A Gentleman Never Tells(107)
“No, Your Grace, she will not,” Brent said, taking a step toward her father. “Gabrielle loves me and I love her. We’ve already—”
“Had this discussion,” Gabrielle interrupted, suspecting he was going to admit they had already anticipated their wedding night. “It’s time I told the truth, Papa. I could never marry Staunton because Rosa loves him. She admitted it to me after I saw them in a passionate embrace.”
Brent’s eyes narrowed in comprehension. “That’s why you were walking in the park with Brutus the morning we met.”
Relief at finally admitting what happened slid down her as cool and cleansing as a spring waterfall. “Yes, I was trying to figure out how I was going to get out of marrying Staunton without compromising Rosa’s reputation.”
“So you decided to save hers and ruin your own.”
There was no accusation in Brent’s voice, only understanding; still she worried he might be angry at her. She took a hesitant step toward him. “I swear it wasn’t intentional, Brent. And I swear I wouldn’t have been so bold with anyone else, but I knew there was something different about you the moment my eyes met yours. Something inside me was drawn to you. I think I fell in love with you the moment you told me you were walking your mother’s dog.”
She saw him swallow hard. Her name was the only word he got out before her father spoke up harshly and said, “Are we back to that, Gabrielle? Love? Forget about that and tell me more about Rosa. Where is she?”
Gabrielle was trembling with her need to be alone with Brent. She wanted to explain everything to him without her father and aunt listening to every word.
“Excuse me, Your Grace,” Mrs. Lathbury said from the doorway. “I hate to disturb you, but Lord Austerhill is here to see you. He says it’s about an important matter that can’t wait.”
“Well, bring him in,” the duke barked.
Brent looked down at Gabrielle and smiled. “Don’t be frightened, my love. Your father cannot change our plans. We will be married.”
Gabrielle stared into Brent’s eyes and marveled that he could be so confident against her father, and she loved Brent all the more.
Austerhill walked in, pulling on the front lapels of a coat that didn’t quite meet around his bulging middle. “Your Grace.” He bowed to the duke. “My lord, Lady Gabrielle, and Mrs. Potter.”
Everyone politely greeted him in return.
“I must say,” the portly earl uttered, “I didn’t expect to see the four of you calmly drinking port at a time like this.”
“We are drinking, Austerhill,” Brent said, “but not calmly at the moment.”
“I should think not,” he barked and then turned to the duke. “I assume you’ve sent someone after them too.”
Her father blew out an exasperated breath. “What are you talking about, Austerhill?”
The earl’s gaze darted to each one in the room. “Don’t tell me you don’t know yet that Staunton and Lady Rosabelle have eloped to Gretna Green.”
A collective gasp of “no” sounded around the room.
“Has anyone seen Rosa this morning?” the duke asked.
“No one is ever allowed to disturb Rosa until after noon,” Gabrielle answered.
“I’ll go check her bedchamber,” Auntie Bethie said and hurried from the room.
“Papa, we’ve got to stop her,” Gabrielle said, rushing over to him. “Staunton doesn’t love her. She’ll never be happy with him.”
“I’ve already sent my oldest son to try to overtake them and bring them back,” Austerhill said.
Her father drank heavily from his glass, and then, with no emotion in his voice, asked Gabrielle, “Why should I go after them? If Rosa has been so foolish as to run off with Austerhill’s son, so be it. You obviously don’t want to marry him. She does. I don’t see this as an outrageous turn of events. I’ll do nothing to stop them.”
“You are content with their marriage?” Austerhill asked, seeming surprised by the duke’s laissez-faire attitude about their children’s elopement.
Gabrielle watched in stunned silence as the duke walked over and added wine to his glass. He then poured another glass and handed it to the earl. “As long as you are, my lord.”
“Well, Your Grace, er—” The earl blustered for a moment. “We’ll have to renegotiate the marriage contract, you understand. There has to be consideration because Staunton will no longer be marrying, or that is, married to your eldest daughter.”