At Christmastime, he had sent a small fortune from his personal coffers in lieu of assistance for the families affected. It did nothing to assuage his own guilt.
What those people had lost could never be replaced.
“You were brave to offer Crawford your assistance at the onset,” Victoria offered.
Gabriel was surprised by his fiancée’s comment. But of course, she had heard accounts of the cave-in. He’d not thought to share his experiences with her. He hated speaking of it.
Bravery had nothing to do with anything he had done in Misty Brooke. He’d merely been procrastinating returning to London.
“Misty Brooke will never be the same.” Olivia’s voice broke into the conversation. Her eyes shone brightly as she blinked and then dropped her lashes as though to study her soup. “You cannot imagine the repercussions of the loss of so many in one small village.”
Lockley, who had been placed at Gabriel’s left, sat to the right of Olivia. Gabriel seethed as the blighter reached up and grasped hold of her wrist, his thumb sliding along her nearly translucent skin. “Of course, it won’t be, Miss Redfield. You ought not to have to be reminded of such tragedies while here on holiday. Nothing to be done now. Eh? These few weeks are meant to be set aside for frivolity and,” he waggled his eyebrows, “dare I suggest, romance?”
The gesture seemed innocent enough, and something of a joke, and yet Gabriel could barely contain the urge to lift the man bodily away from the table and order him off his estate.
How dare he lay a hand on Olivia! A few seats down, his sister had noticed and heard Lockley’s comments as well. She met Gabriel’s eyes briefly before casting them down at her plate.
It would be good for her to see Lockley for what he was; a rogue and a scoundrel.
Olivia pulled her hand away and tucked it under the table. “I’m reminded of it every day that I’m alive, My Lord,” she commented softly. “As, I’m sure, Lord Kingsley is.”
Olivia would not gloss it over, and Gabriel found himself feeling rather proud of her for it. She’d spoken in all solemnity. She’d not find any humor in Lockley’s attempt to trivialize the lives of those lost last spring.
An uncomfortable silence followed her statement.
“My condolences, Miss Redfield.” It was Victoria who finally broke it. “I cried for days after I heard.” She glanced over at him. “To think something might have happened to Lord Kingsley…”
Gabriel swallowed hard. And he’d had no idea she’d even been aware of the disaster.
“Kingsley was on the Continent before that,” Nathanial piped up from Olivia’s other side. “My big brother, the world traveler.”
Relief swept through his end of the table as the discussion turned to Gabriel’s adventures through France, Italy, and Belgium.
He answered questions about some of the sights he’d seen, and when Priscilla chimed in about theMannequin Pis, he couldn’t help but meet Olivia’s gaze.
He’d never known a meal to go on longer. When the ladies finally rose to leave the men to take port, he savored the soothing effects of the dark liquor.
In all the months since returning from Misty Brooke, he’d never once imagined he’d share a meal with Olivia on one side of him and Victoria on the other.
He was a cad of the worst kind.
Chapter 25
An Innocent Outing
Gabriel rose earlythe next morning, knowing he likely wouldn’t be allowed a great deal of time to attend to estate matters once the guests were all up and about.
He was surprised when his mother stepped into his study to join him.
“You look tired this morning, darling. Didn’t you sleep well?”
Gabriel lifted his brows but only shrugged in answer. “Are you happy with the party so far?”
She frowned. “I did not know you were acquainted with Miss Redfield. She’s a lovely enough girl but a little odd.”
Irritation stirred in his gut.
“Not because of her eyes, which, by the way, I find to be a most delightful color. But there is something about her. An unusual innocence, perhaps, even though she is older than her sister.” But while she spoke, she watched him carefully. “And quite lovely… which concerns me.”
