His Not So Sensible Miss (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time - Book 3) (10 page)

“
And Dillon?” Richard
asked.

“
Dillon?” Emily asked,
immediately thinking of her Dillon. But it couldn’t be. It must be
some strange coincidence.

“
Actually, I don’t believe
you ever met him. Your father would have probably called him
Chadwick. His family name is Chambers,” Richard
explained.

A sick feeling developed in the pit of
Emily’s stomach. It couldn’t be.

“
He wasn’t allowed to visit
your father,” Taylor reminded her. “His parents thought it beneath
him.”

“
Yes, I remember now.” She
had completely forgotten about the young man her father would meet
in the library. The one who couldn’t lower himself to come to the
house. “I was surprised my father kept tutoring him.”

Marius and Taylor looked at each other
uncomfortably. Emily’s cool tone was evidence of her opinion. “You
shouldn’t be too hard on him. He wasn’t given a choice by either of
his parents. Your father understood this.”

Emily sighed. He had understood. He
once said the young man had enough battles to fight and he would
not add to them.

“
Dillon admired and
respected your father very much, Emily. I know he will be honored
to meet you. I ask that you give him a chance,” Taylor said
hopefully.

Emily smiled over at Taylor.
“He was one of my father’s chosen few. Of course I will meet
him.”
Please, don’t let it be the Dillon
she knew
. What were the chances of Chadwick
Chambers hiring a man named Dillon when that was the name he also
went by? Emily’s stomach tightened further.

“
One of those battles came
to force this season,” Phoebe laughed.

“
How so?” Emily hoped for
some information that would dispel her fear.

“
His mother is after him to
marry. Not just anyone mind you, but a lady from a titled family,”
Sabrina explained.

“
Why? I thought all of you
had a title?”

“
Dillon won’t. His uncle
twice removed is a viscount, which his mother believes amounts to
nothing. They are extremely wealthy of course, but no titles and
his mother would rectify that this season. She has gone so far as
to obtain a promise that if Dillon does not find a worthy bride,
she will do so for him. She refuses to face another season without
higher connections,” Taylor explained.

“
I understand he finally
promised to marry this season just so he could escape their
presence and live in his cottage,” Marius chuckled.

The tension in her stomach didn’t
lessen. If the two were the same then her dream had just been
shattered. She was about as far away from a title as anyone could
be. His mother would never approve of her, nor would he. Had he
simply been playing with her as some cruel jest as he waited for
the season to begin?

“
Emily, is something wrong?”
Phoebe brought Emily out of her thoughts.

“
Excuse me, no,” Emily
answered a bit embarrassed that she had ignored her
hosts.

“
You just seem a little
pale. Are you sure nothing is amiss?”

Emily smiled at her, though it was
forced. “No, I’m fine, really. Perhaps a little overwhelmed with
this reunion.”

The nurse entered a moment later to
advise Phoebe that the twins were being put to bed. Phoebe stood.
“I insist on saying goodnight whenever possible,” she explained to
Emily. “Would you like to meet Taylor’s children?”

Emily stood instantly, thankful to have
something to take her mind off the waiting for Chadwick Chambers.
“I would be delighted.”

Chapter 5

Dillon arrived later then was
fashionably acceptable and hoped Phoebe would understand. He knew
Taylor wouldn’t really care one way or the other, unless Phoebe
happened to be upset, of course. When he was finally announced,
Dillon quickly took in the room. All his friends were here except
Noah, Phoebe and the surprise guest. “So sorry I’m late but I have
had the devil of a day.”

“
Running from matchmaking
mamas?” Taylor handed Dillon a glass of wine.

“
That, among other things.”
He turned to take in the room again. “So, who is this young lady I
am to reacquaint myself with?”

Marius stood. “Actually, we realized
tonight that you are the only one who hasn’t ever met
her.”

“
Does that mean I can
leave?” he asked with a hopeful smile.

“
No,” Martin answered.
“Besides, I think you’d like to meet this particular young
lady.”

The smile fell from Dillon’s face as he
turned to his friend. “Am I safe nowhere?”

The others laughed. “No. We are not
matchmaking,” Janine assured him.

“
Besides, she doesn’t fit
your mother’s criteria,” Taylor offered.

“
Then who is she?” Dillon
asked.

“
Our favorite professor’s
daughter,” Richard answered. “You remember, Professor
Frasier.”

“
Yes, of course. I’d
forgotten he had a daughter.”

“
Well, Emily has recently
arrived in London and I ran into her at the Aldridge musicale last
evening. Of course, Phoebe wanted her to see everyone again,”
Taylor explained.

Dillon heard very little after the name
Emily. No, it couldn’t be, but his gut told him otherwise.
Professor Frasier was a scholar if nothing else, just as Emily’s
father had been. He’d also died eight years ago. Dillon had
attended the funeral. His daughter had been heavily veiled and
waited in the carriage as ladies weren’t allowed at burials. He
hadn’t been able to see her face. She had also been sitting in the
Ellings’ carriage.

Why had he not made the connection
earlier? Now what was he to do? Maybe nothing. Maybe it was some
odd coincidence, but he was terribly afraid it wasn’t.

“
Dillon, I’m so glad you
finally arrived,” Phoebe said in a somewhat scolding tone as she
entered the room.

“
I apologize for my
tardiness, Phoebe. Please forgive me.”

“
Of course. Now, I would
like you to meet my guest. I understand that you have not met
before, but I am sure the others have filled you in during my
absence.”

“
Yes, they have, and I am
anxious to meet Professor Frasier’s daughter.” His voice sounded
apprehensive even to his own ears. He hadn’t intended for his
fearful thoughts to be revealed and prayed no one
noticed.

He had been waiting for her and looking
at every function. To think he had almost excused himself from this
evening so that he could continue to search. Why hadn’t he made the
connection before? So much of what she had said during their
discussions had indicated who her father was, yet it had never
occurred to him that she wasn’t titled.

Phoebe stepped to the side and turned,
revealing Emily. Their eyes locked, searching. A thousand words
were said but neither uttered a sound.

“
I now realize the necessity
of a proper introduction.”

What was she saying? Did she think he
could dismiss her that easily? Then again, shouldn’t he? His
parents would never approve. Perhaps he should follow her lead and
put the matter behind them.

“
Regardless, those were some
of the most enjoyable days I have spent in a very long
while.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not
necessary to be polite. I should have been more clear as to who my
father was.”

“
I, too, should have been
honest about myself then we could have avoided this uncomfortable
encounter.” He paused and looked at her. She had become cold. So
much like the others. “I am sorry.”

* * *

He had intentionally withheld who he
was. Had he known all along? Of course he did. She told him she
wasn’t a titled lady and he let her believe he was nothing but a
common laborer. The pain of the deception hurt, but now was not the
time to let it show, wondering if those weeks had just been an
entertaining diversion for him.

Despite their enjoyable
afternoons, she was now easily dismissed because she wasn’t good
enough for him. He had just delivered her a polite cut as he had
probably done dozens of times before. She had thought better of
him. Now she knew he was no different from any gentleman of
the
ton
. To think
she had given her heart, and almost more. How he must have laughed
at her. Well, at least now she could set aside the notion of
returning to her relatives and see to securing another
position.

“
So am I.”

Just as she was to think of a polite
reason to leave, another voice came from the foyer.

“
Finally.” Phoebe turned
toward the door.

Emily looked at her questioning. “My
brother, who gets later as he gets older.”

Who was Phoebe’s brother? Emily hadn’t
asked who would be in attendance, though now she wished she would
have so she could have avoided the evening. She wasn’t exactly
humiliated, but she certainly didn’t enjoy having her dreams
crushed in Lady Sandlin’s drawing room.

“
Where is Emily?” Noah
entered the room. “She is the only reason I’m here because I see
the rest of you enough as it is. Too much actually.”

Emily recognized the voice. Noah.
Nobody had told her that Noah was Phoebe’s brother. He was the one
she had known the best. She turned to face him and he stopped dead
in his tracks and looked her up and down with admiration before he
began to approach again.

“
My goodness you are
lovelier than ever.” He pulled her into a hug that shocked the
entire room, except Emily.

“
It is good to see you
again.” She pulled away.

Holding both of her hands in his, he
looked at her as he would Phoebe or any of his sisters. “I should
have visited more often.”

Emily returned an adoring smile. “It
isn’t as though you had a reason, now that my father is
gone.”

He scowled at her. “Rubbish. I was
always coming to see you. I distinctly remember telling you
that.”

Emily threw her head back and laughed,
remembering all the times he had said how much more peaceful her
house was to his. “You just liked the peace of only one
about.”

“
What does she mean by only
one about?” Phoebe slid her brother a look.

Emily felt like cold water had just
been thrown over her, recalling how disrespectful she had just been
to Lady Sandlin, and tried to remember which sister this was. She
had heard so much of his young siblings growing up, though she
couldn’t place the description with the names.

“
One sister.” Noah smiled
back at his sister in a superior way. “Professor Frasier’s home was
like a haven with only him and Emily, who is only a year older then
you, dear Phoebe, and she didn’t pester me nearly as
much.”

“
Oh, Noah, please.” Emily
was growing mortified at how the evening was turning
out.

“
Oh, think nothing of it,
Emily. I don’t know why I didn’t make the connection until my
brother came in the room. Now, I distinctly remember him leaving
our house to return to school and Professor Frasier, where life was
much more peaceful and daughters knew how to behave.”

Emily gasped and quickly covered her
mouth, though Phoebe and Noah were laughing.

“
Oh dear, I had no idea.”
What was she to do now?

“
You shouldn’t be upset,
Emily. I am well aware of how my brother felt about all of us.”
Laughing, Phoebe leaned closer. “There were times when I wanted him
to just go live with you.”

“
She thought I was going to,
I am afraid.” Noah chuckled. “I distinctly remember Emily asking if
I was going to move in because I was visiting so often.”

“
Oh, dear. I wasn’t exactly
one to guard my words, was I?” Emily tried to overcome her
embarrassment but failed miserably.

* * *

Dillon watched the display of affection
and intimate jokes between the two and a rage of jealousy rose
within him. If she were so special, why hadn’t Noah said anything
before? Obviously, he hadn’t seen her in years, though the
affection was still strong. Noah wouldn’t be afraid to pursue her
because she lacked a title.

Dinner was announced almost immediately
and Noah offered his arm to Emily, who took it, smiling. Dillon
trailed after the gathering, glowering. He had to remind himself
that Noah thought of Emily as another sister. How could he have
forgotten about the professor’s daughter? They had all met her,
shared meals at her home and spoke highly of her maturity and
intelligence for being a young girl. All except him. All of them
adored her in their own way. He just needed to come to terms with
how he was feeling and deal with this mess. Silently he cursed his
parents for the promises they had induced from him, and the power
his mother held to see that he do her bidding.

Once they were seated and the first
course set before them, Phoebe asked the question that had been on
everyone else’s mind. “So Emily, tell us. How did you and Dillon
meet?”