Chapter Nineteen
When he’d returnedto his town house, anger had consumed him and he shut himself up in his study with a bottle of whiskey. How long had it taken him before he began to realize that he had unjustly accused a woman he had started to have feelings for? At least half a bottle and far into the afternoon. By the time the sun began to set, Gideon had come to the conclusion that he had been wrong with a stupid knee-jerk reaction to a situation Violet had no control over. He had thrown everything away!
He’d barely slept and as the new day dawned, he ran his hands over his face. His and Violet’s blossoming relationship had meant everything to him. Ever since he’d first seen the lady, she had been all he could think about, and throughout the night only one thing mattered: Would she forgive him? There was only one way to find out. Before he fell into a fitful sleep, Gideon decided he had to visit Violet the next day to try and repair all the damage he had done.
With the rising of a new day, he’d pulled the bell cord to summon Randall. Once he appeared, Gideon asked for a tray of food and a pot of strong coffee to sober up. He couldn’t call upon the lady with a massive hangover.
Coffee finished and breakfast eaten, Gideon went to his study. He told himself it was to take care of business matters that he had neglected the day before but in truth the hour was too early yet to call on Violet even though was impatient to plead his case to her. He eyed the liquor on a sideboard across the room, wondering if a small draught would calm his nerves.
Then he shook his head, knowing that liquor wouldn’t solve his problems. The only thing that could help would be apologizing to Violet and making amends.
The sound of the clock ticking on the fireplace mantle marked the seconds until he could respectfully make a house call, although his brother never cared what time of day Gideon came for a visit. But this was different. He needed to respect the protocols that demanded he not barge in on a lady this early.
The rapid staccato of feminine footsteps echoing across his marble flooring caused Gideon to recant his thought but moments ago. He quickly crossed the room, reached for the decanter of whisky, poured a draught into a glass, and then gulped it down, grimacing when the fiery liquid burned its way down to his empty stomach.
Even though he regretted slamming down the heady amber drink, he immediately poured another. After the night of drinking the night before to drown his sorrows, he was surprised he could stomach more whiskey at this hour of the morning. But the hurricane that was about to enter his study would surely have him in need of a huge quantity of reinforcements. He didn’t have long to wait for the berating he should have known was coming. In spite of his adherence to manners that stopped him from descending upon an unsuspecting lady, he knew Patience was not inclined—or required—to follow suit, and, in fact, he was surprised she had waited this long to confront him.
In truth, he should have been expecting her arrival since yesterday.
Now Patience entered his study without knocking. If her red cheeks were any indication of her emotions, she was furious. As theireyes locked, she strode across the room to give his chest a push.
“How could you, Gideon?” she accused, giving him another shove. He supposed he deserved it but he held on to his own inner turmoil of regret that had been warring inside him since he’d left Asher’s house the day before.
“Good morning, Patience. What brings you here?” he grumbled, knowing full well what she was referencing, although he should also be apologizing to his sister-in-law for his actions. Patience was known to hold those she loved dear close to her heart. She was like a lioness protecting her cubs and he had the notion he was about to become the recipient of her righteous anger.
“What brings me here?” She shook her fist at him. “You are very well aware of what brings me here, you lout!”
He looked behind her, expecting his brother to follow in her footsteps. “I thought Asher would accompany you.”
“My cousin’s welfare is my responsibility and not my husband’s. How could you, Gideon?” she repeated sorrowfully. “It took me all of yesterday and last night just to calm her down.”
So that was why she hadn’t come to chastise him. Poor Violet had been just as distraught as he had been. “Do take a seat, sister, before you fall over in a faint,” he suggested which only seemed to fuel the fire of insult of which he had accused her relative.
“I am not some wallflower who cannot stand up for what is right. How dare you accuse my cousin of plotting against you!”
“And how was I to know at the time you had not all conspired against me, given you had your hands full with seeing to Violet being at the Lyon’s Den in the first place?” he muttered pouring another splash of whiskey into his glass. He made a motion offering her a drink which she declined before moving toward two chairs near the hearth. He waved his hand toward one of them and she all but plopped herself down in an unladylike manner before he took his own seat. A heavy sigh left her before turning accusatory eyes toward him again.
“You are very well aware of how things are done at the Lyon’s Den, Gideon. Menandwomen go there for different reasons but also know the risks they take once they enter Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s doors. Her matchmaking business is not hidden from her clients. How was I to know she would match the two of you together?”
“She didn’t exactly match us together,” he replied, taking a sip of his drink before glancing across the room at the sideboard holding his liquor. He should have brought over the whole damn bottle. He might need it to get through this conversation.
Her brows drew together in confusion. “But I thought—”
“I witnessed several candidates entering the garden area to meet Violet but it wasn’t until I saw someone enter who I knew was unacceptable that I intervened.”
“Intervened?
He nodded. “Once I had ousted the intruder, Violet and I had a relatively pleasant conversation for several minutes—”
“That sounds promising,” she replied, leaning forward in her chair.
He sighed. “Until she mentioned she was only interested in marriage.Thatpart of our conversation more or less ended any further discussion.”
“But she told me you saved her outside of the Lyon’s Den from some nasty man and that’s how you ended up at Dr. Thornberry’s.”
“And that part is all true. That is, until I unexpectedly learned yesterday that she was your cousin, Patience. You’ve been trying to match the two of us since you first married Asher. Imagine my shock at seeing her sitting at my brother’s desk.” He ran his fingers through his hair as all the anger came crashing down on him again.
She threw up her hands. “That was hardly Violet’s fault. You have seriously misjudged her and any motives youthinkshe might have had! She was brought here under the impression she would only be spending time withme. If you want to blame someone for what is now happening, then place your anger on me.I’mthe one who paid theBlack Widow of Whitehall’s fee to find Violet a husband but I never mention you in our bargain. Any arrangements that came about between you and Violet were only coincidental.”
