The Forgiven Duke (A Forgotten Castles Novel) Read Free Page A

finally climb down.
    Meade turned to Gabriel and motioned toward a pub in the distance, mouthing the words, “Perhaps some food and drink will comfort him, Your Grace?”
    “Yes, yes, carry on.” Gabriel shot the giant a steely look that said he’d had enough nonsense and gestured toward the pub. “Let’s get you out of the street and buy you some dinner, and then you can tell us all about your troubles.”
    Gabriel didn’t mention Alexandria’s name yet; he didn’t want to scare the man off, but he had a feeling she was the cause of all this caterwauling. He felt the same way about her leaving.
    Meade made arrangements for a quiet table and a midday meal of Irish stew, oysters, smoked salmon, and potatoes to be served while they settled themselves. The man Meade said was named Baylor shoveled in more food than Gabriel could eat in two days. He waited until the man had drained the third tankard before he began his questions. “So, Mr. Baylor.”
    He shook his shaggy head. “Just Baa-er.” He talked with his mouth full, one spoon poised to go in while another was just coming out of his mouth.
    “Very well, Baylor. Come now, your little ruse in the street earlier has done its work—I missed the ship. So tell us, how do you know Lady Featherstone?”
    His bottom lip started to tremble at the mention of her name, causing Gabriel to sigh with gritted teeth. This was going to take all day and the patience of Job besides.
    He pulled out his very used handkerchief and dabbed most elegantly at his eyes and then blew his nose with such force it rocked the table.
    “Gad, man, get a hold of yourself. Perhaps it will help if I tell you that I am the Duke of St. Easton, her guardian.”
    “I mow who you are!” he bellowed, mouth still full.
    Gabriel could tell that he bellowed by the way his eyes grew round as saucers, he leaned in, and his mouth opened wide around the words. It was impossible to read the man’s lips so Meade repeated what he said.
    “Excellent. Then perhaps you also know that the regent has charged me with finding Lady Featherstone and bringing her back to London. It’s for her own good,” he added hastily upon seeing Baylor’s lips draw into a stubborn line. “It’s for her protection.”
    Baylor said something to that, but Gabriel couldn’t make it out. He took a deep breath with a prayer for patience, looked at Meade, then nodded toward his coat. “Best to bring out the speaking book, Meade. Let’s get the whole story if we can.”
    Gabriel glanced over at Baylor just in time to see a confused expression cross his face. So, Alexandria hadn’t heard that he’d gone deaf. Relief pooled through him. He slid his own untouched tankard toward Baylor and explained. “I have recently been afflicted with a problem of the ears and use a speaking book to communicate. Just converse as you normally would, and Meade here will write down what you say.”
    A look of pity crossed the giant’s face, but this time Gabriel was glad of it. Perhaps it would loosen the man’s tongue.
    Meade wrote while the giant talked, and after many minutes he slid the book in front of Gabriel. Baylor met Alex in Belfast. He became quite taken with her and her quest to find her missing parents.
    Of course he did, Gabriel muttered to himself, still looking at the page.
    He joined her and the man she was traveling with to help her find her parents. “A sweeter lass has never lived,” he says.
    Of course he does. If there was one thing Gabriel was sure of about Alexandria, it was her ability to win people to her side and instill in them a loyalty to her that took most people years to accomplish.
    He says her parents are treasure hunters and in some sort of trouble and that Alexandria is determined to rescue them.
    “Yes, well, so am I,” Gabriel murmured aloud. It was the only way to secure her heart. Thinking of her as someone else’s wife made him feel sick and angry. Gabriel looked at Baylor and asked the most important