When Adam arrived at the coffee shop, Gabriel straightened his spine and stood to greet him.
“Ah, there you are,” he said, smiling at Adam who had just come in from the rain.
“Yes, I am finally here. You must forgive me for being late. I did not expect such a downpour, which really is shameful of me. This is England, after all,” Adam said with a laugh.
“Yes, well, it is good that you are here, and we may dry off and get warm. I expect you would like a coffee?” Gabriel asked.
“Indeed, I would,” he replied, waving for the young lady to bring him something to drink.
“Now,” Adam continued. “Tell me, how is your family? Your work? The boy you are tutoring?”
“All is well,” Gabriel said with a contented smile. He could hardly begin to explain how wonderful everything was. It was delightful. He was enjoying every moment, the way he felt when he woke in the morning, the thoughts he had throughout the day, the happiness when he closed his eyes at night and indulged in the peaceful quiet.
“Good heavens…” Adam said, staring at him.
“What is it?” Gabriel asked in amusement.
“You. You have fallen in love,” he said.
Gabriel laughed, at one moment shocked that it was so obvious, and the next he was not overly surprised. After all, this had simply come over him. What could he now do to change that?
“Yes, I suppose you are correct. I have fallen in love. Strange, because it is nothing like I expected. In truth, I always imagined love would be rather…dull,” he said.
“A man such as yourself thought love would be dull? You, who reads the men who wrote of nothing but love? I must confess that I am shocked to hear this. However, it does make me happy to know that you care for someone. Nevertheless, I fear that I must ask about the young woman who is the object of your affection. It worries me that I must ask, because I know you mentioned the sister of your student in the past,” Adam said, looking at Gabriel with worried eyes.
Gabriel gave him a knowing look and a mischievous smile in reply. It was not until a look of horror spread across Adam’s face that he realised he ought not to have made his confession.
“You have fallen in love with a noblewoman? The sister of Lord Courtshire?” Adam demanded in a hushed tone so that no one else in the coffee shop could hear them.
“I cannot help with whom I fall in love,” Gabriel reasoned.
“You could have chosen anyone, Gabriel. Anyone except for her,” Adam scolded.
“But why?”
“Why? Do you wish to be dismissed from your duties? Do you understand the consequences of this?” he asked.
“I know that it could be dire. I know that society would never accept a love between us. I know all of that, but I cannot answer the question as to why it must be that way. It makes no sense, Adam. You know that as well as I,” Gabriel said.
“It does not have to make sense. This is simply how it is. If you are caught, your entire reputation will be destroyed and your family will be left destitute,” he said, naming Gabriel’s worst fears. “How could you have let this happen?”
Gabriel shrunk back in his chair and released a long, laboured breath.
“I cannot help but adore her,” he said, his demeanour much tempered by all of this. “She is remarkable, Adam. I have never met such a woman and I truly love her with all my heart. She is magnificent, beautiful, and ingenious. She has a mind unlike any other.”
“That hardly matters. Not when you find yourself cast out of society for foolishly entering into an unofficial courtship with the sister of one of the most powerful lords in London. I have never been so shocked by the decision of a man as I am by this. Whatever you thought you were doing, I urge you to stop this at once,” Adam said.
“How can I stop what is in my heart? What am I to do?” he asked.
“You must do whatever you can. Tell her that you will not see her anymore. Avoid her when you are at the earl’s estate. It matters not, truly. You do whatever you are able because this is the worst thing you could have possibly told me today,” Adam said.
He looked around, conspicuously, as though he realised he was at the centre of a crime in progress. Gabriel was overcome by his disappointment. He had known better. He had known that it was a mistake to fall in love with Lady Montague. But this? How could he have predicted that Adam would be so angry with him? How could he have known that it was going to cause a conflict between the two of them or that he was doing something which even his dearest friend did not seem willing to support?
Gabriel couldn’t help but feel angry at himself for imagining that he could live this life he so desperately wanted. He was a fool to think that there would ever be a day when he might be allowed to marry the woman he cared for, a woman who was far superior to him in the eyes of society.
No matter what he did, he knew that he could never remedy the situation. He could never find a way to make it work, to be with her and to spend his life with her.
“I do not know what you were thinking, Gabriel, but I can hardly bear to see you lose your position and be unable to support your family because of this. It would be devastating for your mother and sister,” Adam continued.
“I know,” he finally replied in a small voice. “I do not know what to do now, Adam. I cannot continue working there and try to ignore her. It would be impossible. How can I reject this woman who means so much to me?”
“I am not asking you to reject her. On the contrary, I am urging you to make a wise decision, to do what is best for yourself and your mother and sister. You know that you cannot marry this woman. Why put yourself in the position of trying to make things any different than they are? You cannot do this,” Adam warned.
Gabriel looked down at his hands, which were fidgeting against his will.
“You are young, Gabriel. I have always appreciated that youthful spirit. But right now, I need you to do the wise, mature thing. I need you to be brave and put an end to this. You cannot marry her and that means you must tell her that there can be nothing between the two of you. No matter what,” he said.
“What about the university?” Gabriel asked, suddenly as the idea popped into his mind.
Adam was clearly taken aback, looking at him curiously as though he did not understand.
“The university? What about it?” he asked.
“Surely there is a place for me there. I may not have the qualifications to be a professor as my father was, but I may do other things. I could work there. I could assist. Perhaps I could even study while I am working there,” he suggested, the idea forming as he said it aloud.
“That would be very difficult. I do not know of any positions open at the moment, and I have never heard of a man being allowed to study while he is working. I appreciate the idea and the fact that you wish to find a solution, but I cannot imagine this is the right thing for you,” Adam said.
“But it must be. What else am I to do? Surely you can at least ask if there is a position. There has to be something, and you know that I am worth the time and effort. I would do whatever I must in order to push the academics. I could encourage the other students and urge them to do their work better. There are a great many things I could do,” he said.
Adam seemed to be considering it and that was enough to make Gabriel happy. He needed someone on his side, someone who would support him. Adam had always made a strong effort to be that kind of a man in Gabriel’s life. If it was possible now that Gabriel could work at the university rather than at Lord Courtshire’s home, perhaps it would not be so much trouble if he loved Lady Montague. Perhaps, if they were fortunate enough, they could even spend more time together and find a way to have a future.
It seemed impossible, but he was a man who had read a great many legends of love and affection. It could still come to pass. He and Lady Montague could still have everything they wanted.