The Mystery

Chapter 1

Gabriel GoddardMay 1846

I scanned her letter again, playing with the tattered edges of the paper. It had been a long time since I had received one of her letters, and I was beginning to worry. She was almost surgical about them. They always came on Wednesday. One letter and one parcel, both addressed from her to me. Her letters were beautiful, anything but mundane. She wrote of adventures that sounded like they were pulled from the Odyssey or some other epic work. And her parcels, goodness, were filled with tiny pieces of her adventures. Her last was of the book she hast read on her journey. Gulliver's Travels read the cover. I had yet to read it. I wanted to, I just hadn't the time.

She said it would be her last letter, but it wouldn't matter because we would see each other soon. Post-marked in late March. It was nearly June—Mother would be furious with me for extending my time at school. I had already missed the births of five of my nieces and nephews. And according to her last letter, I was dangerously approaching the date of the sixth. It was not my doing. It was Addy's.

She had always urged me to do as my heart desired. After a few years at Eton, I had confessed to her I wanted to be a professor. I enjoyed learning, and I wanted to help other pupils find that passion. Or, at the very least, help those less fortunate learn. She told me she would find a way to delay our marriage, so that I could follow this passion. I owed Addy so much. I hardly knew how to repay her. Let alone to give her a life of love that she deserves.

I could not help but think of the very last time I saw her. It felt like a life-time ago, and I could not help but blush. I wished that I could have done something different, that I would have been less afraid. It could have been my imagination, but there was something ethereal about her. And the way I treated her was abhorrent. I didn't deserve her, I didn't deserve any of her kindness or compassion.

The pounding of feet drew me from my thoughts. I was sure that Professor Brown had broken the news to poor Xavier. He always told me he considered me his brother, and begged me never to leave him. He said home felt fuller when I was there. I had a sneaking suspicion that he hoped I would stay for his Maddy, that we'd become the fairy tales that she told him so often in his youth. I hated to break his heart, and to tell him I could not. I adored his Maddy—she had been my friend for so long. But I did not love her—I could not. It would not be fair to her.

"Gabriel," He exclaimed, bursting through our door. I turned in time to catch his saddened face. I knew what poor Abby must have felt time and time again, watching us leave for school. I'd never felt so guilty. "Say it's not true. Tell me Papa is lying."

"I'm so sorry, poppet." I murmured, reaching out for him. "I've been away from home for some time. My family misses me." I have a fiancée waiting for me. I have a new life awaiting me.

"Aren't we your family?" He asked, placing his hands on my cheeks. "You could marry Madeline. You'd never have to leave." I smiled sadly, placing my hands over his. Oh, how I wished it were that simple.

"It's not that simple, Xavier." I sighed. "I've been promised to a woman since I was just a bit younger than you. I must marry her, it is my duty to her and my family. I shall still write, and I shall do my best to visit you. My fiancée knows all about you, and I believe she is rather fond of you." Xavier huffed, pulling his hands from my face.

"It's not bloody fair," he cursed under his breath. I would have praised him for such language if I knew I wasn't the one who had taught him it.

"Language, young man." I scolded, pushing him teasingly. "Your mother will box my ears if she hears you using such foul language." He nodded, kicking the leg of my chair.

"Madeline said supper would be ready soon. You should join us down stairs."

I stood, wrapping my arm around him. I liked Xavier. I liked the feeling of having a little brother look up to me. It was quite different having nephews and nieces. You had to be a role-model for them. With Xavier, it was different. It was fun to be around him. Lord knows that soon enough I'd be a father. I shuddered to think of that future. I knew my own father was my age when he married Mama. They only wanted the same for us.