He recoiled as if she’d hit him.
“Gabriel?”
He took her face in his hands. She lifted her mouth for a kiss, but he merely looked down on her. “You are not hurt, are you?” he asked abruptly.
“No. Not a scratch.”
“When I saw the fire, I believed you were in the building.” His voice shook.
“I know. Poor man. But I was in the village when the fire started.”
“Why did you go down to the village?”
“To look for the children. As I said before, no one was here this morning. Didn’t you notice? It was so very odd. What is the matter, Gabe?” He was behaving in an odd, aloof manner.
He let go of her hands and paced. “Someone set fire to the school. It wasn’t an accident.”
“I can’t think why anyone would do such a cruel, senseless thing.”
“Sit down, Birdie.” He led her to the sofa. She sat down and looked up into his serious face. “The fire was an attack against the Duke of Dunross.”
Birdie looked at him sceptically. “Do you think so? But who would do such a terrible thing? And why?”
“The people here have little love for the Dukes of Dunross. The old duke wasn’t a good man. He chased people off their land so he could turn it into pastures for sheep. He burned down their houses. People are naturally wary of being connected with me, or you, or anyone up here. Even if you mean well.”
“Gabriel! That is positively awful. I’ve heard of the clearances, and it is terrible. But that was the old duke. You are the new duke. You can change things. It is in your power to do so. I would go as far as to say that it is yourdutyto do so.”
“The entire place is in more debt than you can possibly imagine. There is nothing I can do.” Gabriel dragged his hands through his thick hair. “There is not much point to it, either.”
“There is nothing you can do? Or is there nothing you want to do?”
“This entire discussion isn’t about me, but you. Birdie.” He was pacing in front of her, and Birdie had the impression that with each step he took, he was transforming more and more into a stranger. “You cannot eradicate century-old hostility by inviting their children to a new school. Especially if the teacher is the duchess herself. Has it ever occurred to you that this attack was specifically targeted against you? It was a warning. The next time, they will target you directly. You will get hurt.” He drew in a shaky breath.
Birdie shook her head. “I won’t believe it. I can’t. What offence can someone take to having someone teach their children? We have set up the school together. The women, themselves, asked me to do it. They helped me. Why burn it all down again?”
Gabriel pulled a hand over his neck. “I don’t know, Birdie.”
“I believe if one tries hard, one can build connections and eradicate hostility.”
He smiled tiredly. “You have wrought miracles in this place, do you know?” He looked around as if only now, for the first time, seeing the dining room. “You have turned a place of dust and stone into proper living quarters.” He shook his head with a small smile. “You even set up a bloody school.”
“With the help of some women,” Birdie said. “Not everyone rejects us.”
“Birdie. This can’t continue.”
“What?” She blinked at him.
“The villagers are no doubt right. The children have no place up here. The old school needs to be repaired and it will be seen to.” He sighed. “They should not come up here to learn.”
“But I had the impression you enjoyed it when they were here.”
Gabriel shook his head as if that wasn’t relevant. “What happened yesterday was a mistake. It should never have happened.”
“I am sorry that I did not ask you beforehand about teaching the children in the library.”
“I am not talking about the children. I am talking about,”––he lifted a helpless hand––“afterwards.” A dull red hue covered his cheeks.
He was not simply referring to the children. He was referring to them. She felt the blood drain from her face.
