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

is.”
    Montague’s nephew? He hadn’t thought of that, anything close to it. “Where is Montague? Is he on the ship with Alexandria?”
    “No. Montague is at John’s house healing up from a stabbing.” Baylor scowled. “A couple of Spaniards are following the lass and they attacked them a few weeks ago. I didn’t attend the event so’s I wasn’t there to help fight them, I’m sorry to say.” Gabriel hurriedly read the words, his heart beating a little faster.
    The Spanish wanted this manuscript as badly as Alexandria wanted her parents alive. They were probably on that ship with her now. And she only had that John fellow as protection. He looked too pretty to be of much good. Gabriel caught himself clenching his teeth and took a long, deep breath.
    “Can you take me to Montague? I have to talk to him.” Montague would understand all the nuances to the kind of mission Gabriel had in mind and be more logical than this sentimental giant.
    Baylor drained his fourth mug and grinned, foam covering the orange hair on his upper lip. “That, your dukeship, I can do.”
    Gabriel shook his head, smothering a smile. “Your Grace.”
    “Your what?”
    “Never mind.”
    AFTER UNTANGLING BAYLOR'S CART FROM the horses’ reins, they made a plodding procession to John Lemon’s house. It was a quaint street and well kept, Gabriel reflected as they rode up and dismounted, but nothing compared to his town house in London, nor even a shadow of Bradley House in Wiltshire. The fact that Alexandria hadn’t even seen what he had to offer in comparison rankled, even though Gabriel knew she loved a ramshackle castle on Holy Island, a home with a gothic, windswept feel to it that would be hard to replace.
    They knocked on the door and stood outside waiting. It took an inordinate amount of time but finally a maid, mop cap askew atop her curly brown hair, flung it open. Upon seeing Baylor her face broke into a wide smile. “Baylor! How did your task go? Were you able to detain the duke?” Her gaze flickered over Meade and then paused on Gabriel. Gabriel raised a brow at her.
    “Oh, dear.” She swallowed hard with a nervous laugh. “You’re the duke, aren’t you?” She sank into a curtsy and said some other things Gabriel couldn’t make out.
    “We’ve come to see Montague,” he interrupted in his best authoritative voice. “He is here, isn’t he?”
    She looked toward Baylor who started inside. “Come along. I’ll show you.”
    They found Montague seated in a neat sitting room, his feet propped up and a book in his lap. He sat up straighter as they entered. His eyes caught and held Gabriel’s for a long moment, and then he nodded in an imitation of a bow. Gabriel took in his bandaged chest under the half-open shirt and understood, especially in a man of his years, why he didn’t stand.
    A sudden memory surfaced, streaking images of a sea battle from his navy days as he looked at Montague. He’d saved this man’s life, long before Montague was an admiral. When Gabriel was just one of the lieutenants, he’d thrown himself on top of him, dragging him away as a cannon blew nearby. The blast had been horrendous. He lost consciousness and woke up in a hospital in Jamaica. He had not been able to recall what had happened until this very moment.
    “Do you remember me, Admiral?”
    Montague gave a slow nod. “When Alex told me who her guardian was, I agreed to become her champion. I owed it to you, if nothing else, to keep her safe.” He looked away. “Though after getting to know her, I couldn’t have abandoned her. She has become like a daughter to me.”
    Meade hurried to write down the words and Gabriel responded. “It appears she needed a protector. I understand you had a run-in with a knife.”
    Montague’s lips curled into a half smile and he shrugged one shoulder. “Spaniards. You might have shown up earlier and helped, Your Grace.” They both chuckled. “What’s with the book?”
    Gabriel took the seat