Gabriel glanced in a nearby shop window and did indeed see the reflection of two, brutish thugs on the opposite side of the street corner.Bloody hell.He paused as if adjusting his jacket. “How long have they been following us?”
“Ever since the tavern,” Logan replied with a lazy stretch. “Should we lose them?”
Gabriel could tell that wouldn’t satisfy these men, as another glance showed the tension in their shoulders, as if preparing themselves for a fight and excited about the prospect. “On the contrary. How are you feeling about some sport?”
Those ice blue eyes turned to him with a spark. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“Then let the show begin.” Gabriel began walking again, although this time he staggered a step or two, as if letting on that he was further in his cups than he’d originally let on. He put an arm about Logan for appearances, as they led their shadows down a dark alley.
The moment they heard the crunch of footsteps behind them, Gabriel gave a quick wink to Logan as a signal, and the fists started to fly.
***
Triana grimaced when the carriage hit another sizeable rut in the road. After the downpour of the day before, the roads had turned into a slippery, muddy mess of grooves and potholes in the dirt packed road. But in spite of the sorry conditions, Genevieve had managed to arrive at Chiltern Hall shortly after dawn in Travell’s carriage, the one he’d sent along for her use. After the maid had regaled Triana of the brief visit with her family, they headed off for London and the meeting with Madame Corressa.
Triana wondered when she might see Gabriel again, had been hoping to hear something from him, but other than a short missive to Travell confirming that her meeting would still take place as planned, no other news had arrived. While it was disheartening to say the least, Triana refused to allow it to drag her down.
For the first time in weeks, she and Travell had managed to recapture their sibling bond, having passed the previous day conversing with the easy manner of their youth. And they had played several rounds of chess where she had promptly beaten him two out of three games.
She glanced at her brother now, impervious as he was to their bone-jarring ride as he held a book in hand that he’d pilfered from the Chiltern library. But when another jerk had him changing position with a wince, she had to bite back a grin. Apparently, he wasn’t as tough as he appeared. But then, she supposed that’s what scared her so much about his work for the Home Office. Travell would die before he allowed any weakness to overcome him. It was the way he was.
They stopped briefly for a light repast at the Golden Heron Inn, and Triana ignored her protesting muscles as she carefully stepped down to the ground. She held up her navy blue traveling dress with one hand lest it drag in the murky mess of mud and refuse at her feet.
Genevieve joined them as they settling into a private dining room where they were immediately served a round of ale, cold ham, cheese, bread, and an assortment of fruit. It was obvious the proprietors were more than happy to serve members of the peerage — and their deep pockets. And Travell hadn’t disappointed, leaving them a hearty tip upon their departure.
The remainder of the trip passed in relative silence. Travell continued his reading, while Genevieve laid her head back and appeared to sleep, although Triana’s nerves were strung entirely too tight about the upcoming meeting to consider either. She was struck with a further pang of unease as London began to roll past the windows — the sights, sounds, and familiar scents of the city surrounding them. It was hard to imagine that she’d only been gone from home for two days, for it had seemed like so much longer that she’d been at Chiltern Hall.
But then, her time with Gabriel had been endless and magical and…
Heartbreaking.
Another stab at her chest came from her upcoming reunion with Gabriel. Travell had told her the duke and Logan would be meeting up with them in the secret room before they made their way to the hotel. If her mother’s likely upsetting reaction to her absence wasn’t enough to depress her, setting eyes on Gabriel again was equally troubling. Would he be glad to see her? Or would he don that air of cool formality?
Not knowing how he would react had Triana twisting her hands in her lap, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering uncontrollably as they pulled to a stop in front of their townhouse. Travell helped Triana and Genevieve alight, the maid making her way around to the servant’s entrance, while the viscount escorted his sister to the front door, where the butler greeted them with his usual, composed reserve.
Lady Trenton, on the other hand, was a different matter entirely.
She’d either heard or, most likely, been told of their arrival and came around the corner of the parlor. “I cannot believe that wretch of a child came from my womb!” she hissed, pointing at her daughter, not even trying to keep her fury in check. Neither Travell nor Triana had a chance to say anything before their mother continued her rant. “Travell, I still can’t fathom that you would allow your sister to hie off to the country to visit someservant’sill cousin—” She literally spat the word as if the hired help were a curse. “—when Triana has responsibilities to Lord Eastbury! In case you haven’t forgotten they are to be married in a few days. I am truly aghast at your behavior, but other than expressing my displeasure, I suppose I shall have to content myself by gaining your word that neither one of you will disappear again before the wedding.”
When she lifted an expectant brow at her son, Travell calmly gave their mother a tolerant smile. “And you have it.” He offered Triana his arm. “Shall we retire to my study for somepleasantconversation?”
Triana had to hold back a smile in the face of their mother’s venomous glare and the emphasis Travell had purposely added to his words, but the worst seemed to be over — where Lady Trenton was concerned, at any rate.
Travell shut and locked the door of the study, and then walked over to release the lever of the bookcase.
Triana waited anxiously as two men withdrew from the secret room and walked into the expanse. They were dressed in simple clothing, but she would have recognized Gabriel no matter what he wore. At a glance, he appeared to be calm and composed, but when he spied her, their eyes clashed, and she noticed that his mouth was drawn a bit tighter than usual and the lines at the corners of his eyes were more pronounced.
“Hallo, Triana.” It was such a simple greeting, but that wonderful voice rippled across her skin like a gentle breeze, and gooseflesh instantly broke out over her arms.
“Gabriel,”she whispered in return, but she knew that heheard her just the sameashis expression warmed slightly.
“A pleasure to see you again, Lady Triana,” Logan announced. He glanced between the two of them. “Not that my presence in the room really seems to matter at the moment.”
Triana’s face heated from embarrassment. “Mr. Montgomery, how are…?” But her voice trailed off when she saw the slight discoloration on his cheek. “What happened to you?”
He shrugged and gestured to Gabriel, who had turned away from the shadows to display similar shading around his eye. “We encountered a slight scuffle, but there’s no harm done.” His blue eyes shone wickedly. “Not to us anyway.”
Triana yearned to rush to Gabriel, to assure herself that he was well, but since he held himself as stiffly as before, she refrained. Shehated this decided awkwardness that had fallen between them.
