Page 32 of The Hero

If allowed…

Until Gideon had managed to secure Harry as his own, he doubted Henlow would welcome his interference in his addiction. Dunhill would no doubt find him showing an interest in his son’s behavior questionable too.

Whatever the outcome of that endeavor, Gideon had no intention of being gainsaid in his pursuit of Harry.

But first, he still had to establish the innocence of both Harry’s father and her brother.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Aunt Amelia says you are feeling better, Papa?” Harry prompted anxiously after entering her father’s bedchamber before sitting at his side and taking one of his hands in hers.

Her aunt had spoken to her briefly outside in the hallway, but it was obvious she was still distracted by Oxford’s absence.

Until Harry informed her that her maid, on her way upstairs with the hot water for Harry to wash with, had seen the duke in the entrance hall talking to the Duke of Plymouth and several other young gentlemen. It was only a little white lie, and the longer she could divert attention from her own increasing closeness to Gideon, the better for everyone.

Her father was propped up against half a dozen pillows, his face white rather than flushed, and his eyes looking less feverish. “Much better, thank you.” He turned his hand so that his fingers might squeeze hers reassuringly. “Such a stupid thing to have happened.”

“Did you see who fired the shot?”

“I…” Her father gaze shifted toward the window, and he swallowed before continuing. “I did not.”

Harry’s chest tightened at the realization her father had just lied to her. But why would he do such a thing? Unless…? Oh dear God! “Papa, was it Edward who shot you?”

“No!” he instantly denied, his glare defensive. “Of course not!” The fierceness of his expression wavered slightly, despite the heat of his denial. “Even if he did, I am sure it was an accident.”

Harry’s breath left her lungs in a loud whoosh as she dropped back against the chair.

Was it really possible Edward was responsible for shooting their father? If so, why had he? What possible reason…

The answer to that was all too obvious when Harry recalled her brother had earlier today admitted he had once again incurred gambling debts he couldn’t pay. Despite knowing their father had threatened to cut him off if it should occur again.

What Harry wanted to know was whether Edward had shot their father with the intention of killing him, and so enabling Edward to inherit the Dunhill title and fortune? Or had her brother meant only to disable their father for few weeks while he tried to recoup his gambling losses by some other means?

Either way, their father could have died if she and her aunt hadn’t tended to him to ensure the fever dissipated rather than worsened and proved fatal.

But if Edward was capable of shooting their father, was it possible he had also run the Duke of Plymouth through with his sword in return for a payment to settle his debts?

* * *

“Gideon!”

Gideon was about to enter his bedchamber after his conversation with Robert Granger, followed by another with Amelia Whiting in which he’d had to assure that lady of his wellbeing. He had intended to spend his time before making an appearance at dinner thinking over Granger’s revelations regarding Henlow.

The sound of his name being called, by the voice that had become like beautiful music to his ears, was enough to cause him to pause and turn. He smiled at Harry as she hurried down the hallway toward him.

It took only one look at her face and the tears clearly tracking down her pale cheeks for Gideon’s smile to fade. “What is it?” He reached out to grasp both her hands in his.

She drew in a shuddering breath. “Edward shot my father.”

Gideon’s hands tightened on hers. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “My father saw him do it.”

He winced. “Does Edward know he saw him?”

“I am not sure,” Harry answered shakily. “Although it would explain his reluctance to sit with or be alone with our father since the shooting. He must have feared my father might confront him with the truth of his ‘accident.’”

“Possibly.” Until they were certain, ergo heard the confession from Edward Church’s own lips, Gideon continued to prefer to err on the side of caution.

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