Page 40 of Alone with a Scarred Earl
James gave him a sympathetic, sheepish look.
“A trusted source witnessed Richard Harrington in a lengthy, clandestine meeting with Charles at a notorious gaming hall,” he said.
Gabriel stilled.
Richard. Genevieve’s cousin.
His understanding, having grown acute, weighed the repercussions with an unyielding, unemotional accuracy.
“Are you quite certain?” he asked. “Is there any chance that your source was mistaken?”
James did not hesitate.
“The source is reliable,” he said with bold certainty.
Gabriel’s pulse did not quicken, nor did his breath change. Externally, he remained composed, but beneath the surface, something dark and burdened curled within him.
“Why would Richard consort with my enemy?” he asked. “Does he not understand that he endangers Genevieve by doing so?”
James met his gaze directly.
“That is the question we need to answer,” he said. “And I believe we should do it sooner than later.”
Gabriel did not move, his grip still firm against the desk, his thoughts already shifting into action. He had anticipated external threats, had braced himself for Charles’s inevitable intrusion into his affairs. But betrayal, especially one that might reach into Genevieve’s own family, added a layer of complexity he had not expected. Cold certainty settled in his chest. He would find the answers. And he would not make the mistake of waiting for more destruction before acting.
***
Sophia’s fingers curled into fists at her sides as she hesitated in front of the study door, her anxiety palpable. Beside her, Genevieve mirrored the tension, though her restraint kept her expression calm. The urgency in the house had been tangible since Gabriel and James had returned earlier that afternoon, their grim expressions confirming the weight of the reports they had gathered. Genevieve had watched Gabriel disappear into his study without a word, his presence casting a shadow over the household as servants murmured uneasily in the corridors.
Sophia drew a breath before knocking, the sound sharp against the heavy wood. The pause that followed was brief but filled with expectation.
“Enter,” Gabriel said without hesitation. The command was terse, his voice clipped, offering no invitation beyond necessity.
Genevieve followed Sophia inside, immediately aware of the charged atmosphere. The room smelled of tobacco and parchment, and the scent of cooling brandy lingering in the air. Maps lay stretched across the desk, weighted by ink bottles and scattered reports. Gabriel stood rigid, one hand braced against the edge of the desk, his other resting near a document between himself and James.
James straightened slightly at their arrival, offering a brief nod. Gabriel did not immediately acknowledge them, his attention still fixed on the papers before him.
Sophia, ever unafraid in her concern, stepped forward, her voice edged with controlled urgency.
“We need to understand what is happening,” Sophia said. Genevieve was impressed by how authoritative her voice sounded. She was clearly not prepared to be dismissed, and Genevieve wondered if she would be, just as Genevieve herself had been.
Gabriel’s gaze lifted, his expression unreadable. The silence that followed held tension, but after a moment, James glanced toward him. With a slight nod from Gabriel, James stepped forward, prepared to summarize the details that had hardened their resolve.
“The situation is no longer confined to speculation,” he said. “We believe that Charles Ravencroft is executing a deliberate campaign against Mountwood, attempting to weaken Gabriel’s standing in London. He has been spreading rumors about financial instability, working to undermine confidence in his business holdings.”
Genevieve absorbed his words, the implications settling uneasily in her chest.
“But why?” she asked, searching Gabriel’s face. He kept his gaze firmly at the floor, so she was left with no choice but to wait for James to speak.
“Gabriel caught him embezzling many years ago,” he said. “Of course, Gabriel did the right thing and made such crimes known. We are certain this is revenge.”
Genevieve nodded.
“What are the odds that he will succeed at ruining Gabriel’s reputation?” she asked.
James sighed, looking at her apologetically.
“It does not stop at slander, unfortunately,” he said. “He is directly interfering with shipping contracts, pressing merchants to withdraw their agreements and cast doubt on their dealings with Mountwood.”
