“What happened?”
“Stanmore’s lawyer
and
Nicholas
discovered the truth about the alleged murdered man. As I was told
later by them, I had only managed to wound the monster. A few years
later he was killed by an angry husband.”
Jane tried to stop the trembling of her hand
as she placed the cup and saucer on the table. Though their
backgrounds were very different, the similarity in how they felt—of
not wanting to injure the man they loved—was so startling.
“Despite the connection to Lord North, the
announcement of Stanmore’s and my marriage was not without gossip
and insinuation. But we managed to survive it very well, I think.”
She smiled proudly. “Knowing what I do now, having faced the elite
in the course of dozens and dozens of social occasions, I can tell
you that what they say means nothing when a marriage is
strong.”
Rebecca touched Jane gently on the knee. “I
know you may think it is easy for me to say these things, since all
of this is behind me. But if I could offer you a little advice…just
listen to your heart and fear nothing about what others might
think.”
“Did Nicholas ask you to come and speak with
me today?”
“No, he didn’t. But seeing you at our home
two nights ago brought to my mind memories of myself.” Her gaze was
direct yet tender. “Anyone watching you two can see that he is so
helplessly in love with you…and that you are so deathly
afraid.”
Jane closed her eyes for an instant and then
let out a long breath. “My fear is not of him. I love him more than
I can ever put into words.”
“And that is why you are trying to do what
is right for him.” She completed her thoughts.
Jane’s head swam with all the difficulties
ahead of them, but she also dared herself to imagine all the
possibilities. The second far surpassed the first. It was a while
before she turned her attention back to Rebecca.
“I appreciate what you are trying to do for
me…for us.”
She squeezed Jane’s hand gently. “I did not
come here for any answers, only as a woman paying a visit to a new
friend.” Rebecca smiled, rising to her feet. “But I had better get
back before testing the patience of little Samuel’s nurse.”
“When are you going down to Solgrave?” Jane
asked as she followed the other woman to the door.
“Tomorrow morning. And the invitation
stands. Please come and see us.”
“I shall try.” Jane returned Rebecca’s
affectionate hug. “And thank you.”
Mrs. Hannagan joined them by the open front
entrance and wished Lady Stanmore goodbye, as well. When the
countess’s carriage had pulled away, Jane walked back inside with
the housekeeper.
“I do not intend to be intrusive, Mrs.
Hannagan, but do you know by any chance when Sir Nicholas is
expected back today?”
Mrs. Hannagan gave Jane a warm smile. “Of
course I do, miss. He returned only a few minutes ago, but I told
him that you and Lady Stanmore were having a private talk, so he
went up to change for dinner rather than break in on you
ladies.”
***
Nicholas had just taken off his jacket and
his cravat and was ready to take off his shirt when there was a
knock on the door. Assuming it was his tardy valet, he called for
the man to enter. He was surprised and delighted to see Jane’s face
peer around his door.
“May I come in?”
“Please do,” he took a step toward her, but
then stopped. It had been a struggle last night to walk away from
her and to leave this morning before she woke up. It was far too
easy for both of them to give in to their passions every time they
came together. But that was not the way he wanted to share his life
with her. There was so much more between them than just the
physical fulfillment of their bodily desires. He was resolved to
keep his distance and give her time to make a decision.
Jane entered the room and closed the door,
leaning her back against it. He was still powerless when it came to
resisting her, so he moved to the far side of the room to pick up a
clean shirt. “I heard that you and Rebecca were visiting
downstairs.”
“We were.”
He quickly shed his shirt and began pulling
on the new one. “And how was your visit?”
“Yes.”
His fingers paused. Nicholas struggled to
keep his voice steady. “What did you say?”
Jane pushed herself away from the door and
started toward him with measured steps. “I said ‘yes.’”
“Yes…meaning…you had a pleasant visit?”
She shook her head, and then smiled and
nodded. “We did have a very pleasant visit.”
She came to a stop right before him. Her
hands were clasped behind her back. Her chin lifted, her dark gaze
charged with emotion.
“But I am really saying ‘yes’ to your
proposal…‘yes’ to spending the rest of my life with you.”
Nicholas didn’t give her a chance to take
another breath before lifting her into his arms and whirling her
around in a burst of excitement. “My God, I love you, Jane. You
have made me the happiest man alive.”
“And you have made me the happiest of
women.” They both came to a stop. She cupped his face in her hands
and stared into his eyes. “There is still a great deal that we have
to work out.”
“We will…together.”
“And it might take some time before I can
sort everything out in Ireland.”
“Then we shall sort everything out together,
for I am not letting you too far out of my reach.”
“There will be many who will be shocked by
the news of our marriage.”
“But they are others who will be delighted.”
He kissed her lips. “But none of them matters, anyway.”
Jane hugged him tightly, feeling on her
cheek the strong beat of his heart. She wouldn’t let the doubts
cloud her mind. She was through guessing how was it possible for
everything to resolve itself.
For the first time in her life, she was
daring to live beyond the dreams.
When Jane arrived back in Ireland a week or
so earlier than they’d planned, she found that nothing had changed
and yet everything had changed.
Only Frances, already registered in a girl’s
school in London, had stayed behind while Nicholas and Lady Spencer
had traveled with her and Clara back to Woodfield House.
Although Jane felt no connection with her
father—and certainly didn’t care to seek his approval for this
marriage—she had decided to abide for once by the etiquette of
polite society. She had even encouraged Nicholas to withhold any
announcement of their upcoming union until they’d had a chance to
inform her parents. Of course, Nicholas’s lawyers had carried a
letter to the Purefoys ahead of time with directions to draw up the
necessary papers, and the Spencers were told, as were the
Stanmores, and a small but select number of Nicholas’s closest
friends. By the time the official announcement was published in the
papers, Jane hoped, all of it would be nothing but very old
news.
Despite the excitement by Nicholas’s
immediate circle of family and friends in England, Jane was
completely unprepared for the warmth of the welcome that they
received upon their return to Woodfield House. Everyone behaved as
if there were nothing unusual about the baronet proposing to Jane.
It was almost as if there had never been scandal associated with
her name, at all. Her mother was utterly jubilant, and her father
more cordial than any time Jane had seen him in her life.
“The proper announcements shall be sent out
no later than tomorrow morning.” Lady Purefoy announced joyfully to
the women who had left Sir Thomas and Nicholas in the dining room
the night they arrived. Jane had never seen Nicholas more
enthusiastic about talking to her father alone than tonight. “If
you can help me, Lady Spencer, with the names and addresses of
those you wish to notify, we can have them all go out
tomorrow.”
“I shall be delighted to be of any help that
I can,” the other woman offered.
“And I’d say this wedding absolutely demands
two elaborate receptions—one here following the wedding service,
and one in London.” Catherine beamed with the prospect. “Perhaps we
can arrange them so they will be only a month apart.”
“Indeed, and the sooner the better,”
Alexandra agreed. “Before leaving London, I warned Mrs.
Hannagan—she is Nicholas’s housekeeper—to start…”
The two women continued to chat like the
best of friends planning the most important event of their lives.
Jane quietly moved away from the conversation and joined Clara by
the window.
“I thought he would be coming here tonight,”
Clara whispered to her sister. Her gaze never left the road winding
up through the valley toward Woodfield House’s stables.
“I thought so, too.” Jane stared in the same
direction. “I sent a message to him, myself, as soon as we arrived.
Mother does not seem very much concerned about the gossip that will
surround Henry concerning what he said on my behalf the night of
the ball. But it is important that he hear about my engagement to
Nicholas from us, rather than being caught off his guard by someone
else.”
“The lawyers have been here nearly a week
already.” Clara’s gaze seemed troubled when they turned to meet
Jane’s. “Perhaps he already knows…and he is upset…even
jealous…and…”
“There is little chance of that jealousy
business, little sister. Before I accepted Nicholas’s proposal, I
had to let go of my uncertainties and fears. You must do the same.”
Jane placed a comforting hand on her sister’s arm. “Knowing Henry,
he is probably busy right now with some act of charity, or some
emergency.”
“Then, we may not see him tonight, at all.”
Clara hugged her middle and looked longingly out the window again.
“By heaven, I have missed him. And there is so much that I want to
tell him. You…you have let out a monster in me. Now that I know
what I want…and I have decided how to go about getting it…waiting
patiently has become torture.”
Jane smiled at the love and enthusiasm that
had transformed her sister. Once they’d talked and Clara had
explained about Henry’s first proposal and her refusal, everything
made sense. Thinking back, she could clearly recall all the signs
that should have given her sister away.
“If I could escape, I would walk all the way
to Ballyclough…barefooted, if I had to,” Clara whispered
impatiently. “This wait may kill me, Jane.”
“You do not need to go on foot.” She gave
her sister a knowing look.
Clara cast a quick look at their mother.
Lady Purefoy was still deep in conversation with Alexandra about
the wedding arrangements. “Will you help me?”
“Of course, but only if you promise to ask
Paul to arrange for a carriage and a couple of strong and
trustworthy grooms.”
“I will.” Clara excitedly squeezed Jane’s
hand. “Thank you.”
Clara slipped quietly toward the door, but
Lady Purefoy’s sharp eyes immediately noticed the daughter’s
movement. “Where are you going, Clara?”
“We are going for a walk in the garden.”
Jane immediately joined her sister. “You are doing such a fine job
with your planning that we thought—if you don’t mind—we would go
outside and enjoy a little of this beautiful autumn night.”
“Of course, we don’t mind.” Catherine smiled
pleasantly. “But wear a wrap or something, you two. I do not want
either of you catching a cold before the coming celebrations. And
have Fey send out a servant with a torch for you. And…”
Side by side, the two young women left the
room. Once outside, a fit of giggling took hold of Clara. “I cannot
believe how much fun it is…to sneak out like this.”
Jane was
certain
she had created a
monster. “I think I will walk down to the stables with you, just to
make sure that you do not do what you threatened just now—walking
to Ballyclough, I mean.”
At that precise moment, a distraught looking
Fey appeared from the servants’ hall. Taking hold of Jane’s arm,
she begged for a moment’s time with her…alone. Too excited to wait,
Clara whispered her promise again to Jane and ran for the
stables.
Jane turned to the housekeeper, who was
obviously wracking her brain for the right words. But no choice of
words could lessen the impact of the news she needed to share.
***
Egan was one of the last to arrive at the
Shanavest’s urgent gathering.
The number of men and women who had turned
out was surprisingly large. But as Jenny told her a moment she
crouched beside her, the purpose of the meeting had nothing to do
with the terrible news Fey had conveyed. She shook her head at
Egan’s questioning look and motioned for her to join Liam, who was
standing at one end of dilapidated barn.
From Fey, Egan already knew that the
magistrate had arrested the families—wives and children—of both
Patrick and Liam early this morning, only a few short hours before
the two men’s return from Kildare.
The news was devastating, and as Egan made
her way through the group, her mind cast about for different
solutions. None, however, was comforting.
Liam was speaking to someone standing in the
shadow of a rough-hewn post, while Patrick was crouched before a
small peat fire not far away. His face showed the depths of his
torment, and he did not look up when she touched his stooped
shoulder as she passed.
At Egan’s approach, Liam ceased his
conversation with the stranger beyond.
“I am so sorry.” She placed a hand on Liam’s
arm. Too many regrets were running through her. It was because of
her that Patrick had been forced to go. If she had stayed behind
instead of going to England…
Shaking herself, she forced back the guilt
and tried to focus on the present and how she could be of any use.
“I came as soon as I heard the news.”
The leader’s expression showed how grateful
he was to see her. “We’d better get started.”