Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
How dare she return after everything she had done? How dare she threaten Amelia, frighten Valerie, and presume she could simply reclaim the children she had abandoned?
He pressed both hands briefly against the mantle and shut his eyes. His father had worn this same fury, though it had always ended in broken furniture, bruises, and frightened voices. Gabriel forced himself to breathe until the temptation to strike something passed.
I am the same as him.
The room had grown remarkably quiet. Amelia slowly lifted her head. Gabriel’s heart clenched painfully. Her blue eyes glistened with unshed tears while her brave little smile somehow made the sight infinitely worse. She was trying to comfort him when she was plainly the one who had been wounded.
“Your Grace,” Amelia began softly, twisting her fingers together, “I wanted to thank you.”
Gabriel frowned slightly and stepped closer. “For what?” he asked, unable to understand.
Amelia drew a slow breath before meeting his gaze. “For standing up for me,” she answered, her voice trembling despite her efforts to steady it. “You did not have to do that.”
He stared at her in disbelief. Amelia lowered her eyes again.
“But Valerie and David matter more than I do,” she continued, forcing herself onward.
“You cannot subject them to… to the monster that is Helen.” Her fingers tightened around one another until her knuckles whitened.
“If not marrying her means I am ruined, then let me be ruined…” She could not finish.
Gabriel felt something twist violently inside his chest. She believed him.
She genuinely believed he intended to sacrifice himself by marrying Helen.
Worse still, she looked heartbroken by the thought.
He recognized that expression because he felt precisely the same agony at the mere idea of her leaving.
It struck him then with startling clarity that Amelia’s pain mattered to him almost as much as his own.
Without allowing himself time to reconsider, he crossed the remaining distance between them.
Amelia looked up in surprise as he gently reached for her hand.
Her fingers trembled within his own. He lifted her hand slowly, never breaking eye contact.
Then he pressed a soft kiss against her gloved knuckles.
Amelia drew a tiny, startled breath. Gabriel lowered her hand carefully but did not release it.
“Listen to me,” he said quietly, his thumb brushing reassuringly across her fingers. “You are equally important now.” Amelia blinked rapidly. He gave the smallest shake of his head. “Not only the children,” he continued. “You.”
She stared at him as though she scarcely believed what she had heard. Gabriel’s voice softened even further. “And I have absolutely no intention of marrying Helen.”
The words hung between them for several precious seconds. Then he watched the tension visibly leave her body. Her shoulders dropped. She released a long, trembling breath she had evidently been holding since Helen’s arrival.
“Oh,” Amelia whispered, placing one hand against her chest.
Gabriel almost smiled. Color slowly returned to her face.
“I thought…” she began before giving a tiny, embarrassed laugh. “I truly believed…” She shook her head, unable to continue. Relief shone so openly in her eyes that it nearly undid him.
After another quiet moment, Amelia frowned thoughtfully. “Then… why did you tell her you would marry her?” she asked, tilting her head as confusion replaced despair.
Gabriel released a weary sigh. “Because I wanted her out of my house,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “If I had refused outright, she would have remained here all night making threats.”
Amelia listened intently. Gabriel began pacing before the hearth, his hands clasped behind his back.
“More importantly,” he continued, “I needed time.” He glanced towards her. “Time to remove her from our lives permanently before she can begin spreading gossip.”
Amelia watched him silently.
“Tomorrow evening,” he finished, “she believes she is meeting a man prepared to negotiate.” His expression hardened. “She is mistaken.”
Understanding slowly dawned across Amelia’s face. “You were buying time,” she murmured.
Gabriel nodded once. “Exactly.”
She smiled faintly despite everything. “That was rather clever.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Please do not tell Valerie,” he replied.
A soft breath escaped her. Even after everything that had happened, hearing her relax eased something inside him. She truly possessed an extraordinary gift. Somehow, she carried light wherever she went. He wondered whether she realized how completely she had transformed Anderton Manor.
Gabriel’s smile faded as practical matters returned. “Amelia,” he said quietly, stepping closer once more, “would you remain here with the children while John and I deal with Helen?”
She answered without hesitation. “Of course,” she said firmly. She placed one hand over her heart. “I shall protect them as though they were my own.”
Emotion tightened his throat. He believed every word she spoke. “Thank you,” he replied simply. Their eyes met again. For one reckless moment, he wanted nothing more than to gather her into his arms and forget every problem awaiting him outside these walls. Instead, duty prevailed once again.
“You should rest. I am going upstairs to change into my riding clothes,” he said gently.
Amelia blinked in surprise. “Now?” she asked, glancing towards the clock.
Gabriel nodded. “There is no time to waste,” he replied, already moving towards the door. “I shall change out of these infernal evening clothes and leave immediately.”
She frowned with concern. “Tonight? It is very late already.”
Gabriel paused with one hand upon the door handle before glancing back over his shoulder.
“Tonight,” he confirmed. “Helen has stolen enough years from this family already.”
Amelia looked as though she wished to argue, yet instead she simply nodded. “Then… be careful,” she said softly.
His heart lurched again. He stepped back towards her, gently squeezed her hand one final time, and allowed himself the smallest smile. “I intend to return, and you shall be here when I do,” he said quietly.
“That is an order, is it?” she asked, managing a fragile smile of her own.
“Naturally,” he replied. “You are becoming alarmingly fond of ignoring my rules, so I must make myself very clear.”
She laughed through her lingering tears. “Only the unreasonable ones.”
Gabriel inclined his head. “Then I shall endeavor to create better rules.” He released her hand before he lost the will to walk away. Without another word, he left the study and climbed the staircase two steps at a time.
The corridor outside the nursery remained brightly lit despite the late hour. Three maids, including Trixie, stood faithfully outside David’s door exactly as Amelia had instructed. They immediately straightened when Gabriel approached.
“Your Grace,” Trixie said, dropping into a curtsy.
Gabriel gave them an appreciative nod. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “You may retire now.”
The maids exchanged relieved smiles. “Is everything all right, Your Grace?” Trixie asked cautiously.
Gabriel’s expression softened. “Everything is under control,” he assured her. “Get some rest.”
They curtsied once more before hurrying quietly down the corridor.
Gabriel waited until they disappeared before gently opening David’s bedroom door.
Only the glow of the dying fire illuminated the nursery.
David slept peacefully beneath his blankets, one small arm wrapped around a stuffed rabbit, utterly unaware of how close his past had come to finding him again.
Grover slept at his feet, and the cat slept in a chair.
Gabriel stepped quietly to the bedside. Looking down at the little boy, he remembered every frightened cry, every nightmare, every silent tear Amelia had patiently soothed over the past month.
David deserves peace. Valerie deserves freedom. Amelia deserves happiness. Helen will not take those things from them.
He rested one hand lightly upon the bedpost and made the promise silently, the words echoing only within his own heart.
I failed to protect you once. I shall not fail again.
Amelia did not sleep that night in any meaningful sense of the word. She and Valerie remained in David’s room long after the candles had burned low, the three of them settling into uneasy vigil beneath the watchful glow of the dying fire.
Valerie had eventually curled up in the armchair by the bed, her posture still proud even in exhaustion. Amelia herself lay on the rug beside David. Every sound in the house seemed louder that night, every creak of wood sharpened into something threatening.
David slept peacefully for most of it. When he finally stirred at dawn, it was with the soft confusion of a child waking somewhere safe.
His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he simply stared at the two girls as though trying to confirm they were real.
Then recognition bloomed across his face, and he smiled.
Amelia felt something in her chest. It was such an uncomplicated happiness that she almost could not bear it.
“Good morning,” David mumbled, pushing himself upright beneath the blankets.
Valerie stirred, sitting straighter in the armchair. Amelia leaned forward at once, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.
“Good morning,” she replied gently, keeping her voice warm and steady.
“How are you this morning?” she asked, studying him carefully for any sign of distress. David considered this very seriously for a moment before nodding.
“I am very well,” he declared. Then his expression brightened further. “This is nice,” he added, looking between them.
Valerie let out a soft laugh despite herself. Amelia smiled, though her heart still felt heavy from the previous night.
David’s gaze shifted around the room with sudden expectation. “All are here… except- where is Uncle Gabriel?” he asked brightly.
Amelia’s throat tightened briefly before she managed to answer. “He had business to attend to,” she said carefully, keeping her voice light.
“Oh,” David replied, accepting this without hesitation. Then, as though the thought had only just occurred to him, he added, “The day would be perfect if he were here too.”
Valerie glanced quickly at Amelia, her expression softening.
Amelia forced a reassuring smile for David’s sake. “I am sure he would agree,” she said. “Uncle Gabriel is very fond of perfect days.”
David seemed satisfied with that answer and promptly changed direction. “I am hungry,” he announced with sudden urgency.
Valerie laughed again. “That is the most important crisis of the morning,” she observed.
Amelia nodded, grateful for the shift in tone. “Then we should all get ready for the day and go down to breakfast.”
David accepted this as though it were a military command. “Yes,” he agreed firmly, pushing back the blankets.
Amelia smiled as she rose. “Then I suggest you begin by allowing Katie to assist you,” she said gently.
David hesitated only a moment before nodding again.
Katie, who had been hovering anxiously near the door, stepped forward with visible relief. “Come along, Master David,” she said warmly. “Let us get you properly dressed.”
As David was ushered away, Valerie followed more slowly. “I shall meet you downstairs,” she said to Amelia, stretching her arms.
Amelia nodded. “Yes, of course.” Amelia left the nursery and went to her own room. She donned a modest day gown. Her gaze drifted toward the window, where the pale morning light filtered across the estate.
Without fully thinking, she crossed the room and pulled back the curtain. The driveway stretched out below, empty and still. No sign of horses. No sign of Gabriel.
Her chest tightened slightly before she forced herself to look away.
Of course, he is still gone.
There were matters to resolve, threats to contain, responsibilities that had nothing to do with breakfast or children’s routines.
Still, she could not quite suppress the small hope that he might appear, riding up the drive as he so often did, as though nothing in the world could keep him away.
She shook the thought from herself with mild irritation.
I’m being entirely unreasonable.
But the moment he had kissed the top of her hand reentered her mind. She felt a flush on her cheeks.
Why did he do such a thing?
As she fastened the final buttons of her dress, she caught her reflection in the mirror and frowned slightly. She looked tired. Not exhausted in body alone but in spirit.
Still, there was work to be done, and she had never been one to linger in uncertainty.
When she finished dressing, she stood for a moment by the window again. The driveway remained unchanged. Empty, quiet, indifferent. She pressed her lips together and turned away decisively. Whatever was happening between Gabriel and Helen, she would not allow it to consume the entire household.
Downstairs, the breakfast room was already bright with morning activity. Sunlight poured through tall windows, illuminating a long, polished table set for breakfast. A silver tea service gleamed at one end, steam rising gently from the spout as a maid poured fresh cups.
Bowls of porridge had been placed alongside plates of warm buttered bread, soft-boiled eggs in porcelain cups, and dishes of fruit arranged with careful precision. A covered platter released the comforting scent of baked ham and freshly prepared scones.
David sat proudly at the table as though he were hosting the entire event.
Valerie sat beside him, attempting to appear dignified while secretly tearing apart a piece of bread with obvious hunger.
Amelia entered and felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders. “Good morning,” she said warmly, taking her seat.
“Good morning,” Valerie replied at once, reaching for a cup of tea.
David nodded solemnly as though he were presiding over proceedings. “I approve of breakfast,” he declared.
Amelia smiled faintly.
A maid approached with a teapot, and Amelia accepted her cup gratefully. For a few moments, there was only the soft rhythm of breakfast being served, the clink of porcelain, and the quiet murmur of conversation.
Yet even in that gentle domestic ease, her thoughts drifted inevitably back to Gabriel.
What if Gabriel loses this path he is on and is forced to marry Helen after all?
As if summoned by her dark thoughts, Lady Provie entered.