Page 17 of The Lady's Forbidden Marquess
“I’m well, but you appear very pale.Are you ill?”
“No, quite well,” Gabriel quickly replied, wondering if he appeared more ill at ease than he thought.Damn the woman, she wasn’t even present and was causing problems.
He decided that, perhaps, he was the one who needed brandy.He walked to the sideboard and poured two fingers of the amber liquid and took a quick sip.His body responded by immediately relaxing.He took another slow sip.
“Speaking of this morning…” Henley started.
Gabriel inhaled a sip of whisky and began choking, the fire of the brandy burning up his nose and down his throat like a red-hot fire poker.
“Are you going to survive?”Henley asked, his tone not nearly as concerned as what Gabriel thought appropriate given the intense pain in his throat.
“Just barely,” Gabriel rasped out, turning to look at his friend.“Unfortunately,” he added.
Henley’s brow quirked, but he continued.“My sister said you…” He paused.
Gabriel’s heart pounded, then stopped altogether as he waited for the verdict.Good Lord, had she said something?Was he going to be trapped into marrying the chit?Not desperate, his ass.
“How did she put it?Ah, insufferably smug.Something about you giving her a tedious lecture.I merely said that I needed to invite you over more often.”He shrugged.“She didn’t like that idea.”He waved dismissively.
Gabriel’s whole body relaxed as he processed the words.He laid a supportive hand on the sideboard table, allowing the tension to leave him.
Then he replayed the words.“Insufferably smug?”He frowned.
“That’s a direct quote,” Henley answered.
Gabriel scoffed and rather forcefully grabbed his brandy glass, sloshing some of the liquid onto the table.He ignored the mess and returned to his desk, sitting down.“I would have to say those adjectives are far more appropriate for her.”He grumbled the words.“And I did not… perhaps I did lecture her, but it was all necessary, and if she were half as stubborn as she should be, she’d be bloody thankful I even took the time to tell her.”
“If it matters, I’m thankful.”Henley shrugged.
Gabriel gave him an irritated glare.“Thank you.”
“I strive to please.”
“Lucky me.”
“You did have a point in summoning me, did you not?I’m happy to wax poetic on the stubborn nature of my sister, but I rather thought you had a particular purpose in mind for this conversation?”
Gabriel took another sip of brandy.“Yes.I found out some important information last night at White’s…”
“And?”
“And it involves your sister.And Ramsford.”
“Delightful.”His tone was heavily sarcastic.
“At least we… that is, you, can now be made aware,” Gabriel corrected himself.
It was none of his affair and he needed to stay the hell away.
“Continue.”Henley leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as his gaze sharpened.
“I overheard two men talking about the wager Ramsford placed in the books.A wager that he’d marry your sister by the end of the season.”
“The blackguard,” Henley all but spat.
“It gets worse.”
“Of course it does, continue.”
