She returned to her seat and sank into it, picking up her own cup of tea once more. “You know the way out, then,” she said.
Was he mistaken, or was there a sharp edge to her tone now? It was almost as if she was angry. But why? Nothing that had happened had defied her wishes. She’d wanted that kiss.
He was sure she had.
Perhaps it disappointed her.
Maybe that’s why she’s so eager to put an end to things. I’m sure she’s been thinking about what it would be like to share a kiss with someone for a very long time, and now it’s happened. Maybe it didn’t measure up to her expectations.
He turned. “All right,” he said. “I’ll see myself out.”
He hesitated a moment longer. It felt like there had to be something more to say.
“If Helena wants to see you again,” he managed at last.
Agnes looked up. “Then of course she should,” she said. “She can come by any time, as long as it’s all right with you. You know how fond I am of Helena. Please let her know that she’s always welcome here.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’ll make sure to tell her.”
And then there really was nothing left to say.
He made himself turn and walk out the door before things could become too awkward. He needed distance between the two of them, needed to create a space before the emotion started to show on his face.
Gabriel had always prided himself on being someone who didn’t wear emotion on his face. But there would be no avoiding it right now. It bubbled far too close to the surface, anxious to break free.
He hurried through her house and out the front door, pausing as he went to remember the moment they had just shared right here. They had been dancing, reveling in a soft rain.
Now the rain was coming down harder, and there was no revelry, only bleakness.
Gabriel made it to his carriage and climbed aboard, wet and drained from the intensity of the last few minutes. Had he really just been holding Agnes in his arms a moment ago? That memory was so warm. Now he shivered with cold.
The carriage began to move, drawing him away from her. Away from the strange oasis of happiness they had created together for a few precious weeks, and back to the dull, everyday routines of his regular life.
CHAPTER 30
“Haven’t you had about enough?” Jonathan asked, raising an eyebrow as Gabriel poured himself another measure of scotch.
“Have another one yourself, if you want,” Gabriel said, nudging the bottle toward his friend.
“I don’t want one. That’s not at all what I’m getting at,” Jonathan said. “I don’t want you to drink yourself into a coma here, and leave me and Nathaniel to pick up the pieces.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, he isn’t,” Nathaniel spoke up, not looking up from the book he held open in his lap. “He’s in a bad mood because his betrothed broke off their engagement.”
“We weren’t engaged,” Gabriel growled.
Nathaniel looked up. “But you don’t deny the premise. You’re upset because she ended things.”
“I thought the whole affair was a sham in the first place,” Jonathan said. “You’ve only been spending time with her out of a desire to make an impression on society, isn’t that right? That’s what you told us.”
“And we toldhimthat he was going to develop feelings for her,” Nathaniel pointed out. “We did warn him. He denied it would happen, but I think now he’s starting to realize that he should have listened to us about it. Maybe next time…”
“There isn’t going to be anynext time,” Gabriel said savagely, and took a long drink of his scotch.
“Of course not,” Jonathan agreed. “Not now that you’ve cemented your reputation as dull and stiff. Someone no lady would ever want anything to do with if she had a choice, weren’t those the words in the scandal sheets?”
“Did she actually say that?” Nathaniel’s interest was piqued.