left a threatening letter in the house, and she was accosted in the streets a few weeks ago, so she hired me— well, Gareth Severand— as a personal guard.”
“Who accosted her?” Increasingly distressed, Mercy paced this way and that. “Who sent the letter? What did it say? No one knew of this!”
Gabriel sprang to her defense. “She wrote to Reykjavík to tell you. But Sir and Lady Morley were in France, and she didn’t want to visit her troubles on Conleith and his wife, who I understand is suffering a difficult pregnancy. So, while she was left to her own devices by her family, to select a husband from the twats in the ton, she put an advertisement in the paper through a security service.”
“And you answered it?” Raphael asked quietly, understanding dawning in his eyes. “To protect her.”
Gabriel dragged a hand over his tense features. “I was— in the neighborhood and she assumed I was one of the applicants. She hired me on sight, but she did not recognize me. I… thought it would be safer if I did not divulge my identity.”
“Safer for whom, exactly?” Mercy snapped.
“My plan was to leave when I— removed the threat, and she’d be none the wiser.” He sent Raphael a grave look. “We were attacked last week at a ball. I… I fought Honeycutt and Smythe.”
“You gutted them, I hope.” Mercy sliced right through his attempt at discretion for her sake.
“I crushed them, and we were long gone before questions were asked. No one would even look in Felicity’s direction.”
“You don’t think Marco is sending old Fauves after you?” Raphael queried.
“I don’t see how.” Gabriel blew out a breath. “But I’ve been wondering the same thing. If he didn’t before, he might now, as I’ve made a few inquiries. I refuse to sit and wait for the next attack. I’ll bring the war to him, if that is the case.”
Raphael shook his head, squeezing at tension in the back of his neck. “How would Marco Villanueve even know we’re alive, let alone that you’ve been watching Felicity?”
“What do you mean watching her?” Mercy’s eyes narrowed on her husband, then turned on Gabriel, flaring with temper. “In the area, were you? Have you had designs on Felicity all this time? Have you been lurking about, waiting for the chance to swoop in on her affections and seduce a sweet, vulnerable, romantic girl who is obviously much too young for you—”
“Mercy…” Raphael caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “Please.”
“No, no!” She snatched her hand back and shook a furious fist at both of them as they stood before her diminutive frame like enormous, scolded boys. “Felicity knows nothing of men but what she reads in those damned books, aside from our overbearing father, who made her feel like her very existence was a mistake. He belittled and berated her because of her clumsiness as a child. And when it was discovered she was good as blind, we all sheltered her because she couldn’t see when danger was coming at her. She’d never see you coming for her until you owned her gentle heart. You were her first kiss, I hope you realize. The first man she let into this house alone. And you deceived her. A woman’s heart doesn’t forget that.”
“I know.” Gabriel stood and let her truth batter against him. It was what he deserved, what he’d wished Felicity had said and done.
“I’m going to go check on her,” she announced.
Her husband reached for her hand and gave her a gentle tug before she could storm away. “Let me, mon chaton?”
“Why would I? You’re a man. Don’t think that this isn’t somehow also your fault.” She waggled a finger at him.
“It’s all of our faults…” Gabriel muttered, seizing their attention. “Felicity is right, you know. We never should have lied to her. I thought to protect her, but I realize that was a high-handed, devious, self-serving thing to do.”
“Mercy,” Raphael said with a bit more fervency this time. “My brother never had designs on your sister, he had feelings for her. Always. Since the night we all met.”
Mercy’s mouth clamped shut. Fell open. Then shut again. She blinked at him as if she needed a moment to reassess her view of the entire situation.
Raphael’s knuckles grazed his wife’s jaw. “Please, darling. Go get comfortable and cleaned up from your travels and allow me to talk to your sister. Trust me. I know a thing or two about calming a distraught