[Victoria Alexander] The Virgin's Secret (Harringt(BookZZ.org) (37 page)

“But I—”

“I suspect you would provide excitement she does not need. Leave her be, Nathanial, for now.

However,” the doctor‟s expression softened, “she is awake now, although probably only for a few minutes. I should warn you, the medication will make it difficult for her to concentrate and she may not make much sense. You may see her now, but for no more than a minute,” he added firmly.

“Thank you.” Nate started into Gabriella‟s room but Muldoon stopped him.

“My wife and Miss Henry are in the country. I didn‟t want to fetch them until we knew Miss Montini would recover. Now, I must go, but we‟ll return as quickly as possible.” The big man‟s gaze locked with Nate‟s. “Take care of her.”

“Always,” he said, the conviction in his voice straight from his heart.

Mother stepped out of Gabriella‟s room. “Only a minute, remember.”

Nate nodded, walked into her room and directly to her bedside. Gauze covered the cut on her head, her face was deathly pale, and her blue eyes seemed enormous. Still, she was the most beautiful thing he‟d ever seen.

She cast him a weak smile. “Are you going to chastise me?”

“No.” He sat down beside her bed and took her hand in his. “Not today.”

“Oh dear.” She sighed. “Then I must be dying.”

“You‟re not dying.” His voice was rough with emotion. “You shall live a very long time. With me.”

“How very nice.” Her eyelids were heavy, her voice soft. “I‟m so tired. And so sorry.”

He smiled. “Nothing to be sorry about.”

“You could have been hurt. I couldn‟t bear it if you were hurt.” Her eyes drifted closed, then opened, but it was obviously a struggle for her. “But I found it, didn‟t I?”

“Yes, you did.” He leaned closer and gently kissed her forehead. “You found the seal.”

“No.” The word was no more than a sigh, and her eyes drifted closed again. “I found the letters,”

she murmured, and was again asleep.

He watched her a few moments, then quietly took his leave. He paused outside her door and

blew a long breath. Staying away from her now might be the hardest part of any of this. But if that‟s what was necessary, that‟s what he would do.

His mother hooked her arm through his and walked him down the hall toward the stairs. “I have an idea, Nathanial, and I‟m not certain you‟re going to like it.”

He ran a weary hand through his hair. “What is it, Mother?”

“I think it would be best—”

“Where is she?” A short blond woman with a determined air and fire in her eyes appeared at the top of the stairs, Mr. Dennison a step behind her.

“I tried to stop her,” Mr. Dennison said in a helpless tone. He‟d never known Dennison to sound the least bit helpless before.

“Where is she? What have you done with her?” the woman demanded.

“Lady Wyldewood, Mr. Harrington, this is Miss Henry,” Dennison said.

“Of course.” Mother smiled. “I have been expecting you. Miss Montini is asleep now but the doctor assures us she will be quite all right in no time.”

“Thank God.” Miss Henry‟s expression crumbled. “That‟s what Mr. Muldoon said, but regardless, I have to see for myself. We met him a few minutes ago right outside the house. We came here as soon as we arrived home and discovered—” She drew a deep breath and squared

her shoulders. “As soon as we saw our house was in ruins.”

“You poor dear.” Mother took her arm and steered her into a sitting room off the hall. “We have a great deal to tell you, not all of it pleasant, and the hallway is not the place to do it.” She glanced at Nate. “Coming?” It was a command more than a question.

Dennison leaned toward Nate. “I shall be in the library if she—if you—need me.”

Nate nodded and followed the two women.

“I wish to see Gabriella,” Miss Henry said staunchly.

“And you will.” Mother settled her on a love seat and rang for tea. “Nathanial, if you would be so kind as to begin.”

Nate quickly recounted the events of yesterday and last night, from Gabriella‟s finding Lord Rathbourne‟s body to the fire. Miss Henry listened, eyes wide with horror and concern. “This is all quite unbelievable.” She twisted her hands in her lap. “You should as well know we were sent on a fool‟s errand. We received a note saying Mrs. Muldoon‟s mother was gravely ill. We

arrived to find her mother is fine so we saw no need not to return.”

“Then someone wanted your house empty,” Nate said slowly. “To search it, no doubt.”

“So it would appear.” Miss Henry shook her head. “This is my fault. I should have expected something like this. I never should have condoned her search for that blasted seal in the first place.”

“My dear, I haven‟t known her very long,” Mother said in a kindly manner, “but I sincerely doubt that you could have stopped her.”

“No, you‟re right there. But I have been concerned from the beginning that this might prove dangerous. Her brother was…” She shot Nate a questioning glance.

Nate nodded. “We are all aware of what kind of man Enrico Montini was.” He paused. “As is

Gabriella.”

Miss Henry heaved a resigned sigh. “I have long thought so but she never said anything. And I never brought it up.”

Nate studied her. “We found the seal.”

Miss Henry‟s eyes widened.

“It was among her brother‟s things.” He paused. “But we don‟t have the impression.”

“Oh.” She waved in an offhand manner. “I have that.”

“You do?” Nate stared.

“I thought it would be safer for Gabriella if she didn‟t have it. After all, no one would expect me to have it.”

“Safer?” His voice rose. “Whoever was in that house last night might well have been looking for it. And as Gabriella had claimed to have it, she was scarcely safer.”

“Yes, well, that might have been a mistake on my part,” Miss Henry snapped.

“I think,” Mother cut in, “what Gabriella needs now, in addition to rest,” she shot her son a pointed glance, “is her family.”

Miss Henry shook her head. “Aside from myself and the Muldoons, she has no family to speak of.”

“No, Miss Henry,” Mother said firmly. “In truth, Gabriella has a very large and extensive

family.”

“Her mother‟s family, you mean?”

Mother nodded.

“They didn‟t want her.”

“Quite the contrary. They tried to find her for years.” Mother paused. “They were told she was dead.”

Miss Henry stared for a moment, then her eyes widened with understanding. “Enrico.” She

looked at Nate. “To keep control of her money?”

Nate shrugged. “Probably.”

“Gabriella‟s aunt is one of my oldest friends,” his mother said. “She, along with her sister and her daughter, have been in Paris. According to the last letter I received from Caroline, they are to return the day after tomorrow and should arrive in Dover by afternoon. From there, they have planned to go to Caroline‟s estate in the country rather than return to London.” She looked at Nate. “We can leave on a morning train. That will get us to Dover in time to catch them, and we can bring them directly here.”

“We?” Nate scoffed. “I‟m not going anywhere. Can‟t we telegraph them?”

Mother‟s brows drew together. “This is not the kind of news one imparts in a telegram.”

“I‟m not leaving Gabriella.”

“You are not supposed to bother her, remember?” Mother turned to Miss Henry. “The doctor

says she is to have as few visitors as possible and she is not to be overly excited.”

“I have no intention of overexciting her.” Nate glared at his mother.

“No doubt.” Miss Henry sniffed.

“Well, you certainly can‟t if you aren‟t here. Besides, it‟s likely she will sleep for at least another few days. We‟ll be back probably before she knows we‟re gone,” Mother said firmly. “She needs her family, Nathanial. She needs to know there are people who care about her.”

“I care about her!”

“She has lost her brother, the only family she thought she had. Regardless of the kind of man he was, she obviously loved him. Now she has lost her home as well. This will help her. Not her body as much as her heart, I think. And I know you want that.” She leaned toward him, laid her hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes. “Do this for her.” She straightened. “Besides, I am certain Miss Henry will wish to stay with Gabriella.”

“Without question.” Miss Henry nodded.

“And as you and Mrs. Muldoon have lost your home as well, I suggest you both stay here for as long as is necessary.”

“That‟s most kind of you.” Miss Henry thought for a moment. “If we are to avoid excitement, I would suggest, if she awakens, she not be told what you are up to.” She shook her head. “The truth will come as a shock to her. She has long said she has no interest in her mother‟s family, although I have never quite believed it.”

“Miss Henry,” Mother said gently, “she went back into that burning house to retrieve her

mother‟s letters. I think that says a great deal about her true feelings.”

Miss Henry nodded. “I agree.”

“Then we are all agreed.” Mother beamed.

“No.” Nate‟s gaze skipped from his mother to Miss Henry and back. “We are most certainly not agreed. The Verification Committee ends its meeting at noon two days from now. If we miss

that, the opportunity to present the seal will be gone forever. It‟s what she‟s worked for. What she wanted.”

“She wanted her mother‟s letters. Which makes this—” His mother set her chin in a stubborn manner. “—more important.”

Nate clenched his jaw. “Miss Henry?”

Miss Henry thought for a long moment. “Discovery of the seal would have made her brother‟s reputation. She very much wanted that. But she has always wanted to…well, belong somewhere, and she has never felt that she did. So yes.” She nodded. “I agree.”

“I don‟t,” Nate said. “However,” he rolled his gaze at the ceiling, “I can see how knowing there were people who wanted her might be the best thing for her. And I certainly can‟t let you go alone.”

“Excellent.” Again his Mother beamed.

“And, as this might well turn out to be quite disastrous…” He blew a long breath. “I have an idea of my own.”

“You want me to what?” Quint stared at him as if he‟d lost his mind.

Nate had asked his brothers to join him in the library. If he was going to fetch Gabriella‟s lost family, he was going to need help.

“Listen to him, Quint,” Sterling said from behind his desk.

“As I was saying…” Nate drew a deep breath. “The Verification Committee ends its meeting in two days. Even if I were to get back in time to make it, and in spite of Mother‟s assurances, I am not confident of that, there will be no chance to prepare a presentation. With luck, Gabriella will be well enough to present the seal herself, but she will not be able to prepare anything either. I can begin tomorrow but—” Nate met Quint‟s gaze firmly. “I need you to help me put a

presentation in order. Indeed, I need you to do most of it.”

Quint snorted. “I think not.”

“You‟re more than qualified,” Sterling said mildly. “Aside from Professor Ashworth, you

probably know as much about Ambropia and the legend of the Virgin‟s Secret as anyone.”

“I don‟t care,” Quint scoffed. “I am not about to do anything to legitimize Enrico Montini‟s claim.”

“You wouldn‟t be doing this for Enrico Montini,” Nate said, “you‟d be doing it for Gabriella.

And me,” he added pointedly.

“All things considered, it seems to me this is the least you can do.” Sterling had been told of Quint‟s involvement with the seals and was not pleased with his brother‟s actions.

Quint glared at his younger brother. “If you‟re not back, I have no intention of presenting…” He gritted his teeth. “The Montini seal.”

“If I‟m not back, you‟ll have no seal to present.” Nate shook his head. “I‟m not letting the seal out of my sight.”

Quint crossed his arms over his chest. “How am I expected to prepare an argument for the

validity of an artifact without the artifact in question?”

“You‟ll have it until I leave for Dover, and I can give you the impression.”

Quint narrowed his eyes. “You don‟t trust me.”

“I trust you with my life.” He met his brother‟s gaze directly. “I always have.”

Quint studied him for a long moment, then shrugged. “I‟ll do what I can.”

“Nate, is there any other way we can be of assistance?” Sterling asked.

“We?” Quint muttered.

“Yes,” Nate said. “I don‟t like leaving her, but apparently I‟m not permitted to see her. The doctor says she will be fine physically. But even though we have the seal, I‟m not certain she isn‟t still in danger. Muldoon will be here and he has protected her for much of her life. Still, I would feel better—”

“Of course.” Sterling nodded. “We will make certain she is kept safe. Anything else?”

“I don‟t know.” Nate absently paced in front of the desk. This wasn‟t enough. Regardless of what his mother and Miss Henry thought, if he missed that meeting, Gabriella would never

forgive him. No reunion could ever make up for it. He would need to do something to make it right. Some sort of grand gesture. Something unexpected to absolve him and capture her heart.

The vaguest of plans took shape with every step.

“Perhaps,” he nodded thoughtfully. “But I shall need the help of…of an intrepid earl and a daring smuggler king.”

Sterling grinned. “As ever we ever have and ever will be.”

Quint looked from one brother to the other, then smiled reluctantly. “Brothers, one for the other.”

“One for the other.” Nate grinned.

It was still a very good pact.

Twenty-eight

Caroline,” Mother called with an enthusiastic wave.

Lady Danworthy stared for a moment, then smiled, and made her way toward them through the

crowd on the Dover pier. “Millicent!” The two women embraced. “What on earth are you doing here? Are you on your way to Paris? Wait until you see the gowns we purchased. They are

magnificent. But then if you‟re going to Paris, you‟ll be visiting Mr. Worth‟s establishment yourself.”

“I‟m not going to Paris,” Mother said. “I have come here to meet you.”

“Why how very kind of you, and most unexpected.” Lady Danworthy‟s brow furrowed. “My