by Ella Edon
She could handle being alone with him when they were out in the open. At least she had space to move if she wanted to get away from him. But alone in a room? When she was trapped? Was this a good idea?
But when Lord Surrey looked at her with a questioning expression, Jane found herself nodding.
“I’ll be fine, Lord Surrey. Claire is here.” Her lady’s maid nodded. She was sitting in the corner, with a book open in her lap.
“All right.” Lord Surrey shot Alexander a final glare. “But I’m not going to bail you out if Lord Crawley finds out you were in here without me.”
“Then he’s not going to find out, is he?”
Lord Surrey grunted, and then left the room. Jane turned back to Alexander, who hadn’t moved from his position against the wall.
“Do you two know each other?” she asked.
“He’s friends with my older brother.” Alexander shrugged. “Let’s just say he’s a little more tolerant than Jeremy.”
“I can imagine,” Jane murmured. She smoothed her hands down her skirts. “What did you want a moment for?”
Alexander was silent at first, then he pushed off the wall and walked towards her. Jane knew she should keep her distance and get away, but she was rooted to the spot as he stood before her, close enough that she could see that his hair was still wet at the edges. She could feel the body heat coming off him.
“I wanted to see how you were.”
“I told you…”
“Jane.”
Just that had Jane falling silent. It wasn’t reproachful. It was gentle, tender even. Jane swallowed and bit her lip.
“I’m not used to seeing dead bodies,” she whispered. “Especially someone I know.”
She could feel the tears welling up again. She would not cry. No, she wouldn’t. Alexander’s expression softened. Then he reached out and cupped her jaw in his hand. His palm was warm, but the tips of his fingers were ice-cold.
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.” He shook his head. “I should have taken you away as soon as I saw her. You shouldn’t have had to see that. That was my fault.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Jane protested. “I don’t think either of us would have behaved any differently. It’s not exactly a situation we’ve been in before.”
“I still feel responsible for you seeing that. I didn’t want you in any distress.”
Jane stared at him. Was this rake actually admitting that he cared? He had been showing a softer side of himself since that moment outside the church. His actions were certainly not of someone who flaunted himself and seduced every female in sight. If anything, he had been everything opposite of what she imagined a rake would be. That softened her towards him.
She pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the soft thudding of his heart under her palm.
“Like I said, you didn’t do anything wrong.” She managed a smile. “I’m going to be fine.”
Alexander had looked momentarily taken aback when she touched him. Then he took her hand and set it away gently, but didn’t let go.
“I’m going to have a word with your father.” His voice sounded strained. “I’ll help Lord Surrey out to find whoever did this, and I want to be on hand if you want someone to talk to. A friend.” He swallowed. “From what I saw yesterday, you and Rachel aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”
“She said some pretty vicious things about you.” Jane shook her head. “I think deep down she knows that Marissa’s a liar, but she doesn’t want to back down and admit she was wrong. I told her that she was being ridiculous, but Rachel simply turned her nose up at me.”
“You stood up for me?”
From the look on his face, Alexander hadn’t expected that. Jane wondered if anyone had ever stood up for Alexander in his life. It was a sad thought that he didn’t have many people in his corner.
She smiled at him sweetly. “You’ve shown me more understanding and kindness than I deserve. I’m going to be grateful for that. Those who fight in my corner will have me in theirs.”
Alexander still looked like someone had hit him over the head. He swallowed hard and stepped back, his hand falling from Jane’s cheek and dropping her other hand quickly.
“I should not be around you.” He cleared his throat and brushed himself down. “You’re far too innocent for me.”
“And yet you keep coming back.”
“I do. God help me.” Alexander took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “If you need someone to talk to, come find me. You know that I’ll listen.” Then he bowed, avoiding her gaze. “My Lady.”
Jane watched as he spun on his heel and strode towards the door. He acted as if he needed to get out of the room as fast as possible. But, when he reached the door and opened it, Alexander paused and looked back. He gave her a slight smile, and then turned away quickly, darting out into the landing, the door closing a little too loudly behind him.
Chapter Ten
Lee was nowhere in sight when Alexander came out from the parlor. Alexander leaned against the wall and tried to calm himself down. His heart was racing, and he felt like he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
What was happening to him? Alexander knew he needed to keep his distance from Jane and yet, as she had pointed out, he kept coming back. It was like an addiction. She was the last lady he would even attempt to seduce, and seduction should be the last thing on his mind.
As it currently stood, seduction wasn’t on his mind. Something more intense was happening. It unnerved him. Jane was a sweet, innocent young woman. She shouldn’t be anywhere near him, and yet, he just couldn’t push her away.
What was going on? Every time he was around her, Alexander just wanted to hold onto her and never let go. He almost did that when Jane touched him of her own accord. It had taken all of his control not to grab her and haul her to him.
He needed to keep his distance from her or, request formal permission to court her. That was what a decent gentleman would do. Regardless, Alexander didn’t think it would matter. He would still want her.
His mind was still trying to figure out what he was going to do about Jane Malcolm as he headed downstairs, making his way to the study. If he couldn’t find Lee upstairs, he was more than likely telling Lord Crawley what had happened with Jane. Alexander needed to be in on that conversation. He didn’t know why, but he needed to be there.
Lee was in the study. Lord Crawley was sitting behind his desk, still looking pale, but that spark in his eyes was back. He looked a little more like his old self. The Earl’s eyes narrowed as Alexander came into the room.
“Mr. Harrison,” he sneered. “I was beginning to wonder where you were.”
He was definitely back to his old self. Alexander closed the door behind him and crossed the room.
“Worried that I was seducing one of the ladies in your home, My Lord?”
Lee scowled. “Alexander, that isn’t amusing.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.” Alexander never took his eyes off the Earl. “I was speaking to Lady Jane. I was concerned about her.”
Lord Crawley was furious.
“I thought I told you to leave her alone.”
“I’m not too good at taking orders when I don’t want to. And I made a promise to my uncle to make sure Lady Jane didn’t come to any harm.” Alexander folded his arms. “I didn’t expect it to extend beyond taking her home, but I’m not about to back away because you want me to.”
“I know what you’ve been up to since you came of age, and I don’t approve. What makes you think I want my daughter anywhere near you?”
Lee looked like he wanted Alexander to be quiet, but he wasn’t prepared to do that. He wasn’t about to let the Earl talk without putting in a word himself.
“I know I’m a lot of undesirable things, Lord Crawley, and while I do admit that I brought it upon myself, I don’t break promises. I want to help any way I can.”
“Out of the question,” Lord Crawley snapped. �
�You should be leaving.”
“Actually,” Lee cut in before Alexander could respond, “Mr. Harrison cannot leave.”
Alexander already knew that, but he did enjoy the shocked look on Lord Crawley’s face. The old gentleman stared at the magistrate as if he had gone mad.
“Why can’t he leave? I don’t want him in my house.”
“I’m afraid you haven’t got much of a choice, Lord Crawley. A death has occurred on your land, and it looks suspicious. Mr. Harrison, like everyone else, is a suspect.”
That did smart a little. Alexander didn’t think he was a suspect, seeing as Megan White had been dead for a while. Still, he wasn’t about to point that out now.
Lord Crawley bared his teeth at Lee. “Do you consider me a suspect as well, Lord Surrey?”
Lee folded his arms and sighed. “I’m not a little boy anymore, Walter. I have authority over you now. Just because I’m younger than most of your children doesn’t mean you get to scare me into getting what you want.” Lee spoke with a hard tone that Alexander had never heard before. “Unfortunately, I have to consider everyone as suspects until we know for sure what happened to Miss White. This means everyone has to stay here. No days off, no social engagements, nothing.”
Lord Crawley rose to his feet, leaning on the desk as he glared at Lee.
“So, we’re to be prisoners in our own home, are we?”
“For now.” Lee didn’t even blink, even when Alexander wanted to step away from the older gentleman’s rage. “The quicker we get this sorted, the quicker you can go back to your normal lives. Mr. Harrison included.” He gestured at Alexander. “If you want him out of here, the best thing is to cooperate with me. I can go through this faster if everyone works with me.”
For a moment, Alexander thought Lord Crawley was going to protest. But Lee hadn’t left any space for argument, and the Earl knew that. He clearly didn’t like being told what to do by someone fifty years his junior. Lord Crawley’s face screwed up into an expression of disapproval, but he nodded and sat back down.
“All right. Fine. If that’s what it takes to get rid of Mr. Harrison.” He fixed Alexander with a pointed look. “But I want you to stay away from my daughter.”
“I believe that’s up to Jane, My Lord.”
Lord Crawley shook his head. “Not while I’m still alive, sir.” Then he gestured to the door. “Now get out. Both of you.”
Alexander was about to point out that he couldn’t order a Marquess away, but Lee took his arm and tugged him towards the door. He was right. Now was not the time to have another battle. It was best to leave the waters relatively calm for now. Lee led them out into the corridor, closing the door behind him before shaking his head at Alexander.
“You’ve really got his ire up.”
“Habit of a lifetime, my father would call it.”
“I’m sure.” Lee frowned. “Are you really worried about Lady Jane?”
“Why is everyone questioning my integrity?”
“What integrity?”
Ouch. Alexander rubbed his chest less from the verbal jab and more from the ache that had been there since he first came into contact with Jane. It was beginning to hurt.
“I want to make sure she’s safe before I leave. I promised Uncle Ian that I would do that. Is that too much to believe?”
“A little bit.” Lee paused. “But I know Viscount Harrison, and if he’s trusting you to take care of Lady Jane’s welfare, I guess I’ll have to believe it, too.”
Not the answer Alexander wanted, but he wasn’t about to argue. He looked at the door before turning back to Lee.
“If he wants me away from Jane, fine. Maybe I can help you out instead.”
“Me?”
“I’m smarter than you think, Lee. And I need something to stop me from going mad. I’m an outsider to this place, so I can lend a different perspective.”
“And I can keep an eye on you, so Lord Crawley can’t accuse you of wasting his space.” Lee folded his arms. He looked thoughtful. “It could work.”
“Could? Charming.”
“Be thankful I agreed to it and didn’t tell you to mind your own business.” Lee rubbed at his eyes. “I need to go and speak to Lord Tiverton. It’s best that you don’t come with me. He’s not exactly one of your greatest admirers.”
“I’ll speak to Mr. Malcolm, if you want. He and I get on.”
“Good.” A slight smile twitched at Lee’s mouth. “Maybe we can make a good team.”
Jane wished she didn’t have to stay in her room. She wanted to roam. As a child, she could barely sit still and needed to go for walks everywhere. She knew every nook and cranny of the house, which made playing hide and seek perfect. Then again, it wasn’t perfect for whichever family member was playing with her. They got terrified that Jane had been taken or had left the house. So, when Jane did jump out and show she was safe, she was told they would never play the game again.
Her family needed to get some fun in their lives. They were far too serious.
She supposed that she felt that way seeing as she was practically a different generation from her siblings, never mind her parents. Jane had found it tough growing up, knowing that the children she played with were her nephews, her brothers and sister being far older than she was. It was a strange feeling, but Jane had gotten used to it. David, Peter and Geoffrey had treated her like a sister, humoring her with her fun games. It drove her parents to despair that Jane would come back covered in dirt, but Jane didn’t care. When she was around her nephews, she was having fun.
Now was not exactly the time to be having fun, not when Megan White’s body had been found. Still, Jane wanted something to take her mind off what had happened. She didn’t want to sit in her room trying to get on with her embroidery. Her mind kept wandering to what she saw, and Jane ended up stabbing her fingers with the needle. Her fingers were throbbing and sore. This was not the right activity for her.
Eventually, Jane gave up and put her work aside.
“I’m just going to the library for a book, Claire,” she said as she stood. “I need something to occupy my mind.”
“All right.” Sitting across from her, her maid grinned. “I suppose a book is better than hearing you going ‘ow’ every five seconds.”
“Hmm.”
Jane was sucking her finger as she left the room. Who knew embroidery was dangerous? She headed downstairs and towards the library. It was early afternoon, just after lunch. Everyone had lunch separately. Nobody seemed to want to do any socializing while they ate, if they managed to eat. The servants were focusing on their work.
It was quiet as Jane headed in the direction of the library. Maybe she would get an adventure book. Or perhaps a gothic novel. Ann Radcliffe would be perfect for right now. Jane didn’t think she could deal with romance at the moment. Ann Radcliffe could get her lost in a different world and Jane could momentarily forget everything else.
She needed to forget right now. Every time Jane’s mind drifted, she could see Megan’s body floating in the pond.
There were voices in the library, floating out through the closed door. Jane could hear them clearly as she approached. She certainly recognized Anthony’s voice.
“It’s just typical of her. She had to be the one who found Megan’s body.” There was a growl. “She just can’t keep out of trouble.”
“She didn’t go out there looking for a body.” It was Robert. “Nobody knew that was going to happen.”
“Well, that’s our sister for us. Trouble just seems to follow her around. Look at the trouble that’s hanging around her right now and refusing to leave.”
Jane knew she should walk away and come back another time. She was intruding on a private conversation. But then she told herself she shouldn’t leave. It was about her, and she deserved to know what her brothers were discussing. She approached the door and pressed her ear to the crack.
“Are you talking about Alexander Harrison? Anthony, Lord Surrey has told us that ev
eryone has to stay in the house for the time being. That includes Mr. Harrison.”
Anthony snorted. “Works for him, though, doesn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Robert, you’re not stupid. You know what his reputation is. It precedes him wherever he goes.” Anthony gave a mirthless chuckle. “One-and-twenty years of age and he’s already got a reputation any scoundrel would be proud of. That gentleman is going into an early grave with the way he’s behaving and he’s around our sister.”
