“I owe you no explanation.” Dimity’s brother attempted to shut the door in his face and failed. Placing a palm on the wood, he pushed it and the man back into the house.
“I will not ask so politely next time,” Gabe said.
The man paled.
“Get out!”
“Not until we have answers.”
The entrance was small and dark. A set of stairs rose to the right. Dimity had lived here and slept somewhere above him.
“What is she to you?” her brother demanded. “Is she your whore?”
“Imbecile.” Nathan sighed as Gabe lunged forward and grabbed Brown, shaking him like an old rag.
“Never speak of her in such terms again. Dimity Brown is an honorable and courageous woman, something I doubt you would ever understand.”
“Let him go, Gabe.” Michael’s arm gripped his shoulder. “He’s going puce, and we need to question him, not kill him.”
With a last hard shake that snapped the man’s teeth together, Gabe let him go, and he stumbled back into the wall.
“Now I want answers. Why did you throw her out of the house?”
“She is not my sister,” he said quickly. “My father, he told me on his deathbed.”
“And he told you to thrust her out of his house?” Gabe asked softly.
The man dropped his eyes.
“Tell me what he said, exactly.”
“He said she was his daughter in every way but blood, and that—”
“You were to care and provide for her?” Gabe asked.
“She is not my blood; I owe her nothing. He, my father said I was not to tell her, and in this only I obeyed him.”
“Why would he ask that of you?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps she is an orphan or the daughter of a whore?” He wouldn’t meet Gabe’s eyes, which told him he was not telling the entire story.
“Use that word in connection with your sister again, and it will be your last,” Gabe hissed. “Now tell me all of the story.”
He fell silent.
“Speak!” Gabe bellowed.
“He said she’s special, that no one came for her, so he kept her and raised her as his own. I didn’t know what to believe, as he was feverish.”
“Who was meant to come for her?” Zach asked.
“I pressed him, and all he said was that she was a blessing and must always be protected.”
“A man who would deny his father’s last wish is not a true man,” Gabe said softly.
“She is not my sister!”
“And you had no wish to share what you inherited with her,” Gabe said, realizing he’d hit the mark when the man flushed.
