Page 86 of The Rogue’s Countess

“Whatever is the matter with you, Gideon?” His mother eyed him with annoyed puzzlement.

“Pendleton announced lunch was ready a few moments ago. I suggest you go ahead without Phoebe or me.”

“Whatever is wrong—”

The sound of the front door closing interrupted his mother’s words, and Gideon jerked violently in reaction to the sound. His mother eyed him strangely for a brief moment before she turned to greet Phoebe. Not about to let his mother delay his conversation with his wife, Gideon moved to stand in the doorway.

“Are you feeling better, dearest?”

“I’m feeling quite well,” Phoebe replied quietly as her gaze met his. Something flashed in her brown eyes, and with his gaze still locked with Phoebe’s, he addressed his mother.

“Mama, I have a matter of some urgency that I need to discuss with Phoebe. I suggest you begin lunch without us.”

“But, Gideon—”

“Now, Mama,” he snarled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gideon saw his mother recoil in surprise, but he ignored her reaction. Instead, he took a step out of the library and, with a sweeping gesture of his arm, silently invited Phoebe into the room. When she hesitated, he narrowed his gaze at her, and she flinched before complying with his inaudible command.

As she walked past him, the scent of roses filled his nostrils. Instantly, his body reacted to hers, and his inability not to let her affect him caused him to release a low growl of anger. Out of the corner of his eye, Gideon saw the marchioness staring at him in amazement and concern. Without a word, he stepped into the library and slammed the door closed behind him. Phoebe immediately jumped and whirled around to stare at him warily.

“Where have you been?” Gideon managed to keep his voice even as he eyed her with suspicion.

“I was with a friend.”

Confusion furrowed her brow, and there wasn’t a trace of guilt or trepidation in her voice. Gideon clenched his teeth in anger as a voice in his head tried to suggest he was wrong in thinking she’d betrayed him. The voice suggested everything about his suspicions might be wrong. Was that possible? Could there be a reasonable explanation for her behavior? Gideon almost snorted at the thought as he brushed it aside.

“And was this friend a man?” His question made her jump as a look of uncertainty and apprehension flashed across her face. “Answer me, Phoebe, and I want the truth.”

“Yes.”

Gideon stared at her for a long moment. At least she’d not lied, but she was clearly unwilling to explain any further unless pushed. He turned around and walked to his desk where the note he’d found was lying on top of the chapter she’d written. The moment he picked up the note he’d found in her room, indecision grabbed hold of him.

What if he was wrong? Gideon stared blindly down at his desk and cleared his throat. An image of his unopened note lying on her breakfast tray constricted his lungs as a wave of desolation crashed down on top of him. His fingers rubbed over the fine linen of the note as he hesitated to turn around. The last thing he wanted was for her to see how deeply she’d injured him. As if he was determined to inflict more pain and humiliation on himself, Gideon asked the question he already knew the answer to.

“Did you read the note I left for you this morning?”

“No, there was no time, and…”

“I see,” he murmured.

Gideon understood why she’d not bothered to find the time. The note in his hand had been of far greater importance to her than the one her husband had written. His gaze fell on the stack of papers sitting on his desk. The damning chapter only reinforced the pain that had been lashing at him for more than an hour now.

Gritting his teeth, Gideon closed his eyes for a moment as he struggled with the fact that she’d displayed no guilt in answering his questions. Nor had she lied when he’d asked for a truth he already knew. Despite his best effort not to be swayed by her, he couldn’t deny he was finding it difficult to believe Phoebe had gone to see a lover. A small bit of doubt rose in him.

“Why didn’t you read my note?”

The question was met with silence, and he slowly turned to face her. There was a stark look of anguish on her face that made twisted Gideon’s gut into knots. Was she experiencing regret that she’d not opened his? Was it possible he was wrong—that this was all a misunderstanding? As if suddenly realizing he was studying her, Phoebe’s expression became unreadable. Gideon extended his hand and offered the note to her with a sharp movement of his wrist.

“Was it because you found this one more important?”

Phoebe’s eyes widened as she hesitantly accepted the wrinkled missive from him. She glanced down at the note before her gaze jerked upward to meet his once more. A flash of anger sparked the gold flecks in her brown eyes.

“Where did you find this?” she asked quietly.

“When I came home from several errands this morning, I went to your room to see how you were feeling. When you didn’t answer your door, I became worried.”

“And you thought it appropriate to search my room?”