A Gentleman Never Tells

chapter Thirteen

None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.

—Charles Caleb Colton

Gabrielle and Brutus walked into the house after a brief good-bye to Brent at her front door. Brutus didn’t stop but continued down the corridor. Gabrielle knew he was heading for his pillow by the fireplace. She took her time removing her bonnet, cape, gloves, and pelisse. She was more confused than ever.

The problem was she had enjoyed every invigorating moment with the viscount. She enjoyed looking at him, talking to him, and kissing him. She found it stimulating to match wits with him, frustrating to try to astonish him, and humbling to commiserate with him over Prissy’s disappearance.

Her hands stilled when she caught sight of herself in the mirror that hung over one of the side tables in the vestibule. She was smiling, smiling because being with Lord Brentwood made her happy. He had many good qualities to recommend him. He was handsome, dashing, and pleasant. She had never enjoyed her time with Staunton. The earl’s son was handsome, but Gabrielle couldn’t ever remember smiling with him over a shared pleasure, lying awake at night and longing for his kisses, or praying some turn of events would happen so she could see him before the day was over.

Lord Brentwood was exciting and very appealing to all her senses. And already she missed not being with him.

It would be so easy for her to just accept the fact her father wanted her to marry him. Because the truth was she wanted to be with him, and she had wanted to be with him since the moment she saw him standing in the mist. It was as if fate had said to her, This man is yours for the taking. Take him . But Brent had not chosen her. By her actions that morning, she had forced all this on him, and now she had to do her best to give him back his freedom to choose his own wife.

Slowly her smile faded. She could easily allow herself to fall in love with him, if only he wasn’t merely fulfilling his obligation for being caught kissing her.

When she laid her things on the table, she noticed a letter addressed to her on the silver calling card plate. “Staunton,” she said, quickly picking it up. She had been waiting to hear from him. She broke the seal and read.

My Dearest Gabby,If you should find yourself taking in the sights of St. James tomorrow afternoon, perhaps our paths will cross.

I am with kindest regards,

Staunton

It wasn’t the friendliest of correspondence, but at last he’d finally answered her. She needed to find Auntie Bethie immediately to see if she was free for a ride in the park.

Gabrielle walked down the corridor and looked into the drawing room. Auntie Bethie was reading in a chair by the fireplace. Brutus greeted her with a woof and wagged his tail but didn’t try to rise from his pillow.

“Good afternoon, Auntie,” she said, walking over and giving her aunt a kiss on her cheek, and then over to Brutus to pat his head and scratch his ears. Thanks to Brent, her old companion had had a wonderful time in the park.

“How was your afternoon?” Auntie Bethie asked, closing her book and laying it in her lap.

There was no way Gabrielle could keep a big smile off her face as she said, “It was quite enjoyable, Auntie.”

“I thought it would be. Lord Brentwood is certainly handsome enough to look at for an entire afternoon.”

“Most definitely,” Gabrielle said, holding her hands in front of the low-burning fire to warm them.

“Sit down and tell me all about it. I want to hear everything.”

Gabrielle made herself comfortable on the settee and took her time telling about the day. She went into great detail about the viscount losing his hat because of her bumping him with her parasol, about Brutus slobbering on the glossy shine of Lord Brentwood’s Hessians, and about the woman with the dog they had chased down. But she left out all references to the few exciting and satisfying minutes she spent in Brent’s arms.

When their laughter over the afternoon’s events had died down, Auntie Bethie said, “I’ve been thinking about something for a long time, even before I arrived in London, and it’s time I told you about it.”

Gabrielle moved to the edge of the settee. “Yes, tell me.”

“I’ve decided to leave Southampton and find a place here in London to lease.”

“Oh, Auntie, that is wonderful news! You know how I have always wanted you to be close by so we could see you more often.”

Her aunt’s eyes took on a sheen Gabrielle had never seen in them before and, for the first time she could ever remember, her aunt was close to tears.

“Yes, I know, my dear, but your father has never wanted that, and I have been somewhat at his mercy financially, as you know, for many years.”

Gabrielle rose from the settee and knelt in front of her aunt, taking hold of her hands. “I’m sorry my father has always treated you so atrociously.”

She lightly squeezed Gabrielle’s fingers. “No, my dear, he hasn’t. How can I think that when he has provided exceptionally well for me all these years because of his vow to my dear sister? And he has allowed me to visit you and Rosa a couple of times each year, so I can’t be too harsh on him. I have been very frugal, and because of his generosity, I’ve been able to save a good portion of my yearly allowance from him. I’ve made one or two investments that have paid me well. I now have enough that even if he stops my monthly allowance, I will live comfortably in London for the rest of my days.”

Happiness surged inside Gabrielle. “Stay in London, Auntie. You know I would never let you go without anything you needed.”

Her aunt’s eyes cleared, and she laughed in the deep, throaty voice Gabrielle loved to hear. “Thank you, dear. It makes me very happy to know you want me to live close by.”

“I have an idea, Auntie, why don’t we start looking tomorrow for places for you to lease?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, we have no idea when Papa might return, and you should have something ready. We’ll get started early in the day and then perhaps in the afternoon we can take a drive through St. James Park.”

A knowing smile lifted the corners of her aunt’s lips. “A ride through St. James; now why doesn’t that surprise me? Of course we can, and we’ll insist Rosa join us. She spends entirely too much time in her room.”

“Ah, no, Auntie, please, not tomorrow,” Gabrielle said, rising. She ran her hands down the side of her skirt and felt Staunton’s note. She hadn’t expected her aunt to include her sister. That would never work. “Do you mind so terribly much if it’s just the two of us tomorrow?”

Auntie Bethie frowned. “I suppose not, as long as she doesn’t ask to join us. I would hate to tell her no.”

“Oh, I agree,” Gabrielle said, knowing if Rosa wanted to join them to look at houses, she would have to send a note to Staunton telling him they would have to meet at another time.

***

Later that night, Gabrielle’s eyes popped open, and she jerked upright in bed, at first not knowing what had disturbed her sleep. She propped herself up with her elbows and scanned the dark room and listened. Nothing appeared out of place, but for some reason she was certain what she’d heard was footsteps. It would be unusual for one of the servants to be on their floor in the dead of night. Perhaps her aunt or Rosa couldn’t sleep and had decided to go downstairs for a cup of chocolate.

Pushing the covers aside, Gabrielle rose from the bed and quickly put on her heavy velvet robe and shoved her feet into her slippers. She lit the candle she kept by her bed, and then hurried to her door and opened it. The corridor was cold, quiet, and dark except for a small slice of light under her sister’s door. Rosabelle often read late at night, so at first she wasn’t alarmed; but remembering the footsteps she heard, Gabrielle decided to go to Rosa’s room. She slowly turned the knob and quietly opened it and peeked inside.

Rosa was standing in front of her dressing table, combing her hair.

She gasped and turned toward Gabrielle. “Good heavens! You frightened me! What are you doing sneaking into my room? And with that candle in front of your face like that? It looks eerie!”

“I wasn’t sneaking,” Gabrielle said and blew out the candle as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her so their voices wouldn’t wake Auntie Bethie. “I heard footsteps and came out to see who was up. I saw your light and wanted to check on you.”

“Check on me? I’m no longer a little girl, Gabby. I don’t need you checking on me during the night like you used to.”

“And I don’t usually. I haven’t for a long time. You know that. Where were you?”

“Oh, I couldn’t sleep, so I was downstairs, getting some milk.”

Gabrielle feared she already knew what Rosa had been doing. “And you decided you needed to dress before going downstairs for milk?”

Rosabelle looked at her clothing.

Rosa opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Gabrielle said, “And before you come up with another feeble excuse, remember I saw you earlier tonight and you were already in your night rail.”

Rosa turned back toward her dressing mirror and huffed. “You are mistaken, that’s all. I never dressed for bed tonight.”

“I am not mistaken, Rosa. Did you slip out of the house to meet Staunton?”

She whirled back to face Gabrielle. “So what if I did meet him in the garden for a few minutes? We hadn’t seen each other in weeks. We were dying to see each other.”

Anger at Staunton rose up in Gabrielle. How dare he continue to put Rosa’s reputation at risk. “That is what parties are for, Rosa. I’ve tried to impress upon you the jeopardy you face if you continue to meet Staunton in secret. You simply must not sneak out of the house again for any reason. That can only lead to trouble.”

“As you know so well, Gabby,” Rosa threw at her sister. “Tell me why it is perfectly all right for you to sneak out to meet Lord Brentwood, but it’s not all right for me to go out and meet Staunton. Don’t you think that’s a little hypocritical of you?”

“It may seem that way, but, Rosa, I’ve told you I didn’t go to Hyde to meet the viscount. We met quite by accident that morning.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“Yes, and even though it was an accidental meeting, it has led to disastrous consequences for both of us.”

Rosa walked over to the bed and picked up her sleeping gown, putting her back to Gabrielle. “Your situation really doesn’t matter to me at the moment, Gabby. I’ll just have to make sure you don’t catch me next time. Now if you don’t mind, I would appreciate your leaving my room. I’m ready to put on my night rail and sleep so I can dream about Staunton.”

Frustration with Rosa burned inside Gabrielle, and she grabbed her sister’s arms and turned her around. Rosa’s foolishness and impulsive behavior had gone too far. “I cannot allow you to be this flippant about your reputation. I will have to tell Papa and ask him to send you to one of his country estates where you will never see Staunton again.”

Rosa stiffened. “You wouldn’t.”

“Of course I will,” Gabrielle said coldly, thinking only about how much she detested Staunton for preying on Rosa’s affection for him.

Her sister’s blue eyes sparkled with apprehension, and her bottom lip trembled. “Please tell me you won’t tell Papa about me and Staunton. I promise never to meet him in secret again.”

Within seconds, Rosa went from a self-assured young lady, determined to get her way, to looking and sounding like a frightened child begging not to be punished. For a moment, as Gabrielle stared at her sister, she was tempted to give in and agree she wouldn’t tell the duke. But Brent came to her mind, and Gabrielle knew she couldn’t. She had given up too much already in order to save Rosa’s reputation. She would not let Staunton ruin it now.

“If I even suspect you are slipping out again to meet Staunton, or anyone else, I will not even tell you I know. I will go straight to Papa and let him deal with you.”

Gabrielle turned and walked out, knowing she couldn’t wait to have a talk tomorrow with Mr. Alfred Staunton.

***

Gabrielle watched Auntie Bethie shiver as the carriage bumped along the uneven terrain of St. James Park. They had spent several hours touring homes for lease in different areas of London, but her aunt wasn’t ready to make a decision to settle on any of them. There were few carriages in St. James, so Gabrielle had hoped to spot Staunton quickly, but there had been no such luck. They’d been riding the carriage path for almost an hour with no sign of her former fiancé. Gabrielle was beginning to think they had missed him or he’d decided not to meet her.

“Why must I suffer through another cold ride around this dreary park?” her aunt complained as Muggs allowed the horses to plod along slowly.

Deciding to be truthful, Gabrielle said, “If you must know, Auntie, I’m looking for someone.”

“Oh, fiddle faddle, Gabby! I know that. Why can’t you just invite the viscount for afternoon tea? It’s much warmer in the drawing room than out here. The damp air is threatening rain.”

“It’s not Lord Brentwood I am looking for this time,” Gabrielle admitted.

“Oh,” her aunt said, sounding surprised. “Has another young blade caught your eye?”

“No, no, Auntie, not this one for sure, but you must believe me when I tell you what I’m doing is very important.”

“I do believe you, dearie. I just don’t know why you want to conduct your affairs in the parks so blasted often. It’s not summer, you know. It’s not even spring, and it is damn cold out here.”

Gabrielle pulled the blanket farther up her aunt’s chest and tucked it around her neck. “Oh, Auntie, I would be happy to ride alone if I could, but you know I can’t, so I must bring you with me. We’ll stay only a few minutes more, I promise. Shall I pour you more chocolate?”

“No, I feel like I will float away if I drink any more before I find a chamber pot!” Auntie Bethie laughed at her remark and huddled down into the folds of the blanket.

Gabrielle joined her aunt’s laughter as they rounded a bend on the west side of the park. When Gabrielle looked up, she saw Staunton sitting on his horse not far away. His back was ramrod straight and his chin lifted in an arrogant tilt.

“It’s about time,” she spoke softly under her breath, feeling relief he’d arrived.

She leaned up to Muggs and said, “That’s Mr. Alfred Staunton ahead of us. Please stop when we get near him and help me down.”

As she settled back in her seat, her aunt said, “So I now see who you wanted to meet, but I have no idea why. You don’t intend to apologize to him after the way he attacked Lord Brentwood at Lady Windham’s party, do you?”

Gabrielle kept her eyes on Staunton’s proud figure. “Absolutely not, Auntie. I will not be apologizing to him for anything, I assure you. No, it’s quite a different matter I need to discuss with the earl’s son.” Gabrielle looked over at her aunt and patted her fur muff. “Thank you for being patient with me and for being so willing to put up with my strange habits. I don’t know what I would have done if you had not come and Papa had not gone away.”

Her aunt reached over and gave her a rare kiss on the cheek, and Gabrielle gasped with delight. “What was that for?”

Auntie Bethie’s eyes softened. “For all the times I’ve wanted to be there for you and couldn’t. Now go, talk to this man and say whatever you must. I will shiver right here until you return.”

Gabrielle’s heart swelled in her chest, and she gave her aunt a heartfelt smile. “Thank you, Auntie.”

Muggs helped Gabrielle down from the carriage as Staunton dismounted and, holding his riding crop, sauntered up to the carriage.

“Lady Gabrielle.” Staunton stopped in front of her, took off his hat, and bowed rather stiffly. He then placed his hat under his arm. “It’s nice to see you. I must say your loveliness brightens an otherwise gloomy day.”

“Thank you, Staunton. You remember my aunt, Mrs. Potter, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. How could I forget such a lovely lady? You are looking as beautiful as ever, Mrs. Potter. I trust you are well.”

“Quite well, Mr. Staunton. Thank you.”

Gabrielle looked at Staunton and said, “Perhaps you’ll take a short walk with me. You don’t mind, do you, Auntie?”

“Not as long as you don’t get out of my sight and you don’t take too long.”

“I promise not to do either, Auntie.”

Gabrielle and Staunton walked away from the carriage. It was the first time Gabrielle had ever noticed that although Staunton was broad in the shoulders, he wasn’t much taller than she was. With his light blue eyes and sandy brown hair, she’d always thought him attractive. She had easily agreed with her father when he’d said there was much to recommend him. And it was true that his station in life and handsome face made him a sought-after match for many young ladies.

But looking at him now, Gabrielle knew she’d never felt any womanly desire for him. She had never felt that all-consuming, breathless excitement of wanting. She had that feeling the first time she caught sight of Brent. And it hadn’t gone away. If anything, her feelings for him had only grown stronger.

It pained her to have to continue to find ways to make herself unattractive to Brent, when all she really wanted was to make herself so appealing to him he would forget about the way they had met. She wanted him to forget her father threatened to ruin his brothers’ business. She wanted him to feel for her all the things she felt for him.

But she knew from experience life was seldom so accommodating.

“How are you, Staunton?” she said after they were well out of her aunt’s hearing.

“I suppose I’m as well as can be expected, considering all I’ve been through.”

“Well, you are looking quite fit.”

He smiled. “Thank you,” he said and then added, “It’s truly been quite hellish the past couple of weeks, but I’ve withstood the jokes and damning wagers that are cropping up all over London. I do believe the gossip is easing now.”

She wanted to say she was sorry for what he’d been through but couldn’t find it within herself to do it. “Thank you for coming to meet me, Staunton.”

“I rather expected I would hear from you sooner or later.”

Obviously Rosa had told him she knew about the two of them. “Good. That should make what I have to say easier.”

“Easier?” He laughed. “No, Gabby, I’m pleased you came to your senses and wanted to meet with me to discuss what happened and what will happen now, but you need to know I am not of a mind to make it easy for you. Why should I, after the stunt you pulled in the park with the viscount and the extreme embarrassment you caused me?”

Her brows drew together quizzically. That sounded odd. Did that mean he was going to fight her father about having their engagement annulled?

“But this isn’t about me, Staunton.”

“Isn’t it? Your behavior was shameful. An apology about now would be appropriate.”

Gabrielle pursed her lips and hesitated as she stared at his smug expression. Apparently he wanted an apology to soothe his bruised self-esteem before he would talk about Rosa. She really didn’t want to say she was sorry, because she wasn’t. She was happy they were no longer engaged, and he should be too.

However, she remembered Auntie Bethie telling her that her mother had said an apology is never out of line. Obviously, Gabrielle wasn’t as good as her mother because she didn’t feel one was necessary, considering the fact Staunton was in love with Rosa and seeing her behind Gabrielle’s back.

But for Rosa’s sake, Gabrielle was willing to forgive, forget, and apologize.

She cleared her throat and forced herself to say, “I’m sorry for any anguish my mistake caused you.”

He sneered. “That’s all?”

Exasperated, she said, “I apologized. There’s nothing more that need be said, so could we please get on with the matter at hand?”

Staunton huffed and moved his hat from under one arm to the other. “Very well, I suppose it will do. And yes, I’m willing to accept you back and carry on with our wedding plans at a later date.”

Gabrielle stopped walking and looked at him with uncomprehending eyes. Did he say what she thought he had?

Surely not.

He moved closer, and she instinctively stepped back. “But you have been very naughty.” Suddenly he smiled. “You must first show me how contrite you are about the way you misbehaved.”

A shiver of dread skimmed her spine and gooseflesh pebbled her skin, even though she was wrapped in her heavy woolen cape. Something wasn’t right.

She moistened her lips. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Then let me explain it to you. With our first engagement, you held all the cards, and why shouldn’t you? Being the eldest child of a duke, you had been taught you had certain rights and expectations. But that won’t be so, this time.”

This time?

Was he really talking about salvaging their engagement? Why? When he was supposed to love Rosa?

Apparently unaware Gabrielle was confused, Staunton kept talking.

“I’ve decided to take you back as my betrothed. And, Gabby, when I want to kiss you, my dear, I will kiss you. You will not pull away from me and plead innocent as you have in the past. You will not tell me you will not join me in the garden for a late evening good-night kiss. You will be at my beck and call, and I will call you often.”

He stood so proud and confident before her that Gabrielle could only stare at him in silence. He was not saying what she had expected him to say.

“What on earth are you talking about, Staunton? I didn’t come here to ask you to renew our engagement.”

His brow wrinkled. “What?”

“I came to talk to you about Rosa.”

He shifted his hat again, and the corners of his eyes twitched guiltily. “What did she tell you about us?”

“That you love each other.”

“She’s a foolish young girl who obviously has fantasies I don’t begin to understand.”

Gabrielle gasped. “I know you have been slipping around to see each other. I came here to tell you that must stop. If anyone finds out, her reputation will be in shreds.”

Red splotches broke out on his face. “Something like your reputation, I suppose. You seem to be doing all right after your little affair in the park.”

Gabrielle’s jaw went slack and then tightened. She was so caught off guard by what he was saying she hardly knew how to respond.

“I am handling the gossip in the newsprint and the whispers at parties, but Rosa would find it very difficult to do. If you want to marry her, you must do the right thing by her and tell your father and hers to post the banns and marry immediately.”

Staunton chuckled. His earlier nervous twitch was gone; his confidence had returned. “Marry her? Where did you get—did she tell you that?”

Gabrielle was beginning to understand Staunton, and she didn’t like what she was discovering. Her gloved hands made fists inside her muff, and her throat felt tight and restricted.

“Yes, of course. She told me you loved each other and you want to be married. I know this to be true, because I saw you two kissing. I saw the passion between you. I saw—”

He stepped in closer to her and snarled. “You saw what you obviously wanted to see, you little spy.”

She gasped. “Spy?”

“Yes, that’s what you are. And yes, there was passion between us, because she is not afraid to be kissed and touched like you are.”

“Are you telling me you don’t love Rosa?”

“Love her?” He shrugged in a nonchalant manner. “I love that she is passionate. That she enjoys being in a man’s arms. She likes to be caressed and told how beautiful she is. Things you never wanted me to do or say. So what else was I to do when she sought me out and offered herself to me?”

“No,” Gabrielle whispered, not wanting to hear any more from him.

“Yes! Why shouldn’t I accept her kisses and caresses when I couldn’t get my fiancée to allow me one little kiss?”

“That’s not true. Staunton, you know I allowed you to kiss me.”

“You gave me chaste little kisses that meant nothing and didn’t have enough fire in them to stir passion in either of us. And I had to ask myself, how could Rosa be so hot-blooded when you were always so timid and cold? Every time I tried to kiss you, you rebuffed me as if you were too special for me to touch.”

Gabrielle felt breathless and light-headed. “No, that’s not true,” she said but knew her words rang false.

She stared into his confident blue eyes and realized he had gone after Rosa when he didn’t get what he wanted from her.

She had never wanted to marry Staunton. She wanted only to obey her father, because that was expected of her. She had never felt passion when she was with Staunton but had expected it would come after they married. But now that she had tasted desire from the lips and touch of Lord Brentwood, she knew the passion Staunton wanted from her would have never come.

“Of course it is, and now I know why you didn’t want to marry me. You wanted a title. The youngest son of a wealthy earl was not good enough for you, so you went out and snared a viscount for yourself.”

Is that really what he thought about her? Gabrielle inhaled, breathing the cold air deep into her lungs, clearing her head and her throat.

“Staunton, hear me well,” she said calmly but firmly. “As you said, I am the daughter of a duke, a powerful duke, and I’m not afraid to use his power or his influence. Stay away from my sister, or I will see to it you will not find a mama in London who will let you come near her daughter.”

His eyes narrowed and twitched. “Are you threatening me, Gabby?”

She smiled. “Yes, I am. And, Staunton, it’s Lady Gabrielle when you are speaking to me.”

Gabrielle turned and started walking back toward her aunt. Her legs were shaky, but inside she felt strong knowing Staunton was wrong. She was filled to overflowing with passion. Brent had proved that to her.

And Gabrielle knew just whom to speak to about Staunton if he dared try to see Rosa in secret again. She’d heard Lady Windham took to her sick bed after her last party because Staunton had dared cause a scene in her home. Lady Windham was already predisposed to be wary of him, and if Gabrielle told her he was enticing young ladies into ruination, no doubt she’d be happy to spread the word to the pushy mamas in London.

But how would Rosa take his absence? Would she write him another note and try to see him in secret even though she had promised not to?

There was no way Gabrielle could watch Rosa every minute. Gabrielle would ask her maid, Petra, to help her keep an eye on Rosa’s whereabouts.