She entered the house through the kitchen and tried to slip toward the stairs, intent on reaching her room without alerting either of her sisters of her return.
It proved a more impossible feat than she had imagined however, as the moment her foot hit the creaky third step of the staircase, she heard Sophia call out from the parlor, “Tabitha? Is that you dear?”
For a moment, she considered ignoring her sister’s query. She could continue on her way and not have to face the inevitable onslaught of questions she was sure would come. At length, however, she knew it was useless to try and hide. Sophia could be like a hound with a scent, and would no doubt hunt her down to determine what brought her back to the house so soon.
With a defeated sigh, she replied, “Yes, Sophia. It is me.”
She heard footsteps padding down the hallway toward her and the next moment, Sophia appeared at the foot of the stairs. Her brow was furrowed as she stared up at Tabitha.
“You are back already?”
Tabitha took a deep breath and nodded. “Clearly I am.”
Sophia tilted her head and raised her brow. “What has you so grumpy?”
Tabitha squeezed the staircase railing. “I am not grumpy. I am perfectly fine. I simply changed my mind about reading outside. It is too…cold.”
Sophia’s expression grew more baffled. “Too cold? It is warmer out today than it was yesterday, and you spent hours reading in the garden yesterday.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Tabitha cursed her sister’s quick memory. She scrambled to come up with another excuse, but her mind chose that moment to go completely blank.
“Tabitha? What happened on your walk?”
Her eyes shot open and was startled to find Sophia studying her through narrowed eyes.
“Nothing happened,” Tabitha hurried to assure her sister. “Truly, I just…just did not feel like reading outside anymore.”
Sophia pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I can always tell when you are lying. It is no use trying to hide anything from me. You may as well tell me, because I promise you I will not stop badgering you about it.”
Tabitha recognized the stubborn set of her youngest sister’s jaw. She knew it would do her no good to continuing resisting. Once Sophia set her mind to something, she did not relent until her goals were accomplished. Now, she was determined to get to the truth, and Tabitha knew she would eventually have her way.
With a defeated sigh, she confessed, “Oh, very well. I…I came upon a gentleman while walking.”
Sophia’s eyes shot wide. “A gentleman? Who? Someone we are acquainted with?”
Tabitha reluctantly shook her head. “No, not as of yet.”
“Who was it, then?” Excitement filled Sophia’s voice. Sometimes, Tabitha forgot how young she truly was, and how prone to fits of girlish silliness she could be. At fifteen years of age, Sophia was very much still a child, despite the maturity she often displayed.
Tabitha groaned. “I…I encountered Lord Morrington.”
“What?” Sophia shrieked.
“Sophia? What is the matter, dear?” Unity cried from across the house.
Sophia did not answer immediately. Instead, she grabbed hold of Tabitha’s wrist and yanked her back down the stairs before dragging her to the parlor. Unity was on her feet when they entered the room, her face crinkled with concern.
“What is going on?” she asked.
Sophia tugged on Tabitha’s hand, bringing her closer to their sister. The youngest Walters sister bounced on the balls of her feet, nearly shaking in her eagerness.
“Tell her, Tabitha! Tell her who you met today!” Sophia urged, shaking her sister.
Tabitha managed to pull her arm from her sister’s hold, rolling her eyes as her irritation grew.
“Sophia, you are acting foolishly. It is not worth all this fuss.”
“Oh, stop being so difficult and tell her!” Sophia insisted with a pout.
“Tabitha? Who did you meet?” Unity asked in a sweetly curious tone.
“Lord Morrington.” Tabitha shot a glare toward Sophia, who was grinning like a little fool.
Unity’s eyes widened. When she spoke, her voice held a note of interest, though she was far more contained than young Sophia.
“Oh? That is quite exciting. What was he like?”
Tabitha shrugged. “I must confess, I was not overly impressed with him.”
Sophia’s face fell, and Unity appeared surprised.
“Why ever not?” Unity questioned.
“He was quite arrogant,” Tabitha explained. “It was clear he thought very highly of himself, and I believe he must be a terrible flirt.”
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “He flirted with you?”
Tabitha’s cheeks heated with instant mortification. She waved her hands in front of her, as if she could dispel the words from the air between them.
“That is not…I did not mean…he was not…” She knew she was stammering like an idiot, but she was unable to think of a proper excuse to dissuade her sisters from believing such a thing.
“Oh, you are blushing!” Sophia cried.
“Sophia, enough,” Unity admonished their youngest sister. “You are upsetting the poor girl!”
“Thank you, Unity,” Tabitha said, shooting a narrowed eyed glared toward Sophia.
Her sister did not seem to notice the look, however. Clapping her hands, she beamed with glee.
“Was he handsome?” Sophia blurted. “He must be handsome. I am certain he is.”
“He…he is pleasant looking,” Tabitha admitted in a soft voice, dropping her gaze from her sisters.
Sophia gasped in delight. “Of course he is.”
Tabitha glanced up and caught her sister’s dreamy expression. She turned her eyes to Unity, who was smiling and shaking her head in amusement.
“It seems he left quite the impression on you,” she said.
Tabitha scowled. “The only impression he left was a sour taste in my mouth.”
Unity studied her carefully. “I do not believe you are being entirely truthful, my dear.”
Tabitha blanched. “What do you mean? Why would I speak falsely of the gentleman? I hardly know him.”
“Do not try to fool me. I know you better than that.” Unity’s words mirrored Sophia’s own earlier when she had pulled Tabitha’s encounter with Lord Morrington from her lips.
Her sisters each possessed the unnerving ability to force her into honesty. No other person, not even her papa, could force her hand the way Sophia and Unity could. Even as children, she had rarely been able to keep secrets from them. They could always tell when she was holding something back from them, and would somehow always manage to get her to confide in them.
Usually, the ease with which she could speak openly and honestly with them felt like a blessing.
Right now, it felt like a curse.
“You like him,” Unity said with an amazed grin.
“What?” Tabitha cried. “That is ridiculous. I do not like him.”
Sophia pushed into Unity’s side so she could squint up into Tabitha’s face.
“You are right!” Sophia declared after several moments. She gazed up at Unity in awe.
“Stop that,” Tabitha snapped. “I do not like him. I do not know him, and he does not know me. It is unlikely we will encounter each other again.”
“Oh, of course you will,” Sophia chuckled. “We will likely see him during many social gatherings. At the next function we attend, if he remains unattached that long, he will no doubt seek you out.”
“That is highly doubtful,” Tabitha murmured.
“Why?” Unity asked.
Tabitha’s nostrils flared. “Well, I…I did not give him my name.”
“Why would you not give him your name?” Sophia shrieked, sounding devastated.
“Do not be dramatic,” Tabitha hissed. “I did not wish to give him my name because I do not like him and do not want him to approach me in public. It is as simpl
e as that.”
Sophia frowned. “Despite your intelligence, Tabitha, you are sometimes so naive.”
Tabitha gawked at her youngest sister. “What in the world does that mean?”
“Do you not see the opportunity you have likely sabotaged for yourself?” Sophia snapped. “Lord Morrington is said to be wealthy, titled, and single. You could have snatched him up before any other lady in the country even had the chance to meet him.”
“I do not wish to snatch him up,” Tabitha insisted. “I am not interested in the men of Laurelborough, you know that.”
“But he is not of Laurelborough,” Unity pointed out. “He is merely visiting.”
“Another point against him,” Tabitha replied. “He is a fleeting fascination, nothing more. He will be gone by the fall, so why should I bother to get to know him?”
Sophia groaned. “You are impossible.”
“And you are irritating,” Tabitha bit out.
“All right, that is enough,” Unity, ever the peacekeeper, said in a soothing voice. “Sophia, it is clear Tabitha does not like to be teased in this manner, so you must let the subject go for now.”
Or let it go forever.
Still, Tabitha appreciated Unity stepping into defend her. Even if her opponent was just a wisp of a fifteen-year-old girl.
“You both will find yourselves old spinsters before long, and it will not be for lack of trying on my part.” Sophia rolled her eyes and released a huff of frustration. Spinning on her heel, she marched from the room.
Tabitha and Unity watched her go. When Sophia was clear of the room, they glanced at each other and burst into a fit of giggles.
“The poor lamb can get so worked up sometimes,” Unity said with a grin.
Tabitha nodded. “Indeed she can.”
“She is right, however.”
Tabitha furrowed her brow. “About what exactly?”
“You could have snatched Lord Morrington before anyone else had the chance. And do not try to convince me you are not intrigued by him, because I simply will not believe you.”
Tabitha rested her hands on her hips. “If you are going to insist on staying on this topic, it should be noted that there is no guarantee Lord Morrington would want me for his bride.”
“Of course he would.” Unity pulled Tabitha’s hand from her hip and squeezed it. “You are beautiful and brilliant. He would be a fool not to wish to win you for his own. I am sure even now, he can think of little else but his encounter with you.”
“I am sure if that is the case, it is not because he thinks me brilliant and beautiful,” Tabitha grumbled. “In truth, I was not particularly kind to him.”
“What do you mean? Please do not tell me you were rude to the poor gentleman?”
Tabitha grinned sheepishly. “I would not say I was exactly rude, but I was not exactly warm either.”
Unity shook her head. “Oh, Tabitha. What did you do?”
“I did nothing! I was just not going to be taken in by his smooth talk and arrogant manner.”
Unity frowned. “You are sometimes too harsh in your discernment of others, Tabitha.”
Pursing her lips, Tabitha felt a tingle of defensiveness, but she tried to tamp it back down. She knew Unity only wished the best for her, and sometimes that meant being brutally honest with here about some of her less than desirable characteristics.
Still, she did not feel her judgment of Lord Morrington’s character was incorrect. Neither of her sisters had been there to witness his behavior.
“It is such a shame we must miss the McKenzies’ gathering,” Unity said with a sigh. “You could have introduced yourself properly to him there.”
Tabitha barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “Yes, well, it is probably for the best, in the end. I doubt very much we would get on well in any case.”
“You do not know that for sure,” Unity replied.
Tabitha shrugged without a word. “It likely does not matter now. As you said earlier, Lord Morrington and his friend will likely be snatched up by the time we return home from Aunt Bess’s. No single man of means holds onto his bachelorhood for long in Laurelborough.”
Chapter 7
The week with their Aunt Bess proved a pleasant respite for Tabitha. She was able to forget about Lord Morrington and his arrogance for a time, and was not constantly reminded of him by the wagging tongues of the ladies of Laurelborough. She was able to focus once more on her reading, and her irritation toward Sophia had lessened considerably.
She was almost sorry to return home, knowing she would not be able to escape the gossip surrounding Lord Morrington any longer. He and his friend’s arrival into the area was likely the most exciting thing to have happened to Laurelborough in quite some time. The excitement around them would not die down any time soon.
Tabitha and her sisters arrived home late on Saturday afternoon. When their carriage pulled up to the house, the front door flew open and their papa bounded out onto the gravel walk. A wide smile curled his lips, and the eagerness in his gaze made Tabitha’s heart ache. She could see how much he had missed them just by his expression.
Their papa, the Baron of Narnwood, was a portly gentleman with thinning brown hair and twinkling amber eyes. Quick-witted and a savvy businessman, he was also one of the most good-natured souls Tabitha had ever known. The only time she had ever seen him truly brought low was when her mother had passed away when she was a girl.
All of Laurelborough knew how much the Baron adored his daughters, and Tabitha and her sisters had wanted for nothing growing up, though their home could not be called grand. He had come into his fortune after his marriage, and so the modest manor in which they lived by no means reflected the wealth he possessed. It had been the first home in which he had lived with his beloved wife, and he never wished to part with it.
Not that Tabitha or her sisters minded in the least. They loved their home and the memories it possessed.
Tabitha had always thought it so romantic that her papa could not bear to part with the house he and his wife had built their lives in. Were she to gain an interest in marriage, she would want that type of love and devotion from her husband. Her parents had set an impossible standard for her in regard to marriage, and she was too stubborn to settle for anything less than true passion and soul-deep affection.
The sisters alighted from the carriage one by one and hurried to their papa. Sophia ran toward them with a delighted laugh and threw herself into his open arms.
“Papa! How I have missed you!” she declared.
“I have missed you too, my darling girl,” the Baron replied, hugging her tight and patting her on the head. “How was your visit with your aunt?”
“Very lovely,” Unity said, coming up behind Sophia. She leaned in to give their papa a kiss on his cheek. “Aunt Bess was very glad to have us stay with her. She said to tell you it is a crime to keep us away for so long.”
The Baron shook his head. “You mother’s sister should very well know how difficult it is for me to part with you all. She should be grateful for the time I do allow her.”
Tabitha chuckled as she moved in to kiss her papa’s other cheek. “She said you are greedy with our time.”
He scoffed. “You are my daughters. I can be greedy with as much of your time as I choose.”
All three ladies laughed. Turning, their papa led them back into the house.
“Now, tell me, what fun did you all have while you were away?” he asked as they made their way through the foyer toward the staircase. Tabitha was eager to get to her room so that she could change her clothes, which were dirty from the road, and freshen herself up. She paused, however, and stood with her sisters to relay the details of their trip to their papa.
“Aunt Bess took us all shopping for new ribbons, and then allowed us to order new bonnets as well,” Sophia said with a gleeful clap of her hands. “She said she would bring them to us when they were finished and have a visit of her own.”
“Oh, indeed?” the Baron nodded, though Tabitha could hear an underlying ring of an annoyance in his voice. Though the sisters adored their Aunt Bess, it was no secret that she was far from their papa’s favorite relation. None of them knew why, however, as he was always tight-lipped on the matter when they probed him for answers.
“I am sure it will only be for a few days,” Unity said, her voice soothing. “Aunt Bess will not want to be away from our young cousins for any extended period of time.”
Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 5