Page 77 of A Winter Scandal

Thea nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she might ask him to stay.

Gabriel strode out the door, and Thea heard him say, “Ah, there you are, Emily. I was looking at the vicar’s library.”

Ian replied, “Cousin Daniel always was a bookish sort. Well, that whole branch of the family, really.”

“Yes, I do not mean to insult your family, dear, but your cousins are a rather odd group. So very … well, I hesitate to use the word provincial …”

“And yet you do,” Gabriel said shortly.

“My.” Emily let out a little titter. “I do believe you are in need of Christmas cheer. The sooner we get back to the Priory the better, don’t you agree, Ian?”

“No doubt.”

“You’re right. I think everyone will enjoy the day more if we return to the Priory,” Gabriel said, and the footsteps faded down the hall, the front door closing behind them.

Thea spent the next afternoon taking Boxing Day gifts to the butcher and other tradesmen the vicarage used. As she started back toward the vicarage, she was surprised to see Gabriel emerging from the inn’s courtyard. He was frowning, but his face cleared when he saw her, and he swept off his hat to present an elegant bow.

“Miss Bainbridge, what an unexpected pleasure.” His words were ordinary, but the smile in his eyes warmed Thea.

“Lord Morecombe. I am surprised to see you here.”

“I was coming to call on you, actually. I left my horse in the inn’s stable.” He cast a glance down at her, adding, “I was hoping my visit would prove longer than I feel comfortable leaving my mount out in the cold.”

“Indeed? People might talk.”

“I suspect they already do,” Gabriel retorted. “I am growing more familiar with life in Chesley. I wager that at this very moment, there are at least four pairs of eyes trained on us.”

Thea laughed. “It is probably a low estimate.”

They continued walking, and after a moment, Gabriel said, “I also dropped in to the inn to speak to Lord Rawdon.”

“Really? Why?”

“To apologize. Whatever I heard about him, clearly he was not the cause of my sister’s leaving. I wronged him.”

“What happened?” Thea looked up at him. “Did he accept your apology?”

“He wasn’t there. Hornsby said he paid his shot and left yesterday afternoon.”

“Oh.”

“I suppose he decided there was no reason to stay. He came here to see Jocelyn, and she is not here.”

“I am sorry that you were unable to see him, though—to part on better terms.”

“I doubt that we shall ever be on good terms again. After all that’s happened—well, there’s no love lost between us. Still, I won’t feel right until I have apologized. But that will have to wait until I return to London.”

A chill that had nothing to do with the weather crept through Thea at his words. How long would it be until he would be leaving? A man such as Gabriel would not want to stay away from the city long. Quickly, to keep from thinking about that idea, she said, “How are the rest of your party? Have they recovered from the holiday cheer?”

“I presume so. I have not seen that much of them—I have been a terrible host, I confess.” He slanted his gaze down at her. “The truth is, I feel like saying to them, as Mercutio did, ‘A pox on both your houses!’”

Thea chuckled. “Surely not!”

“They all seem a damned nuisance lately. I keep having to play the polite host when all I want to do is be with you.”

Thea sucked in a breath at his statement, her heart suddenly tripping merrily in her chest. She should not take such hope from his words, she told herself, but she could not squelch the effervescent happiness bubbling up inside her. They had reached the vicarage, and she stopped irresolutely, glancing toward the house. If they went inside, there would be no chance of being alone. Someone could pop in at any moment.

“Let’s continue to walk,” Gabriel said, echoing her thoughts. “You offered to show me the abbey ruins.”