha. And I mean it. Your father is in no mood to be embarrassed by his only daughter. You need to control yourself today.”
“I’m in a dress, aren’t I?”
Mandee closed her eyes briefly. “Yes, you are in a dress. I’ll get your shoes and perfume.”
Tabitha nodded and leaned her elbows on her vanity table. What could she do to get out of meeting Lord Bazeley today? She could pretend to hurt her ankle and insist on remaining upstairs while they welcomed him downstairs. Slowly smiling, Tabitha straightened and stood up. Now it was just to find the spot to hurt her ankle.
She wouldn’t be foolish and do any real damage, but it had to be believable. There was still a loose floorboard somewhere outside her room that was supposed to have been taken care of weeks ago, but somehow it remained forgotten about. If she caught her foot on it and fell ... Mandee would know what she had done, but no one else would.
“Are you done fetching those shoes?” Tabitha asked.
“Yes. I’ve decided on the silver shoes and floral perfume. That should please your parents.”
Tabitha wanted to ask what about her but thought better of it. She didn’t need to look presentable for anyone because she wouldn’t be part of the procession.
After slipping her shoes on and having Mandee spritz her, Tabitha left her room and headed straight for the loose floorboard. She didn’t hesitate once, not even when Mandee called out to her to be careful. Stepping in front of the raised part, Tabitha made sure to drag her foot against it. The floorboard instantly hooked on her shoe, knocking Tabitha off balance.
She quickly threw her hands out as she went down, momentarily jarring herself and rattling her teeth when she hit the floor. She hadn’t meant to fall so hard, and judging by the feeling of her knee, she was probably bleeding just a little.
I was supposed to hurt my ankle, not my knee. I suppose it will have to do.
At least she was injured. Surely her mother would confine her to a chair or her room if she saw the bloodstain on Tabitha’s dress?
“What on earth are you trying to do?” asked a worried Mandee as she knelt next to Tabitha. “You knew very well that the loose floorboard was there. Why did you walk into it?”
“For the same reasons that I did not want to put on this dress.”
Mandee brought her hands together as though in prayer, touching them to her face. She looked horrified.
“’Tis not as bad as you think it is,” Tabitha insisted. “’Tis but a little scratch, although I do think I shall ache tomorrow. Would you help me to my parlour and call my mother?”
Mandee lowered her hands. “What next? Are you going to throw yourself from the roof? Jump into the river?”
“I’m not that foolish!”
“You just hurt yourself to avoid a man!” said Mandee, her voice rising. “What am I supposed to think?”
“Goodness, Mandee,” Tabitha complained. “It was a little fall, and I shall ache only a tiny bit, but it’s enough to hopefully avoid the marquess. Help me stand up.”
Mandee held Tabitha’s hands and pulled her up. Tabitha could already feel the twinges of pain, but it wasn’t severe.
“Call my mother, please. I’ll take myself to the parlour.”
Mandee turned without a word, hiding her grim expression and hurrying downstairs. Making her way to the parlour, Tabitha winced only slightly.
“It was worth it,” she whispered firmly to herself.
Tabitha continued to convince herself of that all the way to the parlour, knowing that she wasn’t crazy. It was pure desperation.
He was here! Tabitha hobbled to the window, wanting to see if she was right. Sure enough, Leo’s carriage was driving up the path. Tabitha recognised the coat of arms on the door, having seen it later that evening of her first and only ball in London.
Opening her window slightly, she leaned down to see the people who had come out to see him. Mandee had said that her father expected all the household servants to line up and allow the marquess to greet and inspect them. Tabitha had a feeling she would have been told to do the same thing if not for her minor knee injury.
Her mother had not been impressed about that, calling Tabitha clumsy. Tabitha had even torn the dress slightly, rendering it ruined. However, the duchess couldn’t do much about it. It was no use trying to force Tabitha downstairs when it hurt to be on her feet too long.
“I hate to think what will happen once my knee has healed,” she mumbled.
It wouldn’t take long, but Tabitha wanted to milk the injury for as long as she could. Stalling her meeting with Leo would give her more time to come up with a better plan. There had to be something she could do.
Leaning on her arms, Tabitha watched the great fanfare with which the marquess was welcomed. Her father was the first person to meet Leo at the carriage, shaking his hands and momentarily pausing when he looked into the carriage. What had her father seen? Tabitha leaned a little further out, squinting her eyes to see who was in the carriage with the marquess. A woman eventually came out, allowing her hand to be taken and kissed.
“Papa never mentioned anything about another woman,” Tabitha said to herself. “I wonder who she is?”
Tabitha jerked a little when the door behind her opened, thinking it was somehow Leo. But that would be foolish because Leo was down there. She watched the door slowly open to reveal a sheepish-looking Jeremy.
“Mr Gibbs!” she breathed. “Thank goodness, it’s you.”
“I am not being too forward by coming in here unannounced, My Lady?”
“Not at all. Come in. Was there something you needed?”
He shook his head. “None at all. I thought to come and watch all the faff happening below with you. I didn’t fancy meeting that scoundrel. I take it those are your sentiments as well?”
Tabitha bit her lower lip, wondering if she should reveal what she had done to remain upstairs.
“If I tell you something potentially foolish, do you promise not to judge me?”
Jeremy pulled his brows together, tilting his head slightly. “Why would I ever judge you? I do not think you can put a foot out of place.”
She grimaced. “I am not worthy of such trust, Mr Gibbs. I’m afraid I was a little underhanded in ensuring I was not forced to meet my fiancé.”
“What did you do?”
Tabitha showed him the little tear on her dress. “I used a loose floorboard to my advantage and fell. It hurt my knee, so now I have been happily confined upstairs. Before you ask, it does not hurt much. ’Tis only a twinge of pain.”
Tabitha could see the whites of Jeremy’s eyes as he stared at her in alarm. He kept looking at her knee and face in quick succession. Finally, he let out a shaky breath and shook his head.
“I never took you for one to go to these measures, My Lady.”
Jeremy did not seem pleased with her. “Do not be like Mandee, Mr Gibbs. I only did what was necessary. Now, are you going to complain about what I did or watch what is unfolding below us?”
Tabitha didn’t wait for a reply but turned to the open window and leaned out to observe the guests.
Leo had moved onto the servants while the other woman hung back, merely nodding her head at everyone. Tabitha’s lips curled in distaste as she watched Leo inspect the servants, reminded of her thoughts earlier that day about the slaves who would stand on a platform to be reviewed by slave buyers. Her father was essentially selling everyone, not just her.
“They don’t look impressed with him,” Jeremy commented by her side.
“Not at all. None of them are smiling.”
“I don’t blame them. I do not know what your father will say when I see him later this evening. He expected me to be down there with the others, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Tabitha pulled her head back when she heard the angry bitterness in Jeremy’s voice. He had never gone against the duke in anything, yet he had done it today. Was it for her benefit, or did he really not like the marquess? Somehow, Tabitha knew it was for her sake.
“I do not wish you to be in trouble for my sake, Mr Gibbs.”
He smiled strangely, searching her eyes. “Are you so concerned for me?”
His gaze unsettled her. Tabitha looked away, shrugging one shoulder. “I am concerned about everyone on this estate. I do not want anyone to receive a scolding from Papa.”
Tabitha heard his sigh and almost looked at him, but something told her she didn’t want to see what was written on his face. It was a peculiar feeling that she didn’t understand.
“In that case, there is no need to fret. I will merely tell your father that I had business to attend to.”
Tabitha nodded, knowing her father would accept that excuse.
When Leo moved inside, Tabitha quickly went to the inside window that looked down into the front part of the house. Tabitha opened it as noiselessly as she could, motioning for Jeremy to come over.
“He is about to meet Mandee, Baxter, and the other household servants,” she told him unnecessarily.
“I doubt they will give him a warmer welcome than the other servants did,” Jeremy commented.
“Does everyone know about Lord Bazeley?” she asked,
“I imagine they do. Servants talk a lot among themselves, and the word was bound to get out. They must know he is nothing but a high-class criminal.”
“The worst sort,” Tabitha added.
The servants either bowed or curtsied, each of their expressions as blank as the next one. The duke had to be wondering what was going on because his servants were usually a jovial lot.
There is absolutely nothing jovial about that man. I really wish to know who that woman behind him is. She follows him like his shadow.
Could she be a sister? Tabitha doubted it because they looked nothing alike. A random thought suddenly occurred to her, making her turn to Jeremy in question.
“How on earth did you manage to get here? You could not have come from the front entrance.”
“I took the servants’ staircase to avoid everyone,” he admitted. “I had heard you were not going to be part of the welcome committee and came to look for you.”
Tabitha nodded, looking back at the guests. “That makes sense.”
They continued to watch until Lord Bazeley, his companion, and her parents moved to the drawing-room. Tabitha knew they would be there for hours and felt safe enough where she was.
“Well, I suppose that’s that. My life is over now that he is in the house.”
“Do not say that, My Lady,” Jeremy admonished. “Your life has barely begun.”
Tabitha raised a delicate eyebrow. “Are you certain about that? You know the man I am about to marry. He isn’t precisely marriage material. Leo is more of a bandit, I think. He may not wave a pistol around, but he is just as dangerous.”
“I understand that, but you should not give up on your life so soon,” Jeremy explained. “You are not married yet, are you?”
“No, but I shall be soon enough if I do not find a solution to my problem.”
A pained look entered Jeremy’s eyes, but he quickly looked away from her. Was he so concerned about her? Tabitha found that touching.
“Thank you for being so kind to me, Mr Gibbs, especially after how I treated you some days ago. You have a forgiving heart.”
Jeremy chuckled, but it didn’t sound cheerful. “I do not think I am all that forgiving. I am not so good that I cannot go to any lengths to help someone I care about.”
Did he mean her? “Anyone willing to go to lengths to help another is good and kind in my books. Leo certainly does not have any of these qualities, if he has any at all, besides being charming and tricking young women. You, on the other hand, are sweet and kind. Stay just the way you are, Mr Gibbs.”
Jeremy grinned, his first genuine one since the day. “Why, thank you, My Lady. That means a lot coming from you.”
Tabitha nodded, pushing away from the windowsill. “It’s true. Now, I think you should return to your duties before Papa calls you. He did say something about taking Leo on a walk through the estate. I do not know if he means today or tomorrow.”
Jeremy straightened as well, his expression suddenly serious. “I am always here for you if you ever need help, My Lady. Please don’t hesitate to call for me. Mandee usually knows where I am.”
How could Jeremy possibly help her? Tabitha had no idea, but Jeremy seemed to think he could.
“That is kind of you, Jeremy. Please hurry along before anyone sees you in here.”
Jeremy seemed a little disappointed by her lack of enthusiasm for his offer. What else did he expect? She hardly knew how to get rid of Leo; what could a servant possibly do? Leo seemed untouchable.
As Tabitha watched Jeremy’s figure disappear behind the door, she found herself admiring him again. He was a good looking man; any woman would admire him. Satisfied with her explanation, Tabitha dug out the book she had hidden behind a cushion yesterday, carefully fell into a comfortable chair, and started reading.
Chapter 9
Tabitha didn’t know whether or not she liked the book she was reading. The entire story seemed to be centred around a hero rescuing the heroine. Now, Tabitha wasn’t against being saved, but why on earth was the heroine falling into trouble at every turn? Many times it had been her fault because the heroine hadn’t listened to her common sense.
Disgusted, Tabitha tossed the book away. She did not need a story about weak heroines right now, but a story that would give her the courage to do whatever she needed to. It was rather difficult thinking up effective plans when Tabitha had never needed to run away from anything or anyone. Or perhaps she had but had never had the courage to go through with it.
Tabitha was beginning to realise that getting everything she could possibly want was not good for her thinking abilities. It had made her lazy and spoilt, and now she was paying for her weaknesses.
