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“Compromising situation?” Nathaniel asked with a grimace, looking toward Margaret.

“It was not our first kiss, and he came to the door after I ended the kiss,” Gabriel relayed. It was a lie, but a needed one. The truth was out there, but he didn’t need to tarnish Eleanor’s reputation before her brother. “When he found us in the room, I made sure that we were not in a compromising situation, but he knew from what he saw.”

“That was my fault,” Eleanor claimed. “I was flushed from the kiss, and I did not know how to respond, but Gabriel is correct. I did want the kiss, because I had also developed feelings for him. I was not taken advantage of in any way.”

“What of the man who found you?” Nathaniel asked, his anger only barely restrained. “What do I need to know?”

“Only that he will not speak of it,” Gabriel said. “Of that, I am sure.”

“You kissed before you were married?” Margaret said from behind them, almost as if she were checking the facts rather than being surprised by the new information.

“That was why I asked your sister for her hand,” Gabriel told his friend. “I wished to save her honor and protect your family.”

The room fell into silence. Even Margaret was quiet, and the silence seemed to breathe, taking on a life of its own. Gabriel knew Nathaniel was angry, but he couldn’t judge the extent of it. All he could do now was to wait for the reaction and then deal with it.

Nathaniel took a deep breath and let it out of his nose. He stroked his chin a couple of times.

Gabriel was glad that Eleanor didn’t say another word.

Nathaniel made a clicking sound with his tongue against the back of his teeth.

“Let me get this straight.” Nathaniel was looking past Gabriel and Eleanor toward the wall behind them. He shifted his gaze and met Gabriel’s eyes. “Let me see if I understand this correctly.” His voice had taken on a chilling calm.

Gabriel held his friend’s gaze, not saying a word.

“The truth is that you compromised my sister on multiple occasions.” Nathaniel took a small step forward toward Gabriel. “Then you let yourself get caught while doing so. So I have that correct so far?”

“Nate—” Eleanor began.

Gabriel reached behind and placed a hand on Eleanor. Everything that needed to be said had been said, and all that mattered now was how Nathaniel reacted to the news.

“That is correct,” Gabriel told him.

“All right,” Nathaniel said with a slight nod of his head. “Once you were caught, you arranged to marry my sister out of obligation, despite already telling me that there was no man good enough for her, except you. The man who is good enough for her is the one who is taking her off to rooms at attended events to kiss her. That is the measure of the man.”

“We both know you are being facetious now,” Gabriel snarled.

“I can be whatever the damn well I please, sir!” Nathaniel boomed. “My sister is now doomed to live the rest of her life in a loveless marriage, something you claimed to be saving her from, and all because you two couldn’t keep your hands off each other.”

Nathaniel raised a finger before Eleanor could speak.

“You said it yourself, Ellie. You wanted this as much as he did. You put yourself in a compromising situation, and how I wish you hadn’t. Of all the sins, Ellie!”

Nathaniel gritted his teeth and stepped forward, not looking at the couple again. “Of all the ways this could have happened, it comes down to brazen lust. That is all this is. Neither of you could control yourselves. It angers me to my core. I can’t believe you would do this to her.”

It was Gabriel’s turn to step forward. He made sure to stick an arm out behind him to stop Eleanor from stepping in front of him. He hadn’t told the full truth from the start, and perhaps he’d left some things out, but he wouldn’t stand for outright lies.

He went toe-to-toe with Nathaniel.

“Don’t degrade what we have, Nathaniel,” Gabriel demanded. “I did not marry your sister because of lust.” He enunciated every single word. His voice rose as he spoke his next words that he couldn’t hold back. “I married Eleanor because I love her!”

“Well, of course you love her,” Margaret chipped in from the far side of the room.

No one paid her any attention. They would have if the women in the room were not standing a few inches apart, both looking as if they were ready to fight.

Nathaniel jabbed a finger into the duke’s chest, not enough to push him back, but enough to ensure he retained Gabriel’s full attention.

“Don’t lie to me,’ Nathaniel said.