Page 45 of Married to the Icy Duke
Well, you won’t get afullexplanation,Isaac thought wryly.Also, it seems that your eyes and ears aren’t as good as Tristan’s. One ofTristan’slittle watchers would have never let us lose him, not even for a moment.
“I imagine he was quite bored, following us around on a shopping trip,” Isaac shot back, hooking an ankle around a chair leg and pulling it forward to face Gabriel. He sat down with a thump. “I’m sure you aren’t here only to tell me that I spent an unchaperoned few moments with Lady Charlotte. Unless, of course, the infamous Orion himself has descended from his mysterious perch to inform you that an Orion’s sister cannot marry a Devil?”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “This again.”
“I only mean to say that the founders of the Ton’s Devils are well known and not mysterious at all. This fellow should really show himself soon, or else we’ll all start to think that he’s entirely fictitious.”
“Enough,” Gabriel snapped, leaning forward. “No, I am in fact here on a different business. Correct me if I am wrong, but did you or did you not allow Lord Bentley to make a threat against Charlotte?”
Isaac stiffened. “So, you are eavesdropping on our conversations now, too?”
“Gunter’s is open to the public. My fellow is a member of the public. He entered. You didn’t even notice him, did you?”
He hadn’t. It occurred to Isaac that perhaps this spy hadnotlost sight of Isaac and Charlotte and had only chosen to say so to avoid reporting to his master that a Devil had been kissing his sister in broad daylight, in a public park, no less.
If so, he’s a sensible chap. Why did he do it, though? Out of fear of Gabriel? Or perhaps to protect Charlotte?
This was an interesting thought. With her brother as an Orion, the others must know Charlotte passably well. What did they think of her? Were they fond of her? Did they wish to protect her?
If so, they likely wish to get her away from me. Unless, of course, they have hopes there themselves.
A stab of jealousy tightened Isaac’s insides together. It was entirely plausible that one, if not more, of the Orions were secretly in love with Charlotte.
Unfortunately for them, she is mine. And I do not care to share.
Clearing his throat, he drew himself back to the present.
“Matthew did not threaten Charlotte,” Isaac shot back.
“He said—and I believe that this is a direct quote—Or what? Tell me, my dear Lady Charlotte. What will you do if I keep on speaking?”
“And you’d call that a threat?”
“I’d call it disrespect,” Gabriel snarled. “I know that you and Lord Bentley have history, and the man certainly has seen his fair share of tragedy, but he cannot be allowed to treat Charlotte in this way. If you allow that kind of disrespect towards your bride-to-be, how will you treat her once you are married?”
Isaac clenched his jaw. “Have a care, Duke. I won’t be spoken to this way in my own house.”
Gabriel scoffed. “This is my sister we are speaking of. I’ll speak however I please.”
Isaac got to his feet, stepping towards Gabriel until he towered over him.
“Perhaps,” he murmured, voice low. “Butnotin my house.”
Gabriel held his eye for a moment, then growled, lifting his hands.
“She is my responsibility,Your Grace,” Gabriel said, his voice clipped. “Mine.”
“And you think I would simply allow a man—even one with Lord Bentley’s connections to my family—speak to her in a disparaging way?” Isaac responded softly, his voice quiet and dangerous. “Without consequence?”
Gabriel narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak, Isaac continued.
“Perhaps this spy of yours failed to mention that immediately after this interlude, I took Lord Bentley outside and had a stern word with him.”
Gabriel gave a short laugh. “Oh, astern word? A stern word, you say?”
“Yes, a stern word, because the man is still grieving his brother. He is broken, can’t you see that? His grief …”
“Hisgrief,” Gabriel snarled, leaping to his feet and coming nose-to-nose with Isaac, “is no excuse to threaten my sister. If you allow such things to happen, I am afraid I will have to demand satisfaction some other way.”
