Page 62 of The Duchess Debt

Adam halted beside the Cavanaugh pew box, then slapped his forehead as if realizing his mistake. “I meant—he’snot good enough for her. For heaven’s sake, just look at him. My older brother married to a beautiful, kind, upstanding, selfless woman like Miss Sinfell? Impossible!”

Around them, shocked whispers went up from the congregation. A few girls giggled nervously, only to be shushed by their mothers, while the men had the decency to look down at their boots or out the windows. The vicar stared, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. For once, the man was utterly speechless.

Gabe released Helena’s hand and rose to his feet. “Adam,” he warned, barely above a growl, “if you don’t—”

“I’m teasing!” Adam laughed and slapped Gabe on his shoulder. “I have no objections to this union. How could anyone?” He turned his smile onto Alice as she sat on the pew beside Helena, blinking in confusion at what the grownups around her were about. “How couldI?”

Helena reached up to place her hand on Gabe’s arm, as if to stop him from pummeling his brother right there in the church. God help him, he wanted to do just that.

“I’m only here to give my blessing on this last reading of the banns,” Adam explained, his laughter fading into seriousness. “I want nothing more than my big brother to have a long and happy life with the woman he deserves. Gabriel, I know you will make a wonderful husband and father.”

Adam glanced down at Alice, then slid his gaze to Helena. “And Miss Sinfell—Helena—I wish you well. That’s all I came here to say.” He gave her a broad smile, the same happy smile that Gabe had associated with his brother since they were children, then repeated, almost pointedly, “I wish you well.”

Adam held out his hand.

Gabe clenched his teeth. What the devil was his brother up to? But this was always like Adam, to make a grand show of apologizing after he’d messed up, and he’d well and truly messed up by threatening blackmail when he had arrived. Ever since he was a boy, he made his apologies this way, by joking—and by making a joke of himself—to deflect from what he’d done. The more serious the offense, the bigger the show. Andthisperformance was a grand one.

Gabe knew then that his brother would never change. Just as he knew in his heart that this would be the last time he would ever apologize to him. Once he and Helena were married, he suspected he would never see Adam again.

Feeling the eyes of everyone in the congregation on him and knowing the villagers expected it, Gabe shook his hand. Palpable relief seeped over the church.

“Well, then,” Reverend Barlow called out with a stilted smile.“If any of you know of anyjustimpediment why these two persons should not be joined together in Holy Matrimony,” he repeated, “ye are to declare it.”

The vicar pinned his gaze on Adam and waited, and in that moment of silence, Adam slapped Gabe on the back as if the two brothers were best of friends. Soft laughter rose throughout the pews and balcony. The villagers knew Adam and his complete disregard for propriety, even inside a church.

“Good. Very good.” His shoulders easing beneath his vestments, Reverend Barlow continued on with the remaining service.

When the vicar finished and the congregation rose to leave, Gabe gestured to gain their attention. They stopped and fell silent, returning to their seats with their attention rapt on him. He grimaced but didn’t blame them. Certainly, they were now expecting the second act of a Cavanaugh family theatrical.

“If I can have your attention for a moment.” He took Helena’s arm and helped her to her feet. “Miss Sinfell and I would like to thank everyone for your well wishes for our upcoming wedding and for your support for all the new projects underway in the village, especially the school.” He looped her arm around his and placed his hand over hers as it rested on his sleeve. Then he looked down at her and smiled. “We hope you’re pleased with the new addition to our village.”

He didn’t mean the school, and the entendre wasn’t lost on the congregation. They all smiled and nodded knowingly as they made their way out of the church, several of them giving their congratulations on the last reading of the banns as they passed…and giving disapproving looks at Adam, although Gabe’s brother could have cared less about their scorn. He ignored them and focused his attention on teasing Alice about the doll sitting on the bench next to her.

Leaving Adam to escort Verity and Alice home, Gabe opened the little pew door and led Helena toward the front of the church and out the side door. Most of the village would be gathered on the front steps to wish them well with the last oftheir wedding plans and offer their congratulations, so he led her the long way around the church to their waiting carriage to give her time to compose herself before facing them. She held her head high with a smile for anyone who glanced her way, but Gabe could feel the tension radiating from her.

He leaned closer so he wouldn’t be overheard. “Are you all right?”

She nodded tightly but blinked hard to clear away the watery sheen in her eyes. “What he said, that I wasn’t good enough…”

“It isn’t true.” He led her through the churchyard, keeping their pace slow. “You know that.”

Her fingers tightened on his sleeve as she rasped out, “It was exactly what he and James Wentworth said about me five years ago when they wanted to end our engagement.”

Like Helena, Gabe no longer had patience for his brother’s antics. “I’ll speak with him.” He squinted into the sunlight. “I’ll ask him to leave today. I won’t allow him to continue to upset you.”

“No, don’t—please.” When he began to argue, she cut him off. “I don’t want to be the cause of a bad parting between you two. I could never live with myself if that happened.” She caressed his sleeve. “It might be only a fantasy, but I still hope that someday we can all be one big happy family, including Adam.”

He had always admired that about Helena—her ability to see the good in people…even those who didn’t deserve it. “All right.” He leaned over to place a tender kiss to her temple. “Well, Adam was right about one thing, though.”

She tensed. “Oh?”

“I’m not good enough for you.”

That drew a small smile from her, and she teased him in return, “And don’tyouever forget that.”

He laughed. Even with all the trouble his brother was causing, she was making him happier than he’d been in years.

“Miss Sinfell!” Maggie Parker hurried up to them on the footpath, with her husband Caleb only a step behind. Concern darkened her face as she reached for Helena’s hands with only a passing nod in Gabe’s direction. “Are you all right? I cannot believe Adam would do something like that to you. That scapegrace!” She caught her breath and glanced at Gabe. “Apologies, Your Grace. I didn’t meant to insult—”