“Miss Shirley,” he replied stiffly, looking far less pleased about being discovered than a man eating stolen custard ought to be.
Amelia glanced from his face to the bowl and back again.
“Are you eating my custard?” she asked, folding her arms as she struggled not to laugh.
Gabriel’s expression became remarkably severe for a man standing in a kitchen at midnight with a spoon in his hand. “I merely wished to understand the cause of the excitement,” he said, setting the spoon down with great dignity. “The entire household appears incapable of discussing anything else.”
Amelia raised an eyebrow. “And your investigation required a helping in the dark hours?” she asked, nodding toward the nearly empty bowl.
Gabriel looked briefly annoyed that she had noticed. “A thorough investigation requires evidence at any hour,” he replied, crossing his arms.
Amelia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling outright. “Naturally,” she said, moving towards the cupboard where the milk was kept.
“I imagine the authorities shall be grateful for your sacrifice.”
Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her while she poured herself a glass. “You find yourself amusing far too often,” he informed her.
“Someone must,” Amelia replied lightly, lifting the glass to her lips.
To her surprise, the corner of Gabriel’s mouth almost twitched. The expression vanished so quickly that she wondered whether she had imagined it.
“Was it good?” she asked after a moment, leaning against the counter.
Gabriel glanced at the abandoned bowl before returning his attention to her. “It was better than I expected,” he admitted reluctantly.
Amelia placed a hand over her heart. “Such praise,” she said softly. “I shall treasure it forever.”
Gabriel released a long-suffering sigh that suggested she was testing his patience once again.
Silence settled between them as the kitchen grew quiet. The candlelight softened the harsh angles of Gabriel’s face and cast shadows across his broad shoulders. Without his usual coat and cravat, he somehow looked younger and more human than he did during the day. Amelia found herself studying him before quickly looking away.
It seems unwise to stare at a duke in the middle of the night, particularly one who already looks at me as though I might be plotting treason.
Unfortunately, the silence only made her more aware of his presence.
“You think I am unreasonable,” Gabriel said suddenly, breaking the quiet as he rested one hand against the edge of the table.
Amelia glanced up in surprise. “Sometimes,” she admitted carefully.
Gabriel gave a short nod as though confirming a suspicion. “Perhaps I am,” he said, his voice lower than usual. “But everything I do is intended to protect my wards.”
The vulnerability hidden beneath the words caught Amelia completely off guard.
Gabriel looked away towards the dark window. “They have already lost enough,” he said quietly, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “If I could predict every danger before it appeared, I would.”
Amelia watched him in silence. The fierce duke, who ordered everyone about and terrified half the county, suddenly looked… exhausted.
“I simply do not know what else to do,” he admitted, staring into the darkness beyond the glass. Something in his voice made Amelia’s heart flutter.
He is… confused?
She set her glass down and stepped a little closer. “Valerie is not nearly as difficult as she pretends to be,” she said gently.
Gabriel looked back at her. “No?” he asked.
Amelia shook her head. “She laughs quite often when she feels comfortable,” she explained. “She simply hides it from you.”
Gabriel frowned as though the notion made no sense whatsoever. “Why would she do that?” he asked.
