Page 55 of Gabriela and His Grace (The Luna Sisters #3)

She wasn’t. Gabby knew as much, and yet she’d rather verbally tussle with Lady Yardley all the daytime hours than confess how her husband broke her heart.

But the viscountess and her staff had welcomed her and Lupe back without a word of complaint. The least she could do was be more forthcoming.

Even if the thought of confessing what she’d learned filled her mouth with glass.

Staring at the rug for a long moment, Gabby inhaled around her teeth. “I discovered Sebastian has illegitimate children and they live at Whitfield Manor.”

That was not at all how Gabby intended to broach the subject, and based on Lady Yardley’s and Ana María’s slack jaws, neither had they.

Her sister recovered first. “Are you saying”—Ana María coughed into her fist—“that Whitfield has illegitimate children living at his country estate and he never told you about them?”

“Yes.”

The women exchanged a glance. Once again, it was Ana María who ventured a response, although it left much to be desired.

“Well…surely he meant to tell you.”

This ignited her anger, and Gabby hissed, “But did he? We’ve been married for almost four weeks, and those boys have been there the whole time.

Instead of telling me about them, Sebastian instructed the staff to distract me whenever I got too close or heard something I wasn’t supposed to.

He actively lied to me when I asked where he’d been or who he’d spent time with.

It doesn’t seem like he had any intention of telling me. ”

Ana María’s gaze turned gentle. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve that sort of disrespect.”

Gabby leaned into her sister’s side, thankful for her presence.

Lady Yardley had remained largely silent during their exchange, but she finally asked, “What exactly did you see to make you believe His Grace has children?”

“I saw Sebastian in the nursery at Whitfield Manor with two young boys.” Gabby stared unseeing out the window. “They had his blue eyes. Those pale blue eyes I’ve only ever seen on the duke.”

Just thinking about the resemblance made bile rise to the back of her throat.

“His father had those same striking eyes.” The viscountess shook her head.

“He was a very handsome man, but all that beauty hid a festering heart. He was a notorious hedonist, even after his marriage to Lady Beatrice Moore.” The older woman’s gaze was far away.

“Lady Bea was a duke’s daughter and the diamond of her debut season, but more importantly, she was a lovely person.

So witty and lively. But once she married old Whitfield, she all but disappeared from society.

The duke was seen cavorting all over London and beyond, but not his wife.

It makes me sad to think about what she endured as his duchess. ”

The back of her eyes burned, but Gabby refused to acknowledge it. Sebastian had already told her about his parents, and while her heart ached for his late mother and the boy he had been, it didn’t take away from what he’d done now .

“That makes me incredibly sad for His Grace,” Ana María said, “but that doesn’t excuse what he’s done to Gabby.”

“Of course not.” Lady Yardley’s brows dipped low. “Tell me, Gabriela, did you hear him refer to them as his sons? Or the boys call him father?”

“Well, no,” Gabby admitted, frowning.

“Then maybe they’re cousins. Or even brothers.” Lady Yardley glanced at Ana María, her lip curled. “I wouldn’t put it past the late duke to have bastards scattered throughout the United Kingdom.”

Gabby didn’t know what to say to that. Despite Sebastian’s revelation about his late father’s character, Gabby hadn’t really considered him beyond that. Could the boys be his brothers?

“Regardless of whether these children are Whitfield’s or not doesn’t negate the fact that he failed to tell Gabby about them.” Ana María scowled.

“Exactamente,” Gabby cried, clapping her hands together. “The boys themselves are not the issue. Rather it’s that Sebastian never told me about them. Everyone at the manor knew of them except me. I feel so stupid.”

The viscountess smiled, the gesture tinged with melancholy. “You have every right to be upset, my dear. You have always despised being left out.”

Gabby huffed. “It’s not about that—”

“Actually, I think it is,” Ana María interjected, shifting on the settee to meet Gabby’s gaze.

“By not telling you about the children, Whitfield excluded you. He made you feel as if you were not worthy of knowing his secrets. He made you feel as if you were lacking, when it’s obvious you are the best thing to ever happen to him. ”

“You’re just saying that,” Gabby managed with her broken voice.

“I’m not, querida.” Ana María stroked her thumb over Gabby’s knuckles. “I know your childhood was often lonely because you were overlooked by Father for no fault of your own. You shouldn’t have to settle for the same behavior from your husband.”

Unable to keep from crying any longer, Gabby covered her face with her hands. Tears slipped through her fingers, and her shoulders shook with her suppressed sobs, but her sister’s presence by her side was a comfort.

“Gabriela,” Lady Yardley eventually said, waiting patiently for Gabby to drop her hands and meet her gaze. “You have to speak with the duke.”

She sniffled, wiping tears from her cheeks.

“You have to let him explain. He should apologize, and if he doesn’t, you need to demand it. You have to begin as you mean to go on, and that means Whitfield must respect you. You deserve respect, and I don’t want you to settle for anything less,” the viscountess said, her tone firm.

Gabby nodded.

“And, my dear,” Lady Yardley began, raising her brows, “you can’t keep running away.”

“I d-don’t understand,” she stammered.

“Don’t you?” Lady Yardley sniffed. “First you left for Mexico when that rat Carlisle made trouble, and then you fled back to England when your father did. And at the first hint of trouble with Whitfield, you fled here to London. I think I can speak for Ana when I say that we will always be a safe place for you to turn to should you need us. But sometimes, my darling girl, you have to face your problems head-on.”

Hiccuping, Gabby turned to look at Ana María. Her sister brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed the back of Gabby’s hand. “You’re fearless for everyone else, querida. Save some of that fire for yourself.”

Gabby closed her eyes and soaked in their words. They made it sound so simple to face her problems, when her first instinct was to run far away from the pain. As Lady Yardley said, it’s what she did.

But if she cared about Sebastian, and wanted their marriage to be successful, Gabby needed to put her fears of rejection aside. She needed to confront Sebastian directly.

“Have I been a coward?” she asked in a whisper.

“Not at all, hermanita.” Ana María squeezed her fingers. “You’re just used to being treated cheaply by those who should love you the most, and you wanted to spare yourself that hurt.”

Gabby once told Sebastian she would be brave for him, and yet here she was in London, suffering over his perceived slight, instead of standing before him and demanding an explanation. She deserved one, and he deserved an opportunity to give it.

She just hoped she was brave enough to listen to whatever he had to say.

Straightening her spine, Gabby released a long, pent-up breath. “I’ll depart for Gloucestershire in the morning.”

“Would you like me to go with you?” Ana María asked.

Ay, she loved her sister. “That’s very kind of you—”

A knock sounded on the door, and the ladies turned to watch the butler open it. “The Duke of Whitfield is here, your ladyship.”

Gabby started, her eyes flying wide. But before she had a moment to prepare herself, Sebastian filled the doorway, his gaze immediately finding hers.