Page 168 of Courting the Wrong Duke

Gabriel ignored him. “She still has no intention of marrying.”

William glanced at him. “You knew that already.”

“I did.”

“And yet you sound disappointed all over again.”

Gabriel gave him a look. “I had hoped prolonged exposure to my considerable charms might have altered her position.”

“Two days on horseback?”

“I work quickly.”

William laughed, but Gabriel’s expression soon grew more thoughtful.

“The thing is, I understand it better now. She has plans for her life. Important ones. She wants the school. She wants independence. She wants to decide for herself what her future looks like.”

“And you admire her for it.”

“Of course I do.”

William waited.

Gabriel sighed. “I would simply rather like it if she eventually decided there was room for me in that future.”

There it was.

William smiled. “Even without marriage?”

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. “I would prefer marriage.”

“Naturally.”

“I am still me.”

“Tragically.”

Gabriel ignored him. “But I do not want her to marry me because I have somehow convinced her to give up the life she wants. I want her to discover that having me in it would not require giving up anything at all.”

Something about that struck William more deeply than he expected.

“I would help her build the damned school,” Gabriel added.

“I know.”

“I would find her teachers. Books. A building. Whatever she needed.”

“I know that too.”

Gabriel looked toward him. “Do you?”

“Yes.”

For all his ridiculousness, Gabriel had never wanted Isabella to be less than she was. He wanted a place beside her, whatever shape she ultimately allowed that place to take.

William understood the feeling rather well.

His horse carried him over the crest of the hill, pulling him from the memory.