Chapter 25
The sudden silence in the room was deafening. Abby looked from the pale-faced man in the bed to her brother, who was now hurrying toward the door.
“Not one more step, Gabriel!” He didn’t turn, but he did stop at her words. “Now please explain that statement to me further, Mr. Dillinger?”
“It is not complicated, Lady Abigail. I wish to offer my congratulations for your upcoming nuptials.” His expression was blank, but the hand clapped around the mug was white-knuckled. Clearly, he was not as impassive as he wanted her to believe.
“I am not to be married.” She looked from the pale man who had stumbled into her arms earlier to the man who had been there the day she took her first breath.
“Please do not lie to me, my lady.” The words drew her eyes back to Daniel.
Her heart had nearly stopped when she’d found him staggering and clearly ill in the hallway. It had restarted now and was thudding hard. Surely her brothers were not capable of this kind of perfidy? Surely he had misheard.
“I am not lying.” The words seemed stuck in her throat as her head swiveled back to Gabe. Dimity had placed her body in front of the door, blocking his exit. She looked furious, clearly comprehending the situation with far more clarity than Abby had.
“I don’t think your sister wishes you to leave, my lord.”
Gabe was standing toe to toe with Dimity now. “I will remove you should I need to, Dimity,” he gritted out.
“Why do I have a feeling you are behind this, my lord?” Abby’s companion spat out his title. “You and those other worthless Deville brothers.”
“Who told you I was to marry?” Abby said the words slowly, each feeling too hard to form. But form them she must to get to the bottom of this.
“It matters not—”
“Tell me!” She found her voice.
“Don’t yell at me.” He may have looked weak and pale enough to blend in with the sheets, but there was still strength in those words.
“Please tell me who told you I was to marry?”
How could a man who looked capable of being blown over in a stiff wind be still so appealing? Leaning closer, she raised the mug in his hand and forced him to take several mouthfuls, hoping that would put color back in his cheeks.
“My brother Oliver told me. Your brothers paid him a call and told him you were to wed. It’s as it should be. You will marry into a noble family and live the life you were born to live.” The words were spoken carefully, almost as if they had been rehearsed.
“It is not true.” She held his eyes. “I am not pledged to anyone. How could you believe that of me… that I…” She couldn’t finish that sentence, as suddenly the wonderful flood of anger was filling her body. Turning, she moved to where Gabe stood, understanding now who was behind these lies.
“How dare you speak lies about me!”
“Abby, let me explain. I didn’t say exactly that you were to wed—”
“What exactly did you say then, because clearly Daniel’s brother believed I was betrothed!”
“His name is Mr. Dillinger,” Gabe bit out.
“Answer the question, Gabriel.”
He didn’t want to; she could see that he was trying to come up with any plan to avoiding doing just that. But not this time. He would not talk himself out of this one.
“Tell me.”
“All right. I said you were promised to someone.”
She backed away from him. She’d known what he was capable of; after all, he was her brother, but she’d never believed him devious. Never believed he would stoop as low as this, not when dealing with her at least.
“Why?” The word was wrenched from Abby. “What possible reason could induce you to say such a thing?”
Gabe’s eyes went from her to Daniel, and then she knew. Her brothers had seen how she felt about the man lying in the bed behind her. Abby closed her eyes briefly. When they opened, she turned to face Daniel.
“I’m sorry.” The fight left her, and in its place was sadness. “It seems you have been lied to by all of the Deville siblings now.” “Abby.” Daniel reached for her hand, but she pulled away.
“Excuse me, I need to leave.” She walked past her brother, keeping tight control on the emotions. He grabbed her wrist, but she shook herself free.
“Let me explain, Abby.”
“I don’t like you very much at the moment, Gabriel. I’m not sure I ever will again.” Her words made him flinch, but he did not try to detain her again. Dimity stepped to one side and opened the door.
She kept walking until she reached the stairs. Making her way down, she found the proprietor at his desk.
“Can I help you, my lady?”
“I would like a bottle of spirits, I do not mind as to what, delivered to my room at once, please.”
She didn’t wait for a reply, simply walked back up the stairs to the room she shared with Dimity. Her friend was seated before the fire.
“I can’t speak yet,” Abby stated as calmly as she could. She then paced around the small room. Five across and five back. Movement was what she needed, anything to outrun the pain that was choking her now that the anger had eased.
Dimity answered the knock and took the tray the maid held minutes later.
“Did you order this?” She placed it on the bed.
“I did. I felt the need.”
“Well, you’ll be safe in here, and likely have a terrible headache in the morning, but considering what that vermin you call brother did, I completely understand why you wish to drink yourself into oblivion.” Dimity poured the spirits into two small glasses. “However, I would caution that you will feel better with just sips, and perhaps after a few you will have calmed down. Trust me. I drank more than I should once, and the outcome was not pleasant for several days.”
Abby took the glass and did as her friend said.
