Page 84 of The Insufferable Duke
“You are not the strongest fellow in the world, brother,” Christopher pointed out with a small smile.
“I could try.”
“These doors are made of old heavy oak. That would be difficult for any man to break down. No, we need the key.” He nodded his head at Gibbs. “So, he must be persuaded to give it up.”
“I am waiting for your apology, Gibbs.” Benjamin waved a hand at Gibbs, still none the wiser to their conversation about the locked room. “I need it if I am to forgive what you have done today.”
“I am sorry, truly,” Gibbs said in a rush. “I know it doesn’t look good —”
“That is all you can say!?” Benjamin asked, his tone wilder now.
“No, no. There is much more I can say.”
“How about starting with something else?” Christopher called, cutting into their conversation. “How about telling us where the key is for Julia’s room, Lord Gibbs?”
“Oh…”
“Oh?” Benjamin jumped to his feet. Clearly, he could no longer hold onto his rage. His face turned bright red, and he kicked the chair back. It clattered to the floor, breaking into pieces. “You locked up my daughter?”
“So that she could have time to think.”
“Give me the key, now.” He thrust his hand forward, the palm upturned.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Gibbs dug a hand into a pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out the key. He thrust it into Benjamin’s hand without another moment’s hesitation. Benjamin tossed the key through the air to Helena. She caught it and rushed back out of the room, hastening up the stairs again.
Reaching the landing, she thrust the key into the lock of the door and turned it. Downstairs, she could hear another argument developing between Gibbs and Benjamin. Continuously, Gibbs argued he did it for the right reasons, and Benjamin lost his temper now, pointing out that Gibbs’ actions were flawed, and he was too blind to see it.
The moment the door was unlocked, the door was thrust open. Julia appeared on the other side. Her fine hair, which had been tangled into an updo that morning, had fallen down around her ears. In one hand, she still clutched onto the bouquet she had been holding onto before though many of the flower heads were missing.
“Helena!” She flung herself at Helena.
“Julia — oh!” They nearly tumbled down the stairs at the strength and suddenness of Julia’s embrace. Helena laughed and turned the two of them away from the stairs, holding onto her sister.
“Are you all right?” she asked, pulling herself back far enough, so she could push the curls of Julia’s hair back from her face.
“I’m fine.” Julia nodded then sighed with exaggeration. “Gibbs has lost his marbles, I fear.”
“It is not that grave. He has just been a fool, a great fool indeed.”
From Julia’s wrinkled nose, Helena could tell Julia would not be forgiving her uncle any time too for what he had done. Helena could hardly blame her for it as she felt no such charitable feeling herself.
“Your betrothed is waiting downstairs for you.”
Julia smiled broadly and released her, heading for the stairs. She still clutched desperately to the bouquet as she hurried down. Helena followed close behind.
As her sister appeared in the front room, Lord Thrillryde moved suddenly. He stepped around his brother and ran toward Julia, embracing her. Julia clung back to him with equal fervor with her arms wrapped around his neck. At last, she dropped the bouquet, and the last of the petals fell to the floor.
Helena smiled, watching the two together, then looked at her father. She half suspected Benjamin to be striding forward and pulling Robert off his daughter, but he did no such thing. Instead, he stood there smiling, watching the two of them together.
“You see what you could have divided?” Benjamin asked, turning back to Gibbs and striking him across the back of the head though it was really only a tap.
“Ow,” Gibbs said pointlessly anyway and rubbed the back of his head.
“Look at the two of them!”
Helena stood against the nearest wall, smiling as she watched the reunion. Once Lord Robert and Julia were done embracing, he took her hand and kissed the back, more than once. They spoke repeatedly in hushed whispers, with him asking her many times how she was. She spoke too of how sad she had been, fearing that he might have thought she willingly left him which she assured him would never have happened.
