Bride for a Night - Page 83
Did she dare?
Gabriel had offered her his trust when he had shared the truth of Harry’s treachery. It had been a rare gift that he offered to few in his life, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt if she betrayed that trust their relationship would be destroyed beyond repair.
But could she allow herself to be meekly hauled back to England with the knowledge that Gabriel was confronting his brother alone? Or worse, walking into a trap carefully laid by Jacques?
She shivered, an unbearable dread swelling in her heart.
No. No matter what the cost, she could not abandon Gabriel. She would deal with the consequences when he was safely returned to the yacht.
Slowly turning, she met Lord Rothwell’s golden gaze. “No, Gabriel is not with the captain.” She paused to gather her shaky courage. “He is on his way to Calais.”
A thunderous silence greeted her words, then grasping her elbow, Lord Rothwell tugged her away from the curious sailors, his voice pitched low to ensure it would not travel.
“Why the devil would he be going to Calais?”
She licked her dry lips. “Because his brother is hiding there.”
“Harry?” He shook his head. “Harry is in Calais?”
The yacht swayed as the sails were unfurled, and Talia desperately glanced toward the shore.
“I will explain later.” She pressed a hand to her rac
ing heart, her expression pleading. “For now you must tell them to stop.”
She sensed him tense, his entire body poised for battle. Just as Gabriel would have been, she thought with a wistful pang. The two men clearly shared more in common than their titles.
There was the same ruthless, driving power that Gabriel possessed. Not to mention the air of arrogant authority that came as naturally as breathing.
He did not, however, shout for the sailors to halt their business, or command the captain to drop the anchor as she had hoped.
Instead he studied her in grim silence before sucking in a deep breath. “No.”
“No?” What the devil was the matter with the man? “Did you hear me? Gabriel is not aboard.”
“He obviously gave the command to cast off, which means he understood the yacht would leave without him.”
She shook her head in confusion. “What does it matter?”
“He desires you to be safe.”
She ignored the edge in his voice that revealed he would rather toss her to the wolves and go in search of his friend. What did she care what he thought of her so long as he assisted her in finding Gabriel?
“He is not thinking clearly at the moment.”
“Granted, but I cannot go against his wishes.”
“But you already have,” she boldly reminded him. “Gabriel told me that he ordered you to return to En gland and yet you remained.”
His jaw jutted in a stubborn motion. “I am at liberty to risk my own life, but I sense that Gabriel would never forgive me if I risked yours.”
Tossing her hands in the air, she turned away from the aggravating brute.
“This is absurd.”
She had barely taken a step when Lord Rothwell clamped a hand on her upper arm and whirled her about.
“Where are you going?”
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