shared with Dimity. Her friend was seated before the fire.
“I can’t speak yet,” Abby stated as calmly as she could. She then paced around the small room. Five across and five back. Movement was what she needed, anything to outrun the pain that was choking her now that the anger had eased.
Dimity answered the knock and took the tray the maid held minutes later.
“Did you order this?” She placed it on the bed.
“I did. I felt the need.”
“Well, you’ll be safe in here, and likely have a terrible headache in the morning, but considering what that vermin you call brother did, I completely understand why you wish to drink yourself into oblivion.” Dimity poured the spirits into two small glasses. “However, I would caution that you will feel better with just sips, and perhaps after a few you will have calmed down. Trust me. I drank more than I should once, and the outcome was not pleasant for several days.”
Abby took the glass and did as her friend said. Sipping slowly, she enjoyed the burn of the liquid as it hit her throat.
“I know it’s not the done thing to maim anyone intentionally, especially not those carrying your blood, Dimity, but at this moment if Gabe walked into this room, I would likely do something rash.”
Dimity regained her feet and locked the door. “That solves that problem. The idiot will not break the door down and is likely scrambling what few wits he has to try to talk his way out of the mess he and those other fools have created.”
Abby took another sip, this one bigger than the last. She didn’t start talking until she’d reached the bottom of her first glass. Granted, it was small, but still, Abby was not one for large quantities of alcohol like her brothers, so it did not take a great deal to make her light-headed.
“I know I have not behaved as I should to Daniel, Dimity, and I have apologized to him for that. But what my brothers have done is completely unforgiveable. How could they?” Her friend stayed silent, simply sipping from her glass and staring into the fire
It was a skill to be silent. Abby had never really conquered it. She suspected Daniel had. How was he?
She still couldn’t believe he was here. Why was he here? Seeing him ill like that had nearly broken her heart. If she’d doubted that what she felt for him was a powerful emotion, seeing him vulnerable had certainly cleared that up.
Is it love? Could it be so after such a short amount of time? Surely not.
“They love you, and in their foolish little minds, saying what they did is keeping you safe. Plus, I doubt they thought you would ever find out. Taking you to Devon so soon after they spoke to Daniel’s brother took care of that, or so they believed.”
“Safe from who?” Abby grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass. Her head was feeling pleasantly light now. Had Gabe lied about his reasons for taking her to Devon also? Was her aunt in fact healthy?
“You are an earl’s daughter, Abby. In your world, that suggests you marry someone of equal birth or better. Your brothers would like you to marry a king, and if not then a prince. If neither of those options are available, they would settle for someone of their choosing with noble blood, or better yet, someone they could manipulate. There is little doubt in my mind they have seen the way you look at Mr. Dillinger and don’t like it, as clearly he looks at you the same way.”
“Does he?” Abby shouldn’t be so happy about that.
“He does, but your brothers have no wish for you to marry such a man.”
“He has not asked me,” Abby said softly. “We hardly know each other.”
“And yet you care for him deeply, and likely know him better than any of the noblemen you have encountered this season. Don’t try to fool me that you haven’t thought of a future with that man.”
“I cannot believe they went to Daniel’s brother and lied, Dimity.”
“Yes, you can,” Dimity scoffed. “They are ruthless, especially your oldest brother. He believes that as head of your family, he is at liberty to do whatever he wishes concerning your welfare.”
“I don’t even know who I was supposedly betrothed to.”
That made Dimity laugh. “Who do you think it is?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” She thought about the men she knew. “Perhaps Mr. Radcliff. He is the son of a