An Arranged Marriage

by C. M. Bryden

  The doctor told her there should be no problem with her conceiving another baby, once her body had recovered. Having one ectopic pregnancy, where the baby is growing outside the womb, didn’t mean all subsequent pregnancies would go the same way. To Jane’s chagrin, she was told to go home and, when she’d fully recovered from her operation, to make more babies with her handsome husband!

  Jane was completely distraught, not only had she lost her baby, but also the possibility of having more babies with Jake seemed unlikely, as far as she was concerned. It must be a relief she thought, for Jake, not to be saddled with an unwanted child, having told his mother he wasn’t ready yet for fatherhood!

  Unfortunately for Jane, her hormones were still running riot through her empty body, making her desire for another child an irrational thought. She knew she was being perverse, but maybe it was just nature’s way of filling the void in her mind and body left by losing a child. But how was she to fill the void in her heart, knowing Jake didn’t want her, or children?

  A day or so later, Jane was allowed to go back to the hotel. She was still deathly pale, listless and certain her marriage to Jake was doomed. Had Jake known Jane’s grief was a normal reaction for any woman losing a baby, he might well have shown more affection and concern, but Jane’s emotions, as we know, are not a high priority for Jake, especially as he was trying to come to terms with his own loss? Not only his loss of Jane, who he was fully convinced was having an affair with Leo, but his loss of a child that just might have been his, for he’d finally found a spark of paternal love. But how could he help Jane with her needs, when he couldn’t understand his own?

  Jane walked unaided into the hotel, to be met by Laura, holding out her arms to comfort her. To Laura’s dismay, Jane felt like a piece of cold marble in her arms as she held her in a close embrace, her own heartbroken for her lovely daughter-in-law, and for her son, as well as her sorrow at how she’d spoken at the dinner.

  Jane let Laura fuss over her, knowing her own mother would have done exactly the same but despite Laura’s loving concern, Jane knew she had to get away from the complex, but most of all, she wanted to get away from Jake. She had to think, she told herself. She had to make plans for a life without him because, as far as she was concerned, their marriage was over. Jane knew she loved Jake, and that she always would, but she wanted a husband who could say the words she needed to hear, not a man who wanted her just for sex.

  Jake too was miserable, and lonely, unable to confide his feelings to anyone, his repressed upbringing mostly responsible for his lack of feelings. He couldn’t focus on anything, other than his own desolation and his thoughts that Jane hadn’t loved him enough to tell him she was expecting their child. He’d even convinced himself the child hadn’t been his, but the result of her having an affair with Leo. Unable to face her with his suspicions the gulf between them widened into a chasm too wide to bridge. It was at that moment Jake knew his and Jane’s marriage had finally disintegrated.

  Were the fates laughing at that moment at the mischief they’d caused? Or did they have a solution? If so, only they knew the answer, and they weren’t telling!

  Chapter Seventeen

  On the surface Jane appeared to be recovering from her ordeal to everyone, except to Laura, who could see she was severely depressed. She was trying hard to hide her low spirits, but failing miserably. Laura knew from her own experience of childbirth that post-natal depression was not an uncommon event for new mothers, she also knew without medical attention it could take months for Jane to recover. Worried about her new daughter-in-law, Laura took Jake to one side and told him Jane should go back to London as soon as possible, knowing she would recover faster in more familiar surroundings, unaware their marriage was in danger of being over. Laura just wanted her daughter-in-law well enough to become pregnant again, truly believing a new baby would be the cure her daughter-in-law needed! Something at the time that was the farthest thought in Jane’s mind.

  As for Jake, he too was at a loss to know what to do. On the surface it seemed Jane was recovering, but as she blatantly ignored him, even when he appeared in the dining room, it was difficult for him to understand what he should do or say. Jessie was also at a loss to know what to say to either of them, shrugging her shoulders in despair and hopelessness, whenever Jake looked in her direction.

  Jane spent most of their remaining days in her room, or on the terrace, working on her laptop, intending to finish her report as quickly as possible. Within a few days of being back from hospital, she’d completed her report, leaving Jessie to finalise the legal paperwork, knowing once everything was done, apart from Stefano and Laura’s signatures finalising the deal, she was ready to return home.

  Jessie of course couldn’t wait to get back to London. She’d missed Andrew, who she’d kept fully informed of all that had happened; even to the extent of telling him of her fears that thought Jane’s marriage was in serious trouble, and how Jane was punishing not only herself, but Jake as well. All this left Andrew wondering what would happen when Jane came home. Would Jake return with her? Or would he decide to stay in Italy? Jessie couldn’t give him an answer. All she knew was the sooner they returned to London, the better.

  The next morning, before taking the final contracts into Stefano’s office to get them signed, satisfied they’d done a good job, Jane asked Jessie to organise their flights. This was always the best part of any visit, knowing the hotel would soon find the recognition it deserved. Her coming to do this assessment in the first place might have been a sham arrangement, but Jane knew the hotel was every bit as worthy as any other she’d ever seen. It had everything discerning holidaymakers would want, from the stunning views, to comfort at every turn. Wonderful food and wine in the restaurants, and a newly finished spa centre that catered for every kind of beauty treatment known. It was a wonderful business, set in fabulous countryside and Jane could think of nowhere else in Italy that would surpass it, but then she was biased, being part of the family that owned it! As far as she was concerned, Laura and Stefano’s hotel would be her benchmark when she made other assessment visits. Her only problem, as wonderful as it was, the Villa Flateri couldn’t heal or mend her broken heart. Only time could do that.

  The first thing Jane promised herself she would do when they arrived home, would be to contact her lawyer and start the proceedings for her divorce from Jake. She couldn’t imagine staying married to him, or living with him ever again, especially since she’d lost their baby. If she ever met another man and fell in love, she would make sure he loved her, and wanted children before agreeing to be married, unlike Jake, who’d married her when he obviously didn’t love her. He’d lusted after her, for sure, but that was different, just as he wanted her father’s business! He’d wanted the sex part of marriage, which Jane could no longer think of as making love, how could she? Since losing their baby she’d realised she’d merely been used, exactly as she’d used him, unable to get enough of his body. Even now the thought of him acted like an aphrodisiac, as did the very thought of them naked and entwined in each other’s arms: lusting after each other, like rutting animals, made her want him. But in her heart she knew it wasn’t just the sex she wanted; she wanted him; she loved him and, the saddest part of all, knowing she would always love and want him.

  When Jake heard from Jessie they would be leaving the next day and would need transport to get to the airport, he’d acted as if he was uninterested in what happened to either of them. He was coldly polite and withdrawn, merely agreeing to arrange for the hotel’s people carrier to be available and that was the last Jessie heard from him that day. He’d kept his distance from Jane as well, after she’d repeatedly ignored him, making no attempt to see her. He’d certainly not shared her bed since she’d returned from hospital. Jane had assumed at first he would be sleeping with her, but when he hadn’t approached her, she’d decided he no longer wanted her. From then on they spent their nights alone; two people who couldn’t bridge the gulf between them, bo
th convinced their life with each other was over. Jake didn’t know what to say or how he felt all because of his childhood therefore he lost any chance of being reconciled with the only woman he’d ever truly loved.

  That final morning as Jake and Jessie loaded the people carrier, Laura approached Jane and gently held her in her arms, tearfully saying her goodbyes, the words she wanted to say left unsaid. It would be interfering in her son’s marriage if she told Jane her thoughts, and she knew Jake well enough to know she couldn’t confront him and tell him he was a fool. She would have to wait for him to come to his senses, as for Jane; she had to recover her health. Laura realised the coldness between Jake and Jane was the result of Jane pining for her lost child. Had she known it was Jake’s inability to tell Jane how much he loved and wanted her that was at the root of their problem, she would have been horrified. She’d grown to realise over the years being forced to go to a boarding school at such a young age had stunted Jake’s emotional growth, making him lock his emotions away. Unfortunately, Laura didn’t hold the key to opening his heart to release them, only Jane could do that. For that to happen Jake had to change and only then would he find the happiness he was looking for and deserved.

  As it turned out, Jake did drive them to the airport. He’d sat stony faced behind the wheel and driven in silence, with Jane sitting next to him, looking out of the window for the whole journey. Jessie sat in the back, wishing there was something she could do or say that would make everything right for them both, but what that should be, she didn’t know?

  Jake had at least promised Jessie, as he loaded their luggage, that he would return to London as soon as Stefano was well enough to take full control of the business again. Jane made no comment as she overheard his words; he might have been on another planet, as far as she was concerned. She certainly made no attempt to return the brief kiss he’d placed on her averted cheek. Jessie though, he kissed with real affection, his look pleading for her to intervene: a look she chose to ignore, knowing it was more than her life was worth to interfere. Also, Jane was made of stern stuff and wouldn’t take kindly to being told what she should do, as Jake was to find out.

  Jessie knew her friend could be implacable and totally unreasonable at times, to such an extent once she’d put herself on a course of action, absolutely no one would make her change her mind. To Jake and Jessie’s astonishment, just as they were about to walk into the entrance that would lead them directly into the airport departure lounge, Jane reached across and put her arms around Jake’s shoulders, giving him a quick peck on his cheek, then hugging him and whispering, ‘take care of yourself Jake.’ But before he could respond, and hold onto her, she’d walked away and, for the time being, out of his life.

  Jane returned to work the next day with a renewed vigour and an energy that amazed Jessie. She was fired up, no doubt running on adrenaline, so much so it didn’t take long for them to catch up with the backlog of work waiting for them. Jessie could see for herself Jane had lost the lovely bloom she’d had when she first became pregnant, as well as the small amount of excess weight she’d gained and now, she appeared lean, and hungry for something to happen, but what that would be, Jessie wasn’t sure.

  Andrew had been waiting for them at the airport when they landed, briefed by Jessie the night before as to what he could and couldn’t say. He’d wanted to stay with Jane, but she was having none of that. She told him he could do as he always did and stay with Jessie, she’d said this in such a way the three of them were soon laughing and the tension he’d been expecting, was broken.

  Jane wanted to be alone, to relish the peacefulness of her flat. With nothing to remind her of Jake in the rooms, she found she could relax quite easily, except when she went to bed and found she couldn’t sleep, unable to erase from her memory of how they used to make love, and then afterwards, how they would fall asleep in each other’s arms and wake in the morning both wanting more!

  Her first call in the morning was to her lawyer, to ask for the divorce papers to be served on Jake at once. He did, of course, without any success, try to reason with her, asking that they should try mediation first, but Jane was adamant, she wanted a divorce and the sooner the better.

  Her lawyer asked her again, on what grounds did she want her divorce? Was it still to be adultery?

  As Jake had told her the woman she’d thought to be his lover was in fact his young half-sister Jane knew she would have to have another reason and then suddenly she said, ‘unreasonable behaviour,’ which seemed in her eyes to fit the bill exactly.

  A few days later, Jake opened a letter his mother had placed in front of him; his mouth pursed in a grimace as he saw it was a legal document.

  Jake read it through. Unreasonable behaviour indeed! So, Jane was making no legal claim on his wealth, and neither did she want any further contact with him, all future contact was to be through their lawyers.

  Since Jane had left, Jake’s emotions had taken a battering, leaving him feeling rejected and very sorry for himself. He finished reading the document, and in a rare moment of truthfulness, he showed the letter first to his mother and then Stefano. They’d already witnessed Jake’s reaction as he’d been reading the document stating quite clearly Jane wanted to end their marriage.

  He’d ranted for a while, declaring he would never agree to a divorce. At the same time as his mother was trying to pacify him, telling him it was Jane’s grief at losing their baby, which making her unreasonable. She also told him it was a terrible time for many women for it was when they were at their most vulnerable, with their hormones acting in a crazy manner. Given time, Jane would eventually come to her senses, perhaps then she would realise how wrong she was in leaving him.

  Laura went on to tell him Jane was probably suffering with postnatal depression and perhaps he should suggest to Jessie her friend got some treatment. Trying to calm him down even more, she told him because Jane’s hormones would still be raging she really wasn’t responsible for her actions.

  Jake wasn’t to be comforted, or reasoned with, especially as he’d started to think Jane might have been keeping something else from him. Perhaps she’d been the one who’d strayed? Maybe she’d found someone else? Perhaps while she’d been in America and the baby had been this other man’s, and this was the real reason she now wanted a divorce?

  Jake suddenly realised he was thinking of Jane in the same way she’d thought of him when she’d seen him and Sara going into his flat in London? He knew he was being just as irrational, but what else could he think?

  Suddenly he made up his mind. If Jane wanted a quick divorce she was going to be sadly disappointed. He didn’t intend to make it easy for her to go to her new man. She would have to wait. He wasn’t going to sign any papers until he was good and ready! Whenever that might be!

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jane threw herself into work with a vengeance: taking on more teaching sessions than she normally would, including an extra trip to France to do another assessment. As always, Jessie was left to run the office. The amount of work Jane was doing was more than Jessie thought necessary. Like Andrew, Jessie was becoming increasingly concerned for her friend’s health as she was beginning to look extremely thin and gaunt. As the weeks passed, Jane gradually began to slow down the gruelling pace she’d set herself and finally her frantic work life eased a little, until at last, she began to return to being her old self again. Outwardly she appeared to have worked her grief out of her system, accepting she would have to bide her time for her marriage to be legally finalised. The one lesson she’d learnt though over the past weeks was that Jake wasn’t prepared be bullied into agreeing to a quick divorce, stubbornly intending to wait a while before signing the paperwork, which didn’t seem to be anytime soon! But why, was the one question she asked her lawyer every time they spoke on the phone, but even he couldn’t give a reply that satisfied her, having made up his mind months ago that if he’d been Jane’s husband he wouldn’t be in a hurry to sign the papers either!
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br />   It was only Jane who couldn’t understand Jake’s attitude. To her it was obvious he didn’t love her: lusted after her maybe at the beginning, but as for love? No! She was sure he didn’t know what the word “love” meant!

  Her lawyer’s advice was for her to have patience. This of course annoyed her, especially knowing patience wasn’t her strongest point!

  Occasionally, she would go to Jessie’s flat for a meal after work, but even these outings were few and far between these days, although Jake was a frequent guest. The needs of the company demanding he kept in touch with Andrew who, unknown to Jane had taken pity on his son-in-law, inviting him to join them whenever he was in London.

  Jake always enquired after Jane’s health and her social life at these meetings, but Andrew and Jessie could tell him nothing. Jane no longer confided in them as to what she did in her spare time. All Andrew knew, but didn’t tell, was the anger she’d voiced when she’d told him the latest batch of divorce papers sent to Jake were returned yet again, unsigned, with the same note attached ‘he wasn’t ready, as yet, to finalise his marriage’. Jane, of course, couldn’t understand why he refused to sign. Surely, by now, he must want to move on with his life? But to Andrew and Jessie, apparently not!

  They said nothing, having agreed not to discuss the rights and wrongs of Jane and Jake’s marriage, especially as Jessie worked with Jane and knew where her loyalties lay, just as Andrew worked with Jake and still relied on him for some financial help; not only that, Andrew liked Jake enormously. He’d never had any qualms about arranging for Jane to marry him and, contrary to what Jane believed, he still thought him to be the ideal husband for her.

  Andrew did what he had to. The bottom line was he could have walked away from his business and its financial troubles, but that wasn’t how he worked, he had to save the company because too many men relied on their workplace for their living and then of course, Andrew had to earn his own living from the business as well, so when Jake proposed he should marry Jane as part of his agreement to save the company he’d agreed. In fact, he hadn’t thought twice about it and neither did he think he was doing wrong. Many a parent in the past had engineered a match between their children when it suited them, especially when a business was involved; also, this wasn’t really a cold-blooded action, with no thought for Jane’s feelings as he’d seen Jake’s face when Jane had walked into the office. He knew what love at first sight felt like; he’d experienced it himself when he’d first met Isabel. Nothing would have parted him from her, but now she was no longer alive he’d had a second chance at love and, having Jessie in his life, was now more important to him now than his business. But thinking of his past was not going get Jake and Jane back together again.