‘For pity’s sake,’ Jack said, ‘this isn’t a game, you know.’
Letty’s blue gaze fixed on his face. Jack felt his throat close. He swallowed hard.
‘I know,’ she said.
She put the basket down on the earthen floor.
‘I brought you some food.’
Jack looked at the basket and then back at her face. ‘Thank you.’
Letty gave a little sigh of exasperation and sank to her knees on the floor, unpacking the contents on to Jack’s cloak as though it were a picnic.
‘Cheese, game pie, apple tart—no cream, I’m afraid—ham and two sweet pears from the hot houses. Oh, and a pint of ale. I hope that’s all right?’
She looked so anxious that Jack felt his stomach clench. ‘Perfect,’ he said.
He sat down and started to eat. Letty bit into one of the pears. The juice ran down her chin. She licked it up, saw Jack watching her and stopped, making a business of packing the food wrappings back in her basket. There was a long silence whilst Jack ate.
At the end he said, ‘It’ll never work, you know.’
Letty looked up. ‘We’ll see,’ she said tranquilly. She tidied up the leftovers, wiped her hands and got to her feet.
‘I think I had better go now.’
‘Yes,’ Jack said. ‘I think you had.’
Chapter Sixteen
‘Pork pie, apples, cheese, a side of beef and a pint of ale,’ Jemima said. ‘Don’t just stare at it, Jack! I thought you would be famished!’
She watched in exasperation as her brother slowly reached for an apple and sank his teeth into it. He did not seem particularly hungry, but that might be attributable to his nerves on finding himself in such a situation. She started to eat some of the cheese herself. It was strong and delicious.
‘Talk,’ Jemima said, with her mouthful. ‘I don’t have long. Rob doesn’t know I am here. Worse, he will have to tell our guests that I’m sick.’ She sighed. ‘Now they’ll be even more convinced I’m pregnant.’
Jack gave her a quick look. ‘Are you?’
‘No.’
Jack raised his brows. ‘So you haven’t told your husband about it being me who stopped the coach?’
Jemima tried not to look as shifty as she felt. ‘He knows. I haven’t had time to talk to him properly. I told you—we have visitors.’
She felt Jack’s gaze resting on her. ‘I thought there were supposed to be no secrets in marriage, Jem. Is everything all right between the two of you?’
‘Of course it is.’ Jemima took a swig of ale and avoided his eyes. ‘You’ll need to move on tomorrow in case they’re searching for you. There’s an old charcoal burner’s hut on the other side of the estate. It shouldn’t be for long. Just until we can sort this out.’
‘Don’t change the subject,’ Jack said. ‘We were talking of you and the swell.’
‘No we weren’t. Everything’s fine.’
‘Do you like him?’
Jemima sighed. ‘Yes. Yes, I do.’
Jack turned to look at her. ‘Do you love him?’
Jemima pulled a face and looked away. ‘I don’t know.’
‘No shame in it if you do. Except you don’t trust him, do you?’ Jack shifted a little. ‘You’d have told him what you were up to if you did.’
‘Never mind that.’ Jemima did not want to talk about it. It made her feel worse. She started to eat the pork pie while Jack tossed the apple core to the horse. ‘Tell me what’s going on, Jack.’
Jack sighed. ‘I wouldn’t be here if I knew the answer to that.’
‘No? Well, tell me what you do know, then. Why did you come to Delaval in the first place?’
Jack settled down. ‘I came to see you. And to warn you.’
Jemima paused in her chewing. ‘Warn me about what?’
‘Someone’s been asking questions about you. You know, sniffing around. I thought it might be your fancy in-laws wanting to discredit you, so I came as quick as I could to let you know.’ Jack sighed. ‘Truth to tell, it’s no fun at home without you, sis. Father’s simmered down now about you leaving. Seems almost pleased to have you off his hands. Mother’s really proud.’ He gave her a mocking look. ‘A real live Countess as a daughter!’
Jemima looked horrified. ‘And Father?’
‘He doesn’t know. It’s our little secret, Mother and me. Makes her happy. As for Father, I’m hoping he’ll get stuck up a chimney one of these days.’
‘Jack!’
Jack shrugged. ‘So who do you think it is, snitching around for information about you?’
‘I don’t know.’ Jemima took a mouthful of ale and handed the bottle over. ‘Rob has a cousin who’s a nasty piece of work. It could be her. She met me at the wedding and she might have recognised me, but she could be waiting to denounce me at some point in the future.’ Jemima shivered. ‘Horrible girl! She was vile to Letty as well.’
She saw Jack’s head come up sharply. ‘Letty?’
‘Letty Exton. The girl who was in the coach with me this afternoon. Surely you remember her from London—pretty with golden curls. She’s lovely.’
‘I remember. What about her?’
‘Augusta spoiled her come out.’
‘Shrew,’ Jack said. He let his head sink down on his knees. ‘So it could be her. At least you’re forewarned, Jem.’
‘Yes. Thank you.’ Jemima frowned. ‘So how did you get into this mess, Jack?’
Jack lay back and closed his eyes. ‘I fell in with a man called Harry Naylor the other side of Oxford. We travelled together. He was coming back to Delaval after the wars. Wounded at Corunna, he said.’
‘Naylor. Oh, yes. He was a groom here a few years ago, apparently.’
‘Weaselly fellow. Didn’t care for him, but as he knew the way and I couldn’t read the road signs…’ Jack yawned. ‘We got to the Speckled Hen last night and had a bit of a barney over who should buy the drinks. He’d been touching me for cash since Oxford and I was a bit pi—a bit annoyed. So we had words and he went off to talk to a friend and I took my drink into a corner.’
‘Did anyone see you quarrelling?’ Jemima asked.
‘Yes. Unfortunately.’
‘Oh, dear.’ Jemima pushed the remains of the pork pie towards him. ‘Are you sure you’re not hungry?’
Jack looked shifty. ‘No, thanks. I’ll have a drink though, before you finish that ale.’
He tilted the bottle, wiped his lips on his sleeve and continued, ‘Later on some flash coves came in. One was the swell at your wedding.’
‘Ferdie Selborne.’
‘That’s right. With some other chinless wonder. They played a few games of cards and then I saw Harry edge on up to them.’
Jemima put down the piece of beef she was eating. ‘Harry Naylor spoke to Ferdie?’
‘That’s right. Saw it with my own eyes. They were arguing fit to bust.’
‘About what?’
‘No idea, Jem.’ Jack looked annoyed. ‘If I knew that I’d know everything, wouldn’t I? Next thing I knew, I was in the corridor, having come back from taking a—’
‘Yes, all right,’ Jemima said hastily. ‘Spare me the details.’
‘It’s important. The jakes were outside, you see. I never got back to the bar. Suppose I’d taken too much ale and the next I knew I woke up in my room upstairs with the landlord pounding on the door and shouting to me to come out and saying that Harry Naylor was murdered and the constable on the way. They carted me off to Burford gaol before you could say knife.’
‘So you scaled the wall and ran away, thereby confirming everyone’s view that you were the murderer.’
Jack looked defensive. ‘I didn’t want to be a sitting duck, did I? They wouldn’t have asked too many questions. A convenient stranger to pin a murder on…I’d have been hanged before you could say—’
‘Highwayman,’ Jemima finished.
‘Yes,’ Jack said. He sighed. ‘That was stupid, but like I said, I couldn’t just come to t
he door. Or write you a note, for that matter. I’ll give all the jewellery back.’
‘That horse doesn’t look up to a life of crime,’ Jemima said, lobbing the piebald another apple.
‘It isn’t. Neither am I. That’s why I need you and your Earl to sort this out for me.’
Jemima got up and brushed the crumbs from her skirts. ‘I’ll talk to Rob about it. But…Ferdie Selborne…He’s Rob’s cousin, you know, and one of his best friends. I don’t think he’ll believe it.’
Jack shrugged dispiritedly. ‘Then you know what I’m up against, don’t you?’
‘I’ll leave you the food,’ Jemima said, blinking a little owlishly and suddenly realising how much of the ale she had drunk. ‘And don’t forget to move to the charcoal burner’s hut tomorrow. We’ll come some time in the afternoon.’
Jack stood up. ‘You’re a great girl, Jem.’
Jemima gave him a hug. ‘And you’re an idiot.’ She stood back and looked at him.
‘Jack…’
‘Yes?’
‘There’s something I should tell you. I saw Tilly a few days ago.’
Jack’s dark face was suddenly still.
‘I’m sorry,’ Jemima said in a rush. ‘You were right and I was wrong. I should have left well alone.’
‘But you didn’t?’
‘I didn’t speak to her, if that’s what you mean.’ Jemima put a hand on his arm. ‘She’s well, Jack. And happy. I thought I should leave it at that.’
Jack covered her fingers with his own. ‘Did it cause trouble with the lord?’
‘Rob. His name’s Rob, for goodness sake. And, yes, it did, I suppose. Just for a bit.’
Jack laughed. ‘Now who’s stupid? I suppose he thought she was yours.’
‘Something like that. I told him the truth. I hope you don’t mind.’
Jack shook his head. ‘Seems you may trust your Lord Selborne after all, Jem. You should make your mind up, you know.’
‘His name is Rob,’ Jemima said for a third time. ‘And now I’m going back to him. Good night, Jack.’
‘I knew you would go,’ Rob said. He was standing in Jemima’s bedroom, waiting for her, and he was white with anger.
Jemima threw her cloak over the back of the chair and turned to face him. ‘Why did you not stop me then, Robert?’
Rob looked contemptuous. ‘Because I wanted to see what would happen. I wanted to see if you respected my wishes sufficiently to do as I asked.’
Jemima winced. She felt guilty and knew she sounded defensive. ‘I could not simply leave my brother hiding out there.’
‘There was no need for that.’ Rob strode over to the window. ‘I would gladly have gone with you to find Jack tomorrow and try to sort the entire matter out. You needed only to trust me.’
Jemima felt her irritation catch. ‘You did not say so! If I had known—’
Rob gave her a look that silenced her. ‘I told you that we would talk about it. But you did not wait for that.’
They stared at each other for a long, angry moment, then Jemima’s shoulders slumped. ‘I am sorry. After Tilly, I thought…’
‘Yes?’
‘That you would not forgive me another indiscretion.’
‘Strange,’ Rob said, with biting sarcasm, ‘when what I find hard to forgive is another secret.’
Jemima thought of what Jack had said only an hour ago about love and loyalty.
‘I did not intend to hold secrets,’ she said slowly. ‘I only did it…’
‘Because your loyalty is to Jack,’ Rob said. His face was in shadow. ‘I understand. He is your brother, after all.’
‘No,’ Jemima said. That felt wrong. She narrowed her gaze as she tried to work it out.
‘My first loyalty is to you,’ she said.
Rob looked up. There was a fierce light in his dark eyes. ‘I do not think so, Jemima. If you believe that, you delude yourself.’
Jemima frowned. It was something new to see this inflexibility in Rob, to hear the hardness in his voice. And yet had she not seen warnings of it before, in the anger he had shown over her father’s violence, in the stubbornness with which he had pursued his career in the army and the equal determination he had shown in restoring Delaval? She had always known that there was a core of steel beneath Rob’s tenderness.
‘I have trusted Jack all my life,’ she said, a little catch in her voice, ‘and I have known you but a short time.’
‘I understand,’ Rob said again. He sounded tired now, his anger gone.
They looked at one another. Jemima had the strangest feeling that she was on the verge of losing something precious before she had really had it. All this time Rob had been courting her, leading her to trust him by slow steps. He had shown her nothing but generosity and she…Jemima swallowed hard. She had repaid that kindness as best she could, but perhaps her best had not been good enough.
‘What is it that you want?’ she said, watching his face. ‘Rob, I do not understand—’
‘I want your trust,’ Rob said.
Jemima shook her head slightly. ‘But you already have it!’
Rob’s gaze did not falter. ‘You always hold something back.’
‘I…’ Jemima’s first instinct was to deny it, but she stopped, for there was more than an element of truth in what Rob had said. He knew it and she knew it too.
Rob took her hand. ‘I do not like compromises, Jemima. I want everything.’
Jemima scanned his face. ‘You have it.’
‘All your trust. All your loyalty. All your love.’ Rob released her. ‘Think about it, Jemima. All or nothing.’
Jemima stared at him. ‘Nothing?’
‘It is still not too late to have the marriage annulled and give you that house in Twickenham,’ Rob said, with a lopsided smile. ‘If that is what you prefer.’
‘No!’ Jemima could not smother the instinctive cry that rose to her lips. ‘That is absurd!’
‘Why?’ Rob raised an ironic brow. ‘That was what we originally intended.’
Jemima frowned. They had come so far from that original position that sometimes it was difficult to remember just where they had started. But one thing she did know in her heart of hearts. Her life and Rob’s had become so entwined in the tapestry of Delaval that to tear herself away would be a wrench she was not sure she could survive.
‘No,’ she said again, and her voice was thick with tears this time. She stared at Rob through the blur. ‘I do not understand. All this because of tonight?’
‘No,’ Rob said. He sighed. ‘All this because I cannot settle for second best, Jemima.’ He strode over to the fireplace. ‘I promised that I would give you as much time as you needed, did I not? I promised that we could go as slowly as you wished.’ He brought his hand down flat on the mantelpiece and the china jumped. ‘I lied. I cannot do that any more. I have tried to be patient and twice you have kept secrets from me, so now I am not prepared to compromise any longer. Either you trust me or you do not. And if you do not, you are free to go. Make up your mind.’
Jemima bit her lip hard, struggling against the urge to cry. This felt all wrong, and yet she could not blame Rob, for he spoke nothing but the truth. She had risked everything by holding things back from him and it was only now, when she realised how close she was to losing him, that she could see how much more important he was than anything else in the world.
Rob glanced at the ormolu clock. ‘It is very late. I should leave you now. Tomorrow, if you wish it, you may tell me about Jack and I shall see what I can do to help him.’
He was already halfway to the door. Jemima put out a hand. ‘Wait!’
Rob stopped. The expression on his face was that of a polite stranger. ‘Yes?’
‘I am sorry,’ Jemima said, in a rush. ‘I do not know what else to say, Rob. You have a right to be angry with me. I cannot deny it. But I do not want to leave Delaval. I love it here.’ Her voice broke. ‘Oh, Rob…’
Rob’s expression was still hard. ‘Per
haps we should talk about this tomorrow, Jemima.’
‘If you wish,’ Jemima said. She set her jaw. ‘There is something I want to tell you now, though. I know I have made mistakes, Rob, but I do not intend to make the mistake of leaving you, or agreeing to an annulment. They are not easy to obtain, you know.’
She saw a spark of humour in Rob’s eyes and her heart leapt at the thought that perhaps all was not lost after all. ‘Really?’ her husband drawled. ‘Is that so, my dear?’
‘Yes.’ Jemima’s heart was beating very fast. Instinct told her that she had his full attention now. ‘Especially if a couple has lived together as we have done. You would not find it easy to claim, for instance, that you were impotent.’
Rob smothered a laugh. ‘I confess that I would be in two minds whether to take that course or not.’
‘Understandably,’ Jemima said. ‘And,’ she added, greatly daring, ‘once I had told the courts of your undeniable prowess, those particular grounds for annulment would be entirely closed to you.’
Rob’s lips twitched. He took several steps closer to her. ‘Perhaps I could think of something else.’
Jemima faced him out. ‘Perhaps I could counter your claims. Or perhaps…’ she took two steps that brought her to within a foot of him ‘…I could persuade you to change your mind.’
There was a second of stillness and then Rob grabbed her. His fingers dug into her upper arms and he pulled her tight against him.
‘Devil take it,’ he said, ‘you would not have to try very hard.’
His mouth came down hard on hers and Jemima responded shamelessly, entangling her hands in his hair, pressing herself against him. Her head began to spin as the kiss deepened and she parted her lips under his, tasting, exploring, her need for him as great as his for her.
They drew apart slowly. Rob’s breathing was ragged and his eyes were dark with desire. Jemima felt her legs tremble. She held her breath. ‘Does this mean that you forgive me?’
Rob kissed her again, a brief, hard kiss. ‘I suppose I do.’
Jemima rested her head against his shoulder. ‘It will be the last time, Rob. I swear it.’
‘Just prove it,’ Rob said. ‘Please.’ He stepped back. ‘I should go.’
The Penniless Bride Page 22