There was no longer any pretense that they weren’t discussing her. And while they’d been whispering, and leaning a little closer to each other to do so, she hadn’t looked at him once, had kept her eyes on the stage. But she turned to look at him now and gasped when she saw he was closer than she’d thought. Their lips nearly touched and his gaze was so intense, it nearly mesmerized her.
But she answered him, rather breathlessly now, and just as softly, “I know I will be.”
“How do you know, Gabby?”
“Because if the man I love loves me in return, then nothing will stand in the way of our happiness. It’s inevitable. And besides, I can always make him walk my father’s plank if he doesn’t make me happy.”
Drew burst out laughing. Fortunately, so did the audience just then, so no one knew his humor had nothing to do with the play.
Later that night, while Margery helped her prepare for bed, Gabrielle evaluated her own performance that evening. That’s what it had been. She’d had to resist countless urges to upbraid Drew severely for his careless remarks, teasing or not. But she’d persevered and merely smiled at him. Shewasgoing to change his opinion of her—if she didn’t clobber him first.
Chapter 16
GABRIELLE WENT TO BED THAT NIGHTwith a smile on her lips, quite a change from the night before. She felt the evening at the theater had gone splendidly, all in all. There’d been a few rough moments, at least where her patience was concerned, but in the end, she’d accomplished what she’d set out to do, which was let Drew know that their little war was over as far as she was concerned. Now, if he’d just draw in his own cannons…
Gabrielle and Margery went downstairs at midmorning the next day to meet Georgina, who was going to accompany them to the solicitor’s office. She wasn’t looking forward to the meeting with William Bates, or explaining to the disagreeable fellow why she had disappeared three years ago when he had wanted to shackle her with that reprobate guardian. She wanted Georgina there with her in case he got nasty about it, or tried to deny her her inheritance because she had flown the coop, as it were.
But Drew was waiting for them in the front hall, and when she raised a brow at him, he explained, “One of the twins is sick. A nasty cold apparently, but you know how mothers are. Georgie won’t leave his side, so she asked me to fill in as your escort today. She didn’t think you’d mind. She said something about me being a much better intimidator than she is, if the lawyer gives you any trouble.”
“She told you what the problem might be?”
“That you didn’t follow the fellow’s advice?”
“It wasn’t advice. He was actually going to hand me over to a known reprobate who was supposedly going to act as my guardian, when Itoldhim my father was alive and that I didn’t require a guardian. The man wouldn’t listen to reason, though.”
“So you simply left England?”
“Well, what would you have done under the same circumstances?” she countered.
He actually smiled. “Probably the same thing. Shall we go?”
It wouldn’t have taken long to reach William Bates’s office if Margery hadn’t spotted one of her old friends on the street and asked to be let out of the coach for a few minutes. They waited for her, but it didn’t look as if Margery wanted to end her reunion quickly.
“Are you always this impatient when you visit solicitors?” Drew asked her. He’d noticed her tapping her foot.
“I’ve only ever visited one, this one, and—” She paused to sigh. “Bates was my mother’s solicitor. As a child, I recall him always being quite rude when my mother would go to see him and take me with her. He was so condescending, it was like he was treating her like a child.”
“My oldest brother, Clinton, who handles most of the business of my family’s shipping line, has told me about arrogant, rude lawyers, but also that they’re not all like that. Why didn’t she hire a different lawyer?”
Gabrielle smiled. “That’s a good question. Probably because she never even thought to. He was her father’s man, too. Loyalty, I suppose, was why she tolerated him, and because she didn’t have to deal with him often. But I’m just guessing. She never seemed to mind him, or even notice how rude he was. I did, though, and I never liked him, ever, which is possibly why I’m nervous.”
“Then let’s get it over with. You don’t need your servant for this. As the brother of your sponsor, I am an acceptable chaperone for you, you know. Let her enjoy some time with her friend.”
Gabrielle didn’t even have to think twice about it. Having Drew alone to herself, even if she did have some business to take care of first, was an unexpected boon. It would be a nice chance to get to know him a little better. And he was being amiable for a change. Not one insult or questionable tease—so far. Had last night made a difference to him, too? Was he finally ready to call a truce?
She called out to Margery that she could take her time and enjoy a nice visit with her friend, that she’d meet her at home later. She then told the driver to continue on.
They turned a corner and the morning sun entered the coach and caught the tips of Drew’s hair. Such lovely hair he had, and just now, it seemed sprinkled with golden dewdrops…God, he was so handsome, and she suddenly had an overwhelming urge to touch him. He wasn’t even looking at her, was glancing out the window. Would he feel it if she leaned forward and touched him? Of course he would, and how could she explain that? She couldn’t. She’d be caught red-handed and embarrassed. Or he’d sweep her into his arms and kiss her…
“We’re here,” he said.
“Where?” she said.
He gave her a knowing look and one of his sensual smiles. Oh, good grief, he couldn’tknowthat she’d been thinking about touching him, could he?
He helped her down from the coach, taking her hand in his, putting his other hand to her waist to make sure she didn’t fall. Such an ordinary thing for him to do, and yet she felt his hands on her so keenly. She didn’t want to move on, didn’t want to lose that touch. They were standing so close. She wondered if he realized that she wanted him to kiss her. Such yearning she felt, it must have been reflected in her expression. But having arrived at their destination, Drew was all business now and simply ushered her straight into the building and upstairs to Bates’s office.
She was disappointed, especially after Drew had given her that knowing look and smile. Then to so dismiss her from his mind that he wouldn’t even glance at her. That was why she was a bit sharp when she gave Bates’s clerk her name. And she probably would have been quite sharp with Bates as well if she’d been shown right in to him. But she was asked to wait, to take a seat, that he would see her shortly.
