Chapter 48
THE REST OF the night passed in a sickening, overwhelming blur for Ella.
Mr. Clancy, Mr. Grenshaw, Miss Grenshaw, and Mr. Gutt had been secured in the gaol at the justice of the peace office, and they would be held there until charges were officially filed.
Ella had given her testimony to several constables.
She repeated her testimony over and over, recounting every detail she could recall.
Her arms ached, her head throbbed, and despite the warmth of Gabriel’s coat, which he’d given her to guard against the night’s chill, her shivering did not cease. She detested women who were weak, and yet on more than one occasion she felt the room spin and wondered if she might faint.
Gabriel, on the other hand, thrived in this environment.
His assurance, his confidence in dealing with the aftermath of this bizarre nightmare, impressed her.
This was, no doubt, what he was born to do.
He never questioned his memory; his composure never wavered.
He possessed a strength of mind and a dedication to justice she’d never witnessed in another.
After what seemed like hours the commotion finally lulled. Little by little the watchmen and constables dispersed until only a few remained. Calm gradually replaced havoc, and silence replaced the mishmash of voices.
She sat on a bench just inside the door of the office, waiting for Gabriel to complete his tasks. Extreme fatigue pulled at her, and more than once she had to jerk herself awake. At length Gabriel joined her and sat next to her on the bench.
He took her hand in his. “You must be exhausted. The justice of the peace has called his personal carriage to take us home. It will be here any moment.”
Home.
Where was home at the moment? She was almost too tired to consider the answer. “Where are we going?”
He leaned close. “We’ll go to my house. My sister is there, and before you protest, consider that it’s four in the morning. I can’t take you to Hawthorne House at this hour.”
He was right, of course. What other option did she have?
The carriage arrived, and they stepped out from the justice of the peace office into the inky night. Damp fog covered London’s empty streets, and an unusual tranquility hovered. Gabriel assisted her into the carriage, spoke with the driver briefly, and joined her inside.
He settled next to her on the tufted carriage seat, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close.
Ella inhaled the scent of the outdoors and even the pungent scent of gunpowder that still clung to him. She closed her eyes and melted against the safety of him—the stability of him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she leaned wordlessly against his chest.
The night had been the most terrifying of her life.
Never had she felt so vulnerable, so in danger.
She’d also never felt so protected and cared for.
She never wanted to be in that situation again, but in it she learned where her heart really belonged—it did not belong in a building; it belonged to a person.
All thoughts of Keatley Hall floated to the back of her mind, and nothing was before her except Gabriel.
Ella awoke as the carriage jerked to a halt. She lifted her head from Gabriel’s shoulder.
“We’re here,” he whispered close to her ear.
Pulling herself from her sleepy state, Ella straightened to look out the window at a brick row house.
Gabriel’s home.
After he assisted her from the vehicle and talked briefly with the driver, he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and escorted her up the stairs. He unlocked the door, they stepped inside, and he closed the door behind them.
They were alone.
For several moments they stood in the peaceful silence, mere inches from each other in the foyer. A faint glow from the gas lamp outside the window and the fading fire in the parlor grate provided a sliver of light, but otherwise all was dark and serene.
Propriety would say that she dare not be alone with Gabriel, but after all that had happened to them that night, did propriety even matter? This was the most natural place for her to be.
He drew her close, and she pressed the side of her face against his shoulder. His arms tightened around her. “I’m sorry for what you went through tonight. I wish I could have prevented it.”
She sniffed and gave a little laugh. “I never ever want to go through anything like that again.”
“And you never shall. The fact that you even went through it at all will haunt me until my dying day.”
“No, no.” She shook her head, pulling away just enough to look into his eyes. “If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I insisted on getting involved, didn’t I? I really didn’t give you much of a choice.”
He chuckled but quickly sobered. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure out that Clancy was involved earlier.”
“And how would you have known that?” She smoothed the lapel of his coat before she let her hand rest on his chest. “Like you said, the two of you have worked together for a long time.”
“I missed something along the way. Tomorrow we will be questioning them, and we’ll know everything soon enough, but right now”—he readjusted his arms around her waist—“I don’t want to think about Clancy. Or Grenshaw. Or Gutt. There is only one person I want to focus on right now.”
Her heart sputtered in her chest, and she awaited his next words with sweet, breathless anticipation. How was it possible to feel so happy, so giddy after what they’d just endured?
Gabriel brushed her hair from her face, and his fingers tenderly skimmed her cheek. “I reckon you saved my life not only once but twice today. So tell me, my dear Ella, how does one go about repaying that? A simple word of gratitude hardly seems sufficient.”
Emboldened by the passion in his expression, she moved her hands from his lapels and wrapped her arms around his neck. “We never did get to finish our conversation earlier, in your office.”
“Hmm?”
“If you’ll remember, you asked me if I thought of you as more than a friend.”
“Ah yes.” He lifted his head playfully, as if finally recalling the interaction. “And if I remember, we were, uh, interrupted.”
“I’d like to revisit that, if you don’t mind.”
He leaned down so his forehead was nearly touching hers. “I’d be happy to. Before we were interrupted, I believe I had already shared my thoughts on the matter. I was waiting for you to respond.”
She could no longer resist the lure of his nearness and stroked her fingers through the curls at the base of his neck. “I fear, Gabriel, that my feelings on that matter have been decided for some time.”
“Have they?”
“They have. I think—no, I know—my feelings for you have far surpassed mere friendship. I fear, Gabriel Rowe, that my heart is now hopelessly involved.”
A smile curved his lips. “If we are to speak of hearts, then allow me to say that my heart, and everything I am, belongs to you if you will have it. Whether you knew it or not, you took possession of it weeks ago. In fact, when I was faced with the thought that I might lose you forever, I came to realize . . . that I love you.”
How sweet the words were. How beautiful and sweet.
He kissed her softly, gently.
She pressed against him and tightened her arms around his neck, reveling in the new and captivating sensation.
He deepened the kiss.
Never had she felt so safe, so happy, so connected to another person. She could stay here forever in his arms.
They remained there, together, for several blissful moments, until commotion sounded from somewhere in the house.
Startled, Ella pulled away. She turned just as a woman clad in nightclothes and carrying a candle descended the stairs. “Gabriel! I thought I heard something. What is going on?” Her confused gaze fell to Ella.
“Mary,” Gabriel said, taking a step back, “this is Miss Eleanor Wilde.”
“Miss Wilde!” she exclaimed. “I have heard so much about you. But what has happened? Why are you here at this hour?”
“We’ve had quite the experience.” Gabriel stepped back to put more distance between them. “I’ll explain everything in the morning, but Miss Wilde will need to stay the night here. Can you show her to the spare bedchamber?”
Reluctantly, Ella bid Gabriel good night and allowed his sister to help her settle in for the rest of the night. Despite all the fear and anxiety they’d experienced, happiness flared.
He loved her.
And in that moment her heart knew: She loved him too.