Page 72 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
“Gabe, you have to be prepared for the worst. If he tries to kidnap you again, Alex, Willie and Cyclops will stop at nothing to release you. Nor will I.”
He nodded again, even more grim-faced. He understood that Stanley probably wouldn’t survive if he jeopardized Gabe’s life a second time. “The thing is,” he said, “that may be the whole point. He could be counting on retaliation. Hoping for it, even.”
He finished his steak then set aside the tray. I poured him a glass of water from the jug and made him drink all of it then made him drink another. I refilled the glass and reached across him to place it on the bedside table nearest him. Once the glass was safely put down, he circled his arm around my waist and drew me on top of him.
He stroked my hair back and kissed me again. This time it was soft and tender, although no less confident. He harbored no doubts about his own feelings toward me, just as he harbored none about my feelings for him. In anyone else, it would be arrogant. On him, the self-confidence was natural.
After a moment, I could tell something was on his mind and drew back. “Go on, Gabe. Say it.”
“With Thurlow and the Hobsons free, I don’t want you returning to your place. You should stay here. Alex said there are constables at the front and back doors.” He searched my face. “Please stay, Sylvia. I’m too weakened to worry about you, and I will worry if you’re not here with me.” It was the occasional vulnerable moments like this that stopped him from being arrogant. If I harbored any more doubts about staying, these moments would have banished them completely.
“I suppose I’d better, since I don’t want Willie blaming me for making you unwell.”
He cupped my face and kissed me.
A knock on the door separated us. I scooted off the bed and self-consciously adjusted my skirt and blouse. Gabe bade his visitor to enter.
The door crashed back on its hinges and Alex’s three younger sisters barreled inside, followed by their mother, Catherine, at a more modest pace. I could tell from her face that she was no less relieved to see him well. Indeed, I suspected she’d been crying.
Lulu, the youngest at seventeen, was still crying as she threw her arms around Gabe. Mae, the middle sister, allowed her only a few seconds before she told Lulu to move aside. Ella, the toughest of the trio and policewoman in training, stood with hands on hips as she waited for her turn. When she finally hugged Gabe then pulled away, she wiped her nose on her sleeve.
Mae pulled a face. “That’s disgusting. It’s no wonder you don’t have any suitors.”
Lulu gasped. “Are you crying, Ella? Look everyone, Ella iscrying. Sheisa real person and not an automaton.”
Ella gave her sister a withering glare. “Shut up.”
“All right, that’s enough,” Catherine chided. “You’ve all seen that he’s well, now let him rest.
They filed out, joining Alex where he stood in the corridor.
Catherine stayed. She hugged Gabe fiercely. “I am very glad you’re all right, but I’m not looking forward to telling Matt and India what happened.”
“They don’t have to know.”
“If you think Nate and I are going to keep something so important from them, you don’t know us at all.” She handed him the glass from the bedside table. “Tilda says you need to drink lots of water.”
“Sylvia just made me drink two glasses.”
She continued to hold it out, so he gave in and drank. When he finished, she put the empty glass back on the table and tucked in the sheet under the mattress where it had come loose.
“Is Cyclops here?” Gabe asked.
Catherine continued tucking the sheet, shoving it again and again under the mattress, even though it was perfect the first time. “He’s looking for your respective kidnappers.” She smoothed the bedcovers beside him, flattening the wrinkles I’d created. “Speaking of which, Nate and I think you should stay here, Sylvia. I know India and Matt would approve, so you don’t have to worry about how it looks.”
“She has already agreed,” Gabe said, watching Catherine vigorously whip her hand across the perfectly flat bedcovers.
“Good. Now, did Alex tell you there are constables at the front and back doors?”
“He did.”
“I see you’ve eaten all of your breakfast.” With the bedcovers smoother at Gabe’s side than even Mrs. Bristow managed to get them, Catherine returned to tucking in the sheet under the mattress.
“Nurse Tilda threatened me with a lecture from Willie if I didn’t,” Gabe said.
“Good for her. I like her a lot.”
Gabe caught her hand. “Catherine, I’m all right.”
