He went straight up, to his study, where he quickly wrote her a letter, begging her to meet him. He would send Sotheby with it in the morning. Lady Leah, Lord and Lady Kirby—they were due at Lord and Lady Morton’s for a luncheon. He would make his excuses, then slip away, to go and meet with Lady Selina.
He tore up his letter, tossing the remains into the fire. She already knew all of this. He’d already said it, in person, and in much better form. Plus, he knew how she would react to him, demanding that she stay. She’d go, even sooner.
He wanted her to stay. With him. He couldn’t bear having her so far from him. Not when he knew that she existed. It caused a sharp pain in his chest.
It began to rain, the drops hitting against the window. He smiled to himself—Lady Selina loved this weather. He pictured her sitting beside the window in her Aunt’s parlor, watching the drops fall, the light from the fire making her face and hair glow golden.
Selina was sitting in her room, writing a letter to her mother, when there was a knock on the door. The rest of the family was out. They’d had a prior engagement with the Mortons.
She was ready to spend the time alone, reflecting. She had so rarely gotten a chance to be by herself, despite being in the country.
Faith answered, murmuring something to whomever it was.
“My Lady,” Faith said. “It’s a letter for you.”
Selina turned, recognizing immediately, the Duke’s handwriting. She tore it open.
Meet me, by the tree. Love, J.
She flipped it over. There was nothing more. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for a moment to consider how she felt about this. She was going, of course, even though she was positive that he was skipping out on his engagement with the Mortons.
“Come, Faith,” she said, grabbing her bonnet. Faith paled.
“My Lady,” she said. “It’s dangerous.”
“The Duke will be there,” she said. “He’ll keep us safe.”
Faith went to go and collect her bonnet and book. They left the house and headed for the tree.
He was pacing back and forth, when they arrived. Selina frowned—he seemed agitated, and she wondered why. He looked up, freezing for a moment when he spotted them, and then he ran toward them.
“What is it, Your Grace?” she asked.
“My mother said that you were leaving,” he said.
“I think it’s for the best,” she replied.
“I won’t have you go away from me,” he said, taking her hand in his.
“When you tell my cousin that you are ending the engagement, permanently,” she explained, carefully. “That is going to cause a tremendous uproar.”
“Naturally.”
“When she finds out that you’re ending the engagement because of me, there’s going to be an uproar of a higher magnitude than you have ever experienced before.”
“Please don’t go, I beg you. You can come stay at Gillingham Manor,” he said.
“That’s improper, Your Grace.” she said.
“I think we’re long past propriety, my love.”
She smiled, melting at the endearment. “Call me that again,” she said.
“My love,” he whispered. “Don’t go.”
She sighed, looking up into his eyes. He was intentionally pulling on her heartstrings.
“Very well,” she said, although she knew that nothing good would come of it. She could only hope that her brother would come to her rescue.
Now that she was here, all was right. If she didn’t go anywhere, then nothing would ever be wrong again. Jasper only needed her smiles, and her tender looks.
“Everything is going to be fine,” he assured her. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Oh, I see,” she said. He reached up, tugging on one of her blonde curls. She smiled at him.
“I could spend all of my days, just like this,” he said.
“Sneaking about, you mean,” she said.
“With you, My Lady.”
She gave him a small smile, one which didn’t reach her eyes. “As you said, we’re long past propriety, Your Grace.”
“Please don’t leave, Selina.”
“I do think it would be more appropriate for me to leave.”
“While I sort out this mess, you mean?”
“If that’s what you’re going to call it, Jasper.”
He beamed—his name, when uttered by her lips, sounded different than any of the many thousands of times that he’d heard it during his lifetime.
Chapter Sixteen
“We ought to be getting back,” Selina said, standing up. Jasper walked her and Faith back to the stables.
“So,” he said, “see you for the riding expedition tomorrow?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Yes, of course.”
He kissed her hand, his eyes lingering on hers. She didn’t want to leave him, and when he begged her to stay, she couldn’t help but fold. The only thing to do was to wait for her brother’s response. Then, she would make a decision.
When they arrived back at the house, though, Mr. Wickes was waiting for their arrival. He opened the front door as they approached.
“My Lady,” he said gravely. “Your Uncle requests your presence in his study.”
Selina had a sinking feeling. She and Faith shared a look. She sighed.
“He wants your lady’s maid to come, as well,” Mr. Wickes said.
“This isn’t good, is it, Wickes?”
“No, My Lady, it is not,” he said pausing. He turned to her. “You know, My Lady, I cannot help but notice that you receive letters in the Duke’s own hand, prior to your disappearances from the house.”
Selina froze, her stomach making a little flip.
“I will not say anything, My Lady, as it is your affair,” he replied pointedly. “But I cannot promise the secrecy of others who work at Kirby Hall.”
“Understood, Mr. Wickes.”
He nodded, then began to walk down the hallway.
She straightened her back, raised her chin, and then followed Mr. Wickes down the hall to Uncle Latimer’s study. Faith followed after her, silent as ever.
“Your niece, My Lord,” Mr. Wickes announced at the door.
“Come in, Selina,” her uncle said. He was standing behind his desk. “Have a seat.” His tone was gruff—Uncle Latimer was rarely angry.
Selina sat, while Faith stood by the door.
“I’ve noticed that you’ve gone out, yet again,” Uncle Latimer said. “I thought you had more sense than that.”
“I—” she began, then found that she couldn’t bring herself to say that she’d been meeting Jasper. Her uncle was already angry—angrier than she’d ever seen him. She couldn’t bear to tell all.
“To be going out walking with only your lady’s maid, when you are well aware that a lady was murdered,” Uncle Latimer thundered. “Is completely reckless of you.”
Selina hung her head. The truth was even worse. She had been meeting a gentleman—an engaged gentleman, who was supposed to wed her own cousin.
“I thought you had more sense,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Uncle,” Selina replied, sincerely. “I shouldn’t have left.” She regretted it—she regretted causing him to worry. Particularly since she hadn’t been alone, and had been safer than he thought.
“You will not stir from this house unless you are accompanied by someone who is armed. Since you are in my house, your safety is my prerogative, particularly now, when noble ladies are being targeted.”
“Of course, Uncle.”
“What could have possessed you to go out of the house?”
Selina’s mind spun. She couldn’t lie to Uncle Latimer. But she couldn’t tell him the truth, either. She settled for a shrug. “Some type of madness, I suppose.” Close enough.
“I thought that you had common sense, Selina,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m going to write your father about this.”
“Of course, Uncle.”
“And you,” he said
, turning toward Faith. “If you want to keep your job, you will make sure that she does not go anywhere unaccompanied, ever again.”
Faith nodded, her eyes filled with tears. “Yes, My Lord.”
Uncle Latimer seemed appeased. He glared at them. “You may go.”
She and Faith returned to her room, walking through the halls in silence. Selina felt as though all the portraits were glaring down at them. As soon as the door was closed after them, she turned to Faith, who was wiping at her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, Faith,” Selina told her. “I’ll make sure that you won’t lose your job. I promise you that.”
“He’s right, My Lady.”
“Yes, he is.” She sat down on her bed, covering her face with her hands. “What am I to do, Faith?”
“Well, My Lady,” Faith mused. “It appears that you’re not going to be meeting with the Duke anymore.”
Leah walked down for dinner. It had been a lovely afternoon—a quiet one. Selina had been in her room because her father was very angry with her. She was likely sulking over the fact that she couldn’t go traipsing about the countryside, as if she was above everyone else—protected when everyone else was not.
Perhaps, she’ll even be sent away. Leah smiled to herself. Selina was too easily the center of attention, and Leah couldn’t wait for her to leave.
However, when she entered the withdrawing room, Selina was there, all smiles, and talking to Leah’s father as though nothing had happened!
“Hello, sweetling,” the Earl said. He and Selina were seated on the settees, waiting for the rest of the family. “Selina and I were just talking about the Elgin Marbles.”
“Yes,” Selina agreed. “We seem to have hit a bit of a disagreement.” They both laughed.
Leah sat down, fuming. Even when she’s in trouble, it’s like she’s not. She never pays for what she’s done. The golden lady.
“I believe that they should be returned,” Selina was saying. “They don’t belong in cloudy England. It’s absolute desecration of the Parthenon.”
“I have to disagree there,” the Earl said. “If Elgin paid for them, then he should do as he pleases.”
“Leah,” Selina said, turning her gaze toward her. “You must break our tie. What do you think?”
“Oh, I have no opinion on the matter,” she replied. Everyone had heard of the Elgin Marbles. It sounded to Leah like it was just bits of stone. “A lady ought not comment on the affairs of gentlemen.” She didn’t see what all the fuss was about.
“I quite disagree,” Selina said. “A lady ought to have opinions on everything.”
The Earl laughed heartily. “Come on, Leah. I agree with your cousin. You should be able to think for yourself. Otherwise, that Duke is going to walk all over you.”
“I think he should make all the decisions,” Leah said. “I can oversee the household, but he should have the final say.”
“How dreadful,” Selina remarked.
Leah sighed. “I don’t think you can comment on our marriage.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” The corners of Selina’s mouth were quirked upward as if she were attempting not to smile.
Leah eyed Selina. Is she mocking me? She did seem to be turning a little pink, and the corners of her mouth were quirked upward. As though she were trying not to laugh.
“Have you heard what old Napoleon is up to?” the Earl asked Selina, changing the topic of conversation.
“I haven’t peeked at the paper yet,” Selina replied, spurring her uncle into a lengthy discussion of war and the French invading Russia. Leah listened, grimly. She’d been positive that this afternoon had seen Selina’s downfall. She’d been wrong.
Selina was sitting in her room, attempting to read a book. She sat in an armchair. The windows were open to allow the morning breeze in. Her eyes stared at the page, but her mind was elsewhere. She wondered what the Duke was up to. She knew that he would send for her, eventually. And then, she would have to figure out a way to get him word.
There was a knock on the door. Faith answered.
Selina knew before Faith walked over, that she carried a letter. She sighed, looking up from her book.
Sure enough, Faith was thrusting a letter in her direction. Her face was grimly set, her eyes mournful. Selina took the letter, looking down at the now-familiar hand of the Duke.
She turned it over, breaking the wax seal with his coat of arms pressed into it. Unfolding the sheet of paper, she read it through.
Darling, I can barely stand being apart from you. Come meet me by the tree? All my love,
J.
She sat frozen, the letter in her lap. Her pulse raced, and her stomach flipped. She didn’t know how to get a letter to him. He would be out there and waiting for her. And she could never show up.
“There’s nothing to be done,” Selina said, at last, looking at Faith, who was standing next to her.
“I can go and tell him,” Faith offered.
Selina took her hand in her own. “You dear thing. No. Absolutely not. I won’t have you walking alone when there’s a murderer out.”
“He’s after ladies,” Faith said stoutly.
Selina shook her head. “I won’t have it. Your safety is as important to me as my own. Jasper will have to figure it out on his own.” She gritted her teeth as she thought of him, standing beneath the tree, waiting for her.
She sat staring at his letter, wanting him desperately. It was like there was a line, which led from his heart to hers, and it was being tugged, violently.
“I want to go,” she mused. “But I can’t.”
She stood, refolding the sheet of paper as she walked over to her writing-table. She set it in the drawer, along with the other. She would keep them forever. She closed the drawer.
She began pacing, keeping herself occupied. Faith had returned to the closet, where she was tidying up Selina’s wardrobe.
As she paced, Selina placed her hands on her waist— her corset felt too tight. Her skin tingled with desire. She hated the idea that he was standing there and waiting for her. When had things gotten out of her own control? How had she gotten here?
“My Lady?” Faith asked. She was watching her, concern in her gaze.
“Well, you can’t expect me to sit,” Selina said. “I haven’t been for a walk today.”
“How about you take a walk through the gallery, My Lady?” Faith suggested. “Stretch your legs a bit.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Selina walked to the door, grateful to have something to do to keep her occupied. She walked downstairs, waving to Wickes as she passed him.
“Afternoon, My Lady,” he said.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wickes.”
“Where are you off to?” he asked, arching his brow. She knew that he’d seen the letter and had received his marching orders from her uncle.
“Down to the Gallery,” she said stoutly. “I need a bit of a walk.”
“Very good, My Lady.” He inclined his head to her.
Feeling as though her every move was being watched, she walked straight there, ambling down the carpeted hallway lined with lush oil paintings. She stopped to look at them, one by one.
When she glanced back the way that she’d come, she spotted Mr. Wickes, standing there, making sure that she wasn’t attempting to sneak out. She waved to him, then returned her eyes to the still life of a ceramic bowl of fruit.
She thought of the day when she’d run toward him, the way that he’d looked at her. She closed her eyes, picturing Jasper, and the way that he’d looked at her with longing.
Jasper waited, his eyes on the hill, over which she usually appeared. He thought of her, how she looked on the day when she’d come running toward him, her hair loose, and her cheeks rosy. Desire for her caused his body to react. He felt a warmth in the pit of his stomach. He sighed, pacing as he waited.
The sun began to progress through the sky as the hour grew later. Clouds rolled in, and it began to drizzle. He wondered what was kee
ping her.
Perhaps she couldn’t get away. It began to rain, in earnest. But he couldn’t bear to pull himself from the spot. What if she finally came, only to find that he’d gone?
He stood, his back against the tree. The branches sheltered him, but only a little. A drop of rain slipped down over his forehead, and he brushed it away. His stomach rumbled, and he was soaked through.
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