Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series) (4 page)

“Oh, yes you did, and you can’t hide it from me, cousin
. You should know better than that.”

“You can
’t read my mind,” Gabriel argued.

“I can’t read your mind, but your energy I can
read. It’s changed a great deal in regards to Zenny.” Trevan emitted a devilish laugh and beamed at his cousin as he chewed a mouthful of ham. “You want her, the way a man wants a woman. There is nothing about friendship or brotherly and sisterly love there. Passion is on your mind, that’s what your energy tells me.”

Passion
or lust? Gabriel let his fork fall with a clank to his plate. He sighed heavily. “I don’t understand what I feel for her, Trevan. I am confused, for I’ve never felt this way about Zenny. Never have I thought about her in a carnal way until I returned from Glastonbury. I decided yesterday that I can’t take any action until I understand what this is that I feel for her. I don’t want to hurt her. I would never do anything to cause her pain.
Ever
! Everyone was so worried about her when her father passed, then a year later her mother died. That is when we became close. She can be easily hurt, Trevan, you know this. I need to understand what I’m feeling and why before I do anything about it.”

Trevan’s features softened.
He grew serious. He gave Gabriel a nod. “I know you would never hurt our Zenny on purpose, Gabriel. I respect you for taking the time to explore your heart.” Trevan sighed then added, “I’ve been gone too long from Cornwall. After I catch up with the business piled high in my office, I plan to go to Truro to take care of my own carnal needs, perhaps as early as the end of the week. Would you care to join me?”

“Yes,
” Gabriel answered immediately. He shrugged. Perhaps that explained why these odd feelings for Zenny surfaced so suddenly. Perhaps it had just been too long since he tended to
his
needs
.

“Well,” Trevan rose
with a heavy sigh, “Let’s get to Callywith so I can visit Robert. I am anxious to get back to Menadue.” Trevan just wanted to get as far away from Wenna Penrose as he could. He needed to bury himself in his business matters and try to forget about the empty hole inside of him.

Gabriel nodded
. He rose and followed his cousin from the dining room.

“Damn and blast! The vicar is here. Let’s turn around.” Trevan started to turn his big black around.

Gabriel reached out and grabbed the reins
. “You are not leaving. You will go in there, see Robert and face this. I am certain if you really watch Wenna and the Reverend together, you will understand what I see. They do not suit one another. Think of Robert, Trevan. He idolizes you.”

“Very well.
” Trevan’s gaze narrowed upon Gabriel. “I’ll visit with Robert. I do not wish to see Wenna.”

“Good, I thought you might be afraid to go in there.”

“Don’t you dare call me a coward, Gabriel,” Trevan barked. “I am not afraid of that skinny little weasel, or that ill-tempered, red-headed woman. I just don’t want to see
her!
”
With her vicar.
Even the thought of seeing Wenna with another man cut his heart in two.

“I’ll just stroll with Z
enny in the garden while you visit Robert.”

“Oh, so that’s why you came along?” T
revan raised his brow. His blue eyes twinkled merrily. He winked at him. “You just can’t stay away from her now, can you?”

“I need to
find out what it is I feel for her,” Gabriel said truthfully. He gave his cousin a black look.

Trevan shook his head
. “It’s as plain as the nose on your face what you feel for Zenny, cousin. But, do whatever it takes for you to figure it out.” Trevan emitted a small laugh as he dismounted.

Trevan wasn’t certain what to expect when they were lead into the small parlour
. He did not anticipate seeing Wenna looking so pale and surprised when he entered behind Gabriel.

“Robert
. Miss Penrose. Miss Zenny. Mr. Madingly.” Trevan made certain his tone was polite and friendly and that his bow was befitting of his station of Duke.

He approached Robert and took the hand the elderly gentleman extended to him.

“Trevan! So good to see you.” Robert Penrose grinned happily. He placed his other, withered hand over Trevan’s large one.

Trevan could see Robert’s health had deteriorated since his last visit three months before. He would not let it be that long between his next one
.

“Robert, I understand Gabriel and
Miss Zenny plan to take a walk. Why don’t you and I go into your study, sir? I brought a fine bottle of Brandy back from London for you. I gave it to Nowles to set up for us.” Trevan looked to Wenna. With a fair amount of sarcasm he said, “That way, the lovebirds here, can have a little privacy.”

Wenna looked pleadingly at Senny
, then Trevan. “No, please stay and join us. We would welcome your company, Tre-, er, Your Grace,” then she looked to Gabriel, “my Lord.” She realized she was fidgeting nervously. She stilled her hands and focused on keeping them folded in her lap.

He was happy to see the Reverend
was a lean, scrawny man just as Gabriel had described him. He was more than a little pleased that the man looked nervous.

Trevan smiled, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief, “I wouldn’t
dream of intruding upon your privacy, Miss Penrose. I merely dropped by to visit with Robert before I return to Menadue. I’ve a lot to catch up on.” Mayhap Gabriel was right. He suspected Wenna did not want to be alone with the skinny, little weasel.

Feeling
more confident, he added, “For as soon as I catch up at Menadue, I must away to London yet again.”

“
But you just returned nigh on three weeks ago from a long trip in London,” Senny spoke up.

“True, Miss Zenny,
” Trevan said, “But as I have held the title of Duke for eighteen months now, I must fulfill my duty to my family. My duty is to take a wife and produce an heir. I thought to look in London first. If the betting books at the clubs are any indication, I’ll not have much trouble finding a wife there. I am looking for a gentle, sweet
wife
who understands what it means to marry a
very busy
Duke and be a proper Duchess.” His eyes rested on Wenna. He nearly grinned as he saw her stiffen. He watched her lips thin and turn downward into a scowl.

“Oh, I see,
” Senny said quietly. She glared at her sister.

Wenna paled further
. She squirmed uneasily.

Gabriel struggled to keep from
smiling. He cast his cousin an amused glance.

“And Miss Zenny,” Trevan flashed a wide grin Gabriel
’s way, “you might also be interested to know those same betting books show that my cousin, Gabriel, is the next best catch for a husband in the upcoming season; behind me, of course.”

Senny whirled
around to face Gabriel. “Y-you are looking for a w-wife, Gabriel?”

She paled visibly as Gabriel
watched her. She captured her full lower lip with her pearly white teeth. He knew it was something Senny did when she was nervous. Her eyes, a vivid mixture of green and blue, appeared to shimmer suddenly with unshed tears. She was upset. Damn Trevan!

“Zenny, come, let’s walk to the lake
. I promised you a walk, and a walk we will have.” Gabriel offered his arm to her. He glared at Trevan as he passed him. How could Trevan upset his sweet Zenny so?

Trevan took hold of Robert’s
Bath chair and prepared to push him from the parlour.

“When will you be going to
London, Your Grace?” Wenna asked. She realized she sounded rather desperate. What was wrong with her? Why should she care?

“I am not certain
, Miss Penrose. When the business affairs awaiting me at Menadue are completed, I will leave for London. I plan to spend a few weeks there before everyone quits Town for the summer. If I do not find a wife during that time, then I shall return again for the little Season.”

“Oh
. A very sound plan,” Wenna commented in a soft, distant voice.

“Indeed
, Your Grace.” The Reverend added heartily, giving the Duke a nod.

“
If you’ll excuse us, Miss Penrose, Mr. Madingly. A bottle of fine French brandy awaits us!” Trevan turned and pushed Robert from the room in his Bath chair.

“I did not know you were looking for a w-wife, Gabriel,” Senny said the moment they stepped outside. Her voice was barely a whisper. She had to know. She must prepare herself for it. The ache in her heart was almost unbearable at this moment.

Gabriel stopped walking and gently took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him
. “I have no plans to look for a wife in London, or anywhere else. I will not be joining Trevan. I shall stay here in St. Mabyn.” He knew at that moment he would not be going to Truro with Trevan at the end of the week either. There was only one woman he was interested in, and she was standing right in front of him.

“Oh.” Senny looked down
. She asked, because she felt it was necessary that she know, “D-do you ever plan to marry, Gabriel?”

“Someday
, I will. I have no plans to at the present time.” Gabriel then asked her, “And you, Zenny? Do you wish to marry?”

Senny had never thought of marrying anyone bu
t Gabriel. For many years now, she believed Gabriel could never feel the way about her that she felt for him. Still, he was a dear friend to her.

“No, Gabri
el, I cannot marry. Wenna will marry. Lanyon is the heir. He must marry. I will take care of Grandfather. He would not be happy anywhere but at Callywith, I think,” she told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

Gabriel was surprised
. Didn’t all young, unmarried women think of marriage? True, Senny was four and twenty, and not that young. Yet, she believed she could not marry, that Robert was her responsibility. Gabriel felt his heart constrict. Ever dutiful and loyal, his sweet, golden-haired Senny planned to sacrifice her happiness to take care of her grandfather.

“Z
enny, you can marry if you wish. Your grandfather would not want you to forgo your happiness for him.”

“
I could not be so cruel to rob him of his happiness in exchange for mine, Gabriel. I c-could never do such a thing!” Senny turned serious blue-green eyes to him.

Once again, Gabriel
felt the need to kiss sweet Zenny. He refrained.

“W
hen Trevan mentioned I was looking for a wife, you seemed upset by that. Were you?” he asked softly. He noted the blush that crept to her cheeks.

“I – I,” Senny could not lie
ever, and especially not to Gabriel. She struggled to find a plausible reason to give him other than she wanted him to marry her, “If you took a w-wife, we could not take w-walks or you could not spend as much t-time with us at C-Callywith.”

She looked away, afraid he might see the truth in her eyes and
stay away from her because of it. The noise began to gather in her head. She knew an attack was close. Her thoughts began to whirl. She concentrated on stopping the chaos swirling inside her mind. On just breathing.

“Zenny, look at me.” Gabriel stepped closer to her.
She turned her face upward. She captured her lower lip with her teeth again. It was nearly his undoing. He longed to kiss her, but again resisted. It was too soon, his thoughts were still too muddled. He had to be certain of his feelings before he allowed himself to go any further with her.

“Zenny,
is that the only reason you would not wish for me to marry another?”
Why had he asked her such a thing?
He immediately regretted doing so, for she became more uncomfortable by his question. When he realized his question upset her terribly, he felt like the lowest of men.
Why was he doing this?

He was so close he could feel the warmth of her body
though he did not touch her. Her scent was fresh, lemony, with a hint of mint, and the sweetness of freshly cut geraniums.

Senny could feel her
cheeks burning. It was over. Gabriel must have guessed she had feelings for him because she had never told a single soul. He’d no doubt heard the women in the village. She had.

Simple Senny thinks she’s going to land herself an earl
! What would a man with the devilish good looks of him want with an odd girl like that? An’ simple minded to boot, the girl never says a word.
‘Tis pure pity he shows her, that’s all! She’s away with the Piskies, that one.

Senny didn’t know why they thought she couldn’t hear them
. She could. Gabriel had either heard their chatter or guessed on his own and wanted to hear it from her. Had she given herself away? Worse still, did he think her a nuisance? Please no!

She could deny it,
but it would be a lie. She had no choice but to tell him the truth and accept the consequences. She might lose her dear friend forever. Yet, what if there was a chance? More than likely it would be a slim chance. She had to fight for it if there were. This was Gabriel.
Her Gabriel.
Her dearest friend.