A Gentleman Never Tells(73)
Gabrielle gave Babs a hug and started threading her way back through the crowd.
“Excuse me, Lady Gabrielle.”
Gabrielle stopped and turned to see the Dowager Countess of Owensfield. She curtseyed and said, “Yes, my lady?”
“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Miss Whitehouse. I think it would be highly improper for you to have any kind of gathering in your home at this time and expect people to attend.”
“Countess,” Gabrielle said, trying to remain calm as she looked at the woman’s wide, flat face. “I had no idea anyone was listening to my private conversation.”
“Obviously I didn’t do it on purpose. You shouldn’t even be here tonight. But because you have no mother to advise you, and your father has left London from what I can only assume is the shame you brought to his house, I’ll take it upon myself to instruct you on what is proper. After what you did, you should not even show your face in Society, and if you do, you should be shunned. It is not acceptable for a young lady who has been caught in the park alone with a man to mingle in Society with decent, circumspect people. Especially if the lady was engaged to another man! That was shameful, and your kind is not wanted with our kind.”
Gabrielle had grown more rigid with every word the dowager spoke. Her voice barely above a whisper, she said, “I was invited here.”
The dowager huffed, and her heavy bosom heaved. “Yes, and I’m sure Mrs. Cuddlebury sent your invitation long before she knew of your scandalous indiscretion. I’m sure your attendance is an embarrassment to her, and you should hang your head in shame and march yourself out of this house immediately.”
Gabrielle started to tell the dowager she was completely out of line and she had already spoken to Mrs. Cuddlebury, who was delighted she had come. But at that moment, Gabrielle saw Rosa and Staunton walking out of the drawing room together, and what the countess said no longer mattered. She had to stop them.
“Thank you for your observation, Lady Owensville. Please explain all your grievances to my father when he returns, and perhaps he will listen to you. I don’t care to hear any more of what you have to say. Now if you will excuse me.”
Gabrielle lifted her chin, her shoulders, and the hem of her skirt and walked away without so much as another glance toward the huffing dowager.
Gabrielle headed in the direction she saw Staunton and Rosa disappear. She waded through the crowd as fast as she could without causing a stir. She rubbed elbows, knocked shoulders, and bumped backs as she hurried along.
Staunton would not get Rosabelle alone if Gabrielle had anything to say about it. She caught sight of them about to walk out a side door and picked up her pace. She reached them in time to grab Rosa’s arm and swing her around.
“There you are, Rosa,” she said breathlessly. “I was just looking for you.”
Rosa’s astonished expression at being caught quickly turned to a look of fury, but Gabrielle paid her no mind. She turned to Staunton, smiled sweetly, and said, “And how are you this evening?”
He looked her up and down stiffly and said, “Well, Lady Gabrielle, and you?”
Rosabelle looked at her as if she wanted to scratch her eyes out and pulled her arm from Gabrielle’s grasp. Gabrielle left a sweet smile on her face as if nothing were wrong.
“Did you just arrive, Staunton, or were you just leaving?”
He looked at her curiously. “Just arrived,” he said.
“Oh, that’s such a shame, as Rosa and I have to leave.”
Rosabelle glared at her and said curtly, “No, we don’t.”
“I’m afraid we must, Sister. Auntie Bethie isn’t feeling well and asked me to find you so we can leave.”
Gabrielle had never told an untruth until recently and, suddenly, she was telling far more than she was comfortable with. All the ones she’d told to Brent had bothered her, but telling this prevarication to Staunton didn’t bother her at all.
“We can ask someone to see us home,” Rosa argued. “We shouldn’t have to miss the evening because Auntie isn’t feeling well.”
Keeping her false smile in place, Gabrielle said, “Surely we can’t allow Auntie to go home alone. Now I’ll go tell her I found you and you’ll meet us at the front door in two minutes. That should give you two plenty of time for a chat. Have a nice evening, Staunton.” Gabrielle turned away.
When Gabrielle made her way back to Auntie Bethie, she was talking with another lady but excused herself when Gabrielle motioned for her to come.