“Odd eyes?” Blake’s voice caught as he made the same connection.
“One green and one blue. I’m on my way to Southby now.”
“Is that a good idea?”
“It’s my home, Blake. And he’s my employee. I have to deal with this before I call the police…” He let the threat hang. Or was it a promise? He wasn’t sure.
“Gabe, don’t confront him. Let the police handle it.”
“Not yet. I want to talk to him first, find out why.” The limo pulled outside the front entrance of the manor house. “OK, I’m here. I’ll call you later.”
Gabe exited the car the instant it stopped. He ran up the steps and burst through the front door before Hardy even got there to open it.
“Where is he?” Gabe demanded.
“He’s not back yet, sir. It’s his day off.”
Gabe narrowed his eyes. He knew full well Damon’s day off was Friday. “No, it isn’t.”
“He’s taken a lot of time he insisted was time owed while you’ve been away filming.”
Somehow that didn’t surprise him at all. “Who’s been driving my car?”
“Sir?” Hardy looked shocked.
“Don’t give me the ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about’ look. I know it was totaled in a deliberate attempt to kill someone this afternoon. I want to know who has been driving my car.”
His mother bustled out from one of the side rooms, her full-length skirt rustling. “What is all this noise about, Gabriel?”
“My car was stolen from the garage here this morning.”
She at least had the decency to look appalled. But then she did that look so well and so often, it was probably second nature to her. “Really? How awful.”
Gabe frowned. “It was used to drive Dawn’s car off the road in a deliberate attempt to kill her. According to Peters, my car was booked into Holly’s garage for repairs today, for damage that I didn’t cause. I want to know who’s been driving it and why.”
“You’re making a scene.”
“It’s my house,” he snapped. “I know it was one of the staff and unless I find out the truth tonight, I’m going to replace all of them.”
His mother’s face fell, and she started spluttering. “You…you can’t do that.”
He scowled. “I can and I will. Hardy, I want
all
the staff in the kitchen in three minutes. No exceptions. Anyone who doesn’t get down there can pack their bags.”
“Mrs. Barratt has been called away on family business, but I will assemble the rest of them.” Hardy headed below stairs.
“Was the woman killed?” Countess Florence demanded.
“No. Fortunately. And it’s a good job I was in the limo and had witnesses to my location all morning otherwise I’d have been a suspect.”
“Shame,” she muttered. “Well, I trust this will be an end of it.”
“Actually, I’m seeing her tomorrow,” Gabe said. He ignored the dark look that descended on his mother’s face. He really didn’t care if she approved or not. “We’re going for a picnic.”
“I really don’t think—”
“Excuse me.” Gabe turned and stormed down the stairs that led to the kitchen. His hands clenched, and he didn’t bother to hide his displeasure. The staff all stood as he entered the room. “My car was stolen this morning,” he said bluntly. “I know who by. I am assuming that same person is the one who’s been driving it several times over the past few weeks, without my permission.”
His gaze ran over the staff. He wasn’t surprised Damon wasn’t there. He hadn’t expected him to be. “I want to know who else is involved as I know this person isn’t working alone.”
No one said anything.
“Very well. Consider yourselves
all
under a months’ notice. I will be in the study. If any of you wish to come forward and confess and save everyone else’s job then come and find me.” He spun on his heel and headed back upstairs leaving a deathly silence behind him.
Shutting the study door firmly, Gabe crossed the room and sank into the huge padded chair behind the desk. He buried his face in his hands praying for guidance as to how to best handle things from here on.
He raised his head and picked up the phone.
A young voice answered the phone. “Hello.”
“Could I speak to Nate Holmes, please?”
“I’ll get him. Uncle Nate, phone.”
There was a pause before his police officer friend answered. “Thanks, Vianne. Nate Holmes speaking.”
“Nate, its Gabe Tyler. I need some advice of a legal kind.”
He could almost see Nate rolling his eyes. “OK…what have you done and should we just skip to me arresting you and then you calling your solicitor?”
Gabe didn’t bother responding to his friend’s sense of humor. “Dawn Stannis was involved in an RTC this afternoon. She’s bruised but otherwise not too badly hurt. The thing is, it was my car that drove her off the road and into a tree.”
“Were you driving?” Nate’s laugher evaporated, leaving a very professional police tone in its wake.
“No. I’ve been filming in Derbyshire. Peters drove me there yesterday. My own car was left here.” He filled Nate in quickly with what he knew. “I don’t know why, and I don’t know who was helping him, but he fits the description Dawn gave the Nottinghamshire traffic cops perfectly. Black hair, one green eye and one blue eye. Xavier Damon, my valet.”
“OK. Dane and I will be there first thing to pick him up. Assuming the Nottinghamshire boys haven’t already done so.”
“Not as far as I know.” Gabe pulled the card from his pocket. “You’ll need to speak to a PC Bails.” He gave Nate the phone number. “Damon should be here in the morning.”
“Either way, Dane and I will be there to talk to you and the rest of your staff.”
“Dawn said he’s been watching her for a while, sending her flowers, stalking her. Only no one believed her. I didn’t put the pieces together despite knowing the mileage on my car was wrong.”
“I’ll stop by Dawn’s as well. We should be with you just after nine. Leave it with me. Night.”
Gabe hung up and stretched. His shoulders were kinked, and he knew it wasn’t simply stress, but worry that was doing it. He glanced at the door at the light tap. “Come in.”
The door opened. Molly stood there, her kitchen uniform dirty after a full day’s work.
Gabe sighed.
Not her, please, not her.
“Sir?” Molly took a few tentative steps. “Can I speak with you?”
Gabe pointed to the chair. “Sit down.”
Molly sat, her hands wringing in her lap. She chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t want to get no one in trouble, like, but there’s things you should know.”
“Go on,” he said gently.
“There’s a lot of talk downstairs about Miss Dawn. Most of us like her, an’ think you an’ she make a good couple. Especially the way she helped out with the range an’ all. But, well, Xavier don’t like her. An’ Mrs. Barratt, well, she don’t have a nice thing to say about anyone ever, but where Miss Dawn is concerned…”
“Hang on. Mrs. Barratt—Lady Tyler’s personal maid?”
Molly wrung her apron in her hands. “She’s Xavier’s sister an’—”
Gabe sat up straight. He hadn’t realized that.
“—an’ I don’t wanna get her in trouble or nuffink, like, but I need this job, sir. An’ Mr. Hardy and Mrs. Jessop, well, they ain’t got nowhere to go an’ Mrs. Jessop is crying into the pudding…”
“It’s fine,” Gabe said. “Just go on.”
“Well, Mrs. Barratt was saying how much the Countess hates Miss Dawn on account of her color an’ her job an’ that if you married her you’d lose the estate an’ we’d all be out on the streets.”
“Well, that isn’t going to happen. I can marry whomever I like and nothing bad will happen.”
“I heard Mrs. Barratt on the phone just after lunch. Xavier got hurt in a car accident, an’ she’s gone to pick him up. She said you can afford a new car, an’ it’s worth it to get rid of Miss Dawn. She just got back, but without him.”
“Thank you. Tell Hardy I need to see him immediately.”
Molly nodded. “Are we still under notice?”
“No, Molly, none of you are.” He sat still as Molly left the room before letting his anger and frustration out. He scooped up the paperweight throwing it across the room and into the bin.
Hardy knocked on the door. “Sir?”
Gabe looked at him. “I want you to fire Mrs. Barratt with immediate effect and escort her and all her belongings from the house. Tonight—preferably within the next twenty minutes. Let me explain to my mother.”
“What reason do I give Mrs. Barratt?”
“She’ll know why. Oh, and tell the rest of the staff they’re no longer under notice.” Gabe picked up the phone indicating the conversation was over. He dialed quickly. “Nate, it’s Gabe again.” He filled Nate in quickly. “She’ll be out of the house in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll have uniform there in ten to pick her up. Plain clothes are outside Dawn’s house and will stay there until we arrest Xavier Damon.”
Gabe chatted another minute or so then hung up. He headed to the chapel to do the only thing he could do—pray.
13
Gabe picked at his breakfast, his mother’s glares putting his off his food. “I told you why I fired Mrs. Barratt last night. The police have arrested her. It’s out of my hands. She’s been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, theft, and whatever else I can think of. Once they arrest Damon, he’ll face similar charges.”
He set his cup down. “Your dislike of Dawn is spreading. Mrs. Barratt saw how it upset you and conspired with her brother, my valet, to get rid of her.” His mother choked on her tea, and Gabe sighed. “I’m meeting Dawn for lunch. We’re taking a picnic to the park.”
“That sounds…delightful. I’m lunching with Janaya, perhaps we’ll join you.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “You’re not invited.”
“It’s a public park, isn’t it?”
Gabe bit his tongue and pulled out his phone, texting Blake.
Bring as many kids to lunch in the park as you can. Meet at the lion at 12. Mother wants a party. Let’s give her one
. Then he rose. “You’ll have to make your own way there. I need the car all morning. Meet by the lion at twelve.”
“How do I get there?”
“Ask Janaya for a lift,” he tossed over his shoulder.
“You can’t blame me for any of this,” she said. “If you hadn’t brought that woman here in the first place…”
Gabe spun, anger spilling from him. Whether his mother was speaking out of illness or not, he could no longer keep silent. “With all due respect, Mother, shut up! Keep your opinions to yourself. I know you think the servants are deaf and the world revolves around you, but that is far from the truth. You take their loyalty too far, and if I find you had
anything
to do with what happened to Dawn, so help me, I will ring the police myself. This is my house, and I will run it, and my life, as God wants.”
He stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him intending to go down to the stables and ride for an hour or so. As he reached the hallway, Hardy opened the front door. Gabe pulled in his temper seeing Nate and Dane standing there. “Come through to my study, officers, and we can talk there.” He looked at Hardy. “Tell Peters he’s not to take my mother anywhere. I need the car for eleven fifteen.”
~*~
Dawn was ready when the doorbell rang.
Gabe stood there, a bunch of pale pink roses in his hand. “I know you said no more flowers, but this was the closest I could get to roses meaning sorry. It was my car that drove you off the road, my valet is the man behind the stalking, and…”
Dawn took the roses. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”
“And I know a limo isn’t exactly a boy next door date, but it’s the only car I have right now.” He took her arm, leading her gently to the waiting car. “How are you doing?”
“Sore.” She hissed as she slid inside and sat.
Gabe slid in beside her. “Your cop escort knows where we’re going and is going to tag along with everyone else.” He caught the worried look in her eyes. “Long story. I’m afraid my mother invited herself and a friend. So I asked Blake to join us and told him to bring as many of the kids as he could with him.”
Dawn smiled faintly. “That will be several. Today is an inset day in primary schools.” His hand touched hers, and she laced her fingers into it taking comfort from his touch. “Do they really think he’ll try again?” she asked quietly.
“They aren’t taking that risk. I offered to hire a bodyguard, but Nate said they’re handling it. Besides, it was my staff decisions in the first place that caused this.” He paused. “Can I be direct here?”
“I thought that was the arrangement.”
“After you told me to leave you alone, part of me broke. See, I love being around you and with you. I love your voice and eyes and the way you light up a room simply by being in it. I couldn’t work or think and got sent home until Friday. I passed the accident, thought you were dead, and the thought of losing you forever—” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “I love you.”
Dawn sat motionless, her heart racing, head pounding. “But your mother and society...”
“Mother isn’t thinking straight due to the Alzheimer’s. I don’t care about society. All I care about is you. I would give up the title in a heartbeat, if keeping it meant I couldn’t have you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I’d like you to be my wife, the countess of Elton. You don’t have to give me an answer now. Just think about it.”
Dawn nodded, dumbfounded, as the car came to a halt. “I’ll pray about it.”
Peters opened the door, and Gabe got out. He helped Dawn out then took the basket. “Wait here for us.”
Dawn walked about five feet off the ground as Gabe led her into the park. He loved her like she loved him. Could she do it?
Could he really marry her?
Would his mother ever accept her?
“And as for my mother?” Almost as if he knew what she was thinking. “If she doesn’t like it, she can move out—I already told her that. There’s a cottage she and Dad used to hide out in on the estate—they called it
the retreat
. She can move in there. If anything, she’ll be happier there. It’ll be easier to care for her for now in a smaller space as well.”
“What about your brother?”
“Blake adores you. It creeps his kids out, but they’ll live.”
Dawn shivered unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched. She didn’t mean just the cops either. Gabe’s protective hand on the small of her back went some way to making her feel a little better. He led her over to the others, who made quite a gathering under the huge lion war memorial.