CHAPTER TWELVE
Gabe picked up his pall mall racket and dropped the little wooden ball at the end of the long earthen alley edging the lawn. At the alley’s end, a metal hoop perched at the top of a short wooden pin. He boasted teasingly, “Stand back and watch Grangely’s most skilled player in action.”
“But Lady Verity isn’t playing with us,” Helena replied with mock innocence and a flutter of lashes.
She gestured a gloved hand toward where Verity sat at the little table where they’d taken afternoon tea, and where Nanny Potts also stood to the side like a guard dog, watching Alice and frowning in disapproval at their behavior.
Standing beside Helena at the edge of the alley, her mallet nearly as tall as she was, Alice put her hand to her lips to stifle her mirth at their antics. But her little fingers couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping.
“I taught Aunt Verity everything she knows about playing this game, I’ll have you know.
” He bent over the ball, lifted back the mallet, and swung.
Its wooden head made contact with a loud crack, and the red ball sailed several yards down the alley.
Then it took a bad bounce and rolled off into the tall grass.
Helena bit her lip to keep from laughing, but Alice’s giggles poured freely from her now at his expense. Her little shoulders shook, and she nearly danced around her mallet in excitement.
“I’m giving you both a false sense of security.” He rested the mallet on his shoulder and grimaced at his ball’s bad placement. “I’ll catch up.”
“One,” Helena reminded him as she counted his swing, placed her ball at the starting pin, and hit it smartly straight down the alley. It rolled to rest about ten yards away, in perfect position for the next swing. She smiled smugly.
Gabe knew better than to say anything.
Alice bounced forward to take her turn. She carefully placed her yellow ball at her feet and bit her bottom lip in concentration, then slowly drew back the mallet and swung. Her ball bounced away.
Before it had even stopped, she had grabbed Gabe’s hand and was tugging him forward. “Hurry, Papa!”
His chest warmed as he allowed her to lead him down the alley.
In the past two weeks, the little girl had transformed.
Oh, she still sneaked out of the nursery whenever Nanny’s back was turned—some things would never change.
But Gabe couldn’t remember her laughing and smiling so much before, and certainly not around him.
She used to hide from him before; now, she sought him out, and both enjoyed their time together.
He hated to admit that Helena’s Rules of Engagement were proving not so bad after all.
Alice let go of his hand to line up her mallet next to her ball. She lowered her head to concentrate and announced to the ball, “Two.” She swung, and the ball sailed forward several more yards. She jumped up and down like a spring. “Two! Two! Two!”
Gabe bit down a smile and stepped into the tall grass after his own ball. It had lodged itself into a dip, and it took him several taps with the mallet to free it and position it back onto the smooth packed dirt of the alley.
“Three, four, five, six…” Helena counted his taps as swings as she glided past down the alley in pursuit of her own ball. “Maybe Alice can give you lessons.”
His mouth twisted. “Maybe you can go—” But it was his gut that twisted when she turned halfway around in mid-flounce and sent him a beaming smile that lit her entire face.
Dear God, she was beautiful. So alive and vivacious, so utterly desirable…
The negative comment he’d been about to unleash vanished on his tongue, and his mind swam with all kinds of sporting ideas that were decidedly more indecent.
Maybe you can sneak off into the stables with me and let me lay you down on a pile of hay, slip your skirt up your legs, and bury myself deep between—
A suppressed laugh rumbled from Alice at something Helena whispered into her ear. Then she crept forward as slyly as a four-year old could—but looking for all the world like a pantomime villain—until she stood next to her ball. She paused, then nudged it forward with her foot.
“Did you just kick that ball?” Gabe asked.
Alice’s eyes flared wide at being caught, but Helena deflected all guilt by interjecting, “I didn’t see her do anything.” Even as she talked, Helena kicked her own ball forward. “Did you, Alice?”
The girl gave a fierce shake of her head, and her little lips pulled into a smile at that lie so wide it stretched nearly from ear to ear.
He pointed at Helena’s ball. “You just kicked yours, too.”
“Nonsense.”
“I saw it move.”
“Must have been the wind.” She quickly swung and sent her ball forward, the excuse and action repeated by Alice only a heartbeat later. The two women joined hands in solidarity in their cheating and hurried after their balls.
Gab didn’t let them hear his laugh as he followed after, swinging the wooden mallet in a half-circle and letting a warm happiness settle over him.
He didn’t care how long it took them to complete the game or if it took twice as many swings as it should have to put their balls through the metal hoop.
The day was warm, the soft breeze rustled gently through the leaves of the large chestnut trees, the sun cast the entire lawn in a golden glow…
There was no place else he’d rather have been in the whole wide world.
All thanks to Helena. She had carefully planned out the afternoon, including finding a way to steal him away from Caleb Parker and the bridge.
She’d ordered afternoon tea to be set out on the lawn, with one of the sets of table and chairs from the terrace carried here and draped with a white tablecloth and set with fine china.
Plates were filled with little sandwiches and cakes, along with pots of hot, honeyed tea.
Gabe was enjoying himself, despite all the female focus, he had to admit.
He had suspected Helena had run out of ideas for picnics…
until the servants brought out the pall mall set, and her machinations become instantly clear. Not a tea but a tournament.
Yet it was simply spending time with Alice and Helena that he enjoyed most, no matter what activity they did.
Every time he heard Alice laugh or saw her bright smile, his chest swelled a little more.
It was a relief to see that Helena was already acting like a mother to the little girl and that Alice had embraced Helena’s presence in her life.
That was one less worry about his marriage, and God knew he still had more than enough of them.
They continued their game, and he quickly caught up and overtook the ladies. When he turned around, he saw Alice pick up her ball at Helena’s encouragement and simply throw it down the alley as hard as she could.
“Are you two cheating again?” he called out.
“Why would we ever do anything like that?” Helena feigned innocence, then motioned quickly for Alice to pick up her ball and throw it again, this time not even bothering to try to hide their dishonesty.
But Alice was laughing so hard that the ball simply rolled out of her fingers and dropped to the ground at her feet.
Gabe tossed his mallet away and let out a loud growl as he rushed forward, swept the giggling girl into his arms, and swung her around in the air. “This is how cheaters are dealt with,” he warned. “Tickling!”
She let out a peal of laughter, and so did Helena.
With his free arm, Gabe grabbed Helena around the waist and pulled her against him, and they fell together onto the ground, in a laughing pile.
Alice climbed to her feet and scurried away to snatch up her ball.
Then she ran with it all the way to the end of the alley and threw it through the hoop to score, laughing so hard every step of the way that she panted hard to keep what little breath she could.
Gabe rolled Helena over onto her back and gently pinned her to the grass. Her skirts tangled around her legs and her bonnet had fallen away to reveal her dark hair to the warm sunlight.
“I should tickle you, too,” he murmured, his voice suddenly husky as he stared down into her face.
Her pink lips parted, offended. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Then how about this instead?” He lowered his head and kissed her.
A soft breath of surprise left her, and she softened beneath him, moving her lips against his with an aching sweetness that stirred a hot need low in his gut. He bit back a groan.
Being close to her these past few weeks and not being to have her completely had frustrated the daylights out of him, and even this small kiss only worked to increase his longing to start their married life early, even though he knew better.
That was another part of his marriage that he needn’t worry about, he knew—physically, they were a perfect match.
He only hoped the rest of their union melded together so well.
“What a happy family,” a deep voice drawled.
Helena gasped and shoved Gabe away to sit up, then scrambled to her feet and nervously smoothed down her skirts. At the far end of the alley, Alice stood still and stared, no longer laughing.
Gabe sat back on his hip and squinted into the sun at the tall figure who had walked up upon them without warning. His heart stopped. When it started again, each beat pounded out a cold fury.
Adam. His brother grinned down at him and extended his hand toward Gabe.
Gabe ignored his hand and pushed himself to his feet. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, it is my home.” Despite a impudent shrug at Gabe’s question, Adam’s smile never wavered. “I know my arrival is unexpected—”
“And completely without warning.”
“That, too.” His grin only widened at that subtle chastisement. “But by the time I was somewhere I could send a message ahead, it was too late. I would have beaten any letter here.” His eyes sparkled. “Good to see you, Gabriel.”
“Adam,” he said non-committedly. He couldn’t tell his brother what he really thought about his unannounced arrival, not with two ladies standing nearby. Instead, he kept his silence and reached down to snatch up his mallet.
“Nice to see you’re enjoying being domesticated,” Adam drawled, “even after five years of being shackled.”
Gabe stiffened. So did Helena. Her hands went to Alice’s shoulders as the little girl came warily forward, and her eyes darted between Adam and Alice.
Adam bowed to Helena. “Duchess.” He fixed his smile on Alice, who had sensed the sudden tension between the adults brought on by this stranger’s appearance and cowered instinctively into Helena’s skirts. “And a tiny Cavanaugh! My, you have been busy.”
Adam bent down to bring his face level with Alice’s and greet her with a crooked grin, but the attempt at friendliness only caused Alice to slip behind Helena completely and peer distrustingly around her legs at him. Gabe didn’t blame her.
Adam laughed at her wariness and rocked back onto his heels. “Are you the only little one so far, or do you have brothers and sisters to play with?”
A hard realization struck Gabe like a punch to the gut. Good Lord…his brother thought he and Helena had married as originally planned and that Alice was their child. He had no idea of the hell he had wrought upon all their lives.
A sudden pallor gripped Helena’s face. She had realized it, too.
Verity hurried across the lawn from the tea table, just as surprised to see Adam as Gabe and Helena, but at least she had the presence of mind—or the fortitude—to hug him in welcome and deftly position herself directly between the two brothers.
“Adam, what a surprise.” Verity was breathless. “What a…great surprise. Will you be staying?”
“Yes.” He placed a kiss to her cheek.
“Long?” Gabe interjected.
Adam stilled for a beat, then let out a laugh and slapped Gabe on the shoulder. “Not too long. I’ve got opportunities waiting for me in the Caribbean.”
“Good.”
Adam’s eyes narrowed briefly at Gabe’s curt answer.
Gabe didn’t give a damn if he’d upset his little brother. He sure as hell wouldn’t welcome home this prodigal son with open arms.
“Then I should go speak with Mrs. Brimley and Larkin to have them make your rooms ready.” Verity held out her hand to the little girl. “Alice, come with me. Nanny Potts can take you back to the nursery for a nap.”
For once, sensing the tension between the two men, the little girl didn’t complain about having to nap, put her hand into Verity’s, and gave Adam a frowning, uncertain look over her shoulder as her aunt led her away. Instinctively, she knew it was best to leave the adults alone.
“You look well,” Adam commented, sweeping his gaze over Gabe from head to boots.
His eyes moved to Helena as she went to Gabe’s side.
“So do you, Duchess.” Then he smiled and cast a sweeping gesture with his arm at the gardens, house, and park around them.
“You’ve taken great care of Grangely. Our father and grandfather would be pleased. ”
Gabe said nothing.
“And is that the only child at Grangely?” He nodded after Alice as Nanny Potts and Verity spirited her away toward the house. “I would have thought you two would have filled the nursery by now.”
“She’s the only one,” Helena answered. As if sensing the growing fury inside Gabe, she reached down and slipped the mallet from his hand.
“Well, she’s a beautiful little girl.”
“Glad you think so,” Gabe replied sharply, squinting into the sun and clenching his jaw. “Because she’s yours.”