implication that the traitor was a titled gentleman of the ton hung in the air until Lucien cursed. He slouched in his chair as he rubbed his face with his hands. Alastair's head tilted as he considered Lucien's reaction. Gilles nodded. Lucien stood and went to the sideboard and poured a scotch.
“It’s going to take some very solid proof for the House of Lords to even consider trying a peer of the realm.” He turned and leaned against the sideboard. Giselle laughed.
“I am not concerned with a trial, Lucien.” She returned. He sighed as he raked his hand through his hair.
“You're still going to need solid proof, Giselle. You can't kill a nobleman and get away with it without good cause.”
“You don't think so?” She stood and stretched before going to the sideboard to fill a plate.
“Well, you might. Louis or Ferdinand would most likely intercede on your behalf but you'd be forced to leave England, you wouldn't be able to return.” Mirabelle knew he realized that he'd all but dared her to play her hand. She shrugged as she sat next to Mirabelle and bit into an apple slice. She chewed it and everyone waited for her response.
“I have no intentions of ever returning to London. Once I have resolved this business with this last traitor, as Alastair calls him, I intended to leave. I hadn't really made any plans beyond that. I have my parents home in the country but other than that, I have nowhere else to go. I could live in any other country just as easily. I speak many languages fluently.” Gilles became furious and crossed the room until he was towering over her and Mirabelle.
“You have nowhere else to go? Did you think you could just return from the dead, kill a man and then disappear again? I mourned you for more than two years and you were going to leave without giving any thought to how I'd feel about that?” His voice was deep with emotion as he stared down at her. Alastair was watching Giselle closely. She blinked several times as she bit her lip.
“I'm sorry.” She said softly. “I’ve been alone for so long, I'm not used to planning around anyone else. And you have a new life, I didn't want to interfere.” Gilles sighed as he squatted in front of her.
“We're family, Giselle. It would hurt me greatly to lose you again. You don't have to stay in London if you don't want to. But please, stay in England. You can live at Longwood with Elise and I. She has an estate close by that she's never going to live in, you're welcome to it if you'd like. You're one of the wealthiest women in Europe, you can live anywhere you like in England. Please, stay. I need to know that you're close and that you're alright.” His eyes pleaded. Giselle softened and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.
“Very well. I'll stay.” She smiled as Gilles nodded and rose. Mirabelle noticed that Alastair relaxed as well. “I will do this the right way and find enough proof and then we will consider what to do with this traitor. I think that Lucien would like him to have a trial.” She smiled up at him. He nodded. “I already have some evidence. I found letters from our traitor to LeVan. He doesn't include his name, obviously, but the writing might be distinctive and he uses an usual seal.” All three men became alert.
“You didn't mention these letters earlier.” Gilles’ voice was low and tight. Giselle grimaced.
“Sorry, it slipped my mind while we were arguing.” She apologized. Gilles nodded stiffly.
“Could you get them?” He asked. She smiled and hurried from the room. A few minutes later Giselle skipped back in and handed Gilles, Alastair and Lucien two letters each and they began to examine them. As soon as Alastair looked at the letters in his hands he gasped and shut his eyes. His head twitched from side to side and his eyes flickered beneath their lids. Mirabelle knew he was looking for something in his memory, trying to pick out something particular from the vast library within his mind. Like
“It’s going to take some very solid proof for the House of Lords to even consider trying a peer of the realm.” He turned and leaned against the sideboard. Giselle laughed.
“I am not concerned with a trial, Lucien.” She returned. He sighed as he raked his hand through his hair.
“You're still going to need solid proof, Giselle. You can't kill a nobleman and get away with it without good cause.”
“You don't think so?” She stood and stretched before going to the sideboard to fill a plate.
“Well, you might. Louis or Ferdinand would most likely intercede on your behalf but you'd be forced to leave England, you wouldn't be able to return.” Mirabelle knew he realized that he'd all but dared her to play her hand. She shrugged as she sat next to Mirabelle and bit into an apple slice. She chewed it and everyone waited for her response.
“I have no intentions of ever returning to London. Once I have resolved this business with this last traitor, as Alastair calls him, I intended to leave. I hadn't really made any plans beyond that. I have my parents home in the country but other than that, I have nowhere else to go. I could live in any other country just as easily. I speak many languages fluently.” Gilles became furious and crossed the room until he was towering over her and Mirabelle.
“You have nowhere else to go? Did you think you could just return from the dead, kill a man and then disappear again? I mourned you for more than two years and you were going to leave without giving any thought to how I'd feel about that?” His voice was deep with emotion as he stared down at her. Alastair was watching Giselle closely. She blinked several times as she bit her lip.
“I'm sorry.” She said softly. “I’ve been alone for so long, I'm not used to planning around anyone else. And you have a new life, I didn't want to interfere.” Gilles sighed as he squatted in front of her.
“We're family, Giselle. It would hurt me greatly to lose you again. You don't have to stay in London if you don't want to. But please, stay in England. You can live at Longwood with Elise and I. She has an estate close by that she's never going to live in, you're welcome to it if you'd like. You're one of the wealthiest women in Europe, you can live anywhere you like in England. Please, stay. I need to know that you're close and that you're alright.” His eyes pleaded. Giselle softened and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.
“Very well. I'll stay.” She smiled as Gilles nodded and rose. Mirabelle noticed that Alastair relaxed as well. “I will do this the right way and find enough proof and then we will consider what to do with this traitor. I think that Lucien would like him to have a trial.” She smiled up at him. He nodded. “I already have some evidence. I found letters from our traitor to LeVan. He doesn't include his name, obviously, but the writing might be distinctive and he uses an usual seal.” All three men became alert.
“You didn't mention these letters earlier.” Gilles’ voice was low and tight. Giselle grimaced.
“Sorry, it slipped my mind while we were arguing.” She apologized. Gilles nodded stiffly.
“Could you get them?” He asked. She smiled and hurried from the room. A few minutes later Giselle skipped back in and handed Gilles, Alastair and Lucien two letters each and they began to examine them. As soon as Alastair looked at the letters in his hands he gasped and shut his eyes. His head twitched from side to side and his eyes flickered beneath their lids. Mirabelle knew he was looking for something in his memory, trying to pick out something particular from the vast library within his mind. Like
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