But even as she made this silent vow, she knew, deep in her heart, how difficult it would be to keep.
* * *
Thomas guided Gabriel toward the quiet privacy of the study, shutting the door firmly behind them. The room carried the rich scent of leather and parchment, a reminder of the many secrets and solemn promises exchanged within these walls. Gabriel glanced around, recalling nights spent here as a boy, plotting harmless mischief with Thomas and, later, clashing with his father over reckless choices. One memory, in particular, surfaced. The night he had impulsively wagered half his inheritance on a single horse race, and lost. Thomas had stood by him then, covering his debts discreetly, but the shame of that folly had never fully faded. It was a reminder of the boy he had been.
Gabriel noted the tension radiating from his friend’s shoulders, a foreboding settling heavily in his chest.
“Gabriel,” Thomas began, his tone firm but controlled, “I must speak plainly. Eden is my sister.”
Gabriel inclined his head, eyes serious. “I am aware.”
Thomas’s gaze hardened slightly. “Then you understand my concern regarding your attention toward her.”
Gabriel paused, measuring his response carefully. “My intentions are honorable, Thomas.”
“Are they?” Thomas challenged sharply, moving closer. “I know you well, Gabriel. Your charm, your magnetism. Eden has always been impressionable where you are concerned.”
Gabriel bristled slightly, struggling to maintain composure. A vivid memory of Eden as a little girl, her hand tucked trustingly into his, flashed before his eyes—an image that sharpened the guilt twisting inside him. He had made promises then, whispered vows of protection, never imagining how complicated such pledges could become with time. “She is no longer a child, Thomas.”
“Precisely my point,” Thomas snapped, blue eyes narrowed fiercely. “She has grown into a beautiful young woman. One you must leave untouched. She is not for you.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened, his gaze meeting Thomas’s defiantly. For a fleeting moment, he imagined what it would mean to walk away from Eden entirely. To never again hear her laugh, or feel the quiet solace her presence brought. The thought carved a hollow ache in his chest, intensifying the turmoil already roiling within him. “You truly believe I would harm Eden?”
Thomas exhaled slowly, tension easing slightly. “Not intentionally. But your life is complicated, Gabriel. You have spent years abroad, tangled in God knows what, moving from one scandal to the next. Eden deserves stability, happiness, a predictable future.”
Gabriel turned away briefly, fists clenched at his sides. Memories from distant shores flashed before his eyes. Moments of betrayal, regret, and broken promises. He had not returned the same man who left these familiar halls. Doubt gnawed at him.
He pivoted back and said, “And you think me incapable of providing that?”
“I worry that your world would unsettle hers,” Thomas admitted quietly, voice softening with genuine concern. “She is dear to me. I will not have her hurt.”
“Neither would I,” Gabriel replied earnestly, turning back to face his friend. “On that, you have my word.”
Thomas regarded him quietly for a moment, expression slowly easing into weary resignation. “Just promise me you will not pursue Eden.”
Gabriel hesitated briefly, the internal struggle evident in his tense stance. Finally, he nodded slowly. “You have my word.”
Thomas sighed deeply, visibly relieved. “Good. Let us rejoin the party.”
Gabriel followed silently, his heart heavy with unspoken turmoil. At the threshold, he hesitated for a heartbeat, casting one last glance over his shoulder toward the terrace where Eden stood. The pale light from the ballroom spilled across the stone floor, the memory of her soft gaze weighing down each step he took away from her. Despite his promise to Thomas, Eden’s face lingered stubbornly in his thoughts. The heat of her gaze, the sweet curve of her smile, and the undeniable pull he felt toward her.
Could honor withstand the aching draw Eden exerted on his heart?
Could he be her friend without succumbing to his baser nature?
Bloody hell, he had no choice. His jaw twitched, annoyance gripping him tight. Still, he could not, would not, be here in Yorkshire without spending time with her.
Three
Morning sunlight danced over the rolling hills, casting the landscape in hues of gold and green. The fresh scent of dew-kissed grass filled the air, wrapping Eden in the invigorating embrace of the countryside. She urged her mare, Willow, forward, relishing the fresh air and solitude, a necessary balm for the restless yearning that had lingered since the night before. Gabriel’s return had awakened emotions she had long kept buried. Out here, beyond the walls of Thornton Hall, she could breathe and try to make sense of the tangled desires now threatening to overtake reason.
The ride was, for the moment, her only escape. Each rhythmic beat of Willow’s hooves against the earth echoed Eden’s desire for freedom, a steady drum pulling her away from the burdens that clung to her life. The openness of the fields felt like a quiet rebellion. One she could allow herself, if only for a little while.
Sleep had evaded Eden the previous night, leaving her mind tangled with visions of Gabriel’s intense gaze, the sound of his voice echoing through her dreams like a familiar melody. She replayed their brief encounter on the terrace again and again. The way his eyes had softened when they met hers, the brush of his fingers against her cheek. But just as swiftly, doubts crept in.
What if others noticed her distraction? What would her mother say if she suspected Eden’s heart was entangled with a man whose reputation remained a topic of speculation?
The questions haunted her into the small hours, blending longing with unease. Each passing hour heightened her restlessness until the night finally gave in to dawn. She had mounted Willow at first light, desperate for an escape.
