Chapter 20 #2
Eventually, they agreed on a false report concerning a second witness who had supposedly come forward and whose testimony would undermine one of Julian’s claims. The information was plausible, important enough to encourage Julian to act, and harmless if it reached the wrong ears.
The investigator wrote it down.
“I will see that the false information reaches Faulks, and when he carries it beyond Ravenscourt, we will follow. You may have him soon.”
“I hope so.”
Once the investigator had gone, Gabriel remained in the study with Eleanor for several moments, neither immediately returning to the routines of the house.
The knowledge that Faulks was betraying them had changed the atmosphere of Ravenscourt in ways neither of them could entirely articulate, but there was little time to dwell on it that afternoon.
William had been steadily improving for several days, and by evening the physician finally gave permission for him to leave his room for dinner. The news spread through Ravenscourt with an excitement that Gabriel had not heard in months.
When William entered the dining room supported by Gabriel and Cassandra, the entire household seemed to breathe differently.
He was pale and thinner than he had been before his illness, but he was upright, dressed properly, and determined to complain about everyone treating him as though he were made of glass.
Eleanor rose at once. “You should have told us if you were feeling too tired.”
William looked at her with amusement. “If I had told everyone how I felt, I suspect I would still be in bed.”
Sophie stood beside her chair, beaming. “Uncle William is having dinner with us.”
“So I am.”
She looked delighted. William laughed, and the sound warmed the room.
For the first time in months, dinner felt almost normal.
Sophie chattered about her lessons, the governess tried unsuccessfully to persuade her to eat before speaking, and the dowager allowed herself to smile openly when William complained about the blandness of the physician’s diet.
Even Cassandra seemed less guarded than usual.
Gabriel sat back and watched them. There was something deeply comforting about the scene. For one evening, they were not a household fighting accusations. They were simply a family sharing dinner.
Gabriel found himself looking toward Eleanor more than once. She caught him doing it the second time and smiled. He returned it before remembering that he had no reason to hide the gesture anymore.
After dinner, William asked Gabriel to join him in the library. Gabriel followed, expecting some discussion of estate business, but when the door closed behind them, William lowered himself carefully into one of the armchairs and gestured toward the opposite one.
“You look troubled.”
Gabriel sat. “There is a great deal happening.”
“So I hear. Mother told me enough to know that you believe someone within the household is feeding Julian information.”
Gabriel stiffened at that. William did not need to know what was taking place, not when he had to focus on his health.
“She told you?”
“She did not need to tell me much. I have lived in this house long enough to notice when everyone begins watching one another.”
Gabriel gave a tired sigh. “We have confirmed that Faulks is involved.”
William was silent for a moment.
“I am sorry.”
“So am I.”
“He has served us for years.”
“That is what makes it difficult. We intend to feed him false information, so that we can toy with him and Julian, so you cannot act as though anything is amiss.”
“You have my word,” William agreed as he leaned back carefully. “I am proud of you, Gabriel. You have always been inclined to act directly when someone threatens the people you love. You are our father’s son in that respect.”
Gabriel looked away. “I only want this finished.”
“I know, but there is another matter you should consider.”
Gabriel sighed. “Which is?”
“Your wife.”
Gabriel looked back. William’s smile was calm, almost amused.
“You have spent years guarding yourself against being hurt again. I understand why, but I have watched the two of you since she arrived, and I am beginning to think your pride is doing more damage now than Eleanor ever did.”
Gabriel remained silent.
“You love her.”
The certainty in William’s voice made denial pointless.
“You know I do.”
“Then stop behaving as though loving her is something that requires punishment.”
Gabriel looked down, then almost laughed.
“You spent eight years believing Eleanor did not love you. She spent eight years believing you no longer loved her. Now both of you have finally learned that you were wrong, and you are still finding reasons to stand on opposite sides of the room. If you ask me, that sounds more difficult than anything else.”
“When did you become so wise?”
“Illness gives a man a great deal of time to observe other people’s mistakes. Do not let pride make you lose her again.”
The words stayed with Gabriel long after he left the library.
He returned upstairs with the sound of William’s laughter still lingering faintly in his mind and found himself looking instinctively toward the corridor leading to Eleanor’s rooms.
***
Eleanor and Gabriel were beginning to work together without constantly measuring the distance between them.
Their attention remained fixed on Julian and the protection of Sophie, and they spent long hours in the study examining correspondence from the solicitor, comparing what they knew of Julian’s movements with the information the investigator had gathered.
It was during those hours that Gabriel began to notice how often Eleanor forgot to guard herself when they were working side by side. One afternoon, they sat together at the large desk with several letters spread between them.
Eleanor had spent the better part of an hour comparing dates, occasionally leaning across Gabriel to point out a discrepancy in one of the documents. Her shoulder brushed his when she reached for the next letter, and neither of them moved away immediately.
“These two were written within three days of one another,” she said, tracing a line of handwriting with her fingertip. “Yet Julian claims he did not know about the petition until the following week.”
Gabriel glanced at the page. There was a satisfaction in her voice, and when she looked up at him, he saw the warmth he had begun to recognize.
“You are becoming rather formidable,” he said.
For a moment, they simply looked at one another, then Eleanor seemed to remember herself and she drew her hand away from his.
“We should examine the next letter.”
Gabriel watched her turn the page. He did not ask why she had pulled away. He had learned enough about Eleanor to know that pressing her when she retreated would only make her withdraw farther.
He did not know what had caused it. He only knew that forcing her to explain would defeat the very trust they were beginning to build, so he waited. He had waited eight years already. He could wait a little longer.
What mattered was that she no longer seemed determined to leave. At least, he hoped she was not.
***
The solicitor’s messenger was shown into the study late one afternoon, carrying a sealed packet that he delivered directly into Gabriel’s hands.
Gabriel broke the seal, and Eleanor looked up from the papers before her.
“What is it?”
Gabriel read the notice again, hoping he had misunderstood the language.
“I think Julian has decided he is running out of time.”
She rose. “What has happened?”
“The court has agreed to move the hearing forward. Within weeks.”
The room seemed to grow colder. Until then, they had been preparing carefully, believing they had enough time to follow Faulks, find Jem Carter, uncover the truth about the hunting accident, and build a strong enough case to withstand Julian’s accusations.
“And it gets worse.” He grimaced. “Julian has petitioned for immediate temporary custody.”
Eleanor stared at him. “He wants Sophie taken from me before the hearing.”
Gabriel crossed the space between them.
“Eleanor, listen to me. This is an application. It has not been granted.”
“But he is asking the court to take her.”
“I know. He knows he is losing ground and he is frightened. That is all.”
“Then we will make certain he does not.”
The fear in her eyes remained, but she did not pull away from him. For once, when he held her hands, she allowed herself to stay, and Gabriel knew that whatever came next, they could no longer afford to fight only one battle at a time.
Sophie meant nothing to Julian, but she meant everything to Eleanor. And so Gabriel would not let him take her.