Page 49 of Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
She sprinted through the village streets, clutching the wrinkled regrets in one hand and panic in the other while simultaneously whispering a fervent wish.Let Gabriel be in the garden.Let her reach the manor before the knock came at the door.
She didn’t stop even as the silhouette of Ravenfell came into view at the end of the road.It rose ahead of her, dark and looming as it always had, utterly unaware of the storm that was about to crash through its front door.
But as she crested the hill, and the driveway came into full view, she skittered to a halt.
The storm had already arrived.
A sleek black carriage stood parked in front of the manor, its wheels glistening from the road.A footman opened the door as the passengers exited.Laughter echoed on the drive.One of the voices unmistakably her aunt.
No.
Her stomach dropped to her shoes.Sweat dampened her dress and her hair stuck to the back of her neck.She watched, horrified, at what was unfolding before her.
Gabriel stood in the doorway, his face unreadable.His body was stiff, his shoulders square, his jaw tight.Her aunt looped her hand through the arm of the tall, blond man in a pristine coat of dark navy as she chattered away, fluttering her lashes and looking utterly ridiculous.
Victoria couldn’t move.The letters drifted from her hand, scattering on the ground, as a sick feeling crept up her throat.
She was frozen in place, unable to take one more step, and thankful no one saw her standing there, terror rising like a knot in her throat.
Gabriel stepped aside and motioned for them to enter the manor.Her aunt tittered something.The blond man—who must be the earl—followed her, disappearing inside.And Gabriel, pausing there in the doorway to glance toward the carriage in disdain, finally turned and closed the front door.
Victoria bent to pick up the letters before they blew away in the wind.She knew she had to face her fate.She knew she had to go into the manor, but gods, every part of her recoiled from it.
Steeling her nerves, she shoved the letters into her pocket and walked to the manor.She pushed open the door, the sunlight slashing across the floor, elongating her shadow.Voices came from the parlor.The faint clank of dishes in the kitchen.
Rather than face her aunt and the earl, she decided to face Gabriel first.To explain.But what explanation could she give him?She knew this arrival was a likely event by the first letter her aunt sent.Her hope was the idea would die when Victoria didn’t answer.
In the kitchen, Gabriel prepared a tea tray.When he heard her enter, he spun to face her.
Fury was written all over his face.
It made her shrink away.To step back.Facing her aunt did not seem so daunting now as she and Gabriel stared each other down.
“Did you know?”His voice was hard as stone.
“I-I…” She dragged in a breath, ragged and unsteady, and started again.“Aunt Eloise mentioned she wanted me to meet someone, but I never thought she’d come here.”
“And that someone being this man who has invaded my house.”
She blinked, unsure how to respond to that.Then her own fury boiled.“Yourhouse?I believe Ravenfell is my inheritance.And I never wanted her to come here.I only received the letter this morning.She must have posted it after she sent the first.I would have told you beforehand, but they were already here.”
His jaw clenched as he turned away to remove the boiling kettle from the stove.“They can’t stay.”
“They aren’t.”She clenched her fists.
“They want to stay for luncheon.”
This sounded like an affront.As though their visit and demand to remain for luncheon was an imposition.Perhaps it was.The house hadn’t welcomed guests in years.She wondered how long it would tolerate this visit.
His hands worked in methodical movements as he poured the boiling water in the teapot.She watched as he placed cups, creamer, and sugar bowl on the tray, then picked it up.
“Gabriel, I’m sorry.”
“So am I.”
He said nothing else as he brushed by her and exited the kitchen.
Following him was her only option.She headed out of the kitchen, across the foyer, and into the parlor where her aunt chattered endlessly about nothing.The earl sat on the edge of a chair, a tight smile on his face.Gabriel placed the tea service down on the low table just as Victoria entered the room.
