Passion (29 page)

While sifting through colorful silk shawls,
she had a mental flash of those childhood years with her mother at
the theater. Gabriella found one that reminded her of Natasha and
held it to her face. It felt good to think of her without sadness
and pain. It felt freeing.

Finished her shopping, exiting, she spied
Caroline just getting out of a hack. Her half-sister looked not as
she expected—glowing and floating from an hour with her lover. She
looked shaken, pale, and weak.

Taking her arm, she steered her to the coach,
and after they climbed in, studied Caroline’s red-rimmed eyes.
“What happened?”

“He wasn’t there. Not in the coffee shop, nor
his house.” Caroline had her elbow on the window ledge, looking out
with her fingers pressed to her lips a moment. “His butler said he
had gone to visit his father…”

Gabriella waited, sensing more just from the
stark white of Caroline’s face—and the way she pressed her other
hand to her stomach.

“I broke my rule of not asking questions, and
enquired who his father might be?” Caroline turned those dread
filled blue eyes on her. “He said, why my lady, did you not know
that Viscount Roche is the son of his Grace, Duke of Eastland.”

“Oh—my God…” Gabriella stared at her.

Tears spurted even as Caroline rasped. “My
knees went so weak, the butler grabbed my arm. However, all I could
do was say stupidly, you are mistaken, he is a Captain…and the man
said, why yes, Captain Blaise LeClair. I pulled away and ran
blindly for the hack.”

“My God. That means he’s—“

“Stoneleigh’s brother.”

Gabriella sat back, giving Caroline credit as
she merely wept silent and held her stomach.

She chanced softly, when they neared the
house, “Perhaps it is for the best. Maybe now you can…”

“—
It’s not.” Caroline
groaned. “It’s not. Don’t you see? He will think I knew. They will
both think— and father—”

Reaching over, Gabriella took her hands.
“We’ll figure this out. I promise you. We will.”

Caroline shook her head, her whole face
showing that fear, and heartbreak. “It’s over, it’s over…and in the
worst way. We have already sent invites out to the Duke and his
family, for the ball this weekend. My life…is over.”

Although she did not agree, Gabriella knew
Caroline felt that. She pat her hand and tried to calm her, before
they arrived home. Thankfully the Duke was not in when they did
arrive, and Gabriella got her above before Caroline fell apart.

There, her half-sister took off her jacket
and hat, then fell across the bed, weeping.

Gabriella left her a moment to see to their
packages. The French maid Caroline employed whispered when she went
back to check on her, “Er art is broken. I knew this would
happen.”

“Say nothing to the Duke. In fact, say
nothing to anyone. Her ladyship has a headache …from…shopping.”

“I would never.” The woman crossed her heart.
“I will let is Grace know she is indisposed.”

Gabriella blew out a long breath when the
girl left, and took a glass of wine to Caroline. “Here. Drink
this.”

Not touching it, Caroline lay with her knees
curled, holding a pillow to her chest. “I can’t believe I didn’t
know.”

“That’s the way with games. Even when we
think we are making the rules and understand them.”

Caroline rolled to her back, eyes looking
worse and cheeks blotchy. “This is a nightmare. Worse. How could I
have picked the one man in all of London…?”

“If the feelings are real, then it was fate.
If his feelings are true, it won’t matter.”

“Oh. God.” Caroline covered her face with her
hands. “It will matter to Stoneleigh. To father. Dear lord, I don’t
know what to do.”

“Tell your father the truth.”

Caroline lowered her hands and looked at her
as if she were daft. “Tell father that I’ve…:” she made a sound. “I
can’t do that.”

“Then tell me the story and I will tell
him.”

“I can’t. I cannot tell him. He thinks I am
good and pure, and honest. Moreover, it will shock him terribly.
Not to mention embarrass him for Stoneleigh’s sake. Its better I
bear the brunt of this mess on my own. Although—I do not know how
exactly. Dear—God, I’ve got to think of something before father’s
ball!””

Seeing she was not going to get anywhere with
her. Gabriella simply sat with her sister for an hour, before
leaving to change and having her own dinner brought up on a tray.
Drinking coffee later, and pondering the irony in life, she finally
got pen and paper out.

She wrote to Raith—and had it sent to the
Duke’s house.

Chapter 11

Raith read the missive from Gabriella. He
held it in his fingertips a long time whilst standing by the
fireplace in his chambers. He did not laugh at himself for the
emotions that surged in him when it had come—thinking the note to
be something entirely different. He did not deserve what he
fantasized. He had not showed Gabriella anything—any other side of
himself to inspire…other feelings.

Finished, a grunt issued before he turned
from the fire and went to the wardrobe. He was dressed in a black
shirt and trousers, boots, so he took down a long ankle length
coat, shoving his fingers through his hair as he grabbed up the
cane. He only needed it when he stood too long, now.

Artis was passing the foyer as he emerged,
his father had apparently just returned from his club.

“You’re going out?”

Raith had gone out several times, walking
often. Not in the dark and dankness, but in the park though at
hours less frequented by society.

“I’m going to see Jules.”

Artis raised his brow. “I am glad to see you
two are getting on.”

Smiling sardonically, Raith told him, “It’s
not going to be a pleasant visit.” He pulled the note out of his
pocket and stood, watching his father read it.

When he was done, there was a thoughtful look
on Artis’s face handing it back. His Grace murmured wryly, “Let me
know how it goes.”

“You don’t seem too upset.”

“How can I be? Blaise is blind. He cannot see
Caroline’s beauty, nor apparently did he know of her fortune, and
who her father was. That says more to me than anything.”

Raith nodded. “I’ll let you know.”

“Raith?”

Turning at the door, Raith looked at him.

Artis smiled. “I like the way she thinks.
This Gabriela.”

Raith nodded and left, having nothing to
expound on that. From the note, it was obvious Gabriella understood
Jules and Caroline’s world. She did not want Blaise humiliated, or
Jules upset, or Caroline either. She could not betray Caroline’s
wishes and go to her father. Raith did not really care why she
presented the problem to him. He was simply relieved to hear
anything from her.

He did not take a coach to Jules’s mansion,
it being only blocks up, and though traffic was heavy as people
left for balls and theater, Raith considered it mild compared to
lower London. He stepped up and knocked, admiring the architecture
of the building.

A stately butler opened the door.

“I’m here to see Lord Stoneleigh.” Raith
stepped in when the man opened the door.

“He’s above, just returned from his club. Who
may I say is…”

“His brother. Lord Montovon.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon, your Lordship.”

“Not at all. I’ll find my way up.” Raith did
not hand over his coat but merely lay it over his arm, crossing a
long high ceiling foyers, before reaching the grand staircase. It
was marbled. High columns soared up two stories. The entire lower
floors were rich, opulent, and he mentally shook his head how apt
it suited Jules.

He had a few false starts before a young maid
emerging from another wing directed him to Jules chambers. Raith
entered them, situated at the end of a long upper hall, and found
Jules in his shirtsleeves, sipping coffee.

“Raith…” He came to his feet and put the cup
down, his eyes stark for a moment…”Is something wrong—father?”

“No. He’s fine.” Raith tossed his coat on a
chair, noting folding doors at the other end leading to a massive
bedchamber. At the moment, they were in a sitting area cum library.
He helped himself to coffee before waving Jules to sit down.

Staring at him, Jules did. “What brings you
here? To say I’m surprised is an understatement?”

Raith had been looking around, but eyed him.
“A personal matter.”

“Certainly, whatever I can help you with.”
Jules relaxed.

Cynically Raith grinned. “You assume it is my
problem?”

“Well yes.”

“It’s yours.”

“Mine.” Jules arched his brow.

Raith scanned his face. He was not sure why
he began as he did, but he asked, “Do you care for Lady
Caroline?”

“Care for her?”

“Don’t cock that arrogant brow, Stoneleigh.
You know what I mean.”

“Yes. But I am at a loss as to—“

“Lady Caroline is in love with Blaise.”

“What!” Jules nearly lost his hold on the
cup.

Raith pulled out the note. “Read it.”

He sat and sipped his coffee while Jules did.
When his brother got up, laughing, truly laughing, Raith waited to
hear what was so amusing about it.

Laying the missive down, Jules wiped his
hands over his face, gathering himself to say, “I cannot believe
it.”

“Do you really think yourself so superior
that—“

“—
No.” Jules stared at him.
“It’s not that. You have no idea.” He laughed and then shook his
head. “My, God. I can hardly credit it. Caroline certainly fooled
me. I would never have guessed…”

“That she wouldn’t want you?”

Stoneleigh snorted. “Yes, perhaps in my
arrogance. Although Blaise has that seasoned, earthly appeal….But
more than that, I would never suspect her of carrying on
some…affair.”

“Yes. Well.” Raith set the cup aside. “She
has, with Blaise. Although, he does not know who she is. And she
did not know who he was.”

Jules sat rather heavily in the chair, his
green eyes were still holding a stunned expression. “You’ve really
no idea how….”

“—
Why don’t you enlighten
me?”

“I’ve become involved…with Caroline’s best
friend,” Jules confessed and then laughed without humor. “I don’t
do that, you know. I don’t have affairs, and I don’t
have….women…”

Raith waited but when nothing more came, he
read the rest in Jules’s silence. “That answers my first question.
Now though, you have to think of Blaise. You have all but commanded
his appearance at this ball of Coulborn’s. If he’s Lady Caroline’s
lover, and I seriously doubt that he’s not been intimate with her,
then he’ll know her.”

Jules got up again, rubbing the back of his
neck as he paced. “I cannot believe I never mentioned him.”

“I can.”

“In any case," Jules ignored that grunt. “I
didn’t see the least hint of this…Wait—ah, yes…I believe I did.”
Jules smiled a bit. “At least I noticed Lady Caroline
seemed…different.”

“From Gabriella’s accounts, she fell in love
with him.”

“Yes. I gather that.”

“Do you think that Blaise will believe she
didn’t know who he was?”

“I don’t know.”

Raith stood too. “Her father will be
upset?”

“Likely. Nevertheless, he cares for Caroline,
obviously. He will be embarrassed on my behalf, although I should
relieve him on that score. I certainly feel no betrayal. Blind,
perhaps, but that’s a willful blindness.”

“So, who will you meet with first? Caroline
or Blaise.”

Jules regarded him. “I have to think this
through. It’s not just us, those who are involved, but society and
the impression we’ve fostered.”

“To bloody hell with them.” Raith shook his
head. “For once in your life, Jules, do not attend what others
think or expect. Doesn’t this—mess, make it plain to you how doing
so just makes for misunderstandings and mistakes? You have done the
same thing that Lady Caroline has done. Why?”

“I didn’t set out to have anything with…”

“Lady Harriet?”

“Yes.” Jules grit his teeth.

Raith laughed abrupt. “Not your type at all,
is she brother?”

“No.” Jules went over and found his cheroot
box, lighting one, and pacing more.

“Jules,” Raith walked over to the window and
gazed down. “You’ve been prodding me to look at myself. Everyone
has focused on me, for the obvious reasons. I am not saying it is
not justified. But, look at yourself, all of us. Why do you think
Blaise was willing to play such a game? Does he strike you as a man
who is not straightforward? No. And I cannot think he did not know
she was a refined and proper young woman. If it’s a game, then we
can tell ourselves we have no real feelings at stake.”

“I agree.”

Raith turned and looked at him. “And you are
still willing to pretend that society matters more than anything
else? You escaped a scandal, have been blackmailed, and yet you’ve
involved yourself with a woman who is best friends with the one
everyone assumes you will wed.”

“I know what you are saying, Raith.” Jules
blew a tense stream of smoke. “I take part of the blame for this
tangle. I understand Lady Caroline better than you think. We exist
in the same world.”

“But do you understand Blaise? Do you know
that it is fear? That is why we lie to ourselves. No doubt, it has
to do with his blindness. I do not profess to know what he feels
every day, knowing the man he was, and the one he has to create all
over again. However, I would imagine that compared to others, he
sees himself with less to offer. Certainly, Jules, would see you as
the better man for someone like her. Providing he believes she knew
nothing of your relation and can think half way clear.”

Jules arched his brow. “What do you expect me
to do? I cannot control his reaction. This is something of
Caroline’s making.”