searched her mind for something else to draw Phoebe out. “I like your dolls. They are lovely. Where did you get them?”
“My papa.”
A tight knot rose in Elizabeth’s throat at the word ‘papa.’ Looking away, she toyed with the lace hem of the doll’s dress. It might be fanciful, but she had always imagined her children addressing Gabe as ‘father.’
She pushed aside her feelings, for none of this was Phoebe’s fault. She plastered a smile on her face, something she found effortless as she watched the child play. “That was very nice of him.” Doubtful that Gabe had anything to do with the purchase of the dolls.
Even though Phoebe appeared unharmed, Elizabeth remained concerned such a young child had been left unattended. “Phoebe, where is Mrs. Pearce?”
Phoebe continued to arrange her doll but managed a slight shrug of her shoulders.
Elizabeth’s unease increased. “Do you always play alone?”
“Sometimes Sally plays with me.”
Elizabeth took the response as positive indication Phoebe was often alone when Sally wasn’t available, something that needed immediate amendment. Even if Gabe couldn’t find a governess or nanny to supervise the child, he should have an adequate staff to allow a maid to stay with Phoebe without disrupting the flow of the household.
“I’m having a lot of fun. Could we play again tomorrow?” she asked Phoebe.
The child raised her eyes from her doll and formed a smile that dimpled her plump cheeks, the expression so much like the one that graced Gabe’s face when he was genuinely happy. A state Elizabeth couldn’t recall seeing since he’d been a young man at Foxmoore.
“Will you?” Phoebe asked, suppressed anticipation shining in her eyes.
Based on her reaction, Elizabeth knew the child wasn’t getting the attention she needed. She found Phoebe’s enthusiasm contagious and laughed wholeheartedly. “Of course I will.” She leaned closer. “Do you want to know something?”
Eager to be included in the secret, Phoebe leaned in.
“I’m going to be staying here, too,” Elizabeth confided. “We can play every day if you wish.”
Phoebe’s eyes grew wide and practically shone with happiness, lightening the deep blue. “Every day?”
“Every day.”
“Am I interrupting?”
That voice . Gabe .
Cringing a bit at being caught disobeying Gabe’s request, Elizabeth slowly pivoted to look at him. Though his face carried no emotion, tension streamed from his large body. For one of the few times in her life, she didn’t know how to proceed with him. Should she apologize for seeking out his daughter? But Phoebe was her reason for being here. If anyone was being unreasonable, it was him.
Yet she felt herself flush under his relentless, hawk-like stare. Even from a distance, she noted the usual golden warmth was absent from his eyes.
With Gabe towering above her, Elizabeth couldn’t avoid him. Caught at a disadvantage, she straightened her skirt and, as ladylike as she could manage, rose to face him.
She was about to confront Gabe’s pique when a slight tug on her dress interrupted her. She glanced down to find Phoebe at her side, her hand bunching Elizabeth’s skirt in a tight fist.
Then she noticed the way Gabe’s eyes, softened with emotion, locked on his child. Apparently Phoebe’s innocence had the power to sooth even Gabe’s anger.
Unsure why, she had a sudden urge to be a bit devilish. “Would you care to join us? Phoebe was introducing me to her dolls.”
Her behavior was rewarded by a wicked curve of his lips. “Minx, you are very aware I don’t play with dolls.”
The mischievousness streak inside her refused to be silenced. Not when the smiling man before her reminded her too much of the Gabe she recalled from her childhood. “Is that so? I always thought you were merely trying to appear tough for Marcus’s sake.” She made a show of looking around the room. “There doesn’t appear to be any witnesses. Your reputation will
“My papa.”
A tight knot rose in Elizabeth’s throat at the word ‘papa.’ Looking away, she toyed with the lace hem of the doll’s dress. It might be fanciful, but she had always imagined her children addressing Gabe as ‘father.’
She pushed aside her feelings, for none of this was Phoebe’s fault. She plastered a smile on her face, something she found effortless as she watched the child play. “That was very nice of him.” Doubtful that Gabe had anything to do with the purchase of the dolls.
Even though Phoebe appeared unharmed, Elizabeth remained concerned such a young child had been left unattended. “Phoebe, where is Mrs. Pearce?”
Phoebe continued to arrange her doll but managed a slight shrug of her shoulders.
Elizabeth’s unease increased. “Do you always play alone?”
“Sometimes Sally plays with me.”
Elizabeth took the response as positive indication Phoebe was often alone when Sally wasn’t available, something that needed immediate amendment. Even if Gabe couldn’t find a governess or nanny to supervise the child, he should have an adequate staff to allow a maid to stay with Phoebe without disrupting the flow of the household.
“I’m having a lot of fun. Could we play again tomorrow?” she asked Phoebe.
The child raised her eyes from her doll and formed a smile that dimpled her plump cheeks, the expression so much like the one that graced Gabe’s face when he was genuinely happy. A state Elizabeth couldn’t recall seeing since he’d been a young man at Foxmoore.
“Will you?” Phoebe asked, suppressed anticipation shining in her eyes.
Based on her reaction, Elizabeth knew the child wasn’t getting the attention she needed. She found Phoebe’s enthusiasm contagious and laughed wholeheartedly. “Of course I will.” She leaned closer. “Do you want to know something?”
Eager to be included in the secret, Phoebe leaned in.
“I’m going to be staying here, too,” Elizabeth confided. “We can play every day if you wish.”
Phoebe’s eyes grew wide and practically shone with happiness, lightening the deep blue. “Every day?”
“Every day.”
“Am I interrupting?”
That voice . Gabe .
Cringing a bit at being caught disobeying Gabe’s request, Elizabeth slowly pivoted to look at him. Though his face carried no emotion, tension streamed from his large body. For one of the few times in her life, she didn’t know how to proceed with him. Should she apologize for seeking out his daughter? But Phoebe was her reason for being here. If anyone was being unreasonable, it was him.
Yet she felt herself flush under his relentless, hawk-like stare. Even from a distance, she noted the usual golden warmth was absent from his eyes.
With Gabe towering above her, Elizabeth couldn’t avoid him. Caught at a disadvantage, she straightened her skirt and, as ladylike as she could manage, rose to face him.
She was about to confront Gabe’s pique when a slight tug on her dress interrupted her. She glanced down to find Phoebe at her side, her hand bunching Elizabeth’s skirt in a tight fist.
Then she noticed the way Gabe’s eyes, softened with emotion, locked on his child. Apparently Phoebe’s innocence had the power to sooth even Gabe’s anger.
Unsure why, she had a sudden urge to be a bit devilish. “Would you care to join us? Phoebe was introducing me to her dolls.”
Her behavior was rewarded by a wicked curve of his lips. “Minx, you are very aware I don’t play with dolls.”
The mischievousness streak inside her refused to be silenced. Not when the smiling man before her reminded her too much of the Gabe she recalled from her childhood. “Is that so? I always thought you were merely trying to appear tough for Marcus’s sake.” She made a show of looking around the room. “There doesn’t appear to be any witnesses. Your reputation will
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