A knock sounded at the door the next moment. Gabriel quickly walked towards the door and opened it slowly.
As expected, the housemaid stood on the other side. She curtsied and then handed him the items he had requested. “Your Grace, the blankets and towels.”
Gabriel nodded and took them all from her swiftly. “That would be all for now. You may go.”
However, for what seemed like an extended second, the maid craned her neck a tad too much before curtsying again. “Your Grace.”
“Do you need something in there?” Gabriel asked sharply, raising an eyebrow.
The panic and fear that flashed across the maid’s face was a cause for empathy. “N-no, Your Grace, I?—”
“Leave, and do not say a word,” he ordered, just as thunder boomed again, as though the earth agreed with him.
From where she sat, Evelina watched the maid scurry out of sight, her heart pounding in her chest.
He’s truly a man of his word.
The thought made color rise to her cheeks again, and she looked away as Gabriel closed the door once more.
Gabriel’s footsteps echoed through the room. When she looked up, she found him standing right before her, his tall frame looming over her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she gulped, feeling her heart rate quicken again.
“Here.” Seeming to sense her nervousness, Gabriel dropped the towels on her legs and then quickly moved away, returning to stand by the fire.
“Thank you,” she breathed.
Evelina tried to push down the disappointment that filled her at his distance. It was crystal clear that they were both walking on eggshells, knowing now what would happen if they did not.
With her heart still racing, she struggled to regain her composure amidst the awkward tension that now hung between them. With breath coming in short puffs again, she attempted to steady herself.
Her gaze drifted to Gabriel once again, his frame silhouetted against the flickering flames.
The sight of his drenched, powerful, masculine form outlined by the firelight sent a surge of heat through her veins, threatening to unravel her once more.
Fighting to regain her focus, she tore her eyes away from him, her need for him and her sense of propriety battling within her.
What is going on with you? Get a hold of yourself.
“I still cannot believe you acted so irresponsibly, Miss Balfour.”
His voice pulled her out of her trance.
He pivoted to face her, his brow furrowed in a mix of concern and frustration. “It was entirely reckless of you. You should know the dangers of wandering alone in the dark,andmore so during a storm. You could have fallen ill, or worse, been in grave danger out there all by yourself.”
Evelina hung her head and tightened her arms around the puppy.
Gabriel studied her for a moment, then shook his head and turned back to the fire. “You were supposed to be in bed, sleeping through the storm like any other lady would.”
“Yes, I know,” she murmured, her voice quavering slightly as cleared her throat, her eyes downcast. “I know it was reckless, Your Grace, but?—”
“But what? The dog? It turned out to be quite all right, didn’t it?” he scoffed, gesturing towards the animal snuggling comfortably in her arms. “You stepped outside, risking yourself for an animal who was, dare I say, even more comfortable than you. After all, who’s more drenched at this moment? You or the animal?”
There was not much she could say to that, so she bit her lip and kept her silence. She realized she did not want to argue with him for once. Instead, his concern made her heart race, and she didn’t wish to stress him further.
She raised her head once more to find him squinting down at her, clearly awaiting a response. “His name is Whiskers.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The dog.” She gave him a sheepish look. “He has a name. Whiskers. Eliza named him. If we’re to discuss him, it’s best to?—”
