A knock on the door made both Gaby and Emily jump. “Who could that be? I sent Colin and Xavier on a horseback ride while Jenee was tending to Cynthia. Everyone else retired to their rooms to rest up before dinner.”
“Should I hide?” Gabriella’s gaze flitted around the room, searching for a viable hiding place.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Emily rose, smoothed her gown, pinned her shoulders back, and regally walked to the door to open it. “Oh, for goodness’ sake, Iris, come in.”
Gabriella had moved out of sight to a corner of the room, and Iris didn’t see her. “Emily, I made a startling discovery.”
Emily’s lips quirked into a smile. “This day has become one revelation after another. Iris, say hello to Gabriella. I’m sure she, too, will be interested in everything you have to say.”
Iris whirled around, facing Gabriella. “It is good to see you again, Gabriella. It is past time we took you into our complete confidence,mon amie.”
Emily clapped her hands like a child about to receive a long-dreamed-of gift. “Dites nous vos nouvelles.”
“Yes,” agreed Gaby, “tell us your news.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Maremma, Italy
October 20, 1902
Jack paced hisroom with his hands clasped behind his back. After his chance meeting with Gabriella, he’d been at his wits’ end trying to piece together the odds and ends of her revelations. What he didn’t know about her far outweighed what he knew. Instead of his solving the mystery of the woman who’d captured his imagination, the secrets continued to grow. He felt further than ever from the truth.
He was frustrated, unsure of what to do. When he saw her in the hallway earlier, with that blasted tea tray again, it was all he could do to stop himself from carrying her to his room, and damn everything else.
Every few minutes, he stopped and turned to the painting. It enthralled him nearly as much as his mysterious lady love. Like all connoisseurs, when in the presence of beauty, he fell completely under the spell of the magnificent painting and could not stop looking at it. There was something about the woman in the portrait that was familiar. Admittedly, beautiful women all shared something in common, an allure that stood them above the crowd. Gaby, Emily, and Jenee all possessed it, even if they were unaware they did.
When Aunt Kitty made her debut as a debutante at eighteen, she’d been considered an original. Acclaimed as a beauty, she completely took London Society by storm. Artists had clamored to paint her. To this day, a portrait of her by John Singer Sargent hung in the library at Singly Park, the Langsford family’s earldom seat in Staffordshire.
It angered Jack that he might never set foot in his family’s estate, never see Kitty’s remarkable portrait, and never be able to take his place in the House of Lords because of his seedy, sneaky cousin.
He was itching to confront the bastard, but he needed proof of his cousin’s perfidy. Meeting Gaby had changed everything. Had it been only a few days since he’d rescued her from the edge of that bluff? It felt like he’d known her forever. From the moment he’d set eyes on her, he was lost. He’d never believed in love at first sight, but it had hit him like a thunderbolt.
He’d failed to acknowledge it until after they spent that incredible night together. But everything had gone sideways when Gaby disappeared from his bed and left that abhorrent rejection letter, which had undoubtedly thrown him for a loop.
Anger and frustration had dogged him until that moment in the burial cave. Gaby had collapsed and fallen unconscious, and he went berserk. He was so scared of losing her that he’d swept her up in his arms and carried her out before Sir Edward had even returned with the medical bag.
Thank goodness she’d only fainted, but that didn’t explain those strange things she’d said. She had admitted she needed to speak with him and seemed anxious to do so, and she acknowledged the letter had been a mistake. So, there was that. But he was still confused, still in the dark.
If only they had had more time to talk before Cynthia’s accident. He was grateful for Jenee’s superb skill. Never had he seen a doctor act so quickly and efficiently. Xavier looked at Jenee like she walked on water. Hell, Colin looked at Emily that way too. Jack envied what they had, and he wanted it too. What was more, he wanted it with Gaby.
Jack’s eyes sought out Allegretto’s painting, and he again pondered Stefano’s suggestion to seriously consider selling the artwork. The mere thought brought a tightening in his chest. Could he give it up after falling in love with it?
A work of art has stolen my heart, as has the woman who found it.
He was a man who didn’t act impulsively. He considered his actions before making important decisions, except when it came to Gabriella. With her, his best intentions went awry. With her, he could not control his words or desires.
He pondered the two things he knew he must do. Both were persistent in his mind. He must confirm that the painting was indeed a work by Marco Allegretto, and he must tell Cynthia that he would not marry her. The sooner, the better. Yes, she was spoiled and prudish and not passionate about anything, and his conversations with her were stilted at best. Still, she wasn’t a horrible person, and she was beautiful and rich, so she would have no trouble finding a husband.
As for Allegretto’s painting, he must take it to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and have it authenticated. Only then could he decide what was best. Selling the Allegretto would solve all of his financial problems. But no matter what happened, he would never, in no uncertain terms, marry Cynthia.
*
“Iris, my dear,you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Emily said.
“In a way, I have. My suspicions were correct, and I found all the proof we need.”
“Your suspicions?” Gaby asked.
