“He won’t die,” Gabriel said confidently. “He is a great archer and a cunning fighter. Even if everyone else falls, Tristan will stand. I know it.”
“Why did Tristan not tell me?”
“My father imprisoned him last night so he could not go to you.”
Scarlet blinked and a tear fell to the stone floor of the hallway. “I do not understand.”
“Neither do I.” Gabriel rubbed the side of his face, cursing the predicament he was in. “My father is a greedy and selfish man. He has destroyed many hearts with this deception and I will never forgive him for what he has done to Tristan. But,” Gabriel placed a gentle hand on Scarlet’s arm and waited for her to look up at him. “Tristan asked me to care for you, to marry you and keep you safe, and I promised him I would.”
Scarlet shook her head. “I do not need to be taken care of. I can provide for myself.”
Gabriel was quiet a moment. “I…I’m sure you can but—”
“I have no doubt you are an honorable man and a great brother to Tristan, but I will not marry you just so I may live an easy life. I will not. I have managed to take care of myself for many years and nothing will change that.”
Gabriel swallowed, unsure of what Tristan would want him to do.
“I apologize if I have hurt your pride.” Scarlet looked at him. “Thank you for your willingness to marry me. But I must decline. I will wait until Tristan returns.”
“But that could be decades.”
“So be it.” Scarlet straightened her shoulders.
Gabriel stood speechless. He was confused, relieved and upset. All at the same time.
Tristan would not be happy about this.
Well, then he should not have fallen in love with such a stubborn girl.
“Scarlet,” came a whisper down the hallway.
Gabriel turned to see Scarlet’s mother swiftly approaching.
“Mama,” Scarlet said, walking toward her. “We have been deceived and—”
“I know, child.” Ana covered Scarlet’s mouth. “Listen to me closely. You must marry this boy.” She looked at Gabriel.
Through her mother’s cupped hand, Scarlet said, “What?”
“You must do as I say.” Ana removed her hand and looked deep into Scarlet’s eyes. “You must take Gabriel’s hand in marriage with a happy heart and be kind to the earl, do you understand?”
With her mouth open, Scarlet started shaking her head. “But why?”
Ana placed her hands on Scarlet’s shoulders. “Because I am dying and Tristan is gone.”
Scarlet’s face fell into fear and disbelief. “Y-you’re dying?”
Ana nodded. “I am ill and will not live long.” She swallowed. “So I need you to do this for me.”
“No, mama. I can take care of you. I can make you better—”
“Hush!” Ana’s eyes hardened, but quickly went soft. “I need you to promise me that you will accept this noble union. I need to die knowing that you will always be safe and cared for.”
“But, mama—”
“Promise me,” Ana repeated.
Scarlet looked as though her whole world had crumbled. She glanced back at Gabriel, horror and hopelessness in her eyes, before looking at her mother.
“Promise me,” Ana said again.
Scarlet swallowed and whispered, “I promise,” as a tear fell down her cheek.
Ana kissed the top of Scarlet’s head. “Now, you will compose yourself and march into that dining hall with a smile for the earl.”
Scarlet nodded as she stared at the floor.
Not knowing what else to do, Gabriel gently took Scarlet’s arm in his as Ana began shuffling them toward the dining hall doors.
When they entered the dining room, Gabriel forced yet another smile upon his tense face.
40
Laura had another “late meeting,” so the Baxter family had invited Scarlet over to spend the night.
Scarlet and Heather stood in the kitchen, scooping bowls of chocolate ice cream for themselves.
“So, you just, like, broke up with Gabriel?” Heather put two scoops of ice cream into her bowl and handed the scooper to Scarlet.
“Yep.” Scarlet shoveled a scoop of ice cream into her own bowl.
“Did you cry?”
“No.” Scarlet added another scoop to the first.
“Did he cry?”
Scarlet glared at Heather. “No.”
Heather shook her head. “You’re insane.”
Three scoops. Scarlet lifted a brow. “For not crying?”
“No. For dumping a hot, immortal boy.” Heather eyed Scarlet’s tower of ice cream.
Scarlet sank the ice cream scooper into the tub of frozen goodness before her again.
“You were right.” Scarlet dropped a fourth scoop into her bowl and put the ice cream scooper down. “My relationship with Gabriel couldn’t be real with the curse hanging over us and I don’t want to date someone whose heart isn’t completely their own.” Scarlet shrugged. “So Gabriel and I aren’t dating. We’re going to be friends. It will be better this way.”
Heather picked the scooper back up and removed two scoops from Scarlet’s bowl, plopping them back into the ice cream tub.
“What are you doing?” Scarlet asked.
Heather licked ice cream off her finger. “If you keep eating ice cream by the quart, you’re going to die of heart failure unrelated to any curse.”
Keeping her eyes on Heather, Scarlet found the ice cream scooper again and re-scooped the cold deliciousness back into her bowl.
Heather raised a brow before grabbing a spoon and sinking into her treat. “I still think you’re crazy for breaking up with him. Now, every girl at school is going to be all over him and you’re going to be super jealous.”
Scarlet put the ice cream away and thought about other girls hitting on Gabriel. Kristy Stevens came to mind.
“No. I’m going to be mature about this whole thing,” Scarlet said. “I’m going to be Gabriel’s mature and not-jealous ex-girlfriend.”
“Right.” Heather nodded sarcastically.
Scarlet could be mature about her breakup with Gabriel.
She would be mature.
Sunday morning Gabriel waited as everyone met at the cabin per Nate’s instructions. Scarlet and Heather stood by the couch in silence, while Gabriel stood by the fireplace waiting for Nate.
Heather was tapping her nails on the back of the couch and Scarlet was keeping her eyes fixed on the floor.
Breakups were awkward.
Gabriel could feel the tension in the room and he hated it. He didn’t want Scarlet to feel uncomfortable around him, but he didn’t want to walk over and give her a makeup hug, either.