by Meghan Sloan
“By getting Cassandra Seton away from Seton Hall.”
Norman blinked. Then he groaned.
“I’m beginning to wish I had never suggested anything. You have to be mad to even contemplate targeting a young woman.”
“You set the ball rolling,” Gabriel pointed out, “by saying that the best way to get ahead was to distract their mastermind, which is Cassandra Seton. And I have a good idea how to distract her.”
Norman shook his head. He rubbed his hands over his face.
“I really wish I hadn’t opened my mouth. Go on, then. Tell me about this plan, and you had better not be doing something to ruin Miss Cassie’s reputation.”
“You’re that concerned about her reputation after what you suggested?”
“I have respect for her. I don’t want to see her dragged down by you.”
Gabriel scoffed.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
He laid out his plan, explaining each part. As he talked, Norman looked more and more bewildered, his eyes widening. When Gabriel finished, Norman was still staring at him like he had gone mad.
“So, not only are you going to distract Cassandra with something that has failed before, but you’re bringing your brother into this mess?”
“It’s not a mess.”
“It sure feels like it,” Norman frowned. “Does Percy know what you’re up to? He won’t like being used as a pawn.”
Gabriel sighed.
“I’m not using him as a pawn. Mother and Father want him to get married now he’s the heir and Percy is not good at talking to women. I’m just acting as a go-between for two people who believe they want to be introduced to the other person.”
“So, in essence, you’re going to facilitate a match where neither knows about the other unless you mention it.” Norman shook his head, “I never thought you’d be so cold as to do this, Gabriel.”
Gabriel snorted.
“It’s not cold. It’s practical. Business.”
“Not from where I’m standing.” Norman pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “I said the competition from Seton Hall is because of Cassie’s work and ideas, and you would have to work hard to pay me off if you buy it as we’re agreeing. I didn’t say you had to take the competition out.”
“I’m not going to kill her.”
“Maybe not, but you’re still playing around with a woman’s emotions. And you’d better be careful around Cassie because when she finds out, she’s going to be really angry.”
Gabriel chuckled.
“When she finds out. She won’t find out.”
“I know she’ll find out. Cassie’s not going to be fooled. Her mind is sharper than ours, and then some,” Norman tapped the side of his head. “Ernest Seton raised his daughter to be clever, and she certainly is.”
“I won’t argue with that.” Gabriel sat back, realising that he was smiling. “She’s a remarkable woman. Cool and collected but there’s a fire in her eyes that makes you sit up.”
“You’ve met her, then.”
“I went last night to see what the competition was like. And I’m glad.” Gabriel felt a stirring in his belly and cleared his throat, pushing that down. Not now. “She’s...not like any other woman I’ve met. I watched how she handled a disruption and stood up for her staff when they were...manhandled. There’s a lot of respect for her, and she can certainly hold her own.”
“I’m glad you noticed that about her,” Norman sighed. “There was a time a short while ago when I thought I might be in with a chance of courting her. We get along well enough, and she’s good company. I like a woman with a bit of fire in her.”
That had Gabriel sitting up.
“You tried to court her?”
Why did that make his stomach turn into a knot hearing this? Norman gave a slight smile and a lopsided shrug.
“Tried being the operative word. When I approached her about it, Cassie simply smiled and said it would be a conflict of interest. We’re on friendly terms, but anything more she shies away from.”
A guarded woman, then. From the way she had behaved around Gabriel when they talked, she had a sparkle in her eyes, but at the slightest push that sparkle turned to steel and she was a different person. Gabriel was curious about the change and liked that there was more emotion in a woman than just simple coolness or downright hysteria. There never seemed to be any in-between with a lot of women, so it was refreshing to see someone who wasn’t afraid to express herself.
“I’m sure Percy can get through her defences.”
“Just as long as you don’t go falling for her yourself.”
“Eh?” Gabriel blinked. “Why would I fall for her?”
“Because I saw the way your eyes lit up as you spoke about her. Your voice sounded...warmer.” Norman’s eyes glinted. “You find her attractive.”
“I’m not going to deny that,” Gabriel shrugged, aware that his face was going red. “Who wouldn’t find her attractive?”
“Granted, but you need to be careful, Gabe. If you’re setting this up for your brother and you end up falling for her yourself, things will be even messier for you.”
Falling for Cassandra Seton himself? Gabriel wanted to laugh. That wasn’t going to happen. Many women had caught his eye, but none of them had caught his heart. And it wasn’t going to happen now. Cassandra was a beautiful woman, Gabriel wasn’t about to deny that. But he wasn’t going to end up giving in to any emotions. This was about business, pure and simple.
It did give him a stab of guilt that he was playing on Cassandra’s feelings, but Gabriel pushed it aside. He wanted Cassandra distracted, and he wanted the Montgomery business. If it took getting rid of his competition to get on an even footing or become more successful, he was going to do it. People had done more awful things for much less.
But falling for Cassandra Seton? That wasn’t going to happen. Gabriel was absolutely certain of that. She was just a means to an end.
Chapter 9
Gabriel’s stomach was growling as Allen placed his dinner in front of him. The aromas wafted past his nose and Gabriel took a deep breath. That did smell good. Allen’s cooking had been getting better in the last couple of months.
“Thank you, Allen.” He looked up at his valet, “Are you not going to eat yourself?”
“I’ll eat once I’ve dealt with everything in the kitchen.” Allen stepped back. “Will that be all right for you, Mr. Gabriel?”
“I’m sure it will be.” Gabriel picked up his knife and fork and began to eat. He made an approving noise. “This chicken is delicious. I don’t think I’ve said before, but your cooking has really come along.”
“Thank you, sir,” Allen practically beamed. “Mrs. Bailey’s taught me a few things over the last few months. She wanted to make sure both of us ate properly if she wasn’t able to feed us herself.”
Gabriel grinned. His father’s cook was a sweet, kindly woman who had been in the family employ for nearly twenty years. She was a marvellous cook and Gabriel could never find anything wrong with her food. It was a shame he couldn’t bring her along as well.
“Mrs. Bailey showed you, did she?” He grinned at Allen, “That’s all she showed you, was it?”
“Are you trying to insinuate something, Mr. Gabriel?”
“Well, she is a widow, and rather an attractive one,” Gabriel winked. “I’m sure you’ve noticed.”
Allen swallowed, his face going red.
“I don’t know what you mean, sir.”
Gabriel bit back a laugh. He’d had his suspicions for a while that there was something going on with his valet and the cook. The servants gossiped a lot and their relationship seemed to be at the centre of most of the gossip.
Mrs. Bailey simply rolled her eyes and flapped everyone away with her apron, while Allen simply went bright red and hurried off. Gabriel couldn’t blame him; Mrs. Bailey was a handsome, wholesome woman. Any man would be lucky to have her around.
You prefer yours with a bit
more fire and a bit younger. Someone who isn’t afraid to voice their opinion.
Gabriel pushed that aside and focused on his meal. It was good, and he was hungry. Allen stood close by, occasionally moving back into the kitchen before returning. Gabriel watched him when his servant finally came back into the dining room with his own dinner and settled down across from his master. It was very unconventional to eat together, given their relationship, but seeing as Gabriel had been thrown out of his family and it was just the two of them, the two men had decided it didn’t really matter anymore.
Gabriel had come to actually enjoy having conversations with his valet at times like this. He had come to know a lot more about Allen in the last few months than he had done in all the years Allen had worked for Derek. It was a surprising friendship that Gabriel was beginning to appreciate a little more.
And this evening, Allen was a little more subdued. He often did a lot of the talking, but this evening he simply ate and munched through his food. Gabriel sipped his water.
“Is something wrong, Allen?”
“Why would there be anything wrong?”
“You’re quiet. More so than usual.” Gabriel put his glass aside, “What is it?”
For a moment, he thought Allen wasn’t going to answer him. But then his servant sighed and lowered his cutlery.
“I’m just concerned that you might be setting yourself up for heartbreak, Mr. Gabriel.”
Heartbreak? That was the second time today someone had said that to him. Gabriel frowned.
“Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know if you’ve thought this plan through completely. I’m sure it’s going to go wrong at some point.”
“You have a better idea?”
“Buy the place on credit and pay Mr. Montgomery back, as you and he agreed, but without bothering about Miss Seton. You should be focusing on paying Mr. Montgomery back rather than getting Miss Seton distracted.”
“If she’s not helping her father, then I’ll be able to pay Mr. Montgomery back quicker than anticipated.” Gabriel spread his hands, “And I want to own this place as soon as possible.”
Allen frowned.
“Things don’t happen at the snap of your fingers, Mr. Gabriel. You know that by now.”
“I know, but it’s going to happen.” Gabriel slumped in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. “I need purpose in life now; to show Father that I’m not a waste of space. He said I would be good at business, and I know he’s right. I want to prove it.”
It had been said in passing when Derek was lamenting about Gabriel not using his brain to its full potential. He had urged Gabriel to find something more worthwhile to do that wasn’t losing all of his money playing cards, but Gabriel hadn’t listened.
Maybe if he had listened to the old man in the beginning then he wouldn’t be here now, having dinner with his valet in a small cottage that was barely enough for two people. It would be a cute little place for a newly married couple, but it wasn’t quite the place for them.
Hopefully, Gabriel would be able to earn enough as an owner to buy himself a new home, somewhere that wouldn’t have him and Allen practically falling over each other in the morning. Gabriel liked his space, and as much as he liked his valet, it could get a little suffocating.
They finished their meal in relative silence, and then Allen began to gather the plates away. Gabriel was straightening up and stretching his arms, his fingers almost touching the ceiling, when there was a knock at the door. Allen straightened up.
“I’ll go.”
“No, I will,” Gabriel headed towards the door. “I’m not above answering my own front door in my current situation.”
Allen shrugged. Gabriel crossed the hall as their visitor knocked again. He was now beginning to wonder who would be calling at this time of the evening. He may not exactly be in favour with a lot of people, but rules of calling ahead of time were still abided by. And he hadn’t had many people come to visit him who wanted to just see him. They all had an agenda, and once Gabriel realised that they were out the door faster than they came in.
It didn’t sound like his father was at the door. He could hit a door hard enough to make it shake. Was it his mother? Had something happened at the house?
Then Gabriel heard a familiar voice.
“Gabe? Are you in there?”
Gabriel slowed. His heart sank. Not her again. Couldn’t she leave him alone? And what was she doing here at this time of night? Shouldn’t she be at home?
He debated not answering the door, but Gabriel knew Jessica wouldn’t leave. So he ducked back into the dining room and went to the window. Allen looked confused.
“Mr. Gabriel?”
Signalling for him to wait, Gabriel unlatched the window and opened it. He could see the front door if he stuck his head out, and Gabriel saw Jessica standing on the threshold, her knocking becoming more insistent. Gabriel glanced behind her and out into the lane. There was no sign of a carriage and no sign of a chaperone. It looked like she had slipped away from her charge, yet again.
“What are you doing, Jessica?”
Jessica squeaked and spun around, clasping a hand to her chest. She was wearing a gown she must have worn for dinner under a lightweight coat, a bonnet in her hand dangling by the ribbons. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw him.
“Gabe! You startled me. Why are you at the window and not letting me in?”
“Because I don’t want you to come in,” Gabriel snapped. “Go back home. I’m sure your parents are wondering where you are, and I would rather not have an argument with your father.”
Jessica pouted. She sauntered over to the window, and Gabriel almost shut the window in her face. Instead, he waited. His curiosity as to her stubbornness wouldn’t let him walk away.
“What’s the matter with you, Gabe?” Jessica asked. “For six months you’ve been pushing me away. And before you said I was it for you.”
“I never said anything of the sort.” Gabriel leaned on the windowsill. “What we had was a bit of fun, something to pass the time. And you know it. I don’t know why you keep pushing this when you know it’s gone and put in the past.”
“You know why I keep pushing it.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Because I love you, Gabe,” Jessica touched his arm, turning her big eyes up to him, “and I know you love me. Why can’t we just be together?”
“Because I’m not a fool.” Gabriel took her hand off his arm and set it aside. “I may have cared for you at some point, but I don’t love you, Jessica. Certainly not after the months you’ve been pestering me over something I don’t want anymore.”
He did falter for a moment when he saw Jessica waver, her bottom lip beginning to quiver. But Gabriel ploughed on. She needed to hear it, and he was past caring how insensitive he was going to be.
“You can’t mean that,” Jessica whispered.
“Trust me, I do. Why would you even want to be with someone who has no prospects at all? They’ve all been taken away from me.”
“You’ll get your title back.” Jessica lifted her chin, “You’re a clever man, Gabe. I know you will. And then we can be the heirs again.”
