Page 27 of The Heir's Fortune
“I never should have sent her away,” he said in a low voice, the shame of that decision still haunting him. “That night… after Mother found Cassandra in her state of undress, she was determined that something must be done. She didn’t want my father to know and I was the last person to have any idea of how to deal with a willful young woman. Cassandra is only two years younger than I.”
“So…”
He let out a heavy sigh. “So we went to those who had advised us all my life.”
“The men who lost all of your family’s wealth.”
He let out a humorless laugh. “Those would be the ones. Of course, we didn’t know it at the time.”
“Yet still, you allowed others to settle Cassandra’s fate. She is yoursister.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “And I would do anything to take it back but I cannot change the past. Instead, I have done all I can to improve her future.”
“Then why did you make it so difficult for her to marry your best friend?”
“I had no issue with her marrying Devon until I found out he was the one who had ruined her,” Gideon said, leaning his head back to look up at the few stars that twinkled through the trees. “It was all a mad miscommunication. But, thankfully, they have both forgiven me and one another and we have moved on from it.”
She made a strangled sound, and his arm tightened ever so slightly.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.”
He realized what it was, and it made his heart sink even lower. “You hate me for it.”
“I do nothateyou?—”
“I understand. I hate myself for it too. At least you didn’t lie to me. Now get some sleep.”
“Gideon—”
“Sleep. There is not much time until the light returns and then we will be hastening home.”
“Very well,” she said, and it didn’t take long for her to begin relaxing in his arms, sinking more heavily into him. Gideon was not sure that he would ever be able to sleep, but he would takethese moments of rest and appreciate the beauty of the woman in his arms.
Madeline was never without her opinions, that was for certain. Even if she had nothing to say, there was always the quirk of her lips, a raised eyebrow, or an amused grin at the ready. He had never seen her so defenseless, as trusting as she was in his arms right now.
And he was enjoying it far more than he should be, even with the knowledge of her opinion of him.
He knew that he should be staying alert, to ensure their safety if nothing else.
Then his eyes were closing, and he thought it should be fine if he rested them – just for one moment.
The next thing he knew, he was surrounded by light, although it was a dim light through the misty fog that shrouded them, casting an ethereal glow on the world where they had slept.
They. He looked down at where Madeline was supposed to be lying next to him.
She was gone.
CHAPTER 10
Madeline hummed a sombre tune as she finished splashing cold water from the stream onto her face, the melody matching the atmosphere of the day as an ethereal mist was rising over the water in front of her.
This place was magical.
But then, Castleton always had been, and they had to be nearby.
She was so intent on the peacefulness of her surroundings that she jumped and whirled around at the crack of a fallen tree branch, sighing in relief when she saw that Gideon was standing near, his eyes intent upon her.
