Alex stood there, watching her sleep, and still couldn’t believe that she was finally his.
He knew they still had to deal with the matter of her brothers, and he still needed another day to finish closing out his office to the proper arrangements for the estates, so Gabriel had suggested they leave by the end of the week. Alexander wanted time alone with Antoinette, and taking her straight home, he knew that was not possible.
Letting her sleep, they quietly shut the door and walked downstairs to the library. Alexander knew something was up. He could see the strain on Gabriel face. He wanted to say something but was unsure how to proceed. Was he already regretting his decision to share Antoinette? God, he hoped not. Alex didn’t know if he could walk away from her. He knew he had only met her days ago, and he never truly believed in love at first sight. Damn, he was in love with her. His heart burst with joy just thinking about her.
“Spill it. What’s bothering you, Gabriel?” Alex asked, too impatient to wait for him to speak first. Something was bothering Gabriel. He had noticed the change in him the moment they left for Scotland. He would have thought getting married to the woman he loved would have made Gabriel happy, but something was off.
Even after the ceremony, Gabriel seemed to be working something over in his head. Oh he plastered on a smile and seemed to be enjoying himself, but every now and then, Alexander would see him lost in thought.
“I need to tell you something, and I’m not sure how you’re going to react,” Gabriel said.
“Start at the beginning, then,” Alex said, walking over to the bar, pouring himself a brandy, and bracing himself for what was about to be said.
“When the duke died and I inherited, I was given some information that shocked me. I knew my father was never committed to my mother, always whoring around. He was coming home from one of his mistresses when that stupid motorcycle of his killed him. He never cared about anything but his own delights. But that’s not what I want to say.”
Alexander watched as Gabriel took a deep breath. Whatever was bothering Gabriel seemed significant, so Alex waited patiently as Gabriel gathered himself.
“I have a brother,” Gabriel blurted out, and Alexander froze. The implication of such a declaration was significant. Was this boy younger, older? Was he the rightful heir? Alexander knew the rules. If this boy was older and was the legitimate heir to the Avalon Duchy, then Gabriel would be free. He knew that Gabriel never wanted the responsibility. He hated everything about his family and duchy.
“A half brother. He is older than me by one month. The child was discovered by my grandfather after my father, in a drunken haze, blurted out that he had sired a bastard. When the child arrived, my grandfather paid the mother a significant sum of money. He then placed the child with adoptive parents not far from here. He lived a good life, loved and cared for by parents who adored him. He went to all the best schools, and I believe he was happy. My grandfather paid for everything concerning this child, his upbringing, education, and even his appointment to Oxford.”
Stunned, Alexander didn’t know what to say. He had known that Gabriel hated being an only child. He wanted nothing more than to have siblings that he could talk to, confide in, to love. Alex figured that was why he and Gabriel were so close growing up. Neither of them had siblings, and at an unusually young age made a pact to be brothers in spirit, but to have a blood kin was shocking.
This whole conversation was making him nervous. He didn’t know why Gabriel was talking about this now. He looked at his friend and wondered where he was going with all of this, and he really did not like the look in Gabriel’s eyes. Alex felt as if the boom was about to be lowered.
“Have you sought out this man?” Alex asked, taking a sip of his brandy.
“Not intentionally. But yes, we know each other,” Gabriel admitted.
“So why are you telling me this? Is he after you for something? Does he want money?”
“No, he is wealthy in his own right.”
“I don’t understand, Gabriel. Then why bring him up? He is just a bastard child of your father. He won’t inherit. Society won’t give him a direct cut. They haven’t done that in decades. Do you realize how many bastards are floating around England? Thousands. I don’t see the problem,” Alexander informed him.
The whole conversation was churning his stomach. He didn’t like the feeling, and something was not right. That funny feeling in the pit of his stomach began to ache, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
“I want to claim him,” Gabriel whispered.
“Why? What good will come of it? You already said the man was wealthy, had a marvelous youth and parents that loved him. Why uproot his life?”
“Because I want my brother. Half of all this belongs to him.”
“You’re wrong. He is a bastard. He gets nothing. Look, Gabriel, I get your need for family. I feel the same way. I have wished many times that my parents would have presented me with a brother or sister, but they did not. We can’t always get what we want, and just because you have a half brother out there doesn’t give you the right to disrupt his life. Have you ever thought what this announcement would mean to him? What kind of damage would you bring to his life? I say leave the matter alone. Let him live his life in peace,” Alex advised, getting to his feet, the sick feeling churning ferociously.
He walked over and placed the empty brandy glass on the bar and turned, facing Gabriel. “Look, I’m tired. We have had a long day, and our wife is sleeping upstairs. I would like to crawl in next to her and sleep myself.”
As Alexander quietly walked from the room, he heard Gabriel whisper, “Good night, big brother.” In that instant, Alexander’s whole world crashed around him.
Chapter Nine
“Gabe, where in the hell is the kitchen in this place? I’m hungry.” Annie asked, walking into the library. She knew out of all the rooms in this place she would find him sitting at that large desk, reading or going over some paperwork. She genuinely didn’t care what the papers stated, but when he was in that room, he tended to be moody, and she didn’t know why.
Gabriel looked up as she walked forward, and her heart damn near stopped when he grinned. “Cravings already, little one?” he teased.
“Not yet, I don’t think.” She winked. “But I’m serious, Gabriel. I’m dying. There is never any food in this place,” Annie complained, falling into the leather chair.
“That will be all, Collingsworth,” Gabriel said, dismissing the man. Annie watched as the stuffy British man gathered his papers.
“Yes, Your Grace,” he said, bowing and leaving the room.
“Gabe, why does everyone call you ‘Your Grace’?” Annie asked, looking up at him.
Annie knew Gabriel held some sort of influence here in England, but he never talked about it. She figured it was nothing, and if he wanted her to know, he would say, but when he never did, she forgot all about it. Since being back here, she began noticing the little things, like how people bowed to him and called him “Your Grace.” It was funny at first when she was little, thinking he was some prince, but now, it was just plain weird.
“They call me ‘Your Grace’ because of my station. Antoinette, when I am in England, I am Gabriel Andres William Sexton, the twelfth Duke of Avalon.”
“And that means what?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
“It means, when I am in England, and at home here, that I am to receive the respect due me and my station.”
“Gabe, that makes no sense. Explain?”
“This might clear things up for you. I was seventeenth in line to the throne,” Gabriel said without inflection.
“The throne of what?”
“England.”
She processed the information Gabriel had just told her. Annie knew of dukes and lords and such. She read romance novels for goodness’ sake. She never thought they still existed. She honestly believed that they belonged in a time long ago. Looking at Gabriel now, and the seriousness
on his face, she gasped.
“Oh my God! You’re royalty?” she shouted, jumping to her feet. As she looked around the room, her mind was reeling. Holy cow! How could she have dismissed everything? It was all there in black and white, right in front of her face. This was too much.
“Antoinette, I am just a man with a title, that’s all. It means nothing in today’s world. It’s just a bunch of poppycock, nothing more.”
“But you’re a grace!”
“A duke,” he corrected.
“Whatever, and here I thought you were just a regular guy. Shit, Gabe, wait till the folks back home find out we had some fancy-smanchy royal blue blood living among us.”
“Watch your language. Besides, I hope they never find out. It’s something I’m not proud of.”
“How come? Is there some juicy detail about your past that can never be revealed? Did one of your ancestors behead his wife on their wedding night? Was there an illegitimate child swept away in the middle of the night? Oh! How about a rebellion that almost caused the downfall of the British Empire? Come on, Gabe. Give up the details.”
Gabriel let loose a loud boisterous laugh.
“How about the fact that one of your ancestors owns the very land that Treasure Cove sits on,” an all-too-familiar voice said.
Annie jumped to her feet at the sound .. She knew that voice. She had heard it her entire life. Turning slowly, she watched as Jeff, Braxton, Travis, Orin, Conner, Steven, and Matthew entered the library and shut the door.
Annie slowly moved closer to Gabriel and wished that Alexander was here. She needed him. She never said a word as Gabriel quietly moved her behind him. She watched as he greeted their unexpected guests. “Welcome to Avalon Manor, gentlemen. Please come in.”
Annie felt like hiding. She could see her brother’s face, and it wasn’t anger she saw, but remorse. Something was wrong. Stepping out from behind Gabriel, she asked, “What’s wrong, Jeff?”
None of them men said anything. The silence in the room was killing her. She looked at Gabriel, who said nothing, only putting his arm around her in support.
“Jeffery, what’s happened?” Gabriel asked.
Annie watched as the other men backed away, giving them room. When Jeff finally took his eyes from her and lowered them to the floor, she felt the weight of a Montana boulder on her heart. She knew what Jeff was about to say was going to affect her, and she feared for what he was going to say.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry, Annie, more than you’ll ever know, but I can’t let you marry Gabriel.”
Annie felt as if the room had suddenly stared spinning. She would have fallen to the floor if Gabriel hadn’t been behind her. She knew her brother wasn’t going to be happy about her being with Gabriel, but she thought that since they were friends, he would at least be happy for her. She never once thought that he would be totally against the whole thing.
Helping her to sit, she watched as Gabriel confronted her brother. “Sorry you feel that way, Jeffery, but you’re too late. Antoinette, Alexander, and I married yesterday in Scotland,” he offered.
“Shit!” Travis cursed, slapping his hat against his thigh.
“Well, guess that’s it then,” Steven Brannon said, leaning against the wall.
“Damn,” Matthew whispered, setting his briefcase on Gabriel’s desk.
The silence in the room was deafening. Annie couldn’t believe what she heard. Her brother had just flown across an ocean to tell her he objected to her marrying Gabriel. Who does that? Why did he do that? Nothing was making sense. Jeff could have called, sent a Western Union message. Hell, he could have waited until she returned home and yelled his disappointment all he wanted. Yet he was here, in England. Something wasn’t adding up.
There was more to this story, and something in her gut told her it was about to get worse.
She watched as all of the men looked lost and unsure. It was a first for her. These men were nothing but strong, determined friends in her life, helping her when needed. In return, she did what she could do to make them proud. If there was anything any one of these men needed, all they had to do was ask. She would do what she needed to to see that they got it. They were her family, and she loved every one of them.
“What has happened?” Gabriel demanded, breaking the silence in the room. She flinched at the harshness of his voice. Getting to her feet, she placed a hand on his arm, trying to lessen his temper. She could see the anger on his face. This was to be a happy time in her life, and she refused to let her family to hurt her or her husband.
“Start talking now. You’re interrupting my honeymoon,” she said, stepping in front of Gabriel, looking at the men before her. She knew they could tell she was getting angry, and when it was Matthew who stepped forward, she prepared herself for the blow.
“Sorry to be dumping this on you, Annie, it being your honeymoon and all. You have no idea what you’ve done. It’s not your fault. It’s mine because I didn’t do a thorough enough job. But damn it, couldn’t you have waited just another day?” Matthew said running his hand through his graying hair.
“Tell me this is not about the town charter? This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. How does our town charter have anything to do with me getting married? ’Cause let me tell you, nothing, not even all of you will stop me from staying married to Gabriel and Alexander,” she informed them.
“That’s just it, Annie. It has everything to do with you and Gabriel. It’s all centered on him.”
“What in the bloody hell are you talking about?” Gabriel shouted.
Reaching for his hand, Annie whispered, “Gabriel?”
She never moved when he turned to her, kissing her forehead. “It’s all right, little bird. Let us talk. I will figure this out.”
“Gabe, I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Hey now, I’ll have none of that. Where’s that spunky, spirited girl who was here a minute ago?”
“Gabe, we need to talk,” Matthew said, interrupting them.
“Then talk. Anything you have to say can be said in front of Antoinette since this affects her, too. I won’t hide anything from her.”
Just as Matthew began, a loud voice bellowed from the hallway, “Honey, I’m home!”
* * * *
Over the next two hours, Gabriel, Alexander, and Antoinette listened as Matthew Jenkins went over every inch of the town charter of Treasure Cove.
In those few hours, Gabriel had learned more than he cared to know about the town he called home. When Matthew began talking about his ancestors, his body froze. His whole life, he tried so desperately to keep the terrible secrets of his past hidden, and now it all came crashing forward.
He looked to Alexander and watched as his brother looked at him with pity, and it curled his stomach. Scanning the room, all of them had the same expressions. He didn’t want or need their pity. He had enough of that growing up, and he would be damned if he took it from them.
Then as if he couldn’t stop himself, he turned to look at the woman who held his heart in her hands, and everything in him fell apart. There sitting on the couch, as silent tears fell from her beautiful eyes, she cried for him, and there was nothing he could say to stop the realization of what was being said.
When she looked up at him, he crumbled before her as he felt the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He wanted so much to give her family back what was rightfully theirs, to make right what his family had long ago done.
Gabriel realized that he had to pay for the sins of his ancestors because no matter what he did or where he went, their actions had future repercussions. Not able to listen to another word, he stood and walked out of the room, leaving everything he loved behind him.
Walking out into the setting sun, he fell to his knees and screamed.
“I hate you! You hear me, you heartless son of a bitch! I hate you!” he yelled into the wind.
The snap of a twig brought his attention to the fact that he was not alone. Not bothering to tur
n, he didn’t care who came after him. He didn’t need their sympathy. He wanted none of it.
“Gabe. Let us help. Maybe we can find a way to fix this,” Travis said, placing his hand on his shoulder.
Gabriel brushed him off and stood, turning to face the man. “Help with what, Travis? You heard Matthew. The town is bankrupt because I married Antoinette,” he said angrily.
“You can sign it back over to us. Ever think of that?” Orin said, walking toward them.
“That’s your plan? That’s what you came up with?” Gabriel asked the grinning idiot, who didn’t bother to look affronted.
“Well, yeah. Since you married your girl, you already inherited the town, and as a wedding gift, you give the town back to her as a present. It’s easy.” He smiled.
“It’s not that simple, you idiot! I own nothing. I only inherited the title. The crown owns everything. Thanks to one stupid ancestor, he saw to it that no heir shall receive any monetary funds, only the title. The land, the house, everything is under the control of the crown,” Gabriel informed them.
“Shit, man, I feel for ya, I really do,” Orin said, astonished.
“Get him away from me, Travis, now!” Gabriel shouted, wanting to wrap his fingers around Orin’s neck.
“Dude, you’re so not helping. Go find Steven and tell him about your brilliant plan.” Travis grinned.
“I’ll shut up,” Orin said soberly.
“Look, gentlemen, can you please just give me a moment? I can’t talk about this anymore,” Gabriel asked, walking away.
* * * *
Annie quietly paced around her room, wondering if and when Gabriel was going to come back. It was getting dark, and nobody had heard from him. Even the obstinate butler Cutler returned without any news.
Gabriel's Heart [The Men of Treasure Cove 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 12
