A Dangerous Debut: A Sweet Regency Romance (Ladies of Mayfair Book 5)

by Wendy May Andrews

  Soft-hearted Daisy could not stand for this. Blushing bright red she protested, "Oh no, my lord, I do not wish to cause any trouble."

  "I have already been put out by this upstart having the temerity to show up while my wife is entertaining. It would actually afford me a degree of pleasure to throw him out the door."

  Seeing the cold glint in his eyes, Daisy knew he was serious. Her smile was wan but genuine. The marquis’ gaze turned colder.

  “It would appear that neither of you are overly surprised at the announcement that Sadbury is here to see you, Miss Pembroke. Is this what your friend was writing to warn you of?”

  Daisy began to feel like a mouse facing a hungry cat as the marquis’ cold eyes raked her dispassionately. She felt like cowering but refused to do so. Lifting her chin in a proud gesture, Daisy met the marquis’ eyes as she answered him. “That was private correspondence, my lord.”

  “Mayhap, but you have been a guest in this house, and your presence here has brought an unwarranted complication.”

  That, at least, was an indisputable fact, and Daisy could no longer meet his eye. She looked to Jasper, wondering how best to handle this embarrassing encounter. She was surprised to see that he was glaring at his father. This prompted the marquis’ ire to turn on him next.

  “Seaton, you do not seem at all surprised to hear Miss Pembroke spoken of as a governess. Why is that, might I ask?”

  “I am not surprised, my lord. She was one, now she is not.”

  “Have you brought your petite amie to your mother’s party?” The marquis’ rage was a cold flame.

  Daisy gasped, and her hand twitched with the urge to slap the smug look off the nobleman’s face. She controlled it with an effort borne of good breeding. She would not stoop to his level. Jasper’s anger was boiling beside her. Daisy reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm as a restraint.

  Jasper glanced down at the small hand on his sleeve. The mist of anger dancing before his eyes cleared as he saw the concern etched on Daisy’s face. He could not plant his father a facer with her here watching anxiously. He tried to smile reassuringly at her but worried it may have come across as more of a grimace. She returned his look with a small smile of her own. His heart swelled with a strange emotion. He felt deep pride in this small woman at his side. The aplomb with which she handled most situations was breathtaking to him. He placed his own hand over her cold little one where it rested upon his sleeve.

  Inclining his head as politely as he could muster, Jasper managed to ignore his father’s rude question, merely answering as calmly as possible. “Thank you for the information, my lord. We shall go and see what the baron wishes to say to Miss Pembroke.”

  Feeling the flutter of Daisy’s hand under his, he squeezed it, hoping she would not protest. While he did not relish the thought of facing the baron, the fact that he had shown up needed to be dealt with. He also wished to avoid a further confrontation with his father in front of Daisy, so he needed to get her out of there.

  Seeing the incredulous look upon his father’s face almost made Jasper burst out laughing. Clearly the older man had no idea his son was capable of gallantry. Instead of laughing, Jasper gritted his teeth to hold back his anger that once again his father was underestimating him. He had to think about Daisy right now and worry about his broken relationship with his sire later.

  Grateful that the marquis did not follow them, Jasper strode quickly from the room. It took him a couple of minutes to realize he was practically dragging Daisy down the hall. He was impressed that she had been able to keep up and did not protest, despite the fact that she had to hike up her skirt with her free hand in order not to trip.

  Jasper ground to a halt. “I am so sorry, Daisy. I did not intend to make you chase after me. Are you all right?” As he was asking her, he glanced around to see where they could have a few moments of privacy. Just ahead, there was a small alcove; it would not be completely private, but that was just as well. The last thing either of them needed at this moment was to find themselves in a compromising situation. Jasper set off in that direction, at a more moderate pace.

  Tucking her back to the wall and placing himself in front of her, so as to shield her from any prying eyes, Jasper searched Daisy’s face for evidence of how she was taking this latest turn of events. “You have not answered my question, my dear, are you all right?” he asked as gently as he could manage.

  He heard her shuddering breath, and his heart constricted. But then he saw a tremulous smile trembling onto her lips.

  “You have become rather managing and autocratic all of a sudden, my lord. I am struggling to decide whether I hate it or if it is unbearably attractive.”

  Jasper kept his voice pitched low, but he could not restrain the laughter that bubbled to the surface. “You are a delightful baggage, Miss Daisy.” He lowered his head as though to touch his lips to hers, but then he thought better of it and pulled back slightly.

  He felt her innocence evident in her wide-eyed gaze as she searched his face. He could tell she knew something was going on but didn’t fully understand it. He sighed softly and pulled back further. To distract them both from the impossible situation, he drew their attention back to the matter at hand.

  “Are you prepared to face Sadbury, Daisy? You seem to me to be a little bit in a state of shock. You have barely spoken about it. What is going on inside your pretty head?”

  As usual, Daisy rolled her eyes at the compliment but applied herself to the question. “I would not really say that I am shocked that he has shown up. If you will recall, it was my fear, and you assured me he would not have the temerity. It would appear that you were wrong, my lord.” Her accusatory tone made Jasper smile.

  “So it would seem, my dear,” he drawled.

  “Your father did not seem at all pleased with either of us,” Daisy said, her tone revealing her worry as much as the sight of her teeth nibbling on her bottom lip. Jasper forced himself not to stare.

  “It is not a new sensation for me, Miss Daisy. He has not been pleased with me since I was a toddler.”

  “Why is that, my lord? You have never really fully explained it. It must have made for a terribly uncomfortable childhood. And how could you bear your youth without your father’s proud support? I do believe I ought to have a stern discussion with the marquis about his treatment of you.”

  Again Jasper’s low laughter filled the alcove. It had been years since he had laughed as much as he had this past week in Daisy’s presence. He would happily stand here all day, listening to the audacious things coming out of her mouth, but Jasper determined that they really ought to deal with the baron waiting for them in his father’s library.

  “Are you feeling prepared to deal with Sadbury now, Daisy? If you would prefer, I could still have him escorted from the grounds by some sturdy footmen.”

  “While I would happily watch such a display, it is not at all practical. It would be best to find out what he wants while I am in the protected environs of Abernathy. No matter how critical your father might be, I firmly believe he will not allow any harm to befall me while I am a guest in his home. Or even the hired help, for that matter. I think he would consider it a matter of honor.” She said this last as though she were still contemplating the matter.

  “You are quite correct — you are perfectly safe here, but I would prefer to protect you from Sadbury completely, so that you need never face him if you do not wish.”

  “That is a lovely sentiment, my lord, but not at all practical. How do you propose to do that? After we are finished here, we are both going to return to our lives. Yours does not include playing nursemaid to a silly governess who got herself into a deeper muddle than she realized. Mine will involve sorting out that muddle.” She paused to soften her words with a warm smile. “I am just grateful that I have your support while I face him. Hopefully this can be dealt with and straightened out before luncheon.”

  Jasper cast such a dubious expression toward her that Daisy co
uld not help but giggle. “Are you questioning the fact that it could get straightened out or whether we will be welcome to share the luncheon with our fellow guests once it becomes known that I have been a governess?”

  “Neither, really. I just cannot fathom your cheerful attitude about it. Yesterday, you were worrying yourself into a lather about this very thing happening. Now that it has, you seem rather serene about it all. How do you reconcile these two seemingly contradictory situations?”

  Daisy’s shrug was uninformative, and she smiled uncertainly. “I cannot explain it. It was much worse as an unconfirmed worry that may or may not happen. Now that the situation has arrived, in reality, it just needs to be faced and dealt with. I am much more troubled about your father’s terrible attitude about you.”

  “Never mind about that for now. Let us get Sadbury dealt with, and we can think about other things later.”

  Jasper smiled over Daisy’s rather wretched sounding sigh, but she obediently tucked her hand into his proffered arm and they strode purposefully together toward the library.

  ~~~

  Standing before the library door, Daisy felt a shiver make its way down her spine. She had dreaded this moment ever since she had received Charlotte’s notes. She could not fathom what Sadbury could possibly want with her. Daisy did not believe for a moment that he would be so foolish as to think she would return to his employ. Foreboding circled her heart and made her head feel as though she needed a good nap.

  Throwing back her shoulders and lifting her chin defiantly, Daisy glanced at Jasper, surprised to see him watching her carefully. She smiled as confidently as she could manage, grateful that he took the situation out of her hands by pushing the door open and stepping through with her safe by his side.

  Sadbury looked nervous and twitchy, standing by the large desk that dominated the room. Daisy wondered if he had been searching through the marquis’ papers but figured Lord Abernathy was a mature enough man to concern himself with his own matters. She pushed the thought away and occupied herself with the problem at hand.

  “Lord Sadbury, what a surprise to see you here.” She could not find it in herself to be rude to the unscrupulous little man, no matter the provocation, but she was not going to be overtly welcoming either.

  Sadbury’s attempt at a pleasant smile fell rather short of its objective, but Daisy found the tight grimace to be more amusing than terrifying, so she allowed her own lips to lift in a slight smile.

  “Miss Pembroke, I am so happy to see you.” His oily smile made Daisy uncomfortable, but she held her ground. “You have to help me out. The children have been crying for you ever since your departure, and my dear wife is beside herself with concern over them. We have not been able to find an acceptable replacement for you. I would be most grateful if you would accompany me directly home to take over the nursery and set things to rights.”

  Daisy blinked at the baron. She never would have thought the obtuse little man would be so slow-witted as to think she would even consider returning to his employ.

  “I appreciate your confidence in my ability to comfort your children, but I cannot accept your generous offer of employment.”

  “Is it the money? I could pay you a bit more, if that is the problem.”

  “It is not the money, my lord.”

  “How about if I double your wages?” Now the baron sounded desperate, and Daisy became more suspicious.

  “My lord, it is commendable that you are exhibiting such concern over the well-being of your children, but I will admit to you that it is a surprising turn of affairs. When I was living in your home, I never knew you to show any interest in them. To be perfectly frank, I wondered if you would even know their names if we were to encounter you unawares upon the grounds.”

  Daisy was not satisfied to see the dull flush that rose in the baron’s cheeks. She did not intend to embarrass the man; she was just stating the facts as she saw them. She pressed on in her argument. “I am sorry to disappoint you, and I mean no disrespect, but I do not find your explanation to be believable.”

  Sadbury’s flush of embarrassment turned to one of anger, and he glared at Daisy. He didn’t have another story, so he needed to stick with this one. He had thought it would be a good one. The stupid chit had seemed devoted to the children when she had worked for him; he thought it would be easy to convince her. He glared at her again. “Don’t you care about the children?”

  “I think your children are lovely boys and girls, and if it was just them, I would happily return to being their governess. But surely, my lord, you must be quite daft if you think I would return after what happened with Lord Wright.”

  Sadbury blanched. “To what are you referring?” he hedged.

  “To the fact that he accosted me in front of your children, and you refused to do anything about it,” Daisy almost yelled.

  Daisy could not fathom why the wretched little man looked relieved over her words. “Ah yes, that was an unfortunate incident, for which I offer you sincere apology.”

  Daisy narrowed her eyes at him. “It does not feel very sincere since it is a couple of weeks too late.”

  “Surely you realize how it is amongst noblemen, my dear Miss Pembroke. If I had realized you would take it so hard, you can be sure I would have apologized immediately.”

  “Lord Sadbury, it really is neither here nor there at this point. I am sorry to have to tell you that you have come all this way for nothing, but I will not be accepting your offer of employment. I am quite sure your wife is perfectly capable of hiring a governess who will suit your children. I suggest you take greater care of her in the future. But it will not be me filling the position.” Daisy edged toward the door, holding it open. “Thank you for the offer. I would wish you a good day.”

  Sadbury made no move toward the door. “You are making a big mistake, girl.”

  He suddenly seemed to realize that the viscount was in the room with them. Jasper had stood silently watching the exchange between Daisy and Sadbury. Now the baron’s weasel eyes turned colder. “You have made other arrangements for yourself, haven’t you, you little piece of baggage.”

  Daisy held herself as still as humanly possible and looked down her straight little nose at the ridiculous baron. “I do not like what you are implying, my lord. It is time that you leave.”

  Jasper quivered with anger beside her, but she was grateful that he held silent, allowing her to handle the situation as she saw fit. Even though she was fully convinced she would have been able to handle the indelicate situation on her own, she was grateful for Jasper’s fierce glare that he directed full force onto the hapless baron, making him squirm and finally head toward the door. It would have taken her much longer to accomplish that on her own, she was sure.

  Jasper followed the baron to the front door, and Daisy trailed after them. She was undecided about the situation. It was at the back of her mind that they should try to find out what he had really been after. It was plain to see that he had not been telling the truth. She nibbled on her lip but kept silent.

  Jasper spoke with the butler, and it was all taken care of quietly and easily. Within a couple minutes, Jasper had her arm in his warm hand and he was escorting her to the dining room. “It should be empty at this time of the day,” he muttered softly in her ear when she looked at him questioningly.

  When they were alone in the large silent room, Daisy gazed at Jasper, waiting to hear what he would say. He looked undecided. She began to nibble on her bottom lip once more.

  Jasper’s gaze fastened on the evidence of her nerves. He reached over and covered it with his thumb. “I beg of you, do not do that. I shall not be able to concentrate if you continue.”

  His words confused Daisy, and she did not understand the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach over his actions. Goosebumps rose all over her arms, distracting her. She stepped away from the viscount, rubbing her arms with her hands, trying to get warm. The encounter with the baron had discomfited her.

&nbs
p; “What shall we do?” she finally asked Jasper when he did not speak.

  “About what exactly?” he asked, which Daisy thought was rather ridiculous.

  “About Lord Sadbury’s arrival upon the doorstep, and the fact that your father now knows that I was a governess,” she blurted out. “Everything is ruined,” she wailed softly.

  “Nothing is ruined,” Jasper said gently, taking her hands into his warm ones and chafing them to restore warmth. “Sadbury is gone, and now we just have to go find my father and explain to him that Sadbury is a toad and we got rid of him.”

  “But I am even more afraid of Sadbury than I was before. He was most certainly lying about wanting me to come back to care for the children. The baron would not put himself out over his poor children. I doubt if he even knows their names.”

  “What exactly do you think might be behind his visit here, if not what he said it was?”

  “I have no idea, which is what troubles me. My impression of Lord Sadbury is that he is a lazy, selfish man who only thinks of himself. For him to go to the effort of seeking me out here at Abernathy makes me feel that there must be a powerful reason that would move him to do so. And for him, I do not think his children would be a strong enough motivator.”

  Daisy could feel Jasper’s gaze on her. His next words made her more sad than fearful. “I can fully understand that. I doubt if my father would travel very far for my benefit.”

  “Mine would have crawled from London to Bath if necessary in order to be of assistance to me. To me, that is part of the very definition of being a father.”

  “In theory I agree with you, but sadly I have not seen it applied in practice very often, if ever. I am happy for you that you have experienced it for yourself. Perhaps you could tell me about it one day. For now, we need to come up with some plausible reasons why he might have sought you out.”

  Daisy’s hands, which had warmed up nicely from his attentions, again turned to ice as she contemplated the matter. “The trouble is that I have no idea. I am just a simple girl. I lead a very normal life until my parents died. Since then, my life has been rather dull and even more simple. I have been serving as a governess for goodness’ sake. While I was a governess, I did naught but spend time with the children. There is no fathomable reason for which he could be seeking me, I am nearly certain.”