The color drained from Amelia’s face. Genuine horror filled her expression.
“His mother?” she whispered, looking utterly shaken.
Gabriel stepped no farther, yet he remained close enough to see every tiny shift in her features. “The woman who was supposed to protect him,” he said bitterly. “The woman who should have loved him above all others. Instead, she taught him fear.”
Amelia’s eyes dropped. “I am sorry,” she said quietly, unable to meet his gaze. Gabriel watched embarrassment wash over her. It softened some of his anger despite himself. Still, he could not allow her curiosity to continue unchecked.
“Do not pry into matters that do not concern you,” he warned, straightening slightly. “You are here because you have nowhere else to go. It would be wise not to stick your nose where it does not belong.”
For a moment, she remained silent. Then, to his astonishment, she lifted her chin.
“Perhaps,” she said carefully, brushing a loose curl behind her ear, “but it is difficult to help a family when one is expected to remain completely ignorant.”
Most people retreated when confronted. Amelia Shirley apparently preferred charging directly towards danger.
“You believe ignorance is your greatest obstacle?” he asked incredulously.
“I believe secrets make everything harder,” Amelia replied, folding her arms despite the fact that he still towered over her. “You expect me to understand David and Valerie. You expect me to help them. Yet no one tells me anything.” Her eyes flashed with frustration. “I spend half my time attempting to solve mysteries instead of teaching lessons.”
Gabriel stared at her. Then, against all reason, a reluctant flicker of admiration surfaced.
She truly is bold. Bold to the point of recklessness. Possibly foolish. Certainly exhausting. Yet undeniably brave.
Gabriel pushed away from the wall and began pacing the room. “Very well,” he said after a long silence, clasping his hands behind his back.
Amelia looked surprised that he had not thrown her out already. “I shall tell you one thing.”
She waited attentively while he stopped beside the fireplace. The flames crackled softly between them.
“The men in my family possess a remarkable talent for making disastrous decisions,” Gabriel said grimly. “They either become wicked themselves or marry someone wicked.”
Amelia frowned slightly at the statement. “That is a rather bleak family tradition,” she observed carefully.
Gabriel snorted. “You asked for honesty.”
A faint smile tugged at her lips despite the seriousness of the discussion. “You do have an answer for everything, do you not?” she asked.
Gabriel looked at her and immediately regretted it. Candlelight softened her features. Her hair shimmered gold beneath the warm glow. For one reckless moment, his gaze dropped to her mouth… again.
That was a mistake. A very significant mistake. Because suddenly he was no longer thinking about family tragedies. He was thinking about kissing her.
“Return to your room, Miss Shirley. It is late,” Gabriel said abruptly, turning away and moving towards the door before temptation could gain further ground.
Amelia blinked in surprise at the sudden dismissal. “That is all?” she asked.
“That is more than enough,” Gabriel replied, opening the study door.
Amelia hesitated briefly before giving a small nod. “Good night, Your Grace,” she said softly as she stepped into the corridor.
Gabriel kept his eyes fixed firmly on the doorway. “Good night, Miss Shirley,” he replied. She disappeared from sight a moment later. The door clicked shut behind her.
Only then did Gabriel release a slow breath. The room felt strangely empty. Worse, he knew exactly why.
His final thought before returning to his desk was deeply inconvenient.
I must stop looking at Miss Amelia’s mouth.
Amelia knelt beside the small table where David was already absorbed in his work, his tongue slightly poking out in concentration. Grover lay nearby, tail thumping lazily against the floor whenever David shifted. For once, the boy was quiet in a way that felt natural rather than resistant, as though creation rather than defiance occupied him.
