CHAPTER 6

GAbrIEL SUCKED IN A breath. He had thought nothing could surpass the shock of the duke's earlier revelation. But he had been wrong. He just sat there in utter bewilderment. Unable to formulate a response, or even comprehend what the old man was asking. He must have misunderstood. The duke could not have suggested that he and the duchess... No. Unthinkable.

"Yes. I am asking you to bed my wife and get me an heir."

"You can't possibly be serious!" Gabriel exclaimed, exploding to his feet. "The mere notion is indecent. Repugnant. I could never..."

The duke held up a hand. "Are you saying that lying with Hannah would be repugnant to you? That you don't find her desirable as a woman?"

"Of course not. I mean, yes. She is a beautiful woman." Gabriel shook his head. "You are twisting my words. What is repugnant is the idea. I could never do that, especially not now that I learned you are my...my biological father. It is almost incestuous."

"Don't over-dramatize things. The two of you are not related in any way," the duke said wearily.

"Still, she is your wife, sir. How can you offer her up to another man? She would be horrified if she knew..."

"First, I have not been a husband to her in almost a decade. It is not as if she would be leaping from my bed into yours. Second, you are not just another man. I would only propose this to you, because you are my son and a good person. And third, I'm not ‘offering her up' I talked to her, and she agreed—"

"She agreed to this?" It seemed the shocks would never end. And underneath that...a pulse of elation.

The duke sighed. "You know. The two of you are quite taxing, with all your morality and honor. Whereas I don't have time for so many scruples anymore. Yes, she agreed, albeit reluctantly and after much convincing. At first, she had the same annoying reaction you are having."

"I would call my reaction perfectly normal, given that you are talking about breeding people as if they were horses," Gabriel retorted, outraged.

She had agreed. Damn, but it made all the difference. Even though this entire business made him feel like nothing more than a stud—and not in a complimentary way—he still felt flattered that she was willing to have him, in whatever capacity, for whichever reason. He was a bastard, a mistake. And yet this remarkable woman—a duchess, no less—had agreed to lie with him. To bear his child.

"That was not my intent, Gabriel. You and she are the two people I care about the most in this world. Yes, I want to have an heir for the dukedom, but I wouldn't ask this of you or her if I didn't think it would be good for you, too."

"Forgive me, Your Grace, I don't wish to sound ungrateful for the great honor you bestow upon me," Gabriel said sarcastically, "but I don't see the benefit for me in all these schemes."

"I have been buying the mortgages of the earldom. By now, I would say I own about ninety percent of the total debt. I will return those to you," the duke replied bluntly.

Gabriel had been pacing like a caged lion, fighting to control his rioting emotions. But at the duke's words, he swung around.

"You are trying to bribe me?"

"I am trying to give you an incentive."

"And if I refuse? Will you then call in the debts and ruin me?"

The duke looked at him for a few heartbeats, intensely considering. As if calculating the possibility that he might refuse. He wasn't sure what he saw on his face, but he finally sighed and said dejectedly, "No. I could never do that to you. Especially not after my actions provoked the ruinous estate of your earldom. I started buying up the debts years ago, shortly after you inherited and long before I had conceived of this plan. I always intended to give them back to you. It was my way of atoning. I'm just asking for your help in this matter."

"But if you don't plan to use the mortgages as leverage, what makes you think I would agree?"

"I will also give you the loan you need. I know you applied to the banks and got denied. The money will be yours with no interest and no conditions. Pay it back when you can."

The duke was certainly well informed of his affairs. And he knew where to place his darts. To be able to save his estate...it was now more important than ever. Maybe Gabriel was an impostor. He didn't deserve the title. Not yet. But if he kept the earldom from ruin, it would make him more worthy of it. Some of his thoughts must have shown on his face, for triumph shone in the duke's eyes before he swooped in with the final stroke.

"Besides, I don't think it would be too onerous for you. I know you fancy Hannah."

"Sir! I would never..."

"I know, I know. You would never, you have never. You and she are alike in that sense. Both of you are so honorable. But I have observed you together. There's something there."

"But that doesn't make it any easier. On the contrary. Do you understand what it will cost me to give up my child?"

"Don't give him up, then. I'll name you the child's guardian."

"You make it sound so simple, but I suspect this would be anything but. We'd be setting in motion events with consequences that neither of us can predict or control."

"Life is like that, son. Predictions are nothing more than wishes and guesses. And control is an illusion."

"And yet you are trying to control future events."

"Merely trying to influence them. Do my best to fulfill my duty to the title. I understand a lot of things are beyond our control. Hannah might not conceive, or the child might not be male. Life is full of uncertainties. We can only hope for the desired outcome when we chart a course."

Gabriel went again to stand by the window. He looked out at the serene landscape, wishing he were anywhere but here. "I'll need to speak with her first. In private."

"Of course. Do you want me to send for her?"

"Not now. I'll seek her out at the right moment. I need to think about a few things first."

"At least you are not saying no. Thank you for considering it."

Brentworth just made a non-committal sound without turning from the view. Stanhope rang for the servants.

"I'm afraid I need to retire now. I'm rather fatigued. My strength isn't what it used to be. Dinner will be served at eight. I hope to see you there."

At that moment, two footmen entered, wheeling in an invalid chair. They helped Stanhope transfer into it and then wheeled him away. Gabriel was struck again by how fragile the old duke appeared.

The duke. His father.

Damn.