Page 18 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
We sat again and I told him how Melville had found me by following his sisters to the library. I didn’t mention that he’d captured me. That would upset Gabe, and I didn’t want to do that. It must be enough of a shock knowing the man who’d tried to kill his mother many years ago was the father of his current flame.
It was a very good reason for me not to see Melville again. I didn’t want to encourage him into my life, lest it drove Gabe away. Gabe was too important to me.
He must have been thinking along the same lines. “It’s probably best not to tell Willie that you met,” he said carefully. “At least for a while, until we know for sure if he has changed.”
“It’s unlikely we’ll ever see one another again. We both now have the answers to questions that had concerned us for years, and neither of us have any affection for the other. I’m happy to leave our acquaintance at that one meeting.”
“He’s probably harmless now that Coyle is long gone, and his influence with him. Hendry has lived many years in London, quietly going about his life without being a threat to anyone. There’s no reason to believe that won’t continue.”
I leaned into him, and he placed his arm around my shoulders. “Thanks, Gabe. I knew you’d make me feel better.”
He kissed my forehead. “Glad to be of service.”
I went to kiss him back, but someone made a sound of disgust from the doorway, and I retreated.
Willie strode into the drawing room looking like a storm cloud intent on ruining a picnic. “Do you two have to do that in here?”
Alex followed her, plucking off his driving gloves. “Leave them alone. At least Gabe’s here and didn’t leave the house without an escort.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Gabe said, standing. He held his hand out to assist me to my feet. “We’re going to drive Sylvia back to the library. I want to stay awhile and do some more research.”
Willie made another sound of disgust in the back of her throat. “More reading. Are you trying to kill me with boredom?”
“No more than you’re trying to kill us with your whining,” Alex shot back.
With a sigh, Willie strode out of the drawing room.
“How are your friends?” Alex asked Gabe.
“Fine. It was good to see them, especially Stanley. With all of us together, it gave us an opportunity to try to talk him into returning to hospital. He refused. He said the doctors haven’tgot any new treatments to cure shell shock, and the old ones do more harm than good. It’s hard to argue with that.”
“I’m sure he’ll get better. Give him more time.”
Gabe’s mouth twisted into a sardonic smirk. “Time seems to be the answer to everything.”
Willie continued to voice her opinion about library research as we left the townhouse. Fortunately, a distraction emerged from the back seat of a motor vehicle that pulled to the curb. Unfortunately, that distraction was the imperious Lady Stanhope.
She waved away her driver who’d stepped out to assist her and held out her hands to Gabe. “My dearest Gabriel. How handsome you look.”
“Good afternoon,” he said. “I’m afraid I have business elsewhere. I’ll telephone you later.”
“Pish posh. What’s so urgent that you can’t spare a few minutes for your dear friend?”
Gabe’s polite smile was strained.
Sometimes Willie could be extraordinarily rude. Sometimes that rudeness was a blessing, as it saved others from being the one to cause offence. “You ain’t his friend. You’re an acquaintance at best. State your business so we can all get on with our day.”
Lady Stanhope glanced pointedly at the front door where Bristow stood, waiting for orders.
“Madam?” Gabe prompted.
She clasped his forearm. “What I have to say can’t be discussed over the telephone. I have a plan, you see.”
“A plan?”
Her narrowed gaze fell on Alex, Willie then me. “May we have some privacy?”
“Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of them.”
