Letters for Phoebe by Sally Britton Page 0,10

good turn, nothing more. Griffin was determined to think no more of her, even as he walked into the darkness of the street and heard her hackney pull away.

Chapter 3

A Sparring Match

To My Friend,

You have saved me from great humiliation and subsequent despair. I thank you, with all my heart. You cannot know what it means to me to receive your warning at such a time when no one else could advise me. I have made certain Mr. M. will have no reason to believe himself welcome in the future.

Truly, I cannot express the depth of my gratitude. May God bless you.

Sincerely Yours,

P.K.

Griffin arrived at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Carew, and their three sons, barely in time for dinner. He’d been abominably late to all of his appointments that day, ever since he had received the note from Phoebe Kimball. He’d read and reread her words, studied the swirls of her handwriting, and tried to discern how the young woman who had pushed him out of a hack could possibly be the same one who wrote such warm words with an elegant and gentle hand.

The woman was more than the stuffy socialite he had first thought her.

He paused in the foyer of the grand house on Brook Street, making certain his cravat remained presentable. With a quick grin at his own reflection, Griffin followed a footman to the upstairs parlor. The doors opened and Griffin strolled in, ready to find entertainment or make his own.

His eyes landed almost immediately on a woman dressed in pale blue, with flashing gemstones in her hair and a placid expression upon her face.

Miss Kimball.

Fortune had smiled upon him, giving him another opportunity to take her measure. Griffin went immediately to where she stood, listening to Phillip Carew wax eloquent about architecture. Phillip was the second Carew son, the one nearest Griffin in age and a personal friend. The poor fellow had reverted to the topic on which he could speak for hours, long after the eyes of his listeners glazed over.

It could only mean Miss Kimball had done something to make Phillip nervous.

Griffin had better save his friend. “Good evening, Miss Kimball. Phillip.”

Dark lashes lowered, Miss Kimball’s lips turned down when he addressed them. “Mr. Fenwick. I did not know the Carews were a mutual acquaintance.”

“Nor did I.” Griffin grinned wider when her frown deepened. Though she appeared to dislike him, he suspected there was a great deal more to her regard for him than that. He would discover it, too. “It is a pleasure to see you again so soon after our last meeting.”

Ah, that caused a greater reaction.

The woman’s dark eyes widened, momentarily turning fearful.

“A pleasure,” she repeated, her eyes cutting to the side as though looking for an escape.

His cheer diminished somewhat. He had not meant to make her afraid, alluding to their meeting the night before. Curse it, this was precisely why his mother had always told him to think before speaking. The lady thought he meant her harm, no doubt.

“Of course, it was also our first meeting, in the park,” he said hastily, in an attempt to allay her fears. Her eyes sought his again, and the sharp lines of her shoulders relaxed.

Phillip looked from Miss Kimball to Griffin with an arched eyebrow. “I am pleased you two know one another, even though it is a recent acquaintance.” He cleared his throat, looking suddenly over Griffin’s shoulder. “Ah, if you will both excuse me. I see someone I must speak to.” His awkward exit indicated well enough the excuse had been invented. He bowed and disappeared.

Griffin chuckled, knowing Phillip would thank him later, but when he turned back to Miss Kimball her expression froze him in place.

She had reverted to her cold glare from the park. “Mr. Fenwick,” she said, narrowing her eyes and snapping her fan open. “You are making a habit of turning up in odd, and dare I say inconvenient, moments.”

Griffin forced a smile. “I am not certain what you mean, Miss Kimball. I thought our last two meetings were rather in your favor, seeing that I provided you a service each time.” And tonight, he had also provided a service to Phillip.

Phillip Carew had caused himself a great deal of trouble, of course, entering into a secret engagement with a young woman. But Griffin still assisted him in keeping that secret. It wasn’t Phillip’s fault the girl had a dragon for an aunt. As soon as her father, a general on the Continent,