Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

" T here are a couple of blankets in there, but I believe we need more. Get me some heavy blankets and towels, and hurry, before the lady catches a cold," Gabriel ordered the housemaid, who was hovering next to them, curiosity etched on her features.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Before she could take off, Gabriel turned to Evelina. "Quickly now, step inside. It's warmer in here."

Evelina looked up right in time to see the shock written all over the maid's face. Upon noticing her stare, the maid curtsied quickly and hurried off.

Evelina drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

There's no need to worry, my reputation is safe. He said I should trust him… I do…

"Miss Balfour? We cannot afford to linger about." His words pulled her from her thoughts, and she nodded slowly.

The Duke guided her into the library, his hand hovering over the small of her back, his eyes reflecting the intensity of the moment.

The rain outside had set the stage, yet Evelina's cheeks flushed not from the cold, but from the lingering heat of the kiss they shared moments ago.

From the moment they had stepped back into the house, the memory played vividly in her mind, each recollection setting her body on fire. She wanted to repeat it. Feel the same rush once more.

As Gabriel closed the door behind them, silence enveloped the room. In the quiet of the library, his presence felt both comforting and electrifying.

Standing alone together in a closed room, the air between them crackled with tension. Evelina wished she could ignore it. Gabriel's eyes flickered with worry and suppressed desire, and she could not look away.

As the fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the room, Evelina finally found her voice. "Your Grace, I?—"

"Take a seat." He gestured towards one of the chairs by the fireplace before she could finish her sentence.

Her body obeyed without a single word. As soon as she sat, she fell silent right after, her cheeks flaming., while she hoped he couldn't see the crimson in the dark.

She struggled to keep her gaze averted, holding her breath to try to clear her head.

"Here, this should help keep you warm," Gabriel murmured as he draped a heavy blanket over her suddenly, allowing her to adjust her arms while still cradling the puppy.

The tenderness in his actions caused her blush to bloom further on her cheeks, her heart fluttering at such a considerate gesture.

Evelina raised her head, and their eyes locked. Her breath hitched in her throat, her pulse quickening as she felt the weight of his gaze. Her legs felt like jelly as the tension crackled between them.

She watched him exhale softly, his eyes slowly drifting down to her lips, and she let out a sigh of delight. Longing was written all over his face.

Do it. Kiss me again, Gabriel…

Just as the tension reached its peak, a soft whine from Whiskers shattered the fragile moment.

Startled, Gabriel drew back abruptly and took more than a couple of steps away from her. Evelina felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, the sudden shift in the atmosphere leaving her reeling.

Why did you want him to kiss you? What are you thinking, Evelina? This should not be happening!

He cleared his throat, and the mere sound made her flush a deeper shade of red. As he stepped closer to the fireplace, a heavy silence descended upon them again.

A knock sounded at the door the next moment. Gabriel quickly walked towards the door and opened it slowly.

As expected, the housemaid stood on the other side. She curtsied and then handed him the items he had requested. "Your Grace, the blankets and towels."

Gabriel nodded and took them all from her swiftly. "That would be all for now. You may go."

However, for what seemed like an extended second, the maid craned her neck a tad too much before curtsying again. "Your Grace."

"Do you need something in there?" Gabriel asked sharply, raising an eyebrow.

The panic and fear that flashed across the maid's face was a cause for empathy. "N-no, Your Grace, I?—"

"Leave, and do not say a word," he ordered, just as thunder boomed again, as though the earth agreed with him.

From where she sat, Evelina watched the maid scurry out of sight, her heart pounding in her chest.

He's truly a man of his word.

The thought made color rise to her cheeks again, and she looked away as Gabriel closed the door once more.

Gabriel's footsteps echoed through the room. When she looked up, she found him standing right before her, his tall frame looming over her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she gulped, feeling her heart rate quicken again.

"Here." Seeming to sense her nervousness, Gabriel dropped the towels on her legs and then quickly moved away, returning to stand by the fire.

"Thank you," she breathed.

Evelina tried to push down the disappointment that filled her at his distance. It was crystal clear that they were both walking on eggshells, knowing now what would happen if they did not.

With her heart still racing, she struggled to regain her composure amidst the awkward tension that now hung between them. With breath coming in short puffs again, she attempted to steady herself.

Her gaze drifted to Gabriel once again, his frame silhouetted against the flickering flames.

The sight of his drenched, powerful, masculine form outlined by the firelight sent a surge of heat through her veins, threatening to unravel her once more.

Fighting to regain her focus, she tore her eyes away from him, her need for him and her sense of propriety battling within her.

What is going on with you? Get a hold of yourself.

"I still cannot believe you acted so irresponsibly, Miss Balfour."

His voice pulled her out of her trance.

He pivoted to face her, his brow furrowed in a mix of concern and frustration. "It was entirely reckless of you. You should know the dangers of wandering alone in the dark, and more so during a storm. You could have fallen ill, or worse, been in grave danger out there all by yourself."

Evelina hung her head and tightened her arms around the puppy.

Gabriel studied her for a moment, then shook his head and turned back to the fire. "You were supposed to be in bed, sleeping through the storm like any other lady would."

"Yes, I know," she murmured, her voice quavering slightly as cleared her throat, her eyes downcast. "I know it was reckless, Your Grace, but?—"

"But what? The dog? It turned out to be quite all right, didn't it?" he scoffed, gesturing towards the animal snuggling comfortably in her arms. "You stepped outside, risking yourself for an animal who was, dare I say, even more comfortable than you. After all, who's more drenched at this moment? You or the animal?"

There was not much she could say to that, so she bit her lip and kept her silence. She realized she did not want to argue with him for once. Instead, his concern made her heart race, and she didn't wish to stress him further.

She raised her head once more to find him squinting down at her, clearly awaiting a response. "His name is Whiskers."

"I beg your pardon?"

"The dog." She gave him a sheepish look. "He has a name. Whiskers. Eliza named him. If we're to discuss him, it's best to?—"

"Are you mocking me, Miss Balfour?"

"No, I am not, Your Grace." She let out a frustrated sigh. "I believe you've scolded me quite enough earlier—I understand now that you think my actions were wrong." She pouted.

"But do you think your actions were wrong, Miss Balfour?" He let out a frustrated groan as he began pacing near the hearth. "You could have called for a servant, given them directions, and asked that they fetch the animal for you. Why on earth did you do it yourself?"

"And have them catch a cold in my stead?" Her eyes tracked his movements, her face scrunched up in confusion.

He came to a halt, staring at her in disbelief. "You are a lady, you can't be expected to do their job nor relieve them from it."

Evelina fell silent. She considered this was indeed what any proper lady would do. However, one had to already be used to having people do things for them.

Unfortunately, because of her family's financial situation, she had not enjoyed such a luxury in years.

She let out a sigh, and her gaze drifted to the fireplace. "I… did not feel it would be proper. After all, this estate is not my own. It feels untoward to make such demands."

"You are the tutor of the master's daughter—and the daughter of a Viscount. You have more privileges than anyone else in this house," Gabriel spoke firmly.

Evelina looked up at him, slightly surprised by the sincerity in his eyes. She recalled their kiss and wondered if a day would come when such privileges were granted because she was more than just an esteemed employee.

What are you doing to me, Gabriel?

She looked up again to find his expression had softened marginally, though his concern remained evident.

"Evelina, you must understand the danger you put yourself in. What if something had happened to you out there? It would have taken a while before anyone realized."

His voice carried a note of vulnerability beneath the stern facade he tried to maintain, and the mere sound of her name on his lips made her feel tingly.

"I-I'm sorry."

He raised an eyebrow, surprised by her response.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am. I did not mean to cause trouble. It's just… I couldn't sleep. I felt uncomfortable in a new bed, away from my sisters. I'd never spent a night away from them."

In the hushed atmosphere of the dimly lit room, his intense gaze remained fixed on her, his breath heavy with concern. Evelina's heart fluttered as she struggled not to look away.

"You cannot let this happen again, Miss Balfour," he implored, his voice soft yet firm. "Promise me, even if we're miles apart, even if you're in your family home, you will not put yourself in danger again."

Evelina found herself captivated by the sincerity in his eyes. As she absorbed his words, memories of their recent intimate moment flooded her mind—the way he had held her so tenderly, so protectively.

Warmth rushed through her as she realized the depth of his feelings for her. The realization dawned upon her that she actually loved his attention, his protectiveness.

"I promise, Your Grace. I shall be more careful in times to come" she offered in a soft tone, her defiant demeanor was nowhere to be found.

Gabriel seemed satisfied by her response, and he gave her one last look before finally sinking into one of the chairs by the fireplace.

A serene silence fell over the library at last. Evelina's eyes flicked to the puppy in her arms, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she watched him drift off to sleep.

"You're a darling little thing, aren't you?" she cooed.

A subtle shift in the atmosphere caught her attention, and as she lifted her gaze, she found Gabriel watching her, his expression sending a jolt through her body.

Stop looking at me like that…

She looked away immediately, breaking the intense connection. Then, she cleared her throat, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks.

Redirecting her focus to the sleepy pup in her arms, she contemplated the idea of taking the animal to Eliza's room once it woke up, envisioning the little girl's joy at the surprise.

A warm smile spread across her face at the thought.

She glanced back up at Gabriel, her stomach fluttering. "Eliza spoke to me about her mother today."

Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise. A myriad of emotions crossed his face as silence followed.

Swallowing her hesitation, Evelina continued. "It happened after we found dear Whiskers. She seemed happy, content for a moment, and then she opened up." She smiled at the memory. "Your Grace, she struggles with knowing so little about her mother. She believes she's forever broken because of this loss."

She heaved a sigh. "I understand it might be difficult, but you need to sit with your daughter and have a conversation about her mother, as soon as you can." She paused, and her tone grew softer as she implored, "I believe it would help her get closure."

As she finished speaking, she gently placed the puppy down beside her. The room was enveloped in another silence. Her gaze lingered on Gabriel, but he avoided meeting her eyes, seemingly lost in his thoughts, his expression unreadable. Then, after a poignant pause, a deep sigh escaped his lips.

"I assume if I am to broach the subject with Eliza, I would need your aid on how to do so?"

Panic flashed in Evelina's eyes, and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I did not mean to say—I was not trying to tell you what to do, nor command you, Your Grace, I was only?—"

"I am well aware." Gabriel's soft chuckle was like a sweet melody slicing through her worry.

She watched him, awed by the way his smile transformed his handsome face, the way the firelight accentuated his features.

"I meant to say, if I'm to broach this subject with my daughter, you ought to hear of it as well. You have developed a close bond with her, and I am sure you would hear of it either way."

"Oh, indeed." There was not much else Evelina could say in the face of his handsome smile.

A short silence ensued, and then Gabriel sighed once more and shifted forward in his seat.

"The story is painfully simple. She was a great woman, the late Duchess. Beautiful and intelligent, not one to be told what to do," he spoke wistfully, seeming to carry the weight of a past he had long kept buried. "When it all started, we were both young and didn't want to marry, but our fathers insisted. We were promised to each other from the moment we were born—there was no avoiding it."

He let out a sad laugh. "I was a young fool. I did not know how to stand up to my father. I did not wish to disappoint him. Perhaps there could've been… Maybe I could have done something—said something to stop it. But I didn't try. I barely cared."

His remorse and guilt were so thick that they were almost palpable. She wanted to speak, offer comfort, but she knew she should let him finish.

"Annabel. That was her name." Gabriel drew in a sharp breath. "Annabel and I had an agreement, you see. We decided that once we had an heir, we would lead separate lives." A faint smile played on his lips. "We did not have much in common—we barely liked each other, yet we were civil. We respected each other greatly, for many reasons."

His gaze shifted to the fire fixed on the flames crackling in the hearth. "When she finally conceived, there was a sense of relief between us. Our plan we had crafted would finally come to fruition. I remember her smile, her excitement." His voice dropped. "But fate had other plans. Shortly after Eliza came into this world, a carriage accident took Anna from us."

Evelina could see him struggle to speak of his loss.

"She never had the chance to experience the freedom she longed for, the freedom we had promised each other. What I had promised." His eyes darkened. "And it was all my fault."

Evelina's chest tightened. She watched the sad man before her, doing her best not to allow her tears to spill over. "It was absolutely not your fault, Your Grace. You are not to be blamed for an accident. No one can blame you."

Gabriel shook his head. "I stopped her from living her life, Evelina. All those years, she could have been out there, doing whatever she pleased. Yet, she had to remain home before our wedding, and not long after, she spent her time trying to conceive."

He let out a sardonic laugh. "Tell me, Miss Balfour, how is that not my fault?" His face contorted in guilt. "I realized my mistake, eventually. I shall no longer act solely for duty's sake… I refuse to remarry just to produce an heir."

"Your Grace," Evelina insisted, her eyes filled with empathy, "you can't bear a burden that isn't yours to carry. You?—"

"No," Gabriel gently interrupted her, his expression a mix of regret and determination. "All I can do now is look ahead."

Evelina watched the man before her, her heart breaking for him. "You say you wish to look ahead. But you can't do that if you do not let go of the guilt," she implored, her tone was desperate. "Your Grace, if you would?—"

"Evelina…" Gabriel shook his head. "All that matters now is Eliza's well-being, nothing more." His gaze softened. "I truly wish to be there for her, even though I don't know how. This is all that matters."

Evelina fell silent. Though she longed to offer more words to dissuade him of his belief, she recognized his need for space at that moment.

It is not yet the time.

Eventually, she mustered a playful smile.

"And I shall assist you in this endeavor, as we've discussed," she promised, her tone light yet supportive,

And then, with a mischievous glint, she added, "But the first step, Your Grace, is to let Eliza keep Whiskers."

Her heart fluttered as she watched a smile spread across his handsome face. His eyes met hers, a silent agreement passing between them.

And the night was calm.