Page 14 of A Duke's Lustful Riddle
Gemma threw her hands in the air, but Gabriel stood firm. Gemma was almost twenty-one and needed to find a husband. He could not be her guardian forever.
The two glared at each other, neither backing down. Their exchange was interrupted by Mrs. Harrow, again. The woman seemingly popped out of nowhere at just the right time. Gabriel tried to hide his irritation.
“Your Grace,” Mrs. Harrow called out as she entered the room with a letter. “This was left for you and Lady Gemma by your father. He left it for me to give to you, once you were together.”
Gabriel took the letter from Mrs. Harrow’s hand, confused as to why she would wait so long to give him the letter.
He recognized the scrawl on the front.
The front of the letter hadTo Gabriel and Gemmawritten on it, and the back had the seal of Ashbourne imprinted in red wax.
It was clearly from his father.
“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” Gemma pondered aloud.
Gabriel glanced at Gemma and saw an eager look in her eye. One that made his entire body light up. He hoped that whatever this letter held, it would keep that light burning without end. She looked so innocent and alluring at the same time.
“Very well,” Gabriel opened the letter and read it out loud.
“My dearest Gabriel and Gemma. I know my death must have taken quite the toll on you both. I’m sorry to have left you too soon. You both mean the world to me and because I want my memory to live on in the two of you, I have hidden something within the estate.
Something of great importance that you will both want and need. It is my hope that working together, you will be successful in the search, and it will bring you both immense joy. This letter contains the first clue to begin the hunt.
Clue One: Here a mystery awaits where foliage can be found. Look towards the water. Look towards the ground.”
Gabriel’s brow furrowed while Gemma’s face stayed lit up with excitement.
“What do you think is hidden? Some sort of treasure?” Gemma asked. Her voice was full of emotion and anticipation. Her eyes sparkled with pleasure.
Gabriel stared at the letter, wondering what on Earth his father was thinking.
“Nothing. This is absolute nonsense. Father’s mind was deteriorating, and this is just the result of his illness. There is no treasure.” Gabriel folded the letter and stuffed it in his jacket pocket, intending to ignore it all together. Hogwash is what it is, he thought.
“But Gabriel, your father left this letter for us. It must mean something,” Gemma prodded. “May I see it, at least?”
Gabriel could feel anger rising up his spine as he looked into Gemma’s young and childlike face.
She wanted to believe that his father had left something behind for them because she was naive and hopeful, but Gabriel knew it wasn’t true. It would just hurt them to get their hopes up.
“It means nothing. There is no need to be foolish here.” Gabriel responded gruffly.
Gemma’s face fell and a look of shock overcame her expression.
Gabriel had nothing left to say. But he nevertheless relented and handed her the letter without a word, and exited the library angrily, and made his way to his bed chambers. He intended to forget this whole thing.
As he entered his bedchamber, his mind wandered to the look of shock on Gemma’s face. It was not entirely silly to say that his father’s mindset at the time that he wrote the letters could be reason enough to ignore them, was it? Why had she looked mortally wounded at his comments?
He found himself incessantly reflecting on his clash with Gemma over his father’s letter. Despite mounting frustration, Gabriel was intrigued by her spirited defiance.
Yet, she was his ward, not an object of his desires. He would do well to remember that he was responsible for Gemma. His new role in Gemma’s life appears complicated.
He may want her right now but his relationship as her guardian has put him at odds with his feelings. The impropriety of a match between him and Gemma would have the tongues of society wagging at afternoon teas. He could not put her through that. Not to mention his own reputation would fall short, branding him a cad. Business dealings would be affected.
No, a relationship between them would not do and he would do well to keep his feelings in check. For both their sakes. His focus would be on finding Gemma a husband this season, even if it killed him. Whether she wants to or not, Gabriel was determined to have her wed by the end of the season.
He turned his focus to the welfare of the estate. That was, after all, why he was there. Not to moon over a young woman he practically grew up with and bond over some scavenger hunt his father’s addled brain came up with. The estate was crumbling all around him and needed immediate attention.
His title required much from him right now. With this in mind, he put young Gemma from his mind. Much to be done indeed, he thought as he strode purposefully from his chambers.
