Page 41 of The Rogue’s Countess

“Oh my lord, I would never hurt, Lady Helstone.” Tears formed in the woman’s eyes as she shook her head. “She’s so kind to me and the rest of the servants.”

“That doesn’t surprise—”

“Please, my lord, I don’t want to lose my position. I won’t say a word, I promise.”

“I don’t doubt you, Polly, but Lady Helstone and I are to be married, so you can see what a problem that creates as to her happiness.” Gideon raised his hand as the maid started to protest, tears sliding down her cheeks. “But I have no intention of allowing you to be harmed by this unfortunate incident. Tomorrow we’ll discuss finding a small home for you wherever you like. I’ll handle all the financial arrangements for turning the property over to you as well as providing you with an annual stipend.”

“I don’t know what to say, my lord,” the maid gasped. Eyes wide with shock, Polly shook her head in disbelief.

“You’re not to worry about any of this. We’ll devise a story about a relative leaving you a small inheritance to explain your leaving. The only thing I require of you is to forget whatever it was you thought you saw.”

“Oh yes, my lord,” she said with a vigorous bob of her head. “I won’t tell a soul.”

“Thank you,” Gideon said quietly. “I’ll send for you sometime tomorrow to go over the details.”

“Yes, my lord, thank you, my lord. Thank you very much.”

Eyes shimmering with more tears, Polly’s relief brightened her face as she expressed her gratitude in a breathless voice. Gideon acknowledged her thanks and indicated she could continue on her way as he turned toward his mother’s door. He stood staring at wood paneling for a moment. If his mother was in pain, it wasn’t necessarily the best time to ask for her help. Still, he couldn’t afford to give Phoebe the chance to leave Chelmsford House before she agreed to marry him.

Quietly knocking on the door of his mother’s room, he waited a moment before his hand twisted the doorknob. A sudden memory of Polly stumbling into the study without waiting for permission to enter made him jerk his hand away from the doorknob. Instead, he knocked again and waited. When he heard his mother’s voice inviting him in, Gideon slowly opened the door of the marchioness’s suite.

As he stepped into the room, he saw Lady Wrotham reclined against the headboard of her bed with a book in her hand. Startled by the fact she appeared to be feeling hale and hearty, he stared at her in surprise.

“Hello dearest, Polly said you might not come to see me until tomorrow as you were with Phoebe.”

She arched her eyebrows and narrowed her gaze at him. It was a look that said she knew something had happened, and she intended to find out exactly what. Gideon crossed the room to her bed and sank down onto the mattress as gently as he could to avoid jarring her ankle and causing her distress. Ignoring the question in her voice, Gideon took her hand in his.

“How are you feeling?”

“Surprisingly, I feel quite well. I’m in only a small amount of pain. Doctor Compton said I was quite fortunate I didn’t break a bone.”

“I agree.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Phoebe?” It was a direct question that shouldn’t have startled him, but it did nonetheless. When he didn’t answer her immediately, Lady Wrotham’s eyes pinned on him like a hawk. “So help me, Gideon, if you’ve hurt her, I’ll…I’ll…I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I will certainly make sure you never forget it.”

Gideon grimaced as he suddenly realized he wasn’t sure how to go about asking his mother for her assistance. He’d simply charged upstairs to ask for help. Gideon’s throat tightened as a knot formed there. How was to explain his sudden change of heart from this morning, let alone the urgent and imperative need for him to marry Phoebe. The minute he asked her to persuade Phoebe to marry him, she would demand to know why. When he remained silent, Lady Wrotham frowned.

“If you are attempting to fabricate a lie, my lord, I suggest you do not. I will know if you’re lying to me.”

“I’m not about to lie to you. I simply wish to spare your feelings…and Phoebe’s,” he muttered. The moment she froze and looked at him in surprise, Gideon shook his head and looked away. “ I would not lie to you.”

“Then simply say whatever it is you wish to say.” The dowager marchioness arched her eyebrow in exasperation.

“I have a problem I need your help with,” he said, suddenly feeling like he was a boy again about to confess to a transgression for which his mother would express her deep disappointment. This time it wouldn’t just be disappointment. It would be shame, shock, and anger as well.

“Go on.” The dowager’s frown darkened.

“It involves Phoebe, I—”

“Of that, I had little doubt. I knew something was wrong when Polly came back all in a flutter and refused to tell me what had upset her so badly,” his mother snapped with an outrage that caused him to tighten his lips. “I thought you understood me this morning when I told you I wouldn’t tolerate you hurting Phoebe. What did you say to her, Gideon?”

“I asked her to marry me,” he growled. Despite knowing it was pointless to do so, Gideon experienced a flicker of hope that his mother would be so surprised she wouldn’t probe deeper.

“You did what?” His mother’s expression would have been laughable at any other time, but at the moment, he didn’t find any humor in the way her jaw had sagged in astonishment.

“I said I asked Phoebe to marry me.”

“I heard what you said, Gideon, but I do not understand why you would propose to her,” his mother said as she narrowed her gaze at him. “You’ve made it quite clear you don’t like her.”