Laurie Benson - An Uncommon Duke

Abruptly he jumped out of bed and began tugging on his trousers. ‘I cannot do this,’ he repeated.

‘Wait! Where are you going?’ she asked, rising to her knees, stunned by his rejection.

He jerked his shirt over his head and began gathering the rest of his discarded clothing. When he had them all in his arms, he stalked over to the bed. ‘Regardless of what you think, Duchess, this is not going to work,’ he ground out.

‘All the world thinks you are a man of honour, but it’s a lie. You only ever think of yourself.’

Gabriel gathered up his boots and stormed to the door leading to his room. When his hand clutched the handle, he paused. ‘You are lucky you are not a man,’ he said through his teeth before he slammed the door behind him.

A pillow, book and hairbrush hit the door in rapid succession. Just when she thought she was finished crying over him, Gabriel pushed her to the emotional edge—again. The tears were falling and she couldn’t make them stop. She would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry, so she pressed her lips firmly together as her body lurched with her silent sobs.

He didn’t want her. He couldn’t even bring himself to bed her to get a spare. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she hold the attention of the one man who had once meant the world to her?

Olivia still wanted that child, now more than ever, but now she would never conceive one.

She hated him for that!

She hated him for what he had done to her five years ago!

And she hated him for reducing her to tears by taking away her only chance at experiencing unconditional love again.

Chapter Four

The next morning before the sun had even begun to rise Gabriel rode his horse around the Serpentine as if the demons of hell were chasing him. He continued to circle the lake in Hyde Park, hoping the pounding of Homer’s hooves would knock his brain back together.

His wife had wanted him in her bed after five years, four months and eleven days. That alone should have been cause for celebration. The fact that she wanted another child with him should have made him the happiest of men. But at the moment, he wanted to drown her in the lake he rode around.

If she had been a man, she would have paid for the insults she threw at him as he left her room. Did she really think that little of him? Had she ever understood what kind of man he prided himself in being? His wife was as much a stranger to him as the girl who sold flowers at the entrance of the park.

The idea that she thought he would bed her by throwing up her nightrail and thrusting inside her, while she would have been in obvious discomfort or planning the week’s menus, was just too much to bear. Did she really believe he was such a beast? Oh, he knew she did not like him. She had made that very clear, but to think that poorly of him was infuriating. From the day he had entered his cradle, honour and duty were drilled into him. Whether she believed it or not, he was a man bound by honour. And that honour had cost him more than she knew.

Up ahead, three men on horseback cleared the trees. The sun had begun to paint the sky in pinks and yellows, and the rumble of his stomach told him a good breakfast might settle some of his anger. It was time to head home.

* * *

Gabriel was sitting in his breakfast room, tucking into his meal and reading The Times, when Bennett informed him the Earl of Hartwick was calling. Hopefully his friend was here to tell him something about the smell of the note belonging to the gunman. Glancing up, Gabriel followed Hart’s progress as he strolled into the room, his black frock coat fluttering behind him. If he had not handed over his coat to Bennett, Gabriel knew this wasn’t a social call.

Hart dropped into the chair next to him and tipped his head towards Bennett. The butler looked at Gabriel for approval before fetching a glass of his best brandy for the Earl. After taking a small sip, Hart ran his hand through his black hair, attempting to move a lock that had fallen over his bright blue eyes. ‘It’s a good thing you’re so predicable that I knew I’d find you here at this hour. I want you to know I had plans last night that I altered especially for you.’

Gabriel cut into his ham and studied Hart. ‘A bit early for brandy, wouldn’t you say?’

‘I’ve not gone to bed yet. Well, that is not exactly true...’

‘So I take it you have something to tell me.’

‘I do.’ Hart reclined back, a sly smile peaking over the rim of his glass. ‘I know who the gunman is.’

Gabriel put his fork down and leaned forward. ‘How?’

‘Do you not want to know how I reasoned it out?’

‘I fear I don’t have much of a choice, now do I?’

‘Not if you want that name. What has ruffled your feathers this morning?’

‘I’m unruffled, now talk.’

Hart studied him and took another sip of brandy. ‘It was a good thing Andrew mentioned the man’s accent when he showed me that note.’

‘His accent?’

‘Yes, he said he recognised it from his time near Manchester. Using that bit of information, I took a trip by the river to the Black Swan. Many of its patrons hail from up north. I simply asked a lively lass of my acquaintance who is a barmaid there if she would take a look at him for me. I was pleased to discover that she did indeed know the man.’ He took another slow sip, savouring his drink. ‘She also found identifying a prisoner quite exciting. So for that, I thank you.’

‘You took someone to the Tower without my consent?’ Gabriel tried to relax his fist.

Hart waved his hand casually in the air, which was all the more infuriating. ‘Apologies...deep regret...whatever it is you need to hear. But be aware I did not exactly have the opportunity to contact you at the time.’

‘And how did you explain your need to identify the man, and why he was being held in the Tower?’

‘I told her he attempted to rob me. She believed it, saying he was an unsavoury fellow who was known to annoy the patrons with talk of his disgust of the monarchy and those that serve it. And we played a game of sorts. She was blindfolded for our journey. I never told her we were in the Tower.’ Hart removed a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his black waistcoat and slid it towards Gabriel. ‘Here. That is his name, an area of town and information about the man’s family, because I am that good at what I do.’

Maybe now they would finally get some answers. Without opening it, Gabriel tapped his finger on the folded paper. ‘So maybe you are as good as you think you are.’

‘I will attempt to ignore the surprise in your voice.’

‘Had anyone at the Tower overheard the information your barmaid gave you?’

Hart shook his head and surveyed Gabriel’s breakfast. ‘I thought it best to gather all the details while she and I were alone.’

‘Hopefully there is useful information about his family to finally force him to talk. Andrew has been observing the interrogations. He informs me the man has a high threshold for pain.’

‘He will break sooner or later. How is our illustrious friend faring?’

Knowing how restless Prinny could be, Gabriel assumed he wasn’t handling his confinement well. ‘I am sure he can use a good card game or two to lift his spirits.’

‘I imagine I can spare some time. Unless you have something else you need me to do. Shine your boots?’

‘From the state of those Hessians, I believe I will continue to have Hodges tend to my boots.’

‘Some day you’ll have to remind me how I became involved with the lot of you and why I continue to remain.’

‘My father had said he asked for your assistance because you were cunning and had a greatness inside of you that you weren’t aware of. If you decided to end this association of ours, I assure you that you would be quite bored.’