Page 79 of The Duchess Debt

They rode in silence through the sleeping village. When they reached the inn, Gabe jumped down from his horse in the yard and threw the reins at a stable boy who trotted up. Helena scrambled to the ground, hitched up her skirt, and raced after him into the inn.

“Where is he?” Gabe shouted angrily at Mr. Brown as he strode through the common room. Both men knew exactly whom he meant.

The surprised innkeeper pointed toward the stairs. “Last room on the first floor, Your Grace.”

Gabe took the stairs at a run, ignoring Helena’s calls to slow down and the stunned stares of the travelers who had gathered for an early breakfast in the dining room. His boots stomped across the uneven wooden floor as he charged down the hall. Helena winced at the pounding sound as she chased after. Around them, the inn was still mostly asleep, but it wouldn’t be for long.

He reached the last room.

“Your Grace!” Mr. Brown called out as he scurried after them. “Your brother has been with—”

Not bothering to knock, Gabe kicked in the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Gabe felt the force of the kick reverberate up his leg. The door flew open with a splintering crack as the iron lock ripped out of the frame. It banged back against the wall, and the sound jarred through the inn and shattered what was left of the early morning quiet.

In the bed, a ginger-haired woman screamed and scrambled to sit up. She clasped the blanket to her front but not before her bare breasts were exposed to the morning light.

Blinking rapidly, Adam sat up next to her and winced hard from what Gabe assumed was a pounding hangover. A deep purple-black bruise marked his chin where Gabe had punched him last night. Not for the first time since then, he regretted not being able to pulp his brother even more.

Gabe strode into the room. Not caring that guests were gathering in the hallway to crane their necks to see what was going on—or that Adam was as naked as the woman shrieking next to him—Gabe yanked his brother out of bed and slammed him back against the wall. He shoved his forearm beneath Adam’s chin and pinned him to the boards by his throat.

“Where’s Alice?” Gabe demanded through clenched teeth.

“What the hell are you—”

“You took her.” He rammed his forearm against Adam’s throat. “What did you do with her?”

“Nothing!” His fingers tore at Gabe’s forearm as he gasped for breath, but he couldn’t break free of Gabe’s firm hold. “I haven’t seen her since last night at Grangely.” When Gabe’s hold on his throat tightened, he half-rasped, half-gurgled, “I didn’t take her! You kicked me out of the house, remember? Under the footman’s watch so I wouldn’t takeanything. So how could I have taken a child, for Christ’s sake?” His eyes flared with anger.“I came here and had a good time with Katie. Averygood time, until a minute ago.”

The prostitute had stopped screaming long enough to wrap the blanket around herself and slip from bed. When Adam mentioned her name, she froze as she was bending down to collect her clothes from the floor. Humiliation turned her face nearly as red as her hair.

“I’ve been here all night.” Adam nodded toward the woman. “Ask her!”

Gabe slid a furious look at the prostitute who straightened and held her clothes pressed tightly to her chest. “Was he?”

She nodded. “All night, since ‘bout midnight.”

Gabe shoved Adam against the wall one more time for good measure and stepped back. He dropped his hands to his sides but kept his fists clenched.

The prostitute tightened the blanket around herself, clinging to whatever trace amount of dignity she still possessed. “An’ I expect t’ be paid well for it, too.” She looked at Tom Brown as the innkeeper stood in the doorway and did his best to prevent the other guests from enjoying the spectacle. “Ye told me to keep ’im occupied ’til noon, too. I’m owed at least two days’ blunt for it, I figure.” Then she slid a disgusted look over Adam and jabbed her chin into the air. “Or more.”

“Go now, Katie,” Brown ordered and angrily gestured her to leave the room. “We’ll settle up later. Go on!”

Her mouth snapped shut. With a toss of her head and a bounce of her mussed red curls, she hurried out of the room and past the laughing guests gathered in the hall.

“There’s nothing to see here!” Brown shooed the guests away. “Be on yer way, with ya.”

With a parting nod to Gabe and a grimace at Adam, he closed the door.

“Gabe.” Helena approached Gabe’s side. “At least let him put on some clothes, will you?”

Gabe snatched up a pair of discarded trousers lying on the chair and flung them at Adam, smacking him in the face.

Helena turned around so Adam could pull on his trousers in private, but Gabe didn’t trust him enough to turn his back.

“What the hell is going on?” Adam demanded as he yanked his trousers up over his hips and buttoned his fall. “Christ! To burst into a man’s room like that—”