To say he was in a dark mood was an understatement.
After parting ways with Adelaide, one of the worst nights in his existence, he’d gone directly to the brownstone Marshall owned near Washington Square Park, only to be told by Marshall’s butler that his employer wasn’t in New York, having left for Pittsburgh to attend to matters of business.
Since there were no trains departing to Pittsburgh until morning, Gideon had returned to his office on Broadway, slouched into a chair, and taken to brooding until Roland showed up.
Roland, instead of wanting to discuss the recent events that had transpired, had immediately launched into a diatribe about how Gideon was a complete and utter fool because Adelaide was perfect for him in every way and yet Gideon had walked away from her.
Even after explaining exactly why he’d parted ways with the lady he knew was the love of his life, Roland still called himan idiot and told him to go home and sleep on matters, which would hopefully have him coming to his senses by morning, at which point Roland expected he’d make matters right with Adelaide.
It had taken everything Gideon had in him to not seek Adelaide out before he left for Pittsburgh, knowing if he did so he’d end up begging her forgiveness and asking her to give him a second chance.
That ridiculousness would only see her placed in danger again, and no matter how much he longed to be with her, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if any harm befell her on his account.
By the time he’d reached Pittsburgh, he’d been prepared for a fight with Marshall, only to be told at Marshall’s factory that the man had been there that morning but had been called away to deal with another problem in another city.
No one knew exactly which factory Marshall had traveled to, which was why Gideon boarded another train back to New York.
He’d spent a restless night, tossing and turning as he replayed the look on Adelaide’s face when he told her he couldn’t see her again over and over in his mind.
Her eyes had sparkled with tears, something he doubted she experienced often, and her tears suggested shehadheld him in affection as well, and perhaps had even felt that spark Camilla frequently mentioned, one Gideon knew he felt for Adelaide but would now never be able to act upon.
Shaking aside his thoughts when he realized he was attracting more than a few curious glances from members of the club, probably because he was undoubtedly scowling, Gideon strode into the dining room, hesitating as he glanced around the room until someone called his name.
Turning, he discovered Leopold and Vernon sitting at a table beside a window, Vernon gesturing for Gideon to join them.
“Gideon,” Vernon exclaimed, shaking Gideon’s hand once he reached the table. “May we dare hope you ran that scoundrel Marshall to ground and he’s even now safely behind bars?”
After shaking Leopold’s hand, Gideon took a seat and shook his head. “Marshall had already left Pittsburgh by the time I got there. No one seems to know where he went after that.”
“He’ll turn up eventually,” Leopold said. “But Marshall aside, we’re delighted you stopped at the club today because Vernon and I have a few things we’d like to discuss with you—more specifically, the concern we have that you’ve lost your mind. What were you thinking, parting ways with Adelaide?”
“I see the two of you don’t care to exchange the expected pleasantries today,” Gideon said, fighting the urge to fidget, a somewhat novel experience for him. “But to address your concerns, I haven’t taken leave of my senses, as both of you are very aware since you must understand why I made the decision I did. Adelaide could have been killed the other night.”
“But she wasn’t,” Leopold argued.
“True, but she wouldn’t have been in that situation if not for me.”
Vernon rolled his eyes. “It’s Adelaide. She possesses a proclivity for courting trouble.”
“Which is why I’m the last gentleman on earth she should associate with, given my occupation.”
“You’re the only gentleman she should be with because you can protect her.”
“I didn’t protect her very well at the bookstore. In fact, she was the one who brought the situation to an end when she began firing that pepperbox.”
“Which suggests you’re underestimating her,” Vernon said.
Gideon frowned. “I’m surprised you’d encourage me to return to Adelaide, Vernon. Edna was placed in peril as well, and that was my fault.”
“Edna came at my request,” Vernon argued. “However, shecertainly doesn’t blame me for placing her in a dangerous situation. It was a book salon. No one could have anticipated that Frank Fitzsimmons would decide to burst in with guns drawn. Any normal criminal would have waited until everyone left to make their move.”
“And,” Leopold added, “Frank told Roland theyhadbeen intending on breaking into the bookstore once it was unoccupied but changed their plans when one of his men thought he recognized those two men Victor Malvodo sent.” He caught Gideon’s eye. “Word on the street has it, if you were considering having the accounting firm investigate that slippery criminal, that Victor left town.”
“An unfortunate circumstance, since we could have used Victor to establish firm evidence against Marshall Wilson,” Gideon said.
“Victor Malvado will eventually resurface,” Vernon said. “Men like him always do, but if we could return to the subject of Adelaide?”
Gideon slouched into the chair. “There’s nothing else to say about her.”
