Broken Wing (22 page)

“And if you haven’t left my home within the hour, I may well kill you.”

Stepping forward, Sarah took Gabriel’s arm and pulled him back before things went too far. “Enough, Ross! Gabriel is my fiancé. We are in love, we wish to be married, and I can assure you that we will be, so you had better get used to it. I will remind you that I am of age, a widow, and a countess in my own right, and I don’t need your, or anyone else’s, permission! If Gabriel leaves here within the hour, be assured that I shall be going with him.”

The room subsided into a stunned silence. Gabriel was as shocked as anyone, but pleased, as well. She’d sprung instantly to his defense, casting her lot irrevocably with his in front of her brother, challenging him to make of it what he would. His troubles might be far from over, but he wasn’t alone with them anymore.

Ross spoke first. “You are being ridiculous, Sarah!
How can he marry you? He’s a … well, you
know
what he is. He has no family and no fortune other than the one I gave him, and believe me, that can be taken away. He doesn’t even have a real name. He’s named after the street that houses the brothel he grew up in, for God’s sake! Remember his background, Sarah. Can you not see he’s cozening you? Marry him and you’ll lose your fortune and your self-respect.”

Gabriel had heard enough. He understood the older man’s anger, but he had a temper of his own, and if he listened to Huntington’s abuse much longer he was likely to say, or do, something that he’d later regret. Tight-lipped and silent, he pulled free of Sarah’s grasp and stalked to the door.

Stricken, Sarah watched him go. Things had been going so well between them, and now this! She turned on her brother in fury. “Ross, you’re a powerful man. I’ve never known you to be vicious before. How could you throw his background, his lack of family or money, in his face like that? It’s appalling! When did you start thinking that such things measured a man’s worth? I’m deeply ashamed of you. I’m going to find him now and I’m going to apologize on behalf of my family, and if you wish us gone from here, tell Simmons to ready my carriage. It
is
my carriage, you know.” That being said, she stormed from the room.

Sarah had a fair idea of where to find Gabriel. She saddled her black and made her way down the path to the beach, following his trail to the north. He was
sitting, hunched on a rock, looking out to sea. Walking up behind him, she squeezed his shoulder and ran her fingers through his hair.

He leaned back into her, and cocked his head sideways. “That went well, don’t you think?” he said, looking up with a grin.

Laughing, she kissed him, relieved and surprised he was taking it so well. “Ross didn’t mean what he said, Gabe. He just needs some time to adjust.”

“Oh, yes, he did,” Gabriel said, with a chuckle. “He meant every word.”

“I confess, I thought you’d be more upset.” She was amazed at his playful mood. It was most unexpected, given the circumstances.

Leaning his head back to rest against her hip, he closed his eyes and turned his face into the sun. “Mmm, I suppose I was upset for a moment or two, but I find myself in too great charity with the world to sustain it. After all”—he opened his eyes, bright with love and laughter, and hauled her down into his lap—”it’s not every day a man gets a proposal of marriage from a desperate, lovesick young lass.”

She giggled and pushed his face away. “Ack! You need to shave.”

He rubbed his nose between her breasts, taking in her scent. Hugging her tight, he kissed her throat and whispered urgently in her ear, “Tell me you meant it, love.”

A huge smile lit her face. “Yes, I meant it.” She
kissed his nose. “I meant it.” His eyes. “I meant it.” His lips.

“I won’t let you change your mind, mignonne.”

“I take it then, your answer is yes?”

“I love you dearly, Sarah. I only want what’s best for you, and I’m not at all sure that would be me, but I’m a bloody selfish bastard where you’re concerned, and if you’ll have me, I’ll move heaven and earth to be the man you deserve.”

She laughed with joy. “Well, I feel certain I deserve to keep you after putting up with your foul temper, and fouler language,” she said, giggling as he tickled her with the rough stubble on his chin. “And with your leaving sand and crumbs in my bed, and … mmphhh”—he kissed her soundly—”your stealing my telescope and not putting it away.” He slid down into the sand, tugging her, tripping her, and catching her in his arms as they subsided into a tangle of petticoats and kisses. “Oh, Gabriel, I love you. I love you so much.”

‘’Je t’aime, je t’adore, ma vie, mon âme, mon cœur
. He took her there, on the sand, in the lea of the rock, to the sounds of seabirds and the rolling surf breaking against the shore. With the sea lifting her skirts and tugging at his breeches, he entered her, gently, lovingly, moving with the motion of the swell as it rocked and lifted them. Nothing existed but the sun, the surf, and each other.

Much later, they sat in the hot sun, trying to dry
their clothing. Gabriel leaned against the big rock, his legs cradling Sarah’s waist, his chest supporting her back, his arms wound tight around her. They delayed their return, enjoying the peace and quiet a while longer, but both of them knew that eventually they had to face the future. Resting his chin on her head, Gabriel finally spoke. “It’s been well over an hour, mignonne. How will your brother kill me, do you think? With a pistol, I expect. I imagine you’d be terribly vexed if I killed him.”

“That’s not funny, Gabriel.”

“No,
chère
, but it is a problem. You can’t say that he took to the notion very well. I expect I’ll have to leave, and soon.”

“Then I’ll go with you. London, Paris, anywhere, it doesn’t matter.”

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her. “I can’t imagine what I ever did to deserve you, Sarah. You make everything worthwhile. But Ross is right, you know.”

“About what?”

“I have no name to give you, and no fortune beyond what he’s given me.”

“Take one of my names, I have several.”

He smiled. “Ah, well, I’ll not refuse you for lack of a suitable name, but I won’t have you support me.”

“You’re sounding missish again, Gabriel. It doesn’t matter. Why should it?”

“It matters to me, Sarah. I want to support
you
, to
take care of you. I … it’s important to me. I respect your brother and if possible, I want his approval. I don’t want to split you from your family.”

“So … You don’t want to marry me anymore? I’m thoroughly compromised, you know.”

“Of course, I want to marry you, but—”

“But what?” She was beginning to feel annoyed.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Sarah. I want to do it properly. I want to give your brother his money back. I want to prove to him I can take care of you, and I don’t want you to have to choose between us.”

“It’s your money, Gabriel, you’ve earned it.”

“No, Sarah, it’s not, and I didn’t. I never wanted or expected to be paid for helping Jamie. I only accepted because it gave me a reason to leave Madame’s, a reason to go with you. It was an excuse. You know it as well as I. I used to pretend Jamie was my family. When I marry you, he really will be. I can’t accept payment for helping him. It’s never sat well with me … I can’t keep the money, mignonne.”

“Then forget the damn money. I’ve more than enough for both of us. We’ll go somewhere close, Scotland perhaps. Ross will cool down eventually.”

“If we do that, he’ll never believe I didn’t marry you for your fortune. He’ll never accept me. I want to be part of your family, Sarah. I don’t want to destroy it.”

“I see,” she said, and she did. He was a proud man. He didn’t want to be beholden, and he didn’t
want her life to be diminished in anyway by joining it with his. She thought it a particularly irrational and peculiarly male conceit, but it was common to all the best men she knew. “So what do you have in mind then, Gabe?”

“I’ve been talking to Davey, Sarah. He’s been restless lately. He says the profits he’s making aren’t worth the risks now, with all the customs agents about. He intends to do some privateering. He’s been talking about setting sail for the Mediterranean.”

The excitement in his voice was unmistakable, and her heart seized and stuttered, in her chest.
Privateering in the Mediterranean!
It was dangerous and he’d be gone a long time, if he made it back at all. Damn Davey to hell, and back!

“He’s offered me lieutenant, Sarah, and a healthy share of any prize we take. A few good prizes, and I’ll be able to take care of you properly, love. I can build you a home with a fine observatory, return your brother his money, and maybe start a small shipping business of my own.”

“It’s a dangerous business, Gabe,” she said, knowing she’d already lost him.

“No, it’s not,
chère
. These big merchant ships are poorly armed and slow to maneuver. They rarely put up a fight.”

“And they rarely travel unescorted,” she observed dryly.

“You know how careful Davey is, and you’ve
traveled aboard
L’Espérance
. Nothing can catch her.”

“How long have you known about this, Gabriel? Why haven’t you told me before?”

“I’m not
telling
you about it, I am discussing it with you,” he said carefully. “I’ve made no decision. Davey mentioned it to me weeks ago and I turned him down, but things are different now, mignonne.”

“When will you leave?” she asked dully.

“Sarah, please … I don’t want to upset you. This is only one possible solution to our troubles. If it grieves you this much, I won’t go. We’ll think of some other way.”

She recognized it was something he had to do. It was independence and strength that had helped him survive his abysmal childhood, and it was the same qualities now that refused to allow him to be dependent on anyone else for his livelihood. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. You’re right, of course. It
is
a solution. You will establish yourself, and Ross will have time to calm down. If you must go, I’d rather you be with Davey than anywhere else. I just hate to lose you so soon after … I’ll miss you. When will you go?”

“Davey leaves this week, Sarah. I’ll go and see him this evening and ask to live on the ship until then. Your brother
will
shoot me if he catches me climbing up to your room again. That’s done now I’m afraid.”

She knew he was right. Their all too brief idyll was over and nothing would ever be the same. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as he rocked her in
his arms.

“Shhh, mignonne, don’t cry. We’ll be together, you’ll see. Your brother will grow to accept it, and we’ll be married and have many happy years together. I promise.”

“How long will you be gone” she asked brokenly.

“I don’t know, love,” he whispered. “At least six months, more if we have bad weather. No more than a year. Will you wait for me that long?”

“However long it takes. However long you want me to.”

“What does that mean,
chère?”

“It will be a grand adventure for you, Gabriel. You’ve had little opportunity to travel. You’ll be able to see things you’ve only read about. If you’re going to do it, I want you to feel free to experience new things, to meet new … people.”

He burst out laughing and ruffled her hair. “Don’t be absurd, mignonne! Do you really think I would choose to be with any woman but you? I love you, Sarah. I’d never treat you that way!”

“A year is a long time, though, Gabe. A man has needs.”

“So does a woman. You’re everything I’ve ever needed, Sarah, the only woman I’ll ever want or need. I’ve waited all my life for you. I’ll wait as long as it takes, if you will.”

“Of course, I will.”

“I wish you could come with me,
chère.”

“I’ve sailed with Davey before. Perhaps I
should
come with you.”

“He would never allow it. He knows Ross would never forgive him.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I asked him, when he first brought it up.”

“Thank you for asking.” She tried her best to give him a bright smile as he wheeled his mount to ride away toward Davey, and danger, and an uncertain future, but her lower lip quivered and her eyes pricked with tears.

Davey was genuinely dismayed when Gabriel recounted the afternoon’s events. “You mean to tell me the man came home to find you sitting in his office, on his chair, with your feet on his desk as you blithely fondled his baby sister?”

Gabriel winced. “It sounds worse the way you tell it, Davey, but yes, essentially that’s what happened.”

“You’re lucky Ross didn’t kill you.”

“He has threatened to. I’d like to think I could defend myself if the need arose.”

“Not a battle a man wants to fight, my boy. Lose it, and you lose your life. Win it, and you lose the girl.”

“I’m well aware of that, Davey. He’s ordered me out and I’ve left.”

“And what of Sarah?”

“I love her, and I intend to marry her.”

“Over Ross’s dead body, I should think.”

“She’s agreed to it, Davey. She’s a grown woman and she doesn’t need his permission.”