Читать книгу The Complete Regency Surrender Collection - Энни Берроуз, Louise Allen - Страница 90

Chapter Two

From the doorway to the Blue Drawing Room in Carlton House, Gabriel could see the round table in the centre of the room was set for Prinny’s breakfast. And for one man eating alone, there was enough food and drink to easily satisfy four people.

As Gabriel crossed the threshold he was taken aback when the burly Prince Regent pulled him into a hug. The man squeezed Gabriel’s rib cage, making it difficult to breathe. Disengaging himself from Prinny, Gabriel placed him at a distance, only to be grabbed again into another firm hug.

When Prinny finally released him, he slapped Gabriel on the right shoulder—the very one bruised from being slammed against the carriage wall the day before. Gabriel held back a groan.

‘Leave us,’ Prinny instructed the four footmen, dressed in blue livery with gold lace, who were posted around the table.

The men filed out quietly, the last one closing the door behind him.

‘I owe you my life, Winter. You protected me with your own person. Bravery and loyalty such as yours is uncommon. You do your father proud.’

Another tight embrace followed and this time Prinny’s large meaty hand clamped down on Gabriel’s sore shoulder. Bloody hell! He didn’t know how much more appreciation he could take.

‘I am simply relieved you were unharmed. Please know I’m aware restricting your movements to Carlton House will not be easy for you, but I firmly believe, for now, it’s the safest place for you.’

Prinny returned to his breakfast and unceremoniously dropped into a blue-velvet chair. With a wave of his hand he motioned for Gabriel to join him. ‘Would you care for anything? If none of this food is to your liking, I will have my kitchen make whatever you desire.’

‘Thank you, but I’ve already eaten.’

‘Then a drink, perhaps?’

There were numerous bottles scattered across the table containing wine, champagne and brandy. Prinny appeared to be imbibing all of them. Gabriel shook his head, knowing he needed to keep his mind sharp.

Prinny resumed cutting into his pie. ‘I don’t understand why you want me to remain here. There no longer is a threat to my life. Your note said the scoundrel had been apprehended.’

‘He was. However I believe he had assistance orchestrating your demise. I’ve come from the Tower and they have not yet been able to get the gunman to admit to anything.’

Prinny dropped his fork with a clatter and reached for his glass of champagne. His hand shook as he brought it to his lips. ‘So you truly believe there is someone walking around England who still intends to murder me?’ He drained the entire glass.

‘I do and that is why it is imperative you remain here where you are under guard at all times.’

‘Very well,’ Prinny replied on a sigh, ‘but you must find this person without delay. Devonshire is hosting a ball soon, it’s reported Mrs Siddons will return to the stage to perform in Douglas at Drury Lane and I hear the new exhibition at the Royal Academy will be stunning. If I remain here too long, I shall miss all the fun.’

‘I will do my best to ensure this is handled as quickly as possible. Since the threat could have come from anywhere, I think it prudent if you limit your visitors to an approved list of people.’

‘Nonsense, no one visiting here would wish me harm.’

If only life were that predictable. ‘Tell me about the gentleman you purchased the painting from. He appeared surprised to see you.’

‘I imagine he was. He expected one of my agents to purchase it for me.’

‘It would help if you could recall mentioning our outing to anyone. The gunman was carrying a drawing of my coat of arms.’

Pouring himself more champagne, Prinny appeared to give the question serious consideration. But after a few moments, he shook his head. ‘I might have mentioned it in passing to a few people during Skeffington’s musical. Capital evening. Selections from The Marriage of Figaro. You should have been there.’

‘Opera does not appeal to me,’ Gabriel said off-handedly. ‘Who did you tell?’

Prinny shrugged and took another drink. ‘Don’t recall, don’t you know. Talked with so many people and the champagne was flowing. Astonishingly I didn’t have the devil of a headache the next day. But that was before I asked you to join me.’

To steady his exasperation, Gabriel looked up at the massive crystal chandelier and concentrated on the red and blue coloured flecks dancing in the sunlight. If only Prinny didn’t like to brag so. ‘And your household...who knew I’d be taking you in my carriage?’

‘I informed Bloomfield that morning, but he is trustworthy.’

Gabriel knew Prinny’s equerry. He appeared as loyal to Prinny as Gabriel was. Nevertheless, he would assign someone to watch the man. ‘Very well, I shall let you know the minute you are safe to leave this building.’

‘You don’t expect me to remain inside on a rare day such as this? The sun is shining. Surely I can enjoy the gardens.’

There was a tightness forming between Gabriel’s eyebrows and he pinched the bridge of his nose to transfer his attention to a new discomfort. Why did it feel like dealing with Prinny was the same as handling his young son? He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. ‘Your gardens share a wall with St James’s Park. It would be very simple for someone to reach you, if you were out there.’

Prinny let out a snort before pouring the remaining contents of the champagne bottle into his glass.

Gabriel rubbed his eyes. He needed to return home where he didn’t have to deal with anyone who was irrational. At least at home his life was predictable.

* * *

When Olivia entered the nursery that morning, she found Nicholas restless in his lessons with his new tutor. All he wanted to talk about was his ride through Hyde Park on his new pony. He told her how his father had taken them onto Rotten Row where he saw numerous well-dressed gentlemen out for their morning rides. He wanted to know when he would be old enough to wear a beaver hat of his own.

He was growing up.

For the first time, she noticed the little dimples that kissed the knuckles of his hands were disappearing. And Gabriel might be considering sending him away to school—or, worse yet, Nicholas would ask to go.

Olivia’s heart sank with the weight of how much she would miss him.

* * *

For the remainder of the morning she thought about how wonderful it felt to hold her nephew. By the afternoon she desperately wanted another child to cuddle and love.

But in order to have that child, she would have to ask her husband to come to her bed.

And she would be forced to endure his company.

Five years ago she told him she could never bear to feel his touch again. If she wanted this, she would have to lower herself to go back on her word to him.

This wasn’t something she could tell his secretary to pass on to him when he next saw Gabriel. Mr James would have an apoplexy on the spot. It also wasn’t something she could pass along to her maid. Colette would be setting out Olivia’s thinnest nightrail and placing rose petals on her bed before he would have even agreed to her request.

Perhaps she should write him a note.

After many drafts, some ridiculous and some obscene, Olivia decided to simply request a meeting. If she could focus her appeal on the need for another child they could avoid discussing how the child would get there.

And maybe that would help scrape the image of naked bodies and intimate conversations from her brain.

* * *

It was four in the afternoon when Olivia received word from Colette that Gabriel was available to see her. Standing outside the massive door to his private study, she pressed her hand against her stomach. What if Gabriel did not want another child? Or, suppose he no longer found her desirable enough to bed? She would never be able to face him again.

The answers she needed would not be found in the hall. She raised her chin, knowing she would regret it for the rest of her days if she didn’t ask him for this. Her courageous side rallied, her knock echoed off the oak panel.

The deep rumble of his voice was audible from within as he bid her to enter. Her heart began to pound and she glanced down, praying it wasn’t visible through the gauzy fichu tucked into her dress. She rubbed her sweaty palms down her skirt and turned the handle. Upon entering the impressive room, she spotted Mr James standing before Gabriel’s desk awaiting a document her husband was sealing. Once the paper was in his hand, Mr James turned to face her and bowed. He appeared nervous, but she found that whenever Mr James was in the same room with Olivia and Gabriel, he always seemed as if he couldn’t wait to leave.

‘Good day, Mr James,’ she said, smiling congenially.

He greeted her with a pleasant reply before excusing himself. The click when the door closed reverberated around Gabriel’s private sanctuary. There was no turning back.

For the first time in years, they were alone. Suddenly the generously sized room felt much too small and she was certain he could hear her uneven breathing from across the room.

They stood there staring at each other for what felt like an eternity. Then Gabriel moved out from behind his desk. Her heart hiccupped. He painted a handsome picture with his perfect posture and his fit frame impeccably encased in an expertly fitted Delft-blue tailcoat with a champagne-coloured embroidered waistcoat underneath. Buff trousers and highly polished top boots covered his muscular legs and his light brown hair looked slightly tousled, as if he had been running his hand through it as he worked at his desk.

At his suggestion, they took a seat in the two chairs placed in front of one of the long windows that overlooked the street. As he fixed an expectant gaze on her, she silently debated how to begin.

‘I suppose you’re wondering what it is I wish to discuss with you?’

He sat completely still, the picture of civility and physical perfection. ‘I have some idea.’

‘You do?’ she asked, unable to hide her surprise. Had his mother spoken to him as well? From his sober expression it did not appear he was going to be amiable to her request.

‘This is regarding last evening, is it not?’

Olivia’s heart was jumping in her chest. ‘It is. I have thought about this quite a bit and believe it is our duty.’

Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. ‘The duty lies with me. I will see to it. I expect it to be an exasperating task, but I agree it must be done.’

Did he really say making love to her would be exasperating?

‘I assure you, I will find absolutely no pleasure in the task,’ she replied drily.

‘That is why it’s best done quickly.’ At the clopping sound of horses riding by, Gabriel shifted his attention out the window. ‘It’s a logical request to make. I suppose it was inevitable.’

Inevitable and exasperating—this is how he described bedding her! It took enormous restraint not to rail at him. The point was to have another child. If she had to endure this insufferable man to do so, she needed to disguise her anger. She refused to let him see that his words had any effect on her. In that, she could be in complete control.

She stood rather abruptly, needing to get away before she did something rash—such as kick him in the only area of his that she needed.

‘The sooner we attend to this, the better. I will see to it this evening.’ He stood and walked her to the door, unaware how perilously close he was to having his head knocked into it.

* * *

The moment Olivia left his study Gabriel was able to breathe normally. Being close to her always left him restless, as if his body were fighting the knowledge that he was better off without her.

After pouring himself a glass of brandy, he returned to his desk and put his feet up. Their meeting had gone better than he’d anticipated. He knew only something of great importance would compel her to request an audience.

He considered various scenarios before recalling last night. It was no surprise she wanted to address it. He was impressed she thought they should do it together. However talking with Andrew about what was improper to say to Nicholas fell solely on his shoulders. He would be the one to explain to his brother that it was not appropriate for a boy of five to call his horse Casanova. Nicholas would be Winterbourne some day. He needed to begin learning now what it meant to embody the respectable title.

Yes, a talk with his brother was in order. It also gave him the opportunity to hear how the interrogation was progressing.