Page 57 of Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
A beat of silence, then the room warmed again and the presence of Lenore was gone.He clutched Victoria to his chest, leaning back into the cushions and holding her while she slept.It didn’t matter if she stayed that way the rest of the day.
He wasn’t letting go.Not this time.
Victoria came to her senses slowly.The first thing she was aware of was Gabriel’s arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace.The second was that she appeared to be cradled on his lap.
How in the gods had that happened?
Then it came back to her.The parlor.The mist.The piano.
Lenore.
Her eyes blinked open, but she remained still.She heard his deep, rhythmic breathing.The slow rise and fall of his chest against her ear.
He slept.
And yet, his arms did not relax.
Her hand rested against his chest.His warmth.His fingers were curled around hers, holding her, as though afraid she might escape.With him, she had a sense of safety and security.Even though they were at odds earlier that day, even though he was angry with her, here he was.Holding her.
Without moving, she used her senses to figure out where they were.Not her room.Or his.The sitting room.Where they’d stayed together to wait out the storm and he’d told her about his favorite books.That he liked stories of high adventure with pirates.And she’d told him about the death of her parents.When she had, it was like a weight had lifted.To be able to share it with someone else was a balm to her tattered soul.
The shadows were deep inside the room.As though only one lone candle flickered, casting a pale yellow glow.What time was it?The last thing she recalled was it was early afternoon after the horrible luncheon with her aunt and Lord Charles.And then…the parlor.
She shifted then, unable to hold still any longer.
He startled, his fingers twitching against hers before releasing her.She slipped out of his grasp and settled on the settee next to him, putting distance between them on the velvet cushions.He looked at her with his sleepy-eyed gaze.Confused at first, then clarity came back into his eyes.He started to reach for her, then pulled back his hand.
“Are you…are you all right?”he asked, his voice thick.
“Yes,” she said.
“Would you like tea?”He rose from his prone position, stretching his back.
“No.”She lifted her hand up to him.“Don’t leave.”
He froze there for a moment, unable to move.His gaze landed on her outstretched hand.Finally, he reached for her, clasped it, and lowered back down to the cushion next to her.Closer this time.
He held her hand for a long moment.No sound in the room other than the faint flicker of the candle on the side table.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he murmured.“I should have been.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said.
Gabriel slipped his hand out of hers and rose again.Restless.He picked up a tinder box and walked around the room lighting candles, giving it a warmer glow.She watched his stiff body movements as he struck each match with precision.Lighting first one candle, then the next.
“The room is chilled.I’ll start a fire.”He replaced the tinder box and went to the hearth, kneeling there.
Victoria remained where she was, huddled in the corner of the settee, watching him.Their afternoon argument played through her mind.Things she said, things he didn’t say.She wanted answers.Needed answers.Needed to know what Lenore meant when she saidyou’re part of the bloodline.
“Gabriel…” Her voice was quiet in the gloom, drifting across the space to him.
He paused a moment, his hands stilled holding a log of wood.He waited for her to say something, but she didn’t know what to say.He placed the wood on the pile and then reached for a match.
“I think…” she started again.“I think we need to talk.”
“There is nothing to talk about.”He struck the match and lit the fire.
“Yes, there is.There is a great deal to talk about.”
