Page 12 of Tempted By the English Marquis
Gideon managed a brief nod in response. Words had got suddenly stuck in his throat. He hadn’t been this emotional since the day he’d left home to commence his studies at Oxford.
Pull yourself together. You have only known her for a short time.
“I am sure the marquis has other things to do with his time than make the journey all the way to Italy. Come, we must get on board. The captain is wishing to sail,” said Matteo.
Stirring from his emotional state, Gideon offered Matteo his hand. “Safe travels, my friend,” he managed to say.
A loud sob of anguish came from behind him, and Gideon had to set aside his own concerns and come to Augusta’s aid. He drew her into his embrace, and she buried her face in the folds of his woolen coat.
Matteo took hold of Serafina’s hand and led her toward the gangplank. Gideon’s gaze followed their progress up the wooden walkway and onto the ship. A figure on deck waved to him. Count Nico de Luca was already on board and ready to sail, no doubt impatient to return home to his wife.
When they stepped onto the ship, Matteo let go of Serafina’s hand and went to his cousin. Serafina came over to the side rail. Resting her hands on the top, she looked down at him. Gideon, who was still holding onto Augusta, met her gaze.
All the excuses he had made about why he shouldn’t pursue a relationship with this young woman flittered through his mind. And all those logical reasons that had made perfect sense now revealed themselves to be nothing but lies.
“Serafina,” he whispered.
Her lips moved. Was she calling out to him? Or just wishing him and his sister a fond farewell?
A loud cry from somewhere on the deck of the ship tore his attention away. The gangplank suddenly shifted and was hauled up and onboard the boat.
Augusta drew out of his embrace, and her head turned toward theCaelian.She waved at Serafina, and her friend offered a small wave in return.
They were yards apart, but even at this distance, Gideon could tell that Serafina’s eyes were focused on him. She slowly shook her head, and his heart stirred in his tight chest.
He touched a finger to his lips, then held his hand out, sending a kiss across the air to her. Serafina placed her hand over her mouth and screwed her eyes closed. Her shoulders shook as she wept. When she opened her eyes once more, she sent Gideon’s kiss back to him.
As the boat drew away from the dockside, Augusta buried her head in her hands and continued to weep. But Gideon’s gaze remained locked with Serafina’s.
Parting was always such sweet sorrow, but what made his anguish that much worse was the fear that he had just made the greatest mistake of his life. He had been a fool not to have been paying enough attention during the game of charades last night. He had let the bird in his hand go free.
The ship drew away from the dockside, and Serafina was gone.
ChapterSeven
Early December, 1817
One year and two months later
London
“Make way. Move. Please. I am in a frightful hurry.”
The crowd parted as Lord Richard Kembal dashed through the foyer of the elegant Duke Street mansion. When one poor guest didn’t quite move out of the way fast enough, the Duke of Mowbray’s second son shouldered him aside.
“Sorry. Terribly sorry,” called Richard.
In truth, he wasn’t. The concerns of others were not his problem. Finding his brother, the Marquis of Holwell, was all that mattered.
Reaching the main ballroom, he stopped.
People. Why do these social events have to be such a crush?
Locating Gideon was going to take time. Time wasn’t something he had. This was an emergency.
“Richard, how are you, dear boy?”
He gave a disinterested nod of greeting to an old school chum before pressing on. The only thing Richard did have in his favor was his deep knowledge of his brother’s habits. On any given night of the week, Gideon could be found in one of half-a-dozen places.
