Katie Rose (34 page)

It wasn’t every day a man proposed, he thought to himself in amusement. Even though his proposal was a little outré, he wanted to make it as memorable as possible. Having to ask Jennifer to be his wife while she was in prison already assured that, but nevertheless he knew women set store by such things. If nothing else, he would try to look the part of a gallant groom and make the moment as romantic as circumstance would allow.

His smile increased as he sank back into the leather seat of the coach, thinking of his future. It was amazing how everything had changed. It was as if the entire world had slanted sideways, and he could see everything from a totally different viewpoint. Even after his meeting with
Charles, when he promised to ask Jennifer to wed, he’d thought the task would simply be one of duty and obligation. Yet a sense of promise had welled up inside him and wouldn’t go away.

Jennifer as his wife. The very idea was exotic and thrilling. He knew now that what he’d said yesterday was the truth, a truth his heart had been trying to tell him for weeks. He loved her—it was as simple and as complicated as that. How and when it had happened, he wasn’t certain, but even from that first glimpse of her, sitting in the parlor with her fried bangs, he must have loved her. He couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t.

Better than that was the feeling his upcoming wedding gave him. All that time when he thought he’d eventually marry Allison, he’d been unable to picture anything but a life of sameness and ennui. Whenever he had those disturbing thoughts he’d simply pushed them away, assuming all men felt that way at the prospect of losing their beloved bachelorhood. But marrying Jennifer was a whole different vision. She tormented him, teased him, made incredible love to him, infuriated him—but never bored him. To his delight, he found he couldn’t wait to get to the altar and make her, finally, his own.

The carriage rumbled to a halt at his mother’s house. Gabriel grinned to himself as he thought of her reaction, then he walked up the steps, unable to forget how differently they’d both felt just a short time ago.

“Sir?” James stared at him in astonishment, trying to cover a yawn. He glanced down at the still gray street, where dawn had barely broken, then back to Gabriel. “Come in! I don’t think your mother was expecting you …”

“She isn’t. It’s a surprise.” Gabriel chuckled. “Tell her to come down directly, I haven’t got all day. I have to go get engaged.”

“I beg pardon, sir?” James looked as if he couldn’t possibly have heard right.

Gabriel laughed once more, and the servant, for the first time Gabriel could remember, began to laugh with him. The two of them guffawed, and James actually slapped his back.

“A fine joke, sir! The madam will appreciate—”

“No joke,” Gabriel assured him when he could speak. “Hurry, man. Tell her I need to see her. My future bride’s in prison, and I have to help get her out. Now.”

The servant looked shocked, then rushed up the steps. Gabriel whistled, feeling like nothing could stand in his way. For once, the pictures of his father didn’t trouble him, and he experienced a pang of sorrow that the old man couldn’t be here today. Somehow, he knew he’d approve of Jennifer, in spite of her background, which was an amazing thought indeed.

Mary Forester dashed into the room, still wrapping her dressing gown around her slender frame. Her soft white hair was in charming disarray, and she stared at her son as if to ascertain his sanity. “James just woke me. Gabriel, is it true—”

“Absolutely.” Gabriel laughed. “I’m asking Jennifer to marry me today.”

All slumber left Mary’s gaze and she threw herself at her son, enveloping him in her embrace. “Oh, Gabriel, that’s wonderful! You’ve made me so happy! Jennifer is so perfect for you. Eve and I thought we’d practically have to hit you over the head, but for you to discover it all on your own—”

“Wait a minute. You and Eve?” Gabriel stepped back and held his mother at arm’s length.

“Never mind all that,” Mary said quickly. “I’ll get you grandmother’s ring. Jennifer will love it, it’s so beautiful. Oh, Gabriel, I’m so proud of you! You really are the white knight, riding in to her rescue. It is so romantic!”

Tears glistened in her eyes. Gabriel held her in his arms, while Mary returned his embrace tightly. For the
first time, he fully experienced the depth of his mother’s love, and found it incredible. She was truly happy for him.

“I’m such an old fool, it’s just you’ve made me so happy.” Mary finally broke away, then reached into her pocket for a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes, then smiled at her son. “When will you wed?”

“As soon as possible,” Gabriel said. “I have to legitimize our relationship before the papers destroy the girls, so the sooner, the better. Perhaps on Christmas.”

“That would be lovely,” Mary agreed, her eyes shining. A momentary thought seemed to stop her and she looked at her son closely. “Gabriel, is that the only reason you want to wed? To do the right thing by Jennifer?”

Gabriel smiled at her reassuringly. “No. Even I’m not that noble. I really do care for her. Somehow I didn’t realize it before, but I’m in love with Jennifer Appleton. I think I always have been.”

“That’s wonderful!” Mary hugged him again, nearly dancing him around the room. “Oh, Gabriel, if you only knew how long I’ve waited for this! You will, of course, live at your house. It will be so much easier, and convenient for the girls. Jennifer could still continue to work with her sisters, since it’s just across town. I am so happy!”

Gabriel’s smile faded, replaced by a small frown. “Mother, you don’t think I will allow Jennifer to continue her work after this? I couldn’t possibly permit my wife to be a spiritualist.”

Mary stared at him incredulously. “Why ever not, Gabriel? That is an important part of Jennifer’s life, and her family will still need the money. Even with our combined resources, it will be difficult to finance two other sisters of marriageable age, and their aunt.”

“We’ll find a way,” Gabriel said firmly. “Mother, I am firm on this. Especially after today, Jennifer is out of the séance business. I will not have my wife pretending to summon ghosts back from the dead. It is all a farce, and a
cruel one at that. Although I was willing to testify on her behalf that she didn’t intentionally harm her clients, I haven’t changed my mind about this. It is still wrong, and I will not support it.”

The light seemed to have gone out of Mary’s eyes, and she stared at her son sadly. “Have you discussed this with Jennifer?”

“No, but I will. Jennifer will agree—she won’t have any other choice. As my wife, she’ll have to obey me, like it or not.”

Gabriel was flushed with indignation, his jaw set firmly. Mary studied him for a long moment, then nodded and patted the sofa. “Gabriel, sit down a moment. I think it’s time I told you something.”

Reluctantly, Gabriel sank down onto the couch, and his mother took her place beside him. She put her small hand over his. “When I went to see Jennifer, my life was worth nothing to me. You see, I had a tremendous amount of guilt, because I had so quickly fallen in love with another man after your father’s passing. Robert had always been a good friend, and it seemed natural to turn to him in my sorrow, yet it quickly became something deeper. I didn’t plan it, and I didn’t want it to happen. Can you understand?”

Gabriel nodded. “Unfortunately, I know exactly how you feel.”

Mary smiled tremulously, then continued. “I didn’t know what to think, or how to feel. To marry Robert would have been wrong, I felt, in the eyes of so many, including you. Yet to live without him, to spend my old age alone, hearing nothing but the ticking of the clock, and crying at your father’s portrait, was something I just couldn’t bear. One particularly terrible night, I took an overdose of my arthritis medication. I thought if I just went to sleep and God took me, it would end everyone’s troubles.”

Gabriel stared at his mother in horror. “Then you really did try to—”

“Yes.” His mother wiped her eyes quickly, then continued firmly. “I know what you must think of me, but please try to understand. I was desperate. I had no one I could talk to. Even my priest told me I should remain true to my husband’s memory, and that anything else would be sinful. To live without Robert was to live without happiness, and I didn’t want to do that.”

Mary stifled a sob, then pressed the handkerchief again to her face. Gabriel felt a deepening sense of shame that his mother had had to face this alone. “Go on, dear,” he gently encouraged her.

“When I went to see Jennifer, I was at my most desperate hour. The medication, you see, hadn’t done anything other than make me ill, and Doctor Fielding lectured me very sternly. Jennifer was my last hope. When she appeared to summon your father’s ghost, and gave me permission to follow my heart, it was as if the weight of the world lifted. Jennifer and her sisters made me see that neither God nor your father wanted me to be miserable. She gave me the strength to make the right decision. She let me choose joy.”

Gabriel stared at his mother in astonishment. “Then you are saying …”

“Gabriel, I know your father never really appeared to me as a real ghost, but I have never doubted that he is with me and, through Jennifer, he made his wishes known. Yet what the girls gave me was worth so much more than a ghost sighting. I can’t put a price tag on it. They gave me back my life, dear.”

Gabriel stared at his mother, speechless. The enormity of her confession weighed on him, and he didn’t know how to react. Everything in his intellect told him that he should reject all this—everything in his heart told him to
stay open-minded. As if understanding his dilemma, his mother rose.

“I’ll go get the ring. Just think about what I’ve said, dear. And if you truly love Jennifer, you’ll love her for what she is, and not try to change her. No marriage ever succeeded that way. If Jennifer wants to give up the spiritualism herself, that’s one thing. For you to force her, that’s another.”

His mother left the room, leaving Gabriel deep in thought.

“I don’t care if she’s sleeping. Wake her up.”

Charles tossed his gloves aside, and growled at the humble housekeeper. The woman scampered to do his bidding, while he paced the room in agitation.

Allison had to withdraw her complaint. Charles had thought about it all night. Everything changed when Gabriel announced he would marry Jennifer. Somehow, he had to make his sister see that.

Allison appeared, obviously annoyed at being awakened so early. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you genuflecting at the alter of the Appletons?” She flopped onto a chair and ordered her coffee.

Charles gazed at his sister with a mixture of anger and pity. She was such a pretty thing, and hid her passionate nature beneath a cool facade. He remembered her disappointment a little over a year ago when she’d fallen in love with an improper man, and her parents had had to dissuade her. It was little wonder that she was so determined now, with so much at stake.

“Allison, I know you are unhappy that I’ve chosen to represent the Appletons, but I have no other choice. What you’re doing is wrong, and morally, I have to stop you.”

“Morally?” His sister sent him a superior look. “Why
don’t you examine your own morals, brother dear? The real reason that you want to represent the girls is that you’re attracted to that bluestocking Winifred. Why don’t you just admit it and get it over with?”

Charles stared at her in astonishment. “Wherever would you get such a ridiculous idea?”

“It’s written all over the both of you. Don’t try to pretend, Charles, there is no point. So unless you have anything else to say to me, it is quite early and I haven’t had my breakfast yet.”

The maid brought coffee and sweet rolls and placed them beside the young woman. Charles’s outrage increased as he thought of the Appletons in their jail cell this morning, all because of Allison. He faced her directly, stepping between her and her breakfast.

“Allison, you must drop the charges against Jennifer. Don’t you see that you’ll only face public humiliation if you continue this farce? The papers have already begun to question your role in all this. Should you continue, you will be a laughingstock.”

She paled a little at that, but calmly reached around him and helped herself to a roll. “I am not worried, brother. You see, the church is on my side. These women should have been stopped long ago. What they are doing is illegal and wrong. No one can fault me for seeing that they get their just reward.”

“Why don’t you just admit the real reason you’re doing this?” Charles snarled, unable to help himself. He hauled his sister to her feet, startling her out of her composure. “You are jealous that Gabriel has fallen in love with Jennifer! My God, woman, don’t you realize how this will look? When the whole story gets out, you won’t be able to hold your head up again!”

Allison stared at her brother in shock. “Love! Gabriel doesn’t love her. He can’t love her! Jennifer Appleton is a
charlatan, a fraud, and a fake! A gentleman like Gabriel cannot possibly love a woman like that. I know it!”

Charles released her, giving her a sympathetic look. “Allison, please, you must listen to me. I know Gabriel gave you reason to think he cared for you, and that he would one day marry you. Gabriel knows this as well, and feels terribly guilty where you’re concerned. But that doesn’t change anything. Gabriel is in love with Jennifer, and he’s going to ask her to marry him. Today.”

“What?” It was Allison’s turn to look stunned. Slowly, she lowered herself back into her seat. “No, you are wrong, you must be wrong. Gabriel would never—”

“Allison,” Charles cut her off. “I saw him last night. He has every intention of getting his grandmother’s ring and asking Jennifer to be his wife. It will happen today.”

“My God.” Allison put aside the sweet roll, obviously no longer hungry. She held her stomach as if it hurt, and stared up at her brother. “Are you really so certain?”

“Yes.” Charles’s voice was softer. “Gabriel wants to do the right thing, and he has to marry her now. I’m sorry. I know you love him—”

“Love?” Allison looked at Charles and laughed. “I don’t love Gabriel. I never did.”