Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

" A nother round for this table, quickly!"

Gabriel's voice cut through the din of the tavern, his words slightly slurry as he drank from his glass, then waved it frantically in the air to signal the barmaids.

"Your Grace," The concerned voice of his friend sat across him, irritated him as the man intercepted his hand suddenly, pulling it down. "As a duke, this behavior is unseemly. Especially with the sort of reputation you have created for yourself. You would only?—"

Gabriel's eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as he ripped his hand away from Theodore's, his jaw clenched in frustration. "I care not for what society deems proper. Tonight, I drink."

The duke's expression only softened in the face of his wrath, worry etched into his features. "I have never seen you like this, Gabriel. You're on a dangerous path. A couple more drinks and you'll be blind drunk."

He gestured towards their surroundings. "Do you really wish for others to see you in such a state?" he shook his head and leaned forward, "How about we take this back to your estate? There, you could-"

"You'd rather my dear daughter saw me in such a state than a couple, random strangers?" Gabriel's laughter, tinged with bitterness, echoed through the tavern as he downed the last of his glass.

"I said, another round! Now!"

With a resounding slam of his hand on the table, his demand reverberated through the room. Several eyes shifted in his direction from the other tables, and he met them swiftly with the deadliest glares he could muster.

Theodore leaned back, his gaze pleading. "Gabe, think of what you're doing. This is not like you."

"And who's to say so?" Gabriel's eyes flickered with a mixture of defiance as he met his friend's gaze. "I have vowed to not be a man shackled by expectations, haven't I? Let the drinks flow, for tonight, I drown my sorrows in oblivion."

He could already feel the wine's warmth coursing through his veins, a welcomed sensation amidst the turmoil of his heart. He savored the fleeting escape it offered; the alcohol worked its magic, a sense of weightlessness enveloping him slowly.

In the haze of intoxication, he felt a semblance of control, a fleeting illusion of being able to dictate his thoughts. Yet, beneath the facade of serenity, the tempest of heartbreak still raged below, forcing each further sip of wine to act as an desperate attempt to drown out all memories of Her once and for all.

Tonight, she does not exist.

She never came into my life. I never found out about the wedding. None of it is real.

"Gabriel, please, just tell me what's wrong. I'm really worried about you." Theodore's voice cut through the alcohol-induced haze once more, his concern palpable.

Avoiding his friend's gaze, Gabriel ran his finger over the rim of his glass. "I appreciate your worry, indeed."

"Gabriel—"

Before Theodore could utter another word, the barmaid approached, the tray in her hands a harbinger of more intoxicating relief.

"At last! More wine, my friend!"

Gabriel's hand shot out like lightning, seizing the first bottle that landed on the table. In one swift motion, the amber liquid cascaded into his glass, then disappeared down his throat, leaving him wincing.

"Gabriel Jones!"

Theodore's eyes widened in shock, a mixture of disbelief and disapproval clouding his features as his gaze darted frantically in all directions, likely in search of if anyone had caught the action.

A wry smile played on Gabriel's lips as the alcohol began its seductive dance through his veins. He met his friend's gaze as he chuckled softly, the weight of his emotions momentarily lifted by the numbing embrace of the drink.

"Come on, my friend, let the drinks speak for me tonight, hm? You should join me. It is most freeing."

"Absolutely not," Theodore's brow furrowed in further concern, his eyes searching his, clearly for a glimpse of the man he knew. "Listen, I know something is on your mind, why don't you just tell me what it is instead of drinking so much?"

Ugh.

There it is again, Her.

Gabriel grumbled incoherently to himself and poured himself another drink, wincing once more as the sharpness hit his throat.

"Gabriel-"

"That is enough, Theodore." He groaned, pouring himself another glass.

His friend's frown were like daggers on his skin. "This is not the solution, you well know this is temporary. Talk to me. Why else did you call me here? You certainly didn't want to face this alone, even though you're to proud to say so."

"You are ruining this for me, do you not understand?" Gabriel snapped, downing his glass once again.

To his dismay, the drink got caught in his throat as he spoke, and he began coughing and retching as the burn worsened the hang.

"I'm ruining this for you?" The duke's tone was tinged with annoyance. "Did you not request for me to join you here? You practically interrupted my evening… for this?"

I wanted support, not continuous nagging.

The words somehow were stuck in Gabriel's throat, and he shook his head and chuckled at himself.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Theodore's frown deepen. "All right then, I did not make plans to watch you drown yourself in wine the entire night. So, as you do not wish to share what is troubling you, I will take my leave. I can't help you."

What? That's not…

"Y-You're being dramatic."

As Theodore began to push his chair back, Gabriel looked up at him, his desperation breaking through.

"Wait." He let out a sigh. "It's Evelina."

Theodore raised a brow, his frown remaining fixed on his face, clearly asking for more.

"Miss Balfour, she's getting married. She's leaving us," he chuckled lifelessly, "leaving Eliza and I behind," the words tumbled out at last, carrying with them a sense of abandonment and sorrow.

Gabriel watched the surprise flash by his friend's face, as the man seemed to freeze for a couple of seconds. Gabriel let out a hollow chuckle that contrasted with his inner turmoil as he poured himself another glass. "And that is why I'm drinking."

Theodore settled back into his seat finally, the sound of his chair scraping on the floor closer to the table causing Gabriel to wince slightly. The atmosphere grew heavy between the friends quickly, a silence settling over them.

At last, in the quietude, the duke's voice cut through the stillness, the combined words carrying a weight that shook Gabriel to his core.

"Are you in love with her?"

The question lingered, charged with a raw intensity that reverberated through Gabriel's being, stirring emotions that lay buried deep within his heart.

At that moment, his suppressed feelings burst forth, a rush of realization sweeping over him like a tidal wave. It was as though a veil lifted from his eyes, revealing a truth he had long denied.

Memories of the moments he had shared with Evelina flashed through his mind, each one etched with the indelible mark of love. The warmth of her presence, the way she stirred emotions within him no one else ever had, and the undeniable connection he felt to her.

You kissed her. Of course you love her, you fool.

As he grappled with the profound revelation, a kaleidoscope of emotions washed over him—longing, fear, vulnerability.

"Gabriel…" Theodore's voice pulled him for his thoughts.

Gabriel perked up, a sense of anticipation building within him.

"I believe it's crucial for you to truly grasp your feelings for Miss Balfour." Theodore's words hung in the air, laden with meaning. "I understand your hesitance. But if you?—"

"Yes, I have fallen in love with Evelina," Gabriel declared, his voice firm and resolute.

His confession rang out, the weight of his words reverberating in the room, instantly making him feel lighter.

Theodore's eyes widened in surprise, and a knowing smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "I always had a feeling it would come to this."

However, Gabriel's reaction was starkly different. A deep frown creased his brow as he shook his head.

"There's nothing to smile about."

With a heavy heart, he drained his glass in one go, the bitter taste of truth lingering on his tongue as he struggled once more to ignore his feelings.

Het let out a hollow laugh. "Yes, I'm in love with her, but what does it matter now? It's too late." his voice carried the weight of his resignation.

I missed my opportunity. She's getting married to another man.

"I spent so much time with her in Dunmore House that I could have proposed. I could have…" He shook his head, and his eyes darkened with sorrow. "I saw how heartbroken she was, the day I reminded my daughter that she's not her mother."

His admission hung heavy in the air, regret seeping into his every word.

"I did not think before I spoke. I simply did not want to cause her distress, to make her feel burdened by responsibilities she did not ask for."

I did not want a repeat of what happened with Annabelle.

With a heavy heart, he winced as he downed his glass again. He coughed before delving deeper into his inner turmoil, expressing the worry that now haunted him. "Now she thinks herself replaceable to me, she thinks that I've never cared for her."

Raising his glass in a gesture of bitter irony, Gabriel's laughter held a trace of self-deprecation. "And now I'm going to lose her forever," his words laced with a sense of impending loss, a finality settling over his confession. "I'm going to lose her and she never even got to know the truth about how I feel."

As he finished, he stared off into space, contemplating the severity for a few seconds. Then, with a sharp intake of breath, he downed his glass, seeking solace in the numbing buzz that momentarily dulled the ache in his heart.

"Do you remember the soirée at the opulent Palau Güell?'

Theodore's words steered his hazy thoughts to the memory of a time nearly forgotten. Gabriel glanced up at his friend to find a smile on his face.

"It was there that our business deals began, did they not?"

Gabriel nodded in acknowledgment, a smile curving his lips as his finger traced the rim of his glass. "Indeed. We got to where we are today simply because we managed to catch the attention of their prince's adviser."

"We'd attended the event because you received confirmation that the man would be in attendance. Negotiations with him were always a delicate dance of wit and strategy." Theodore let out an amused laugh. "You recall how the sons of the Duke of Westshire tried to sabotage us that night?"

"How could I not? Terrible rascals." Gabriel clucked his tongue as he poured himself another drink.

"Yes, but when they spread rumors about us in a strange land, Gabriel, what did you do?"

Ah.

Gabriel's hand paused mid-air. "That prince's adviser refused to acknowledge to us. He passed us by when our turn came and nearly headed out without giving us the time of day."

Theodore's narrative painted a vivid picture of the memory, the challenges they faced and the triumphs right after.

"The moon cast a silvery glow over the city, and we managed to finalize the terms of our deal under the watchful eyes of the Gaudí-inspired architecture, with the very same man who passed us by. How?"

Gabriel's determination grew, as though he was reliving the moment. "I went after him. I followed him to his carriage, demanded an audience in his language, and cleared the air."

His gaze fell to the half-full glass before him, and he suddenly felt sick of the taste of alcohol. His friend's voice echoed in his ears again, filled with pride.

"The negotiations tested our mettle a bit further, but in the end, because of your determination, we now have permission to transport their goods and ours."

A chuckle escaped Gabriel's lips as he pushed his glass across the table. "What are you alluding to? Just say it, my friend. I can sense the implication behind your words."

His voice held a hint of anticipation, a plea for clarity amid his swirling emotions. In truth, he knew exactly what Theodore was trying to remind him of, yet he needed to hear it.

Theodore's smile faded an his brows angled in seriousness, giving way to a rare intensity as he leaned in, his gaze unwavering as he uttered the words that lingered unspoken in the air.

"Gabriel, my friend, what I'm trying to say is that you must fight for what you want. Fight for Evelina." He leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "If not, regret would haunt you forever." He flicked his wrist. "Who knows? Perhaps this time, you might get a better deal and life-lasting reward than you did in the case of the prince's adviser."

As Theodore's words sank in, realization dawned on Gabriel. "I understand now. Your words are… a beacon in the darkness of uncertainty."

I will ask Evelina to marry me. I want nothing more. She's all I want. I won't let her go.

Gabriel looked at his friend, seeing the knowing smile on his lips, a silent affirmation of the path that lay ahead.

Theodore nodded at him. "You're not alone in this, Gabriel. You are the first to fall in love in our little group. I am glad to support you." He wiggled his brows playfully. "If it comes to it, I will even help you elope."

Gabriel burst into laughter and shook his head, the thought of the task at hand sobering him up.

"There will be no need. Evelina and I shall get married, and we will spend the rest of our lives here."