The Marriage Market

by Cathy Spencer

  “Oh dear,” Jemma said.

  “Yes. I dare say that she will feel badly when she realizes what she has done and will come to apologize. If she does not, I will not notice her when next I see her. You must do the same, Amelia,” she said to her sister, who nodded energetically.

  They heard a “harrumph” from the doorway and the Duchess of Beaufort entered the room.

  “There you are, girls. I saw you leave the room with these two gentlemen, but I did not see you return.” She raised her eyebrows and stared at the gentlemen. James hastened to his feet.

  “Here, your ladyship, please take my chair.”

  “Thank you, sir. You are . . . ?”

  “Mr. Wovington, your ladyship. I am Lady Hélène’s solicitor.”

  “Oh yes, I have heard her mention you in connection with her brother. Pleased to meet you, I’m sure.”

  “The pleasure is all mine,” James responded with a bow.

  “And who are these other gentlemen?” the duchess demanded.

  Introductions were made as the footman returned with a second tray of refreshments. Food and drink were distributed, and the company settled themselves comfortably to talk. The duchess chatted to Jemma about a recent trip to Italy while James and the young gentlemen discussed an upcoming horse race. The footman was just returning with more refreshments when Mr. and Mrs. Hadley appeared at the door.

  “There you are, Mrs. Greene and Mr. Wovington. We just heard about Mrs. Green’s unfortunate accident, and decided to see how she was faring,” Mrs. Hadley said. She spotted the duchess and curtsied until her knee brushed the floor. “How do you do, your ladyship?”

  James introduced the Hadleys, and soon they were a very lively party, enjoying the comforts of Lord Edward’s well-appointed study and his excellent claret. Two more of the duchess’ party came looking for her, making the room quite crowded by the time Lady Hélène returned.

  “I did not know there was a second party here in the study!” she exclaimed. “I came to look in on poor Mrs. Greene, but I see that she is being well entertained. You look as if you are enjoying yourselves very much in here. The dancing is almost over and supper is being set out. Will you come and have something to eat?”

  “Thank you, my dear, but I have had enough, unless you are serving that delightful cold melon soup you gave us last summer?” the duchess asked.

  “I am, your ladyship. I remembered that you enjoyed it.”

  “In that case, perhaps I will have a spoonful or two. Come along girls, and bring the young gentlemen, if you wish.” The duchess rose and turned towards Jemma. “Will you join us, Mrs. Greene?”

  “Thank you, your ladyship, but I think it best if I went home to bed. My ankle is a little uncomfortable.”

  The duchess patted her shoulder sympathetically. “Of course you must, Mrs. Greene. No doubt Mr. Wovington will ensure your safe arrival home. Good night, and I hope to see you again soon. And thank you for the name of your dressmaker, Mrs. Greene.”

  “Not at all,” Jemma said as the rest of the guests departed. She reiterated her desire to go home to James, and Lady Hélène left to have the butler summon Jemma’s carriage.

  James laid his hand upon her shoulder and Jemma smiled up at him. “You are looking tired, Jemma. Give me a moment to collect our things, and I will have you away from here directly.” James left the room just as Lady Hélène returned and sank into the chair next to Jemma.

  “Well, Mrs. Greene, you have turned tragedy into triumph. The duchess and her nieces are enamoured with you, and there have been all kinds of inquiries after your welfare. Everyone has expressed their sympathies.”

  “Thank you, your ladyship, for all your kindness to me this evening. I have actually had a very enjoyable time, despite the accident.”

  “Come back another day, Mrs. Greene, and I will show you over the house. It was always a handsome building, but I have made many improvements since I married Lord Harry. It is much more comfortable now.”

  “I would love a tour of your home, Lady Hélène, and another walk around your beautiful gardens. I could sit on a bench beside the fountains for hours.”

  “Yes, on a sunny afternoon or a mild evening, it is a favourite spot of mine. It reminds me of my childhood home.”

  James returned. “I’ve fetched our things,” he said.

  “My dear, do not forget your stocking,” her ladyship said as James draped the cape over Jemma’s shoulders. Jemma took the stocking, but the purse she carried was too small to accommodate it.

  “Here, hand it over to me,” James said, taking it from her and stuffing it into his pocket. Lady Hélène grinned and James shrugged. “Your ladyship, would you mind holding my hat? Thank you. Now, Jemma, all of the guests are in the other room having supper. You are in no condition to walk, so I am going to carry you. Put your arm around my shoulders, if you please.”

  She complied as he bent down. Grasping her to his chest, James rose with Jemma in his arms. The colour drained from her face and Jemma winced. Lady Hélène hurried down the hall in front of them, leading Jemma and James out the front door and down the stairs to the carriage. She waited while James settled Jemma as comfortably as he could into the carriage before handing him his hat.

  “Goodbye, my dears. Please come back next Sunday for that tour, Mrs. Greene. You will come too, Mr. Wovington?”

  “Thank you, Lady Hélène,” James said as Jemma nodded and waved.

  “Good. I look forward to it. Sleep well.” Her ladyship stepped back as the driver closed the door and climbed onto his seat. She waved as the carriage set off down the drive.

  The butler held the door as James swept Jemma into the house and laid her on the sofa in the drawing room. She smiled up at him.

  “James, you are my knight in shining armour. What would I have done without you tonight?”

  “Oh, I’m sure that Lady Hélène and her army of servants would have managed. Plus, there would have been a line-up of men fighting to carry you wherever you wanted to go.”

  She shook her head. “You always deprecate your kindnesses, James. You saved me a lot of embarrassment tonight. Thank you, my friend.”

  He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’ll come and check on you tomorrow, shall I?”

  “Please do.”

  Despite the late hour, James left the house with a bounce to his step. He climbed into Jemma’s carriage and whistled all the way on the drive home to bed.

  Chapter Eighteen – In Jemma’s Garden

  Jemma slept late the following morning. When she had dressed and hobbled downstairs to breakfast on her maid’s arm, she found two bouquets of flowers waiting for her: one bearing the apologies and good wishes of Lady Hélène, and the other a sweet nosegay from James.

  “How lovely,” Jemma said as she buried her face into the flowers and inhaled their sweet scent. She deposited them on the table and accepted a cup of tea and a plate of scones and strawberry preserves from the butler.

  “Smythe, please put a chaise in the garden for me underneath a tree. I am going to spoil myself and spend the whole afternoon doing absolutely nothing. I am home to no one but Mr. Wovington.”

  “Yes, madam,” he responded. “Will you require your sun hat, madam?”

  “Yes, please, and my paisley shawl and my book.”

  After her meal, the butler assisted Jemma along the garden path and helped her to settle on the chaise. She opened her book and read for a bit, but the day was warm and she soon became drowsy. She put down her book and rested her head upon the chaise. When James was shown into the garden a half hour later, she was asleep.

  “Shall I wake her for you, sir?” the butler asked.

  “No. She looks so peaceful, let her sleep. She probably didn’t sleep well last night. I will take a turn in the garden while I wait for her.” The butler bowed and left. James took off his hat, closed his eyes, and turned his face toward the sun. He stood that way for a long while, enjoying the play of the breeze upon h
is skin. Opening his eyes again, he glanced at Jemma. The breeze lifted the curls around her face and brushed the fringe of her shawl. He smiled at her, wondering if she dreamt about last night. She stirred and opened her eyes.

  “Oh, James, you caught me napping.” Jemma pulled herself into a sitting position and patted her hair. “You look none the worse for last night’s exertions. Here, come and sit beside me.” She made room for him on the chaise.

  “How are you feeling today, Jemma?” he asked, sitting down.

  “My ankle is much better, thank you. I have been resting all day. I am being quite lazy.”

  “You deserve some time to indulge yourself. You’ve been working very hard of late.”

  “That’s true, but I have been enjoying myself as well, so you need not feel sorry for me. But I am forgetting my duties as hostess. Can I get you something to drink?” She began to rise, but James placed a restraining hand upon her arm.

  “No, I am perfectly comfortable. Please do not get up.”

  They lapsed into a comfortable silence while contemplating their peaceful surroundings. “Your garden is lovely,” James said. “We don’t have one at my lodgings. I miss having a garden to sit in.”

  “Yes, I enjoy mine very much, but I have been neglecting it this summer with all of my comings and goings.”

  James rested his chin upon his walking stick and gazed out across the lawn. “You have made a good beginning on your business, Jemma. Everything seems to be progressing well. Edwards tells me that he is quite busy at the warehouse. But I wonder, now that the orders are coming in, what will you do next?”

  “I plan to visit the continent this autumn. France, Brussels, and Italy. I want to secure my merchandise for the winter and spring seasons and have it shipped back before the winter storms begin in the Channel. While I am there, I shall be seen wearing the latest fashions at the most popular spots. But I shall also take time to visit with old friends. And when I am in Italy, I shall go to the opera. It was a great pleasure of mine once, and I miss it.”

  “How long will you be gone?”

  “About three months, I should think.”

  James reached for Jemma’s hand. “Three months is a long time. I will miss you very much.”

  Jemma closed her fingers around his. “I will miss you too, James.”

  “Then do not go alone. Let me come with you.”

  Jemma stared at him, too startled to say anything at first. “You know that that is impossible, James.”

  “We are good friends, Jemma. I do not like the idea of you travelling alone, especially in foreign countries. If I were travelling with you, I could protect you, and we could spend more time together.”

  Jemma shook her head. “James, you know that my reputation would be ruined if it got out that we were travelling together. Besides, I do not wish to lose the respect of my European associates and friends.”

  “Yes, I understand your concerns. Well then, let us be married first.”

  Jemma’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “Are you in earnest?”

  James took both her hands in his. “Jemma, I admire you very much, and I have for some time. We are more than business associates – we have become good friends. Last night, holding you in my arms, I knew that I wanted to protect and take care of you. You are a beautiful and exceptional woman. You suit me and I believe that I suit you. We could be very happy together. If there was ever a woman that I could spend the rest of my life with, it is you.”

  Jemma said nothing, her eyes upon the ground. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her hair.

  “I want you to be my wife, Jemma,” he murmured into her ear. “Do you want me?” Not waiting for a response, he bent and kissed her. Hesitating only a moment, Jemma slipped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. Finally, she turned her head to let her cheek rest against his. They sat together for a moment until she drew back gently from his embrace.

  Gazing into his eyes, she said, “You say that you admire me and want to spend your life with me, James, but you do not speak of love.”

  James shook his head. “We will learn to love each other, Jemma. Do not be afraid. Love will come, I am sure of it.”

  She stiffened and pulled away from him. “It is not enough. I admired and respected my husband. We were good to each other. He loved me, but I did not love him. I do not know if I will ever marry again, but if I do, it will be to a man whom I adore, a man whom I cannot live without. I will not settle for anything less this time. I am sorry, James, but I do not love you.”

  He grimaced. “I understand that this must be all very sudden for you, Jemma. You have been so self-reliant since you lost your husband, and establishing your business has consumed all of your energy and attention. But what else do you want for yourself, my dear? You do not wish to live your life alone, do you? We have much in common and enjoy each other’s company. You do not want to give that up, do you?”

  She stared at him, her eyes widening. “No, James, I do not want to lose your friendship.”

  “We suit each other, don’t we? You do not find me repulsive physically?”

  Jemma tried to calm herself. She had never seen James look so serious and determined before. Her fondness for him softened her demeanor. “I can think of no man whose company I enjoy more. And I think that you can hardly be unaware of your physical attractiveness.”

  James exhaled softly and smiled. “Then the rest is easy.”

  Gently, she touched his cheek. “The rest is everything, James, and I will not live without it.”

  He frowned and grasped her hand. “Please, think on it. Give it some time. I was too hasty. Promise me that you will think upon it before you come to a decision.”

  Slowly, Jemma laid her head upon his shoulder. James hesitated, and then encircled her waist with his arm. “I will think on it, James. Do not believe that I under-value what you offer.”

  They sat together quietly as the shadows under the trees deepened and the warmth from the sun began to fade from the garden.

  Chapter Nineteen – Jemma’s Decision

  Two days later, Jemma waited on Lady Hélène’s doorstep for the butler to answer her knock. She intended to leave her card with apologies for being unable to visit her ladyship that Sunday; instead, she was told that her Lady Hélène was at home and would be delighted to see her. Jemma was ushered into the music room where the lady sat at a grand piano.

  “Mrs. Greene, how delightful to see you again. I hope that your ankle has improved?” her ladyship said, rising to welcome her guest. “Please sit down and be comfortable.” She led Jemma to a couch.

  “Thank you, Lady Hélène, I am quite recovered,” Jemma said, sitting. “What a pretty room.”

  “Thank you. The light in here is lovely, and I find the green and gold tones soothing. I have not kept up my playing, but I still enjoy dabbling at the keys. Do you play, Mrs. Greene?”

  “Yes, I have always been fond of music. I used to play the organ at my father’s church when he was the minister there.”

  “Very good. Someday you must stop by for a musical evening with Lord Harry and me. Perhaps Mr. Wovington will come too?”

  “That is the reason I came to see you today, your ladyship. As it happens, I have pressing business on the continent that demands my immediate attention. I will be sailing for France on Friday instead of next month, as I had intended. I want to thank you for your kind invitation to visit you this Sunday, but I will be unable to keep our engagement.”

  Lady Hélène studied her guest until Jemma looked away. “I hope that your business is not too troubling, Mrs. Greene? It can be difficult to make good arrangements when you have so little time to prepare.”

  “Yes, my departure is a little rushed, but it is necessary that I leave as soon as possible. I want to thank you again for your kind attention to me on Saturday, and tell you how much I enjoyed the evening, despite my little accident.”

  “I am happy that you were able to wring some enj
oyment out of my soirée. Tell me, does your business on the continent include Mr. Wovington? I ask only because I need his services to draw up an agreement with my architect.”

  “My business does not involve Mr. Wovington, your ladyship.”

  “That is good. He is such a clever man, even if he is rather young to be our solicitor. But what does age matter, as long as there is prudence and good sense, eh?”

  “Yes, I have a great deal of faith in James’ abilities.”

  “Of course, it is not just his skill as a solicitor that garners him so much success. He is very charming, that one. And he is handsome, too, do you not think?”

  Jemma smiled. “Mr. Wovington has many wonderful qualities, I quite agree.”

  “He will make a good husband once he settles down. And what about you, Mrs. Greene? Will you marry again? You still have many years to look forward to.”

  Jemma shifted in her chair to admire some roses on the table beside her. “I had an excellent husband, your ladyship, and a happy marriage. I do not think that I can ask for more than that in one lifetime.”

  “True, Mrs. Greene, it is lucky when a woman is content with her marriage. For instance, my marriage with Lord Harry has been quite pleasant. Quite comfortable. But he is years older than I, and the women in my family are very long-lived. If anything were to happen to him and I was left a widow, I do not think that I should be happy to live alone. It would be good to find a handsome young man to make me feel young again. And someone amusing. I like to laugh. Such a marriage would not be unwelcome, would it, my dear?”

  Jemma smiled. “Indeed, as long as your new husband were content with his role.”

  “Oh, I do not think that the right young man would hold anything against a rich, fond wife who wished to spoil him a little, especially if she were clever. Every man likes to feel that he is the dominant one in the marriage, and a wise wife is happy to let him think so.”

  “You have a very French attitude toward marriage, Lady Hélène.”