Page 30 of Gabriela and His Grace

Sebastian winged up a brow. “You haven’t?”

“It’s not exactly a day trip from my old home in Mexico City. We are several days north of the capital, at least,” she murmured. “It’s very charming.”

“Indeed it is. We’ve moved with the cabinet three times since we’ve been married.” Sirius called out, “Hola,” to a small group of women they passed. “And this is by far our favorite location.”

“It must have a superb lending library or bookstore for Isabel to be comfortable here,” Gabriela quipped, glancing over her shoulder at Sirius with a small smile.

He barked a laugh. “You know your sister well, for San Luis Potosí has both.”

Gabriela dipped her head and returned to studying the passing sights. It took Sebastian a tad longer to follow suit. For truly, whatever was the matter with her? He had never seen her this…this…subdued. It was almost as if she was awaiting bad news. Or anticipating something terrible. He wished he knew what disturbed her, so that he could attempt to rectify it. Sebastian had little practice dealing with the varying emotions of womanhood, but staring at Gabriela’s solemn profile, he decided he would do his best to put her at ease.

After delivering Señora Medina to her sister’s home, the carriage rumbled along for another ten minutes before it jerked to a halt, and Sirius swung open the door without waiting for an outrider or footman. At the end of a red-tiled walk sat a pink stucco cottage tucked between two Mexican elm trees. Isabel stood in the doorway, dressed in a simple green gown and backlit by lamplight, her rich black hair coiled attractively on her head. Sirius tore his hat from his head, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her full on the mouth. His old friend had never been so demonstrative with his feelings, and Sebastian didn’t know whether he should blush and look away, or laugh.

Sliding his gaze to Gabriela, he found her staring at the couple, her lips stretching wide in a smile.

Sebastian stepped down from the carriage and promptly turned to offer her assistance. In the past, Gabriela would have spurned his gesture with an arch look, but this time, she said nothing, continuing to watch the couple as she slipped her hand inside his.

“He really does love her, doesn’t he?” she whispered hoarsely as she stepped down.

“It certainly seems like it.” Sebastian squeezed her hand briefly before releasing her.

Gabriela grasped her skirts and dashed down the tiled walk toward her sister. Sebastian ambled after her, suddenly feeling as if he was intruding.

As he watched Gabriela embrace her sister, their watery laughs filling the small courtyard, he wished, not for the first time, that he’d had siblings to share the long, lonely days of his childhood with. Thinking of siblings made his thoughts turn to James and David, and all the ways he would ensure their childhoods were happier than his had been…

An hour later, they sat on a veranda that Sirius called a patio. Ceramic pots stained in beautiful reds and blues dotted the space, showcasing a plethora of plants Sebastian had never seen before but whom Isabel had been happy to name. Aloe vera, agaves, crowns of thorns, and prickly pear cacti welcomed guests to the tiled patio with their foreign beauty. A large raised garden bed lay near the door leading into the kitchens, and Sebastian spied tomatoes, squash, various varieties of onions, brightly colored peppers, and even a stalk or two of corn. But what really drew Sebastian’s interest were the potted fruit trees that lined the western edge of the patio, blocking the late afternoon sun. There was a large lemon tree, a smaller lime tree, and even an orange tree, and Isabel had plucked a perfectly symmetrical orange for him to enjoy. Sebastian tore into the peel while they enjoyed a glass of wine after dinner, and smiled as the juice ran over his fingers and hands.

“You act as if you’ve never eaten an orange before,” Gabriela said. The words were sharp, but a quick glance at her amused expression told Sebastian that she was teasing, and not being critical.

“I’ve never eaten an orange directly off the tree.” He studied a segment in the soft glow of the candelabra, before he popped it into his mouth. A zesty sweetness danced over his tongue and down his throat. “It’s superb.”

“It’s late in the year for oranges, but the yield has been particularly sweet.” Sirius took a sip of his claret. “I’ve eaten more oranges off that tree than I care to admit.”

“He will never have to worry about scurvy,” Isabel added, a smile in her eyes.

The conversation turned to the Dawsons’ new life in San Luis Potosí, where they had been living for only a short time. Sebastian learned about the history of the region and how the imperialists held the city until Liberal forces had recently pushed them out as they gained the upper hand in many northern strongholds. He asked questions about Isabel’s work for the First Lady of Mexico, and while he listened with genuine interest, Sebastian couldn’t help but notice the look of pride on his old friend’s face as he gazed at his wife.

Soon, the sisters wandered off so Isabel could show Gabriela her room, leaving Sebastian and Sirius on the patio with the crickets and soft hum of the village around them. They spoke for a spell about current events in London and the business of politics. They discussed the bills Gideon Fox was championing…and then the softening of his character since his young daughter was born. Sebastian asked questions about the Camino Rojo mine, and being able to do so in person rather than through letters assuaged any concerns he had about the project. He looked forward to visiting the operations within the next day or two.

Sirius’s mien suddenly sobered, and he swished the remainder of wine around in his glass. “I’m sure you’re wondering about Gabby’s solemn mood in the carriage earlier today.”

Sebastian nodded. While Gabriela’s demeanor had turned cheerful once she was reunited with her sister, Sebastian had not forgotten her melancholy.

“Did Fox, or even Ana María, tell you about why she was returning to Mexico?”

“No.” And Sebastian could not believe he hadn’t questioned it. He obviously knew that after the French troop withdrawal, exiled Mexicans had been returning home. But Gabriela seemed to live a full, busy life in London. Why would she leave it behind? “The only thing Fox said was that there were those in Mexico who will delight in stripping her confidence away.”

“Aah.” Sirius took a gulp of wine and set his glass on the table with a thud. “To put it succinctly, Gabby was anxious to leave London because her suitors were becoming aggressive. According to letters I received from Fox and Mr. Valdés, they were worried she would be forced into a compromising position. No doubt the rumors of her dowry have made her a target.”

He’d heard the rumors. It had been whispered that the Luna sisters had fled Mexico with a fortune in gold, jewels, and property deeds. It had never been any of Sebastian’s business, but both Fox and Dawson appeared to be living in comfortable luxury with their Luna brides.

Sebastian’s lip curled. “I had no idea Miss Luna was battling such fortune hunters. I wish I had known when I was still in London so I could do something about it.”

Just the idea of a chinless second son attempting to compromise Gabriela in the darkened corridors of a ball made Sebastian want to put his fist through a window.

“I’m sure Fox or Mr. Valdés would have prevailed upon you if they felt they needed to.” Sirius’s blue eyes skated over Sebastion’s face before he turned his attention to the darkened garden. “But that is why Gabby is here now.”

“You’d think she’d be happy to be here, then. She appeared so forlorn in the carriage.”