Page 63 of An Alleged Rogue

His list of failings was discouragingly long, but this, at least, was something he could put to rights immediately.

“I will speak with Miss Glover,” he said. “I should have done it long ago. I am grateful to you for bringing it to my attention.”

Miss Hadford offered him a tremulous smile. “Thank you, my lord. Very few noblemen would give countenance to a young lady with such negligible understanding of a situation.” She turned to go.

“Miss Hadford.” Her footsteps faltered, and she looked back at him. “You may be correct with regard to Miss Glover’s state of mind, but I do take exception to one thing you said.”

“What is that, my lord?”

“No one who truly knows you could ever hate you. Miss Glover included.”

Phoebe was struggling to keep her eyes open. She had ridden home from Dunsbourne Manor with just enough time to change her clothing before dinner was served. It had been a race that she would not have won without Lucy’s invaluable assistance, but now that she was sitting at the dining table with a full stomach and a warm fire across the room, weariness was hitting with full force.

“Phoebe, have you heard a single thing I have been saying?” Her mother’s indignant voice brought her back to the present with a start.

“All but the last line or two.”

She was fairly sure her mother had been talking about the exorbitant price the local butcher had charged for pork last week. But she could not be certain.

“You have been gone all day. The least you could do is listen to me at dinner. There is no one else at the table, after all.”

“Forgive me, Mother.” Phoebe blinked a few times, attempting to think through the fog in her head. “I did not mean to be rude. It has been a tiring day.”

Her mother frowned. “What on earth are you working on at Dunsbourne Manor that has you leaving so early in the morning and arriving home so exhausted?”

“I cannot tell you the whole of it,” Phoebe hedged. “It is rather a grand surprise, you see.”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed, and Phoebe knew she would have to reveal something more or her chances of returning to Dunsbourne Manor would be slim.

“I have spent most of my time there on the grounds with Miss Norton and her companion, Miss Glover.”

At the mention of Miss Norton’s elderly companion, her mother visibly relaxed. She obviously assumed nothing too inappropriate could occur if Phoebe were under Miss Glover’s watch care.

“I certainly hope you are wearing your bonnet,” she said. “The sun will cause freckles to appear in no time at all.”

“Yes, Mother.” Grateful that she had been asked about her headwear rather than her gloves, Phoebe smiled. “I kept it on the entire time.”

“Very well. But I stand by what I told you earlier. Whatever Miss Norton’s mysterious project may be, you cannot allow it to monopolize your time much longer.” She ran her fingers across the tablecloth, smoothing out the slight bump in the fine linen. “Mr. Derrick Webb called on you today, and I was forced to tell him that you were unavailable.”

Phoebe’s head shot up, her sleepiness forgotten. “Did he give a reason for coming?”

“He did not.” Her mother smiled knowingly. “I very much doubt that he thought it necessary to offer an explanation.”

A ball of lead formed in Phoebe’s stomach. “Did you tell him where I was?”

“I am not quite so naive as all that, my dear. It is far better to keep a gentleman guessing. It is quite the best way to maintain their interest.”

“But I have no desire whatsoever to capture Mr. Webb’s interest.”

“Whyever not?” Her mother looked at her as though she were mad. “He is everything a young lady would wish for—wealthy, well connected, and quite handsome.”

“He is arrogant and deceitful.”

Her mother gasped. “Phoebe Hadford, what has come over you?”

“An increased appreciation of truth and honor,” she said, rising to her feet. “I am sorry if this comes as a disappointment to you, Mother, but the more I learn about Mr. Webb, the less I admire him. Indeed, in the future, I would prefer to have nothing whatsoever to do with the gentleman.”

Phoebe did not think it had ever happened before, but it appeared that she had shocked her mother into silence. Perhaps if she had not so recently been witness to Lord Dunsbourne’s decency or learned of Mr. Webb’s hypocrisy, she would have couched her words more carefully. As it was, she was too tired to do anything more than regret causing her mother distress.