His Not So Sensible Miss (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time - Book 3) (11 page)

Noah turned to Emily and then Dillon.
“I didn’t know you were acquainted.”

“
We met this spring while I
was visiting my aunt and uncle.”

A light seemed to dawn in Noah’s eyes.
“Oh, yes. I had forgotten that the Chambers’ family estate is close
to your aunt and uncle.”

Noah turned his eyes back to Dillon as
if really noticing him for the first time, a questioning brow rose.
“I thought you avoided socializing when out of London, preferring
to rusticate in your cottage. How did you and Emily
meet?”

Emily and Dillon glanced at each other
for a moment, waiting for the other to answer.

Dillon said nothing. He was going to
let Emily answer and he would follow. After all, it was her
reputation on the line.

“
We were caught in the same
storm,” Emily finally offered. “I had taken refuge in a barn. Mr.
Chambers arrived shortly after me.” There, that should put their
mind at rest and hopefully change the topic.

“
Not the barn with the
cottage?” Noah asked. “Is that thing still standing?”

“
The very one. Though how it
survived the storm is beyond me. We were getting just as drenched
standing inside as we were outside.” Dillon smiled at Emily.
“Actually,” he continued, “I convinced her to come into the cottage
to wait it out. Finally, she agreed. It was much nicer by the fire
drinking tea then standing in the unstable barn.”

“
Yes,” Emily stated through
clinched teeth. “As I recall, you insisted because of your
reputation. Does mine mean so little?”

A stillness grew around the
table.

Noah sat down his wine glass and looked
over at Dillon. The man was a friend, a very good friend. However,
Emily had apparently been almost like a sister to him. “Exactly
what reputation would that be?”

Dillon didn’t miss Noah’s threat, but
wasn’t overly concerned. If his friends saw Emily ruined then of
course, he would marry her, regardless of his parents’ feelings or
threats. Ruining a duke’s ward would destroy his mother’s plan
worse than marrying a professors’ daughter. It was her revenge that
worried him. “If I was going to be accused of ruining a young lady,
I preferred people didn’t think me so low as to ruin her in a
barn.” Though he attempted to be humorous, the tension still hung
in the room. He let the smile fall from his lips. “We were left
with no choice and I assure you that I was a perfect gentleman.
Until this evening, nobody ever knew of the incident for the very
reason of how it could affect Emily.”

Noah turned to Emily, questioning her
with his eyes.

“
He was a complete
gentleman.”

“
Tell me about the cottage,
Emily,” Janine said. “Dillon has never allowed us to visit. I
believe only Noah and Marius have been there. They were fishing if
I recall correctly.”

Emily grimaced.

Dillon had been watching her over his
glass, and took a drink to hide his knowing smile. He hadn’t been
fishing in that lake since he had taken Emily there. He wondered if
he would ever be able to fish there again without recalling her
reaction to the sport.

“
It is a charming place, I
suppose.”

Dillon quirked an eyebrow. “Charming, I
suppose? If I recall correctly, you said you loved it and thought
it the perfect place to live.” Perhaps he shouldn’t have said the
last part. All eyes turned to look at him. Was he trying to force
them to make him do what he really wished to do? “You had every
intention of trying to purchase it from me.”

“
I have had a change of
heart. I find the cottage will not do for me after all. In fact, I
don’t believe I will return to that area except to visit my aunt
and uncle on occasion.”

Change of heart? Of course, she had.
Dillon reminded himself. He wasn’t about to admit defeat so easily,
however. “I thought you had plans on returning, after the season.”
He was asking much more than the others heard.

Emily’s eyes met his across the table.
“There is no reason to return,” she stated simply and picked up her
fork.

Thankfully dinner came to an end soon
and the ladies adjourned to the drawing room while the gentlemen
remained behind. Dillon had anticipated further questions when the
door closed behind the ladies but none came, thankfully. Instead,
his friends continued to reminisce about their days at school and
their visits with Professor Frasier and his daughter. He felt
cheated by his parents when he had been denied visits with his
favorite professor. Now he felt doubly cheated. As they stood,
Marius asked a simple question, directed toward Noah.

“
How old is
Emily?”

It was Dillon who answered. “She is
three and twenty.”

Nobody made a response but a few looks
were exchanged. “Why isn’t she married? She’s certainly pretty
enough to draw a good deal of attention.” Marius directed his
question to Noah once again.

Dillon wanted to know the answer as
well. Was there something else she hadn’t shared with him? “Since
she was eighteen Ellings has wanted to give her a season but she
refuses. She doesn’t feel it’s his place. She didn’t want to waste
his money when she felt there would be no offers,” Noah
explained.

It was just as she had told him. It
seems she had been more truthful about herself then he had
been.

“
Still,” Noah continued. “I
think we should encourage her to fully enjoy the season as a young,
unattached lady should. I have no doubt there is someone worthy who
would be willing to overlook her background and lack of
funds.”

Dillon wasn’t sure if that last comment
had been directed at him or not. Was he that transparent in his
feelings or simply just paranoid? Probably both he decided as he
followed the others to the drawing room.

* * *

Emily settled in her seat and accepted
a cup of tea from Phoebe. She made it clear to Dillon that the
spring was behind them and any possible future impossible. She
hoped she gave the appearance of nothing but politeness to his
question while her heart shredded in her chest. Could she manage to
get through the rest of the evening without crying or showing her
despair? She had to. Nobody would ever know how much she had just
lost and how it was killing her.

Just as the gentlemen were entering the
room, Janine broached the subject once again, much to Emily’s
surprise. “Tell us all about Dillon’s cottage?” She leaned forward
in anticipation.

Emily was confused why there was such
an interest in the place.

“
The reason we are curious,”
Phoebe began. “Dillon is afraid his future wife won’t appreciate
the place and prefer to reside in the country home of his parents
instead.”

Emily sat up straighter. “How could
anyone choose to live any other place?” The words were out of her
mouth before she could bring them back. Panicked, she looked away
from the women and accidently right into Dillon’s eyes. He was
looking at her with the same warmth they had held in the country,
before he knew who she really was. It was most disconcerting.
Breaking contact, she quickly took another sip, wishing for
something stronger than tea.

“
See, you have nothing to
worry about, Dillon. Your future wife will love it,” Janine
insisted as if his problems had been solved.

“
Yes, but...,” Dillon
trailed off.

Emily suspected what he was about to
say, and realized his words could have been taken as an insult, and
chose not to continue. “I believe Mr. Chambers is concerned that a
lady of quality, one he is meant marry, would wish for a grand
home. Whereas I, being from a more common background can appreciate
the home for its simplicity.”

“
Oh, I don’t think he
intended to live there permanently, did you, Dillon?” Phoebe
asked.

“
I believe he was planning
to use the place to be alone with his new wife for a few weeks
only, as soon as they were married.” Janine watched Emily. “Wasn’t
that right, Dillon?”

“
Yes,” he ground
out.

Emily refused to make eye contact with
anyone and busied herself straightening her skirts. She didn’t want
to think about Dillon, alone with a young, beautiful, titled wife
in that cottage. She wanted the cottage for herself and now knew it
would be impossible to approach the owner and ask a price. That
owner clearly loved his cottage and would no sooner sell it to her
then he would marry her so she could live here. In just the span of
a few hours, all her simple dreams of late had vanished and she
wondered how she would ever get through the evening with a
smile.

* * *

“
A game of billiards?”
Taylor asked as he stood. Dillon would have liked to have stayed
behind, but couldn’t think of a plausible excuse to do so. Instead
of following his friends, he excused himself for a moment and
escaped outside. He needed fresh air to clear his mind.

He wandered through the garden,
realizing that he had just brought further attention to his escape
since he caught Noah looking out the window at him. Dillon didn’t
care at the moment. He needed time to gather his thoughts before
seeing her again. He should have known she was too good to be true.
A companion. No wonder she acted the lady so well. She had said she
was a companion, but he hadn’t believed her. Ellings was her
guardian, it didn’t make sense.

It was idiotic to feel so disappointed.
He barely knew her. Yet, he felt more for Emily than he’d ever felt
for any woman, except one, and probably ever would. In just those
few short weeks, before they had society positions attached to
them, they had talked and laughed freely, not to mention those very
passionate kisses and caresses. Nothing had felt so good as Emily
and he’d hoped to marry her.

Who was he kidding? He would never find
a lady his parents approved of who would also enjoy the quiet
solitude of the cottage as he did. Perhaps he should just give the
damn place to Emily. At least she would love it and appreciate it.
Maybe he could even visit her there? No, not a good idea. He would
not demean her in that way. She may not be of his parents
standards, but she was certainly a lady. An innocent one and the
daughter of a man he deeply respected.

Good Lord, what was he going to do? How
could he forget her and start seriously paying attention to what
else was being offered this season?

Slowly the ladies voices came to him
through the open doors. He was in the shadows and they couldn’t see
him. He really shouldn’t stay and listen, yet he often wondered
what women discussed when they alone. Besides, Emily was in
there.

“
I met Lady Claresta. I
wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t offers very soon,” Janine
observed.

“
I expect much of the same.
She is such a sweet, lovely girl.” Emily sighed.

“
What are your plans this
season, Emily? Her Grace indicted that she would like you to move
about in society.”

“
I hope to find a position
as a governess or teacher once Lady Claresta marries.”

“
What of marriage for
yourself?” Janine asked.

“
I won’t be marrying.” Emily
gave a short laugh.

Why wouldn’t she marry? She
is beautiful
.

“
I am sure you will meet a
number of eligible gentlemen this season,” Phoebe
argued.

“
Actually, no, I won’t.”
Emily corrected. “Perhaps you don’t understand my position.” Emily
tried to be as delicate as possible. “I appreciate being invited
into your home, Lady Sandlin and I truly enjoyed seeing some of my
father’s former students.”

“
But?” Phoebe
prompted.

“
There is a very clear line
between our worlds,” Emily explained.

Phoebe opened her mouth to argue, but
Emily held her hand up to silence her.

“
As a companion,” Emily
began to explain more clearly, only to be interrupted by
Sabrina.

“
You are the ward of the
Duke of Ellings.”

“
Yet far below him in
status,” Emily reminded them. “It puts me in a peculiar
place.”

“
How so?” Sabrina edged
forward.

“
Often I may take dinner
with those invited into the duke’s home for one reason or another.
Other times, I remain in my room. I believe my duties are to Lady
Claresta. Even though I have never been treated as one, I am more
qualified to be a servant in the household than anything
else.”

Dillon continued to listen
intently.

“
The maids, butlers, cooks
and all the others won’t socialize with me because I am the ward of
His Grace. On the other hand, the only other people within the
household are the duke and his family, or any guests who may be
invited. Unless specifically asked, I don’t mix with them, though
Claresta will insist we are friends. So you see, it makes it rather
difficult to locate a husband.” She tried to make the situation
sound lighter then it was.

Dillon was beginning to see her in a
totally new way. She had not intentionally misled him. She had
misled a man who fixed roofs, with whom she felt equal, and
attracted and had been afraid to reveal her position because a
laborer was beneath her. Much as he had been afraid to reveal his
own, not wanting her to see only his wealth. They had their own
selfish reasons for being dishonest and he couldn’t fault her. She
must be very lonely.