Page 33 of Lily and the Duke
“You are in love with her.”
“What?” Gabriel glared at Hellsmere.
“The fact that your concern was instantly and only for Lily Tremayne’s reputation and feelings, rather than your own, tells me that you are in love with her.”
Gabriel swallowed. “I—”
“I apologize for my previous lack of perception on the matter,” the other man added as he sat forward in his chair. “I had not realized how deep your regard was for the lady. But I am aware of it now, and it is because I am that I no longer believe ending your association with her is the right thing to do.”
Gabriel scoffed. “Who has done an about-turn now?”
“Before, I spoke like the cynical fool that I am,” Hellsmere dismissed. “Gabriel, think long and hard before you discard something so precious as love from your life. If you do, I assure you, you will live to regret it.”
The fact that his friend had called him by his first name when offering this advice, something they had not done with each other since they both inherited the title of duke, was indicative of how strongly the other man felt on the subject.
The bleakness he could see in the other man’s eyes and the unhappy turn of his lips implied there was more to this advice than Hellsmere had previously revealed.
“Lucien—”
“I have to go.” The other man rose abruptly to his feet. “I hope you enjoy attending the musical soiree this evening. Give my regards to Lady Tremayne when you see her,” he added before striding briskly from the room.
Gabriel was totally baffled by the abrupt end of their conversation. Never, by word or deed, had Lucien ever given the impression that he suffered an unrequited love for any woman. Yet, his words just now implied that he did.
Had Gabriel been so blinded by his love for Lily—yes, he could call it that in his own thoughts—that it seemed he might have neglected to notice when his best friend had also fallen in love?
If that was the case, then he must do better in future. Both toward his friendship with Hellsmere, and with his obligation to the Prince Regent in seeking out the person in government who was spying for the French.
As for attending the musical soiree this evening, Gabriel was still undecided whether he should make his excuses to Chloe and his aunt and remain at home. Or whether he should attend and see Lily once more before possibly bringing an end to this madness between them.
This indecisiveness was a very uncomfortable admission for a man who had, up till now, always been verydecisivein both his actions and words.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
To say Lily was restless as she listened inattentively to the piano recital given by one of the other young female guests would be to seriously underestimate her state of inner agitation.
Two days and two nights.
That was how long it had been since she last saw or heard from Gabriel.
Two days of accompanying her mother on numerous and tedious visits to the homes of the other ladies of theton.
The reason for the countess’s insistence that Lily accompany her, when normally she preferred to gossip with her friends alone, had become all too obvious when several of those ladies had unashamedly questioned Lily on the subject of her “acquaintance” with the Duke of St. Albans.
Questions to which Lily had sharply replied that her friendship was with that gentleman’s daughter and not the duke himself. She had not liked the knowing look in several of the ladies’ eyes. Or that her mother had only smiled coyly, as if she were inpossession of a secret, as the countess obviously enjoyed being at the center of attention.
It had also been two nights Lily had spent aching and longing to be with and touch Gabriel again. To have him touch her.
But Lily had not received so much as a note from him, let alone a visit or an invitation to meet with him privately, as their last conversation together had indicated they might.
The six young ladies of the Spinsters’ Alliance had attended the second meeting today, at Amanda’s home this time. At which time, Chloe had told them that the duke would be accompanying her to the musical soiree that evening.
Lily was even wearing the sky-blue gown, the exact same shade as Gabriel’s eyes when he was aroused, that he had insisted on having made for her and which had been delivered only that afternoon. It had been her hope that she would be able to thank him for the gift this evening. In private.
It had also been her deepest wish that Gabriel would find as much pleasure in seeing her wearing the fashionable gown he had bought for her as she felt in wearing it.
Unfortunately, the musical soiree was fast approaching the halfway interval for refreshments, and so far, none of the St. Albans family, father or daughter, nor Chloe’s great-aunt, had yet made an appearance.
Which accounted for Lily’s increasing agitation, her thoughts running wild at Gabriel’s noticeable absence. Noticeable to her, at least.
