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When Hellsmere had sent word he was unable to join him for luncheon after all, Gabriel had decided to remain at home quietly reading a book in his library.
What had become immediately obvious, from the reasons his daughter had given to the other young ladies for gathering in the library rather than her private parlor, was that Chloe had been completely unaware Gabriel had changed his plans.
With hindsight, Gabriel should most certainly have immediately made his presence known.
Instead, those first few minutes of surprise had passed, and by the time Gabriel had gathered his wits again, it had been too late to alert the ladies.
So, he had remained hidden in his wing-backed armchair and listened unashamedly to his daughter and five of her friends as they formed an alliance which excluded marriage and a husband from any of their futures.
As Chloe was only nineteen, and as achingly beautiful as her mother had once been, Gabriel considered that alliance to be the height of folly.
Her silly friends could do as they wished, but he would not countenance having Chloe’s emotions shackled by what he believed to be a recklessly conceived association.
His nostrils flared as he now stalked between the bookcases either side of him, knowing by the way Lily Tremayne’s pale green eyes widened the closer he came that she was fully aware of the displeasure no doubt revealed in his rigid demeanor and scowling countenance.
Lady Tremayne was, Gabriel realized as he drew closer, lovelier than any of his previous uninterested glances in her direction had revealed to his critical gaze. Uninterested because she was only a year older than his own daughter. Admittedly, he had become father to Chloe when he was himself only nineteen, but he still thought Lily Tremayne too young for him to ever think of being attracted to, in a physical sense or otherwise.
Somewhat to his surprise, he realized his assessment of her now was fully that of a single man taking an interest in a beautiful woman.
Her hair was dark and looked silky, styled in an upward sweep and secured at her crown, with several loose tendrils at her temples and nape. As was currently fashionable. She had equally dark brows over translucent sea-green eyes. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, her cheekbones high, her nose short, and her chin slightly pointed. Her lips were full and wide above it, and slightly turned up at the corners, as if, despite not doing so now, she smiled often. The top lip was shaped into a cupid’s bow and was lush in proportion to her bottom lip.
At least eight or so inches shorter than his own height of six feet and four inches, she wore a fashionable pale green gown that revealed the tops of her creamy breasts, the high-waisted style hinting at rather than emphasizing the slender curves beneath.
On closer inspection, Gabriel could see signs, in the stitching of the rounded neckline and the addition of the pale green lace cap sleeves, of the gown having been recently altered.
He was not well acquainted with Lily’s father, the Earl of Truro, but he did know the older man, along with many others, had lost a fortune on ’Change during the years of war against Napoleon.
An unfortunate occurrence, which obviously meant there was now very little money in the Truro family coffers which might be spent on frivolities such as new gowns for his unmarried daughter’s coming Season.
The fact Lily Tremayne was a full year older than Chloe meant this could not be Lily’s first, or even her second, Season. Although, Gabriel did not recall having noticed her before she became friends with Chloe the previous year.
It might seem to his daughter’s close circle of friends that he was unaware of their existence. The opposite was true. Anyone who came into contact with his beloved daughter was summarily investigated to ensure they were no danger to Chloe or her continued safety.
His daughter was too precious and too deeply loved by him for Gabriel to ever take the risk of losing her. Indeed, he was going to suffer the pains of hell when it came time for him to give her away to another gentleman in marriage.
Something that would not happen if Chloe and her five friends continued with this farce of an alliance in which they had agreed never to marry. Much as Gabriel would hate the day Chloe moved out of St. Albans House and into a new home to live with her husband, the thought of her not marrying at all or havinga family of her own and enjoying a full and happy life with her husband and children, was totally unacceptable to him.
In the meantime, Gabriel would ensure Chloe’s warm nature was not taken advantage of in any way. Another reason he insisted an investigation be made into any and all of Chloe’s new friends or acquaintances.
None of the young ladies who had gathered in his home today had been found to be of any deep concern. There was the fact of the secret elopement of the youngest Tremayne daughter two years ago and several other less-than-desirable aspects to one or two of Chloe’s other friends. But none of them had been serious enough for Gabriel to consider them a threat to Chloe’s future or happiness.
But he could not have known of the ridiculous alliance the six young ladies would decide to form only a year after those friendships were made.
If Gabriel’s assessment of the alterations to Lily’s gown was correct, then it had also been very inconsiderate of Chloe to have spoken so eagerly of any new gowns she might have made and would wear this upcoming Season.
And he, Gabriel realized, was allowing his thoughts to wander to matters, starting with the Earl of Truro’s financial circumstances and the hardship it was obviously causing his daughter, which were none of his concern.
He deliberately looked down the length of his nose at Lily Tremayne. “I fully accept it to be the choice of you individual ladies as to what you wish to have and do in your own futures. What I do not appreciate nor approve of was Chloe’s inclusion in the foolhardy alliance I heard the six of you forming today.”
Lily Tremayne slowly closed her eyes before opening them again, revealing a spark of anger in their pale green depths. “I believe that to be the point of our alliance, in that it is for Chloe to make that decision, not you.”
Her words sounded confident, but Gabriel could see the slight trembling of her hands before she clasped them tightly together in front of her.
His jaw tightened at this attempt at dismissing him and what he considered was best for Chloe. “She is aged only nineteen, and I am her father.”
Her smile lacked humor. “I believe all in Society are well aware of who Chloe’s father is.”
“What do you mean by that remark?” he bit out from between clenched teeth.