Not Always a Saint

by Mary Jo Putney

  “That would be helpful,” he agreed, tactfully not mentioning the number of married names. “Is Elizabeth a family name?”

  “Yes, my mother was Elizabeth. I hated being called Jezebel and my mother didn’t approve, so when I was little, I was often called Lisbet.” Though she had few memories of her mother, the ones she had were good. She wondered sometimes how different her life would have been if her mother hadn’t died. “When I moved to York, I needed a new name, so I decided to use Jessie as a nickname for Jezebel.”

  “I’m sure your mother would be honored to know that the family name is being continued,” he said. “Now, for a different practical topic. The Kirklands have offered the use of a manor house they own that’s only about an hour from London if we want to have a quiet honeymoon before we travel to Castle Romayne. Would you like that?”

  “After all the rush of my time in London, that sounds wonderful.” Her brow furrowed. “Though having Beth there will make it less quiet.”

  “Laurel has offered to take her, and says that the duchess and Lady Julia would happily do the same. Would you be comfortable leaving Beth with one of them? If not, of course she should come with us.”

  “I’ve never been apart from her.” Jessie hesitated. Though Beth was part of her, a husband should be equally important in a different way. “But a few days just for us is a good way to start a marriage.”

  As she spoke, she realized that she wanted that private time, too. She was uncertain how well they’d suit in the long run, but given the degree of attraction between them, the honeymoon should be splendid.

  Daniel glanced at the girls, who were still tossing bread and chattering like magpies. A pair of stately white swans had joined the throng and were honking greedily. “The decision is yours.”

  “Beth is so friendly and outgoing that she’ll be fine staying with friends,” Jessie said decisively. “The Ashtons and the Randalls are about to leave town, but they both live to the west. Since we’ll be traveling in that direction anyhow, we can collect Beth on the way to Castle Romayne.”

  “That will work.” He smiled sympathetically. “Being separated will be harder on you than Beth, I suspect.”

  Her return smile was uneven. “I’m sure you’re right. But I really do like the idea of a week or so of quiet time just with you.”

  “Good,” he said, heat deep in his eyes.

  She blushed again, exasperated with herself for acting like a nervous virgin.

  Apparently reading her mind, Daniel murmured, “You blush most charmingly even though you’re not an innocent girl from the schoolroom.”

  His words were casual, but she realized this was a topic that needed to be aired. “Does it bother you that you’ll be my third husband? That seems so extreme on my part!”

  Daniel’s brows arched. “I don’t mind being the third husband as long as I’m your last husband.”

  She laughed, relieved not to see signs of jealousy. That had been the worst failing of her first husband, Ivo—and he’d had no shortage of failings. “You will be! I would have stopped at two if not for practical reasons.”

  His eyes cooled a little. Perhaps she should not have been quite so honest. She was wondering what to say when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man walk purposefully to the edge of the Serpentine. He was carrying something in one hand. When he reached the water’s edge, he tossed a small sack into the water as far as he could. A high feline wail came from the sack before it splashed into the lake.

  Lady Lydia shrieked. Beth—dear God, Beth plunged right into the water! She was splashing her way toward the sinking sack when the bottom dropped away under her feet. Suddenly Beth was in over her head, splashing and yelping frantically.

  As Jessie gasped with horror, Daniel bolted from her side and straight into the water. Though the Serpentine looked placid, it was formed from the Westbourne River and a slow, steady current was pulling Beth away from the shore.

  When the bottom dropped away, Daniel began swimming toward Beth with powerful strokes. He overtook her quickly, but she was weeping and kicking. To Jessie’s surprise, he didn’t return immediately to shore but kept swimming, Beth under one arm.

  The cat in the sack. He grabbed it with one hand and gave it to Beth, who clutched it as Daniel began side-stroking back to shore, moving more slowly since he could use only one arm.

  Freed of her paralysis, Jessie ran for the curricle and grabbed the blanket that had been tucked behind the seat again. “Turn the carriage around,” she ordered the groom. “We’re going to need to return to Ashton House immediately.”

  As he complied, she raced back to the waterside, where Daniel was emerging with Beth in his arms and water streaming from both of them. He looked like a river god, gloriously powerful and protective. The tenderness in his face as he cradled Beth to his chest twisted Jessie’s heart.

  Beth was clutching the drenched sack. “The kitty!” she wept. “That bad man tried to drown the kitty.”

  “I’ll take a look at it,” Daniel said in the soothing tones of a doctor. “First we get you wrapped up in a blanket.”

  Jessie opened the blanket in her arms. “I’ll take her.”

  Daniel laid Beth into Jessie’s embrace, deftly took the wet sack, then wrapped the folds of the blanket around the little girl. As Jessie gathered her shivering daughter close, she realized just how chilly the air was. “You must be freezing,” she said to Daniel.

  He shrugged. “I’ll do.” He produced a folding pocketknife and cut the cord that tied the sack shut. Inside was a half-grown gray tabby that looked like a drowned rat.

  “Kitty!” Beth reached for the cat.

  “Just a moment.” Daniel stretched the tabby out on his left arm and gently pressed on its back for a few seconds. Press, release. Press, release. The little cat coughed up water and raised its head to look around in terror. Then it scrabbled up Daniel’s chest to his shoulder with little needle claws, crying frantically.

  “You’ve had a hard day, haven’t you?” he crooned as he pulled it from the shoulder of his expensive, ruined coat. He tucked it under his coat to protect it from the cutting wind. It huddled close to him, only the small striped face and bristling whiskers visible. Daniel stroked its head with one finger.

  Beth’s bonnet had disappeared, so Jessie kissed her daughter’s wet curls. Jessie was shaking, she realized. Forcing her voice to sound calm, she said, “Beth, you were very brave, but also very foolish. Don’t ever, ever just run into the water like that!”

  Beth looked up with a sunny smile. “But kitty and I are both well.”

  “You could have drowned if the current had been stronger or if there wasn’t someone around to pull you out of the water,” Daniel said, his voice stern. “Do not do such a foolish thing again.”

  Beth looked up with wide, innocent, manipulative eyes. “No, Dandy,” she said earnestly. “May I have Smoky?”

  His brows arched. “Dandy?”

  “For Daniel Daddy,” she explained as she held her hands out for the little cat.

  From his amused gaze, Daniel recognized that he was being manipulated by a master, but he brought the little cat out from under his coat, petted it a couple of times to ensure that it had calmed down, then placed it into Beth’s eager hands. “Hold Smoky carefully with your arm underneath for support,” he ordered.

  Clearly Daniel saw that trying to separate a child from a kitten would be both cruel and impossible. Especially a kitten that had already been named. Jessie said, “We need to get both of you warm and fed. The poor little puss looks like he’s starving.”

  “He can have the bread.” Lady Lydia had joined them, and she solemnly produced a handful of broken bread crumbs from the bread bag.

  “That’s very thoughtful of you,” Daniel said as he put the crumbs on his flat palm and held them in front of Smoky. The little cat dived at them ferociously. He might not be a bread eater by choice, but just now, he’d take what he could get.

  A hesitant voic
e said, “Sir? Lady Lydia asked me to get our carriage robe for you.” It was the nursemaid, a dark green woolen carriage blanket in her hands.

  “Thank you.” Daniel opened the blanket and pulled it around his shoulders. “You are both very kind. Where shall I return this blanket later?”

  “Hambly House, sir. On Mount Street.”

  Mount Street wasn’t far from Ashton House. “Perhaps you and Beth can play together in the future,” Jessie said. “Would you like that?”

  Both girls piped up, “Yes!”

  Daniel gave the nursemaid his card. The Ham-blys were also leaving London soon, but there would be future seasons.

  “Now that we’re all sorted, time to go home,” Daniel announced. “Good day to you both.”

  As they headed back to their waiting curricle, Jessie said, “You ruined your clothing.”

  Daniel shrugged. “I told Kirkland his attempts to make me look fashionable were doomed to failure. Do you want me to take Beth? She must be getting heavy.”

  She was, indeed. At four going on five, Beth was a substantial armful. Luckily, the cat didn’t add much weight. Jessie was glad to transfer her daughter to Daniel.

  They felt so much like a family. Jessie wished she could believe that the future would continue this smoothly.

  Chapter 19

  St. George’s, Hanover Square, was an impressive church. It was relatively new, less than a hundred years old, and had a grand portico supported by six massive columns. Daniel wasn’t sure if it was intended to celebrate the glory of God, or the wealthy Mayfair district it served.

  As the groom’s party climbed from their carriage outside, Kirkland observed, “You look ready to bolt.”

  Laurel patted Daniel’s arm. “It’s only nerves. This is an important day, after all.”

  A day in which he was to marry a woman he’d known for only a few weeks. “When you two married, you had such absolute certainty. I wish I had that.”

  “It’s easy to be certain when one is young and hasn’t seen the many ways things can go wrong,” Laurel said wryly. “Since you’re older and wiser, you’re more aware of the possibilities and risks.”

  “But you’re also better prepared to deal with any problems that arise.” Kirkland gave Daniel a searching look. “If you have doubts about marrying Lady Kelham, it’s not too late to change your mind.”

  No! “I want to marry her,” Daniel said tersely. “I’m wondering if she might have changed her mind about marrying me.” It was said that a second marriage was the triumph of hope over experience. What did that make a third marriage?

  “Apparently she hasn’t reconsidered,” Laurel said. “I see two Ashton carriages over there, so the bridal party has arrived.”

  Daniel tried not to show his relief. Given their mutual uncertainties, she might easily have decided that she wasn’t ready to marry again.

  The interior was both simple and grand, with more columns and an arching barrel vault ceiling high above. Rather daunting for mere mortals. Seeing Laurel glance up at the west gallery, which contained the organ and organist, Daniel asked, “Are you wishing you were the one playing the organ?”

  She chuckled. “I was tempted, but I want to see the wedding of my only brother rather than merely being in the church with my back turned.”

  While she joined the small cluster of guests in the front pews, Daniel and Kirkland took up their positions in front of the altar. There were perhaps two dozen of their friends. On his side, they were mostly old schoolmates and wives.

  Even Gordon had come, looking quite respectable in his pew at the back of the church. Daniel should probably have asked Gordon to be the groomsman since the position was supposed to go to a single man and Gordon was the only old friend present who wasn’t married. But Kirkland was his closest friend, and Gordon would probably have been horrified to be so visible.

  Farther back were a handful of women he didn’t recognize, but he suspected they just liked weddings. Since a church was open to all, most congregations had members who regularly attended wedding ceremonies so they could admire clothing and flowers, and speculate on the chances of a happy marriage. This particular wedding had generated a fair amount of talk, so it was no surprise to see strangers.

  “Steady on,” Kirkland murmured. “She’ll be here soon.”

  “It’s not too late for her to bolt,” Daniel murmured back wryly.

  The music changed and the wedding party entered the nave. A beaming Beth led the way clutching a bouquet of flowers. Rumor had it that she’d wanted to bring Smoky, and only firm orders from her mother had prevented it.

  Lady Julia and the Duchess of Ashton were attendants. Both were attractive women. In fact, the duchess was considered one of the great beauties of the beau monde. Yet they paled next to Jessie, who followed on the arm of the Duke of Ashton. She carried a nosegay of white roses and surely was the most beautiful woman in England, quite possibly in the world. Daniel’s heart hammered with wonder.

  She wore a quietly elegant dove gray gown, which was a color of half mourning. The color suited her fair skin and made her look ethereally lovely. Her shining dark hair was swept up and held in place with a chaplet of flowers, and a pale lace veil fell behind all the way to the hem of her gown.

  Their gazes locked as she walked toward him. Her light clear eyes showed both anxiety and determination. Proof that they had things in common.

  Then she was there beside him. Almost his.

  The ceremony was oddly blurred, perhaps because Daniel had married many couples himself. The only unusual element was that they exchanged rings. Jessie had told him that both Mariah and Julia had given their husbands rings, and she liked the idea if he didn’t mind. He hadn’t minded; it seemed only fair. If she was his, he was also hers.

  During these days of preparation, they’d been so unnaturally polite to each other, like the near strangers they were in many ways. He wondered how long that would last.

  In a rolling voice, the vicar intoned, “I pronounce that you be man and wife together!”

  Done. Married past redemption. He exhaled with relief and lifted her hand to his lips for a kiss, saying in a whisper, “Thank you for marrying me, my lady.”

  Her return smile was shaky. “My lord,” she said deferentially.

  The music changed to a joyous march. Jessie took his arm and they headed down the aisle. He suspected that he was beaming like a fool. This marriage might be the worst mistake of his life, and he didn’t care.

  Now that the die had been cast, Jessie was relaxed and smiling. The guests looked as if they wanted to applaud and were constrained only by the solemn setting. If a marriage’s chance of success could be judged by the goodwill of family and friends, Daniel and Jessie should live happily ever after.

  Near the door, one of the wedding watchers had risen in the pew and was staring at Jessie. One hand covered her mouth and she looked on the verge of tears.

  When Jessie saw, she stopped dead in the aisle, her hand tightening on Daniel’s arm like a vise. “That woman,” she said in a choked voice. “There!”

  Daniel caught his breath. The woman was veiled, but even so, she looked like Jessie’s older sister, with the same striking bone structure and dark hair. Only her hazel eyes were different. The resemblance was so pronounced that she had to be related.

  Her expression changed to horror when she saw that she’d attracted their attention. She spun around and headed toward the church doors with unseemly haste.

  Her escape was cut off by Gordon, who had moved quickly around the pews to block her way at the door. “A friend of the family?” he asked genially.

  She muttered an oath and tried to slip away to the side, but Gordon caught her wrist. “Surely you want to offer good wishes to the happy couple, madam.”

  Daniel and Jessie had reached Gordon and the mystery woman, and other guests were following down the aisle. Surrendering, the woman turned to face them. A little shorter and rounder than Jessie and with a few silver h
airs among the ebony, she was still strikingly attractive.

  Jessie crushed her nosegay in her free hand. Hanging on to Daniel’s arm as if it was the only thing keeping her upright, she whispered in a child’s anguished voice, “Mama?”

  Chapter 20

  Wedding guests were beginning to back up behind Daniel and Jessie. This was her mother? With his bride looking pale and ready to collapse, Daniel said, “Madam, do join us for the wedding breakfast at Ashton House. You can ride in our carriage.” He glanced at Gordon. “I hope you’re coming to the breakfast also.”

  Gordon’s eyes glinted with amusement. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” He took the older woman’s unresisting arm and escorted her outside to the bridal coach, pulled by four white horses, that would carry Daniel and Jessie to Ashton House.

  After handing her into the carriage, Gordon said under his breath, “I don’t suppose I could join you on the ride? It promises to be interesting.”

  “No chance in hell,” Daniel said pleasantly as he helped Jessie inside. “We’ll see you at Ashton’s.” He glanced at the coachman. “Make this a slow journey, please.”

  “Aye, my lord.” The coachman smiled indulgently.

  As Daniel climbed into the coach he saw Kirkland and Ashton chatting with the other guests with an ease that implied nothing unusual had happened. They were surely as curious as Gordon, but he could count on them to calm the waters.

  Now to learn what the devil was going on.

  Jessie couldn’t stop staring at the woman in the opposite, backward-facing seat. The woman had drawn her veil back and she was staring at Jessie with matching intensity. She was well-dressed in a sober dark blue gown and she looked well-fed and well-kept. There was no denying the resemblance between them, but she didn’t look old enough to be Jessie’s mother. An unknown cousin or aunt, perhaps?