Page 40 of Scoundrel for Sale
Tiago turned to Abbie. “Now, I do not mean to make it sound like Davenport spent his time in the army chasing after skirts. I can attest to the fact that he did not. But he was the one who drew every female eye when he walked into a room. When it came to women, he was number one, and it was your brother who had to play second fiddle.”
Gabe frowned. “What are you saying?”
“Hart was jealous,” Tiago said. “We think of jealousy as such a low emotion. And I suppose it is, but it is a very human failing. I do not fault him for having those feelings. It seems that he knew they were unworthy, and mostly, he did not act on them.” Tiago shook his head. “It is just unfortunate that, in the one moment he had a lapse, he did not have time to come around, to realize his mistake so he could apologize. Because I know there is no one he esteemed higher than you, Davenport. He thought of you already as his brother. I know he did. And if he could see you today, with clear eyes, see the way you esteem his sister, the way you care for her, then I know there is no one else he would want her to take for her husband.”
Gabe couldn’t seem to tear his eyes from Hart’s grave. “I—I don’t know.”
He sounded unsure.
Unsure was an improvement upon entirely unconvinced, which is how he had sounded just a moment before.
Abbie walked up to Gabe and took his hand. “I think Tiago has the right of it.” She turned to face her brother’s grave. “I love you, Hart,” she said, her voice shaking. “You’re a mutton-headed fool for trying to scare Gabe away from me. But you’re my mutton-headed fool, and I still think you were the best big brother in the world.”
“Yes,” Tiago said. “Good! Come, Davenport.” He grabbed Gabe’s shoulders and spun him so he was facing Hart’s grave. “Now it’s your turn.”
Chapter 18
Gabe found it hard to even look at his best friend’s grave. After nine years in the army, it wasn’t as if he was a stranger to death.
But this was different. This was Hart.
Then there was the fact that he had broken his vow. Even though Abbie’s arguments that it wasn’t for Hart to dictate what happened to her rang true, Gabe found it was much easier to absolve himself of this sin from a hundred miles away in London than it was when he was standing at the foot of his best friend’s grave.
Tiago squeezed his shoulders encouragingly. “Go ahead. Tell him.”
“I feel like an idiot,” Gabe muttered.
“Perhaps it would help if I gave you some privacy.” Tiago retreated to the far side of the churchyard, then gestured for Gabe to proceed.
Gabe sighed as he turned back toward Hart’s headstone. “Hart,” he began, his voice sounding stilted to his own ears. What the hell was he supposed to say? “I—” He gave a huff of frustration. “I was going to say I was sorry I broke my pledge to you. But seeing as I’m standing in a churchyard, I probably shouldn’t lie. I’m not sorry. I’m not sorry in the least.”
He glanced at Abbie and found it was easier to speak when he was looking at her. “You see, I never should have promised that I wouldn’t touch Abbie. I knew even then that I had fallen in love with her. That I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. So I should have refused your request, even on your deathbed.”
A tear slipped from the corner of Abbie’s eye. She wiped it with the heel of her hand before it could streak across her cheek.
But there was adoration in her eyes, mingled with the sadness, and that gave him the strength to soldier on. “I know I’m not the man you wanted for your sister. But I’ll make you a new promise today, one I’ll never regret. I promise to love Abbie, to be faithful to her, and to cherish her always. I promise that I will be everything you could ever want her to have in a husband.”
There was no sound in the churchyard save for the rustling of the wind in the trees.
“That’s all,” Gabe muttered. “Other than…” He still felt absurd, but as long as he was doing this, he might as well go the whole hog.
He drew in a ragged breath and forced the words out before he had time to think better of them. “I love you, too, Hart. I love you like you were my own brother. And I miss you every day. Even if Abbie is right, and you could sometimes be a nog-headed arse.”
He fell silent. He and Abbie both had their heads bowed.
After a moment, Abbie squeezed his hand. Her eyes were bright. “That was good. Really good.” She tilted her head toward the spot where Tiago awaited them. “Come. It’s time to go.”
Gabe nodded. He gave one last mournful look at his best friend’s grave. Now that he had his own estate to attend to, who knew when he would find himself back this way?
But even if he couldn’t visit much in person, he would never forget. He would carry every happy memory he and Hart had ever had with him.
Always.
They had scarcely reached the graveled path when a rustling sound came from the grove of trees behind them.
Gabe glanced over his shoulder.
Beside him, Abbie gasped.
