For now, it was his job to get him to marry him and for them to stay off of Von Donore’s radar.
Gamble had to keep him safe.
That was the bottom line.
As they got back on their horses, Poe was curious, so he went there.
“And it doesn’t freak you out that you’re going to be a Duke?” he asked. “You know, if we get married?”
“If?” Gamble asked.
Poe laughed.
“I mean, you didn’t ask. You just mentioned. That seems to be a Gamble issue, not a Poe issue. Take that up with him.”
At his words, Gamble was curious.
“If I asked, say, sometime soon, would you definitely say yes to the question?” he inquired nonchalantly.
Poe shrugged.
“I don’t know. Ask and find out,” he said, winking at him. “I do know that you shouldn’t be getting milk for free from the cow. You should put a ring on the Heffer, and in this case, I’m said Heffer. In case you were curious.”
Gamble actually laughed.
How could he not?
“Well, I’ll keep that in mind,” he stated. “Care to show me the rest of the estate? I’m curious about what’s inside the castle. I’ve never been in one before.”
Poe was good with that.
Honestly, he was giddy with the idea that this man gave up his whole life, and was more than willing to start a new life here with him.
That was exciting.
It almost made him forget that he’d had a life back home that he loved.
In America.
Where he lived.
Thankfully, he had dual citizenship, and could come and go as he wished. Gamble would too if they married.
Well, Arthur Doyle would.
As they rode on, he pointed out certain places in the estate that might interest Gamble.
There was a big pond.
“And that is the place Diablo and Hemmingway got into trouble all of the time. You’ll find that if you stand in front of it, and Diablo is near, you’re going in.”
He grinned.
“Want to take a dip with me, Doctor?” he asked, knowing it wouldn’t be the first time he and Poe went swimming in a pond. “We can skinny dip.”
He laughed.
While that was intriguing, and he would love to see a naked Gamble dripping with water, he knew the truth.