Page 47 of The Heir's Fortune
Madeline glared at her, but of course, that only brought further attention to the subject.
“A gentleman?” Faith said, sitting up tall in surprise as she blinked at Madeline. “But you have been here at Castleton, have you not, after arriving from your father’s country home? You haven’t been to London for a great deal of time, so who would you—oh. Oh!”
Madeline sighed as realization slowly began to dawn upon all of them.
“Lord Ashford?” Percy said, a grin spreading across her face. “Oh, Madeline, how wonderful! You and Cassandra could be sisters-in-law, and you would live here at Castleton, which is not so far from some of us. Can you imagine, becoming a duchess one day?”
Madeline was holding up a hand, shaking her head and unable to help her wry laugh at how far ahead of themselves the women had gotten.
“You are all too excited about this. Cassandra said a gentleman might have caught my eye, and in that, she is correct. I have…noticedLord Ashford, much more than I used to, now that a few misconceptions have been resolved.”
Cassandra had never fully shared the circumstances of how or when she had been sent away with anyone but Madeline. As far as everyone else was concerned, she had gone to stay with relatives for a time.
Faith was slightly frowning, and Madeline turned to her, interested in what had agitated her about the thought.
“What concerns you, Faith?”
“Nothing at all,” Faith said, especially when Hope obviously knocked her knee into her sister’s leg. “I suppose I just never pictured you with someone like Lord Ashford. But who am I to say, as I am now married to a man completely my opposite?”
Cassandra turned to Faith, her brow furrowed.
“I believe they are perfect for one another.”
“Well, of course, for you would love to have Madeline as part of your family,” Faith countered, never one to hide how she truly felt.
“That may be, but I also want what is best for her, and for Gideon,” Cassandra said, passion behind her words. “And the truth is that Gideon does not need a simpering miss who will only follow orders and try to please him. He needs a strong woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and who can also help him tofeelthings.”
Madeline shifted uncomfortably. “I am not exactly a romantic, Cassandra.”
“Not in a happily-ever-after optimistic sense, no, but you follow your heart, Madeline, as much as you do your head. Gideon needs someone who can draw on that emotion, who can teach him what love is, who can show him that life isn’t just about ledgers and that not everything is right and wrong or black and white but that there is a balance.”
She paused.
“Think of how he and Devon have always been such good friends and yet they are so different from one another. He needed Devon in his life when he couldn’t be the voice for himself. Devon was there to show him not to take life quite so seriously, to help him open up to other people and find some fun, at least at times when he could. Now I think that you would equally balance him out in ways that he needs.”
“And me?” Madeline couldn’t help but ask. “I do understand what you are saying, and I do not think you are wrong, althoughI had never framed it quite like that. But am I to spend the rest of my life showing Gideon who he could be when he needs to have a better understanding of the people around him?”
“He would show you that you are worthy of his love. He would give you everything you need and more. When Gideon loves someone, he loves them fiercely. He doesn’t allow many in, but once you are part of his inner circle, you are never leaving. He will protect you with everything he is, and will provide you with family, and home.”
Madeline kept her eyes focused on the amber liquid in her glass, for she was afraid that if she looked up, she wouldn’t be able to hide the tears that were swimming in her eyes.
She liked the sound of Cassandra’s words – far more than she likely should, especially after Gideon’s confession in the field that very morning.
“What do I do if there is no treasure?” she asked, her voice just over a whisper as she looked around at her friends. “What if he needs to marry someone else who can be there to help restore the family’s fortunes? Then I would just be tossed aside.”
“Gideon feels that if there is no treasure, he will have to marry someone with a large dowry,” Cassandra explained, to which Percy waved a hand.
“He might think that, but would it actually come to it? There are other ways.”
“That is what I said, but Gideon is adamant and Madeline does not want him to ever resent her or his decision,” Cassandra said, with a pitying look at Madeline.
She was aware that Cassandra only wanted what she thought was best, but she also wanted nothing to do with the sympathy that was being sent her way.
“There is only one thing to do,” she said, sitting up straight and finishing off her glass before pasting a smile on her faceand looking around at her friends. “We must finish this treasure hunt and move on.”
Gideon didn’t spenda lot of time in Castleton’s billiards room. Perhaps it was because he had far too much else to do. Perhaps it was because he didn’t particularly like billiards. Or it could have been because the room was a setting from the 1700s. At one point in time, it had been rather opulent, with the large, ornate billiards table, burgundy and green tapestries and rugs, and elegant chandeliers.
Now, however, the leather-upholstered chairs and sofas were cracked, the surface of the billiards table showing its use, and the tapestries faded by sun.
