Page 20 of Gabriela and His Grace (The Luna Sisters #3)

“Your father, especially.” Sirius scoffed. “Any connection he can make to further his own ends is met with open arms.”

Gabby snorted. “I bet he was pleased to learn you would be his son-in-law.”

“He would have been more so if I held the title and were not merely the second son,” Sirius said, grinning at his wife across the cab.

While her sister and brother-in-law shared a laugh, Gabby’s stomach dropped when the carriage came to a stop. Suddenly the moment she had been dreading was here, and she wasn’t sure how to act. Or what to say.

“You’ll be fine, querida,” Isabel whispered close to her ear. “You are a grown woman who has earned the respect and admiration of many. You championed causes that would make life better for women. You no longer need to ask for permission to live your life as you want to.”

“Father would have something to say about that,” she replied with a frown.

“Por supuesto. Still, you are my and Sirius’s guest and don’t have to subject yourself to Father’s company any more than you desire.”

Gabby considered her sister’s words as she watched Isabel exit the carriage. When she was the last occupant left in the cab, she stared down at her trembling hands. She was tempted to close the door and ask the driver to take her back to Isabel’s house.

Just then, Whitfield appeared in the carriage doorway, the sun streaming around him and obscuring his expression. His words were soft when he asked, “Have you changed your mind? I’d be happy to be a distraction if you wish to slip away.”

Well. What a surprising offer. Forcing down a swallow, she finally said, “That is very kind of you. But I’ve never run away from a challenge before, and I’m not about to now.”

There was a smile in his voice when he said, “Bravo, Miss Luna. There’s that fiery spirit that’s burned me more times than I can count.”

“Burned you?” Gabby smirked. “Are you saying I’ve left you with scars, Your Grace?”

“Scars are a sign of a battle well fought.” The duke looked over his shoulder for a moment, allowing Gabby a glimpse of his profile. “From what I can infer, you’ve earned your battle scars.”

Gabby dropped her head. “Perhaps.”

“In that case, they’ve provided you with armor. Let them protect you as you venture into the lion’s den.” Whitfield extended a hand to her. “Plus, you will not be without friends.”

A blasted knot lodged in her throat, and Gabby paused as she fortified her emotions. Finally rising to her feet, she stepped from the carriage door, allowing Whitfield to assist her down. Taking a moment to shake out her skirts, Gabby sucked a bracing breath into her lungs and glanced up…

Only to see her father glowering at her.

· · ·

Watching Gabriela’s confidence wither away in the face of her father’s displeasure made Sebastian’s scalp prickle with anger. And no small amount of alarm.

“Tilt your chin up,” he whispered through the side of his mouth. “You’ve done nothing wrong and have no reason to cower.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Gabriela hissed…although she somehow managed to keep her expression composed. “You’re not the subject of his ire.”

“True, but then I could be.” Sebastian patted the back of her hand. “I have a talent for aggravating members of the Luna family, and am more than capable of doing so now.”

“Estúpido,” she murmured, although Sebastian was pleased to see some of the color had returned to her cheeks.

He didn’t have an opportunity to say anything else, for Mr.and Mrs.Luna stood before them.

Sebastian inclined his head, allowing himself a quick moment to study them.

His first realization was that Gabriela inherited many of her mother’s features, from her sleek mahogany hair, to her heart-shaped face, to her sparkling hazel eyes surrounded by lush, ebony lashes.

But Mrs.Luna had hints of gray around her temples, and a fullness to her figure that spoke of her maturity.

The older woman studied him unabashedly in return, those familiar yet foreign eyes sweeping over his form.

“Mother, allow me to introduce you to—” Gabriela began, but María Elena cut off her words as she swept her daughter into an embrace.

“Mi hijita,” the older woman crooned, pressing kisses to Gabriela’s brow and cheeks, before she stepped back to cup Gabriela’s cheeks between her palms. “I did not know you would be here. Isa, why didn’t you tell us your sister was coming?”

Isabel opened her mouth to respond, but Gabriela interjected. “I asked her not to because I wanted to surprise you.”

“Surprise us?” Mrs.Luna crinkled her nose. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Yes, Gabriela,” Mr.Luna said, speaking for the first time. “Why would you choose to surprise us? Surely it would have been wiser to ask if it was a safe time for you to return to Mexico?”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. Shouldn’t Mr.Luna greet his youngest daughter before he scolded her? His wife certainly had, as she clutched Gabriela close even now. Yet Mr.Luna merely stared at her with his brows stitched together.

Gabriela’s own gaze turned steely. “And yet here I am, happy and healthy.”

“Senor y Senora Luna,” Dawson interjected, stepping forward and flourishing a respectful bow, “le presento al Duque de Whitfield.”

His clever friend. Sebastian met Dawson’s gaze for just a moment, signaling his gratitude for the intervention.

Without missing a beat, Sebastian first greeted Mrs.Luna by bowing over her hand, a teasing smirk on his lips.

True to his experience with older women, Mrs.Luna simpered.

Sebastian almost laughed himself when he heard Gabriela’s soft snort.

“Senor,” Mrs.Luna said, stepping away from her daughter and sinking into a graceful curtsy, “bienvenidos a Mexico.”

“Gracias, Senora Luna,” he said, dipping his head. “Contento de estar aquí.”

“You speak Spanish?” Gabriela cried, slapping a hand over her mouth, her cheeks red.

Somehow, Sebastian managed not to smile. “Sí. I’ve been practicing since I first invested in the Camino Rojo mine.”

“I see,” she whispered, releasing his gaze to glance at her mother, and then her sister. “So this whole time…”

Sebastian knew it hadn’t been sporting of him to not disclose that he could speak her native language, but he’d found the forthrightness in which she wielded her bilingualism charming.

And Sebastian knew that if Gabriela was aware he could understand the thoughts she shared so freely in Spanish, she would cease to give him that peek behind the lovely and unflappable mask she presented to the world.

He didn’t have a chance to respond, because Mr.Luna stepped forward then, extending his hand. “Es un placer conocerlo.”

Elías Luna was exactly the enigma Sebastian had been told to expect in that he wasn’t what Sebastian had expected at all.

With the top of his head barely reaching Sebastian’s shoulder, Mr.Luna should have appeared small, and yet he carried himself with all the confidence of a man used to looking down on others.

His skin was a warm brown, weathered by the years and the stresses of a career in politics, his hair a distinguished silver.

And because of a life spent in the eye of political and cultural storms, there was a probing quality to Mr.Luna’s dark gaze, as if it could pierce right through to the heart of a person and unearth their carefully hidden desires.

Mr.Luna reminded Sebastian of his own father, although the men looked nothing alike.

Yet Sebastian sensed the same appetite for power, the same selfish determination, the same coldness he’d always seen in the late duke.

It made Sebastian take a small, unconscious step toward Gabriela, as if he could somehow shield her from her father’s ire.

It was a very chivalrous urge that was completely foreign to him, and he was certain Gabriela would not be pleased by it.

“Es un placer, senor,” Sebastian murmured, gripping the older man’s hand in a firm shake.

Mr.Luna stepped back and turned to Sirius, who stood nearby with Isabel. “The duke is a friend of yours?”

“Yes. We’ve been friends since we were boys,” Sirius said, flashing an easy smile. “When I first learned of the Camino Rojo mine, and how the owners were seeking more investors, I immediately thought of Whitfield.”

Mr.Luna’s lip curled up ever so slightly. “It is too bad the owners made the opportunity available to outside investors, instead of seeking capital and keeping it inside Mexico’s own borders. Mexican silver should be controlled by Mexican hands.”

Aside from a small tic in Sirius’s jaw, he appeared completely unbothered by the older man’s words.

Sebastian guessed this was not the first time Sirius had heard such a claim.

His friend might well agree with Mr.Luna, for he certainly had a point.

The French, and the Spanish before them, had stripped Mexico of its riches, so Sebastian could understand Mr.Luna’s desire to safeguard such valuable resources.

Which was all well and good, but Sebastian was willing to argue the point.

Sebastian tapped his cane on the ground, pleased to see the action drew Mr.Luna’s attention back to him.

“While it’s true I’m just another privileged British man with a title, I do have a great respect and appreciation for the Mexican people.

I’ve learned much from your daughters about the illegal occupation you and your countrymen have been fighting against. And seeing as how two of my close friends are now your sons by marriage, I feel a strong affinity for the people here.

I’m quite pleased to have this chance to strengthen the diplomatic bonds between our two countries, because despite its might, Mexico cannot face the world alone. ”

Sirius pressed his mouth together and looked away. Gabriela wrinkled her brow as she stared at him. He didn’t have time to consider whether her expression was one of frustration or approval, for Mr.Luna cleared his throat.

“I’m always interested in forging a mutually satisfying alliance.

” The older man turned toward his wife, and pressed his hand to the small of her back, ushering her toward the towering double doors that stood behind them.

“Let us eat so we may discuss further how England and Mexico can assist one another.”

“Well done,” Sirius whispered before he and Isabel followed the older couple.

Watching them walk into the villa for a moment, Sebastian eventually pivoted to Gabriela. She was worrying her bottom lip, but she stopped immediately when she sensed his regard. “Were you going to tell me? That you can speak Spanish?”

He couldn’t suppress his smirk. “Por supuesto. Eventualmente.”

Huffing a breath, Gabriela swung her gaze to the empty doorway. “So diplomatic bonds, is it?”

Sebastian shrugged. “Your father is a statesman. I figured such things would interest him.”

Her shoulders sank. “And deflect attention away from me.”

“Is that not what you wanted?” Sebastian moved toward her. “I apologize if I overstepped.”

Gabriela locked her hazel eyes with his. “Yet if my father’s not annoyed with me, will he be bothered to consider me?”

“Do you truly feel it’s one or the other?” Sebastian asked.

“You will have the extent of your trip to decide for yourself.” Her lips tipped up in a sad mimic of a smile.

Unsure of what to say, Sebastian offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

Her resigned sigh made an ache strum under his ribs. “I suppose we shall.”