Page 77 of The Rogue’s Countess

“On the cake,” she said hesitantly before rushing into an explanation. “I didn’t know then what I do now. It was wrong of me to instruct the baker to do it, but I thought you were so beastly that morning at breakfast, I wanted…”

“Phoebe, you’re not making any sense. Show me what you’re so upset about.” Gideon tried to pull her toward the dessert table, but she wouldn’t budge.

“No, I can’t. It was petty of me. You aren’t anything all like Lord Chelmbee, and I’m so sorry—so terribly sorry.”

Gideon frowned as he stared down at Phoebe’s remorseful expression. He turned his head toward his mother to see she’d moved on to another section of the food-laden tables. With one more glance at Phoebe, he crossed the floor to the dessert table. As Gideon came to a halt in front of the cake, he studied its ornate decorations. His mother was right. The artistry of the cake was extraordinary.

As his gaze moved over the cake, he saw several flowers with a single bumblebee hovering over them. The baker had attached the bee to a large fern that rose up over the flowers. Gideon continued to survey the confection in silence. There were one or two small frogs, a rabbit hiding under another large fern. There were even two songbirds attached to the side of the cake, as well as several other instances of bumblebees poised near other flowers. It truly was a masterpiece, and he was having a difficult time understanding why Phoebe was so distraught.

Suddenly Gideon stiffened as he remembered her saying he was nothing like Lord Chelmbee, and his gaze settled on the bee closest to him. The insect appeared ready to dive into the flowers below it. What Phoebe had been trying to explain was that the bumblebee represented him, and the flowers his liaisons.

It was such a subtle message that it was unlikely he would have made the connection to the bumblebees if not for Phoebe’s remorse. When combined with the rest of the display, the bees seemed a natural addition to the cleverly created confection.

For a long moment, he stood staring down at the decorated cake with growing amusement. Over the past few days, Gideon had quickly learned that Phoebe possessed a dry humor that required a moment or two for him to realize she was poking fun at him. The bumblebees on the cake were an example of just how subtle her humor could be.

Although anger had made her request the bees be added to the confection, she’d clearly used discretion. The bumblebees were positioned in such a way that no one would even consider the possibility they had been placed there intentionally. Even if he and Phoebe were still at odds, it was doubtful someone would think Phoebe responsible for the bumblebees being added to the extravagant dessert.

If one of the Marlborough Set actually recognized the subtle irony of the bees hovering above several different areas of the cake, the worst that might happen would be laughter. The Set would simply say Lord Chelmbee’s pollination days were over, at least until he grew tired of his marriage. But they would be wrong about him straying from his wife. That he might grow weary of Phoebe was beyond the realm of possibility. He would love his countess until he drew his last breath.

Mentally shrugging his shoulders, he told himself the Set could whisper all they wanted. Gideon had always dismissed their gossip, innuendo, and blatant insults. Currer was the only exception. The man’s depiction of him in the Chronicles was different. Gideon’s abhorrence of the serial hadn’t been that Currer had made him a figure of fun. It had been the fact that the author’s words held a ring of truth. It had infuriated him that someone else had seen what he’d been blind to.

Now the author’s fascination with Gideon might easily extend to Phoebe. The thought made him frown. If the author were to focus his attention on Phoebe, it would only acerbate the distress he’d witnessed earlier. Phoebe’s reaction to Lady Gresham’s greeting had been one of humiliation and pain. While the woman’s words hadn’t been malevolent, they’d been insensitive.

Others, however, would not hesitate to be unkind. Edith was a perfect example of that. The woman wouldn’t hesitate to make life difficult for Phoebe. The scandal around Helstone’s death would be bad enough when it came to tongue wagging. Even worse, the gossip would rage like an out of control fire when people learned Phoebe had worked for Madame Sabine. And he had no doubt that someone would discover that fact. It was only a matter of time.

Gideon wasn’t sure how he would shield Phoebe from the gossip and insults, but he’d find a way. Reaching out, he gently pulled the closest bumblebee off its resting place. He turned and walked back to where Phoebe stood, watching him with a helpless expression of guilt, remorse, and trepidation on her lovely face. She flinched as he halted in front of her.

“I found one of the bumblebees you mentioned on the cake,” he murmured with a smile. “I thought you might like to see how they look.”

“What?” Phoebe stared at him in utter bewilderment.

“It’s made of some sort of hardened sugar.”

Gideon broke off a wing off the bumblebee’s back and popped it into his mouth, then offered the sugary confection to her on the palm of his hand. Smiling, he silently encouraged her to try the sweet. Warily eyeing him with confusion, Phoebe broke off a piece of the cleverly designed treat only to stare at it in confusion.

“I don’t…I expected you to be outraged.”

“Did you? Then am I correct in thinking the bees are a reference to Currer’s insulting name for me?” As he murmured the question, Phoebe winced with obvious regret.

“Yes. I thought once you saw them that you would be furious with me.”

“Do I look furious?” Gideon’s mouth twitched with amusement.

“I don’t understand. You’re not angry with me?”

“Should I be?” His mouth twitched slightly as he arched an eyebrow at her.

“I’m…yes…I don’t…you’re deliberately seeking to confuse me, aren’t you?” The frustration in her voice made him smile.

“I believe I am.”

“But why aren’t you angry? Currer provokes you into a state of rage every time he references you as Lord Chelmbee. When I instructed the baker to have them hover over the flowers, I was certain you would go on a tirade. I simply don’t understand why you aren’t furious with me.”

“First, I’ve never gone into a rage over Currer’s serial. Two, I’m not angry because I’ve learned to appreciate your dry wit and humor. You don’t hesitate to put me in my place when need be, and the bees would have done exactly that if we were still at odds with one another. Three, your remorse and apology are clearly genuine.”

“I am sorry, Gideon. I truly am. If I had been thinking better, I would have arranged for the bees to be removed.”

“At least you’re not Currer who would most likely have covered the entire cake in bumblebees,” he chuckled. Phoebe paled as anguish flitted across her features. Frowning in puzzlement, Gideon cocked his head slightly to the left to study her more intently. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”