“Well…we spoke with the stable hand,” the maid said. “Apparently she took a horse out a few hours ago.”
Of course, she had.
Gabriel gritted his teeth in frustration and barely suppressed anger. There was no question in his mind as to where his niece had gone, especially after that argument. But hadn’t he told her that if she wanted to see Lady Agnes, she ought to speak to him about it? That he would make the arrangements?
She must have believed things were different now that our courtship has come to an end.
He didn’t know that he could blame her for thinking so, really. Thingsweredifferent. Given his way, he would not have taken her to see Lady Agnes now. He was more concerned that the two of them ought to cut ties with one another. He was worried that she was too interested in Lady Agnes, that they were too close. And yet, if she really did want to see Lady Agnes, Gabriel would have taken her rather than have her go on her own like this.
There was only one thing to do, of course.If I don’t intervene, it’s as likely as not that I won’t see her again until tomorrow.
“Have a horse made ready for me,” he said, rising to his feet. “I’m going to bring her back.”
Dinner was just going to have to wait.
Coming face to face with Lady Agnes, after all that had happened between them, hit Gabriel like a knife to the gut. For a moment,looking at her was more than he could bear, and he almost forgot how to breathe.
She stared back at him, frozen where she sat, clearly waiting for him to speak first, but he couldn’t. What could he possibly say?
Finally, he overcame the lump in his throat. “Lady Agnes,” he said. “You’re…looking well.”
She wasn’t, actually. Her face was pale, and she had dark circles under her eyes, just as she had the day he’d kissed her. But she looked even worse now than she had then. Was her illness growing worse? Or was this something else, perhaps not an illness at all? Maybe she was having trouble sleeping lately. Lord knew he was.
She rose slowly to her feet. “Your Grace,” she said, her voice wavering. “Why…what brings you here?”
“You must have known that I would come,” he said.
She shook her head. “No. I had no idea. I thought…well, our business is concluded.” She swallowed visibly. “And I wasn’t exactly courteous to you the last time we met.”
“No, you weren’t,” he agreed, a lump rising in his throat. “But still…it’s for Helena’s sake that I come here tonight, not yours or mine. You know there’s nothing more important to me than Helena.”
Her whole demeanor shifted. The tension left her, and her face softened. “Of course I know,” she said. “Is there something the matter with Helena? You don’t have her with you, do you? I’m happy to see her, to speak to her, if there’s something I can do to be of help.”
Gabriel frowned. “What do you mean, is she withme?” The hair on the back of his neck rose. “I thought…I mean, I assumed she would be with you, Agnes.” In his agitation, he forgot that she had asked for formalities. “Do you mean to tell me that she isn’t here?”
“No, she isn’t.” Agnes rose to her feet. “I haven’t seen her since you and I ended our arrangement…but what do you mean? Is she missing?”
“She left home hours ago,” Gabriel said, his hands trembling ever so slightly at this new and unwelcome information. “I assumed she had come here. Please don’t lie to me out of some impulse to protect her. I’m very worried. I just want to know where she is.”
“No, Gabriel.” Her voice was soft with understanding. “I would never lie to you about this. I would never conceal her from you. I know that things between you and I have been less than pleasant as of late, and I’m sorry for that, but you must know that I wouldn’t try to keep you away from Helena for anything in the world.”
He let out a sigh. “I know that,” he said. “I trust you, Agnes.”
It was a surprise to him to realize how true it was. In a moment like this, it was easy to see everyone around him as a threat. An enemy. He knew he had been unduly harsh on his staff, even though they hadn’t done anything wrong. But standing here with Agnes, he felt no anger. He only felt reassurance. She would help him if she could find a way to do it. He did trust her.
“I just don’t know what could have happened,” he whispered, fear overtaking him.
Agnes put a hand on his arm. “What did happen?” she pressed. “She didn’t just leave the house for no reason. What led up to it?”
“We had an argument.” Guilt settled like a stone in his stomach. “She was angry with me. I implied that she didn’t understand matters of the heart.”
“When of course she feels that she does,” Agnes murmured. “Especially since she’s recently fallen in love.” She paused for a moment. “Have you spoken to the young man? The solicitor’s son?”
“Do you think I need to? That she might have told him something that would help here?”
“Gabriel, I think she might bewithhim,” Agnes said. “If she wanted to run from her uncle and into the arms of someone else, it stands to reason that she would go to the man she believes she loves. It seems the most obvious place to begin our search, at any rate.”
He looked at her. “Our search?”