Reforming Jane

by Maggie Carpenter

  “Maybe,” Henry nodded, “but what did you mean when you said you were watching them the whole time?”

  “Oh, right. Remember when I told you I was in a hidden room?”

  “Of course.”

  “It has monitors. There are cameras all over the place.”

  “This I have to see,” Henry said solemnly. “Will you show me?”

  “I’ve never shown anyone. I don’t think Bernie ever did either.”

  “I swear to you, as long as I live, I will never reveal its existence. Who knows, maybe I’ll need it one day, maybe we both will.”

  “It feels like I’m breaking some kind of rule that’s been cast in concrete,” she murmured. “Can I think about it?”

  “For as long as you want,” Henry replied. “Obviously it’s a huge thing for you. It would mean you totally trust me.”

  “I do,” she said fervently, “and I’m suddenly feeling hot. I was freezing a little while ago.”

  Sitting up, she pulled off her heavy sweater to reveal a baby pink, short-sleeved shirt.

  “What’s that?” Henry asked, staring at a black-and-blue mark on her elbow.

  “Oh, I probably did that at the airport.”

  “The airport? What were you doing at the airport?”

  Jane stared at him. Life suddenly felt very complicated, and dropping her head in her hands, she let out a very loud groan.

  “This is all too much,” she mumbled, “it’s just all too much. I can’t handle it.”

  “What’s too much?”

  “You, me, my crazy life, everything, it’s not going to work.”

  “Are you saying you want to stop seeing me?” he asked gravely.

  “I’m totally fried. I don’t want to say or make decisions about anything right now. I need…”

  “What? Space? Time? What?”

  “I need to be out of here,” she said, looking around the room, then looking back at him. “I’m scared. I’ve never been scared like I am now. I’m half-expecting those guys to come barging back through the door any minute, but with weapons and boxes, big boxes, big enough to take away all the amazing things in here, things it took Bernie a lifetime to collect. How could I stop them?”

  “What do you want to do, Jane? Should I take you to a hotel?”

  “No, no, definitely not, I don’t want to be by myself. I’m sorry, I’m just totally flustered.”

  “Do you want to come back to my place?”

  “Would you mind?”

  “I wouldn’t mind a bit. You can sleep in the guest room if you want, if you need—”

  “No,” she said sharply. “Sorry, that’s the last thing I want. I need to think about everything that happened today, all of it. There’s just so much going through my head right now, but that doesn’t mean I want to be alone. I’d like nothing better than to sleep in your arms again tonight.”

  “You’re overwhelmed, and I understand,” he said warmly. “Gather up what you need and we can go.”

  “‘Thank you’ feels so inadequate right now.”

  “It’s fine, Jane. I’m glad I was able to help. Why don’t you grab that paperwork regarding the house while you’re getting your things? Let’s make sure it’s all legitimate.”

  “Okay, I’ll be back in a tick.”

  As he watched her walk away, he did what she had done moments before. He dropped his head in his hands. It had been quite the afternoon. His life before Jane had been almost sedentary, his trips to the decadent chateau in the south of France providing the only excitement, but it was a different kind of excitement. Even if she did decide to retire from her life of crime, Henry suspected she would always have some sort of drama around her. It was just who she was. She was a risk taker, an adventurer, and he loved that about her. The truth was he loved her, period!

  Chapter Nineteen

  Jane was subdued on the ride back to Henry’s house, and when they walked inside she immediately turned to him for a hug. She had stopped trembling, but she felt completely drained.

  “It’s going to be all right,” he purred. “It will. You’ll see.”

  “I feel as if my whole world has blown up.”

  “Why don’t you take a long, hot soak,” he suggested. “I have to check in with my office, and there’s some work I simply must finish.”

  “I’m sorry. I know interrupted your day.”

  “Hush. Let’s get you into that tub,” he insisted, gently extricating her from his arms and leading her up the stairs.

  “I’m not sure I have the strength,” she sighed, “but a bath does sound wonderful.”

  “I’ll start the water. All you have to do is take off your clothes, but I could do that for you too, if you don’t think you can manage it,” he said with a wink.

  The comment brought a Mona Lisa smile to her lips, and entering the bedroom, she started to undress while Henry disappeared into the bathroom. An unexpected shiver shuddered through her. She was safe, she was being looked after, but it had been a terrifyingly close call, and the identity of the men and the reason for their actions remained a mystery.

  “All set,” Henry declared, walking in and sitting next to her. “When you’re done we’ll have a nice cup of tea.”

  “That sounds heavenly.”

  “If you need me, just give a shout.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she sighed. “I just need to catch my breath.”

  He left the room, and she slowly peeled off the last of her clothes, then ambled into the bathroom and saw the tub was ready. Turning off the taps, she sank into the water and gratefully closed her eyes.

  “How could I have accepted everything at face value,” she mumbled. “Bernie would never have done that. He would have questioned everything; he would have smelled something was fishy right away. Maybe Henry’s right. Maybe I should get out of this crazy life. I can’t go to jail, I’d die.”

  The notion horrified her, and she could feel a thudding in her temples. The more she thought about the events of the day, the more worried she became. The two men could return and steal all of Bernie’s precious things.

  “I bet they thought I had some kind of security system, so they decided to have me unlock the door and let them in. I was hustled. I was totally and completely hustled. I’m such an idiot.”

  She could feel the heat in her throat, and swallowing it back, she focused on how Henry had come galloping to her rescue like a gallant white knight.

  “What would I have done if you hadn’t been there to call? I suppose I would have contacted Cam, but it wouldn’t have been the same, not even close. And what happens now? What do I do? What can I do? How do I keep the house safe? How do I keep myself safe?”

  Her mind began to wander back to her childhood. The various people who had cared for her had been genuinely kind, but she’d been different from the other children. She’d possessed a sharp eye and a keen mind, and was always one step ahead of everyone. Her favorite trick was the chocolate bar. When given one to share, she’d break it in half, making sure one end was bigger.

  “Oops, sorry,” she’d say, then bite off the end of the longer piece to make them even. She’d always been amazed how easily the trick had worked. She’d had scores of little scams, and many times it was the joy of winning just as much as it was the prize.

  “Maybe my mother or my father was a hustler,” she murmured. “Maybe it’s just in me. How can I walk away from it? It’s the only thing I know.”

  She was starting to feel a tingling ache across her shoulders, and as it moved down her arms and into her legs, she realized her body had been taut with stress. She was beginning to relax, and as she started to drift away a vision began to materialize. A beautiful red brick house was inviting her inside. It was fronted by a massive green lawn, and staring down its sweeping gravel driveway, she saw iron gates that led out to the road. It wasn’t a city road, with noise and cars and blasting horns, but a quiet two-lane street. Trees were everywhere, in the distance she could see horses gra
zing in fenced paddocks, and she was filled with a deep calm, a calm she’d never felt before.

  “Jane?”

  Blinking open her eyes, she saw Henry peering around the door, and she discovered the hot water in which she was bathing had become lukewarm.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he apologized, “but I thought I’d better check.”

  “I must have fallen asleep. The water has turned cold. Heavens, how long have I been in here?”

  “Ages.” he replied. “That’s why I poked my head in. God forbid you’d drowned in my tub.”

  “I can’t believe it,” she muttered, yawning as she sat up.

  “You must have needed it,” he remarked, picking up a towel as he walked forward, “and now you need something to eat. Are you hungry? How about some comfort food? Maybe pasta? I picked up some tomato-basil spaghetti sauce at Harrods a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I haven’t eaten all day,” she replied. “That sounds great. Thank you.”

  As she stepped from the tub, he wrapped the towel around her. Taking her head between his hands, he softly pressed his lips against her.

  “Mmm, that was lovely,” she purred, gazing up at him, “and speaking of lovely, I just had the most amazing dream. It’s left me feeling completely serene.”

  “Now that you mention it, you do look better. All the tension is gone from your face.”

  “I was standing in front of this gorgeous red brick home,” she began, seeing the image clearly in her head, “and I could sense it was home to a happy family. It had a big green front lawn and a gravel driveway. I’ve always wondered what it would sound like to hear a car crunching down a gravel driveway,” she said with a wistful smile. “Anyway, there were trees everywhere, and I could see horses. Horses! Can you believe it? Horses in paddocks! I felt as if I’d died and gone to heaven. What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “It sounds like a place I know,” he smiled, “but you need to get dressed, it’s cold in here. I’ll get dinner going and start the fire.”

  “I know I keep saying it,” she said softly, “but thank you again for everything.”

  “I’m just glad you’re okay, and I’m glad you’re back here where I can keep an eye on you,” he grinned. “I’ll put the kettle on too. A cup of tea will be waiting.”

  As she watched him walk away, she ached to grab his arm and make him stay. She wanted to tell him she never wanted to leave, that she was afraid to go back to her house, and if she did go back, she’d have to lock herself in the secret room and sleep on the small cot. How could she not have seen how vulnerable she was? She wanted to tell him all of that, but most of all, she wanted to tell him she loved him, deeply, truly, and with her whole heart, she loved him.

  ***

  Henry filled the kettle and set it to boil. He had a great deal on his mind, and as he spooned the loose leaf tea into the teapot, he knew the time had come for the all-important conversation. He had planned to wait until the following day, thinking it would take that long for her to recover from the trauma of what had happened, but once again, she had surprised him. In the bathroom she’d been almost sanguine.

  The unexpected episode had brought everything under a stark spotlight. She could no longer ignore the peril in which she lived on a daily basis. Had she already come to grips with the hard truths of her life? Did that account for her tranquil demeanor? Had Jane made some life-changing decisions with which she was at peace?

  “Perhaps she finally gets it,” he murmured as he filled a saucepan with water and set it on the stove for the pasta. “I hope so. She’s not safe in that cottage, not with all those treasures sitting there waiting for one of her crooked cronies to bust in and steal.”

  He’d been in awe of the precious bronzes, first edition books, fine paintings, and priceless porcelain figurines. From all accounts, Bernie was revered by his criminal cohorts, and Jane had been treated like his daughter, but such reverent loyalty would last only so long. Henry had no doubt predators were biding their time, and at some point, they would pounce. Then there were the police. If thugs didn’t get to her, sooner or later the authorities would.

  He’d emailed the paperwork pertaining to her house to his solicitor, and after looking it over himself, though everything appeared to be in order, it was a complicated setup, and he was worried about the accountant who was handling the home accounts. Taxes, utility bills, repairs were all under his control, and Jane couldn’t even remember his last name. The entire picture was disturbing. The kettle whistled, breaking into his thoughts, and just as he was pouring the steaming water into the teapot, Jane wandered in.

  “Fantastic,” she said, walking over to him. “I’m dying for a cup of tea.”

  “I am too,” he said, pausing to kiss her. “That bath did wonders for you.”

  “I feel so much better,” she sighed, reaching into the refrigerator for the small jug of milk. “Do you have any scones left? I’m starving.”

  “I’m amazed at how well you’ve recovered. You were a mess when we got home.”

  “Let me put it like this,” she said thoughtfully. “I’m over the scare, but I’m still scared. I don’t know how I’ll ever feel safe in my house again. I need a Rottweiler, or a serious alarm system, or something. No one would have dared done that to Bernie. They wouldn’t have done it to me either, if Bernie was still alive.”

  “You should be worried. You have some extremely valuable pieces in your house, and I’m sure that fact is well known in your circles.”

  “It is,” she sighed. “Scones?”

  “The scones are in the bread bin, but you’ll need to zap them for twenty seconds.”

  He carried their teacups to the kitchen table, and she quickly followed with four scones on a plate, along with the dish of butter and the butter knife. As they settled at the table, Henry studied her as she devoured a scone and sipped her tea. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked back at him quizzically.

  “You look as if you want to tell me something.”

  “I do. I just want to be sure you’re up to it.”

  “Why? Is it bad news?”

  “I don’t know how to answer that. You might think it is, but like many things, it’s about perspective.”

  “You’re being very mysterious,” she smiled, picking up another scone and smothering it with butter.

  “I don’t mean to be, I just… well… you’ve had a heck of a fright, and I don’t want to spring something on you if—”

  “You’re stalling,” she said, cutting him off. “You’re not worried about how I’ll take it; you’re worried about telling me for some other reason.”

  “Thank you for reminding me how smart you are,” he sighed, “and also for reassuring me. It’s clear you are over the drama.”

  “I am, I told you. I bounce back. I’m a survivor, but don’t get me wrong, I was totally terrified while it was happening, and I felt completely wrung out when we got here. I’m still feeling a bit tired, but I’m good, just scared about going home, that’s all. I have to assume those guys wanted to case the house, and figured out a way for me to let them in. I’m just surprised they didn’t pull the job right there and then. That’s the part that has me completely baffled. It makes no sense. You’re the super clever one. Do you have any ideas?”

  He didn’t respond, and she narrowed her eyes, studying him.

  “Henry, you’re acting weird, you’re looking at me weird. What’s going on?”

  “Yes, Jane, I do have ideas; more than that, I know exactly why they did what they did,” he said, leaning forward and lowering his voice.

  “You do?”

  “I do, and this is the part where you need to prepare yourself for a shock.”

  “Okay,” she said slowly, putting down the scone and taking a deep breath. “Tell me.”

  “I know why, because they were friends of mine. I planned the whole thing, and I did it because I love you.”

  Chapter Twenty

&n
bsp; Henry was at a loss. It had been an agonizingly long, silent few seconds. Jane was staring at him, her face contorting with anguish. Had his confession been a terrible mistake? A frantic second-guessing game began in his head. He’d had to tell her, didn’t he? How could he expect honesty if he wasn’t honest with her? And he had to tell her why he’d done it. She had to know he loved her; that was the most important thing of all.

  “Jane?” he said softly, afraid to speak but afraid not to. “Please, say something. Are you all right? Talk to me.”

  But she couldn’t. Her heart was thumping so hard she was sure it would explode. She was barely able to breathe, let alone speak. His admission was still sinking in, and she was swamped with a thousand conflicting emotions, but what was rising to the fore and taking center stage were his last three words. I love you.

  Suddenly, without warning, a gigantic bubble rose up, and as she let out a strange, alien cry, large globules of water burst from her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. She was gasping as she sobbed, and leaning into her, Henry took her in his arms, apologizing profusely and begging her not to be angry with him.

  She wanted to tell him not to be sorry, she wanted to tell him she understood why he’d concocted the scheme, that she wasn’t angry, but she couldn’t because the impact of his confession was overwhelming her. Not what he’d done, but why he’d done it.

  He loved her!

  How could a man like Henry, so successful and brilliant and from such a fine family, love her, go to so much trouble for her? He’d wanted her to see the extent of the peril in which she lived, every single day. And she had. And it had been dazzling. And she understood it now, utterly and completely, as she’d never understood it before, and it was all thanks to him.

  “Jane,” he repeated, “what can I say, what can I do? I didn’t mean to upset you so much. I didn’t mean to—”

  Pulling back, Jane raised her hand and flailed it in the air.

  “S-stop,” she managed. “S-stop.”

  “Deep breaths, take deep breaths,” he said, not knowing what else to suggest.