“I haven’t received my pin money yet.” Celia’s voice was hollow. “I’ve only been here a day and… and the marquess has more important matters to attend.”

“I don’t care. Better get your hands on it quick, milady,” Bryan sneered. Spying the stablemaster headed in their direction, he picked up Arion’s halter as though inspecting its strapping. “Bring it to me in two days’ time. And if you don’t, I’ll take something else in its place.”

His tone left no doubt as to what he referred, and his ravenously greedy gaze confirmed Celia’s fears. The man would take anything he could get. Whether of monetary value or pieces of Celia herself, it truly did not matter.

The thought of Bryan laying hands on her after she’d experienced the fiery sweetness of Gabriel’s kisses made her stomach roil in revolt.

“I will bring what I can,” she whispered, her features twisting in defeat. She could not stand his repulsive presence a moment longer. She fled the stables, hurrying back to the safety of the manor before she vomited.

CHAPTER 35

“There goes the Bastard Marquess now.”

Gabriel sighed, ignoring the words spoken in such crisp, cool tones. He was already aware of the slur falling from the lips of certain gentlemen outraged by his rise in fortune and rank. Following the aide, he continued down the corridor, headed for his private office in the House of Lords. It was a temporary space since most of the building was still under construction after the devastating fire of 1834.

Gabriel could not resist glancing back to see who had spoken so derisively. He found the cold eyes of the Earl of Clayton, a man recently back from the edge of financial ruin. Gabriel himself had aided Sebastian Cain in that endeavor nearly two years before. A matter of revenge at the time for the man’s intended seduction of Ivy.

“Lord Clayton,” Gabriel called out as he continued striding down the hallway. “I do hope you aren’t foolish enough to make the same mistakes as in the past. You may not recover so quickly the next time.”

The aide guiding Gabriel through the maze of corridors and chambers nodded, saying under his breath, “The earl is certainly one you would do well to avoid, milord. He is a rather disagreeable sort when crossed.”

Gabriel gave the younger man a tolerant smile. “The same could be said of me. Although some might argue I’m far worse.”

The reception he’d received amongst the gentlemen trickling back for the next Parliament session was certainly an odd mix. Gabriel found himself ignored, discussed as though he were not within hearing, and surprisingly enough, jovially welcomed by more than a few. And as the day wore on, he found himself gradually gaining confidence in both his duties as marquess and his skills at fitting in with this new life. It really was no more difficult than handling issues for Sebastian. A sense of excitement trickled through him as he considered all the things he could do from this seat of power. The injustices he could help alleviate and the positive change he might have a part in, based on his own decisions and convictions.