*
The sun was just sinking below the horizon when Jay arrived at Thane Park. It had been a long day but he was glad to be home and eager to be inside by a warm fire and a large tray of food. He also wanted to see Tina. Her image popped into his thoughts unbidden. His thoughts had been of little else on the ride down. Trying to decide how to approach the subject of the betrothal agreement had come to naught. Her brother’s advice had been succinct—tell her the truth.
Jay was less than agreeable to that particular course of action. The few times in his past he’d told a woman the unvarnished truth, it caused more trouble than was necessary and ended the same way it would have had he not bothered. Unfortunately, except for an incident in Charleston, none of the situations involved a possible marriage or the loss of his family’s heritage.
He’d nearly believed the young widow’s claim that she was pregnant with his child, until Brand discovered through her maid that she was at least five months along and needed to marry quickly. The two of them had been in Charleston for almost three months by that time. The negotiations on some very lucrative contracts were concluded and had already been signed by the time the truth came out. An important and well-liked member of the community, the widow had been furious when confronted. He had been lucky to get out of Charleston alive after the furor she created, making him wish he’d said nothing at all.
With that experience as background, he now questioned the soundness of giving Tina another card to add to her hand, if, as Jon had assured him, she knew nothing of the will.
Keyes opened the door as he reached the top of the steps. “Good evening, my lord.”
Jay shook his head. Butlers must have a sixth sense about these things. “Good evening, Keyes. Have the ladies retired yet?”
“They are in the library, my lord.”
“Thank you.” Heading in that direction, he threw back over his shoulder, “Would you see if Cook can find something for me to eat? It has been some time since my last meal.”
“Of course, my lord.”
Tina and Felicia looked up from their contemplation of the chessboard as he entered, surprise written on both faces.
Lamps placed strategically around the room to provide light, a cheerful fire burning in the grate, and the women sitting near the fire, suddenly convinced him that this was right. This was where he belonged—and the two women in the room belonged here, too. Unwilling to further explore his feelings on the matter, he continued into the room.
Felicia was the first one to recover. “You’re back!” she cried, jumping up from her seat. “I was afraid you might stay away permanently.” She took a step toward him, but stopped abruptly and turned to look at Tina.
He smiled at the artless comment. “Not likely, minx.”
“Then why were you gone so long?” she demanded as he settled himself on a settee near their chessboard.
“Felicia!” Tina gasped. “You are being rude.”
“I am not,” she shot back and resumed her seat. “I just want to know what took him so long to get back.”
“Felicia, I told you what happened.” Tina turned, looking at him directly for the first time. “You must tell her, my lord, that you needed to check with the solicitor.”
Jay was tempted to tease Felicia, but he could not resist the appeal in Tina’s eyes. For some reason she felt Felicia needed the explanation, so he gave it.
“She is right,” he told Felicia, “I needed to see how badly our previous steward had defrauded the estate.”
“Oh,” was Felicia’s only comment.
“As I told Jon, your Mr. Milton seemed to fool everyone except you when it came to what he was up to. How is it you suspected he was unscrupulous when no one else seems to have?”
“He wasn’t my Mr. Milton,” Felicia replied with a shudder. “And, it wasn’t just me. Papa did too, but he died before he could dismiss him.”
Jay had been surreptitiously watching Tina, but now swung his gaze toward his sister. There were obviously many things about the steward’s activities she was aware of. Perhaps she was the only one aware of them. “And how do you know that?”
“I heard Papa tell him. Papa said he knew Milton was taking money, but because he had been a friend of Aaron’s he wouldn’t prosecute if he left within the week. But Papa died a day later and no one knew about it but me.”
“Why didn’t you tell someone?”
Felicia didn’t answer. For a moment she looked from Tina to Jay then back to Tina, worry clear in her eyes, before turning toward the fire.
The silence was broken by the arrival of Keyes bearing the requested tray of food. Putting it down on a table near Jay, he asked if the marquis required anything else.
“No, that’s all.”
Keyes departed and closed the door behind him. Jay helped himself from the tray before turning to Felicia. “Felicia?”
Startled, she turned tear-filled eyes toward him. “I—I just didn’t,” she replied weakly, then jumped up and ran from the room.
“Felicia!” Tina was on her feet, preparing to follow her, when Jay’s voice reached her.
“Let her go.”
Tina turned toward him, confusion written all over her face. “I—I, she’s upset. I need to go…”
“Leave her. She’ll talk when she is ready. She was probably eavesdropping when she heard the conversation and is loath to talk about it.”
Tina glanced at the door one more time and sighed before resuming her seat. “I suspect you’re right, but I’ll check on her before I retire.”
Silence descended again. Tina discovered that, without Felicia in the room, she was nervous. She glanced toward the door as if expecting Felicia to return. Studying the chessboard was a useless thing to do, but it kept her occupied—and her eyes from straying to the man carelessly lounging on the settee.
There was something about him that made her very aware of him. A sense she could not describe, but recognized. He was all male in a way Aaron had never been. A potent force that could not be ignored.
A log fell in the grate, causing her to jump. Then Jay’s deep voice startled her again.
“You were about to lose.”
“Wha—what?”
“The game,” he said, indicating the chessboard. “If you were white, you were about to lose.”
Tina turned and looked down at the chessboard as if she’d never seen it before. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked back up at him.
“I know.” She looked down at the board again. “I wasn’t concentrating well tonight. Not that Felicia isn’t a good player, but tonight I wasn’t as focused as I should have been. I’m afraid I wasn’t much of a challenge for her this evening.”
Silence again.
“Would you like a glass of wine? Keyes brought two glasses.”
She didn’t want to look up at him again. She was too drawn to him—too aware of him. He seemed to fill the room. But manners won out and she found herself looking into his dark eyes. For a moment she completely lost her train of thought. What had he asked her? Wine.
“No—no thank you.”
“Jon asked me to bring you his greetings. He said he would write soon.”
“When did you see him?”
“In London. He and I spent quite a bit of time trying to find out as much as we could about Roderick Milton.”
“And what did you find out?”
“Not much. A number of people remembered Aaron and him as being friends but no one seemed to know where they met.”
Tina tried to recall the first time Aaron had brought Milton home, and whether either had given any hint of how they had met. “Did Aaron have other friends who might have known?”
“Actually, that’s what Jon stayed behind to try and find out. Then he is headed to Wynton Abbey to get his first look at his country seat.”
“That’s wonderful,” she sighed. “I hope he is able to settle in with no difficulties.”
Jay did not respond. He seemed to be
studying the painting over the fireplace. Tina looked up, noticing that it was of a house on a cliff overlooking the sea. Kenwyck Manor, if she remembered it correctly.
“Have you been there before?” she asked him.
Jay turned in her direction. “Once, when I was a small boy. And you?”
She shook her head. “Papa and Mama went there sometimes during the summer, but Felicia, Jon and I were usually with our great-grandmother then.”
There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but uncertainty kept her quiet. If he and Jon were looking for Mr. Milton, maybe things were more serious than she supposed.
“I should thank you and Jon for sending the modiste to us. Felicia was ecstatic.”
His eyes traveled over the deep green gown she wore. Was that light in his eyes approval? She hoped so.
“You’re welcome. It was Jon’s idea.”
“I hope we didn’t spend too much.” She smiled. “I had to resort to threats to get Felicia to order a riding habit. She wouldn’t have done so otherwise.”
“Did you now?” he murmured. “And what did you threaten her with?” Something flickered in the ebony depths and her pulse leapt in response. The room was suddenly close, the fire brighter. His voice seemed almost tangible in its gentleness.
“I told Madame not to finish any more of her dresses until the habit was done.”
Jay put back his head and laughed. For a moment, she merely stared at the change his humor wrought in his features. His dark eyes seemed to glitter and the lines around his eyes and mouth softened. Mira called them laugh lines and now Tina knew why.
“I can see you and Jon have her well in hand.”
Her pulse returned to normal and she chuckled. “Well, we have been watching over her since she was born.”
The silence that fell seemed awkward. She was at a loss for anything else to say. She knew they needed to discuss the contract, but she’d promised herself she would not bring it up.
“I-it is time for me to retire.” She was suddenly shy, and rose from her seat. “And…and, I need to check on Felicia.”
Jay rose to his feet as well. He towered over her and she cursed her petiteness as she dipped him an elegant curtsy, then moved toward the door. “Good night, my lord.”
She was at the open door before he responded. His voice was low and tinged with…disappointment? She almost didn’t hear the softly spoken words. “Until tomorrow, then.”
*
He hadn’t wanted to let her go, but could find no suitable topic of conversation with which to keep her in the room other than the contract and, goodness knew, he was not up to a discussion of that tonight.
Jay knew she thought his reactions odd. He had forced himself to look at almost anything other than her—except when she addressed him directly and seemed to need an answer. Staring at the painting of Kenwyck Manor reminded him he needed to do a tour of the family holdings. Unfortunately, he and Tina had some decisions to make before it could happen.
Perhaps he should have said something. If he had, he might not be sitting here, alone, wondering what her reaction would be. It was too late now. He’d give himself a little time first. He would wait a few days to see what happened, then decide.
Resuming his seat, he poured himself another glass of wine, and turned to contemplate the fire. The flames were beginning to die, but it mattered not, for all he saw were twin pools the color of a tropical lagoon framed by lush dark lashes.
Chapter Six
Tina was still wrestling with the marquis’ effect on her as she headed toward the breakfast room the next morning. Late—and still a bit groggy from too little sleep—she was looking forward to a strong cup of tea. The night had consisted of a useless excursion into the realm of What If, which kept her awake into the early hours.
She was feeling much better a short time later when Felicia and Jay entered the room. Felicia was laughing, her eyes alight as she looked up at Jay to answer a question. Tina’s heart warmed at the look of happiness on her sister’s face.
Dressed in her new habit of sapphire blue, the color reflected in her eyes, her cheeks flushed from being outdoors, Felicia looked as if she hadn’t a care in the world. Yet she had been morose and uncommunicative the night before when Tina had looked in on her.
“He’s very well trained,” she was saying to the marquis. “But you were fortunate—he usually doesn’t let anyone but me ride him.”
Jay’s voice, deep and well-modulated, drew Tina’s eyes to him. Dressed for riding as well, his hair windswept, she caught her breath as he smiled down at Felicia, showing white, even teeth between perfectly molded lips.
“Of that I am no longer in doubt.”
Felicia looked up and noticed Tina. “Good Morning, sleepyhead,” she teased. “I’m glad I didn’t wait for you this morning.”
“Did we have plans?” Tina asked. “I don’t remember.”
Felicia laughed again as she picked up a plate and began to fill it from the array of dishes on the sideboard. “No, I was just teasing. In fact, I decided to go riding only because I woke up early and felt restless, but I didn’t want to disturb you.”
She finished filling her plate, then took her seat across from Tina and added, “But I should have awakened you. You would have enjoyed it.”
Tina smiled. “Tomorrow will be soon enough. I see you didn’t ride Midnight this morning.”
Jay looked at Tina as he took the seat at the head of the table. “And how did you know that?”
“Because Midnight will not allow a sidesaddle on his back,” she answered. “He is very well trained, but for that one thing.”
“So I discovered. Perhaps too well trained,” he said with a lift of an eyebrow, his glance directed toward Felicia.
Felicia’s peals of laughed echoed around the room. “You should not have implied he was too much horse for me.”
“I felt eminently qualified to make that statement, considering I was riding him at the time.”
“Oh dear,” Tina interrupted. “I don’t suppose she challenged you to a race.”
Jay, who had just put a fork full of eggs in his mouth, merely nodded—but there was a question in his eyes
Tina laughed out loud, her eyes sparkling with glee.
“She did the same thing to Jon just last year when he told her he thought Midnight had grown too strong for her. He, too, was riding him when he said so. She promptly challenged him to a race—although the mare she was riding could barely keep up with Midnight. A short distance before the agreed finish line, she whistled. Midnight came to a dead stop and nothing Jon could do would get him to move.”
“I see,” Jay commented.
“And to add insult to injury, she walked her horse over the finish line, then returned to reward the beast for being a good boy. It was the last time Jon rode him.” Tina finished. She took a fortifying sip of her tea, raised eyes brimming with amusement to Jay’s face, and asked innocently, “Is that what happened to you?”
Jay did not answer, although he seemed to be listening. For a few moments, Tina’s eyes locked onto his and Felicia vanished. She was suddenly intensely aware of him. The outdoor freshness permeating his clothes and hair tickled her nose, and she restrained herself from taking a deep breath.
“Of course.” Felicia’s matter-of-fact statement shattered the mood, dragging Tina back with a vengeance. Dropping her eyes to her plate, she put her teacup down and picked up her fork.
Silence reigned for a few moments, then Felicia addressed Tina. “Jay has agreed to let me go to a young ladies’ academy.”
Tina looked up at Jay. “Was that before or after the race?”
“Before. But after, I concluded it was a necessity.”
Felicia giggled. As she tucked into the food on her plate, she asked Tina about the Wills’ new baby.
Tina was conscious of Jay’s interest as she described the small family’s situation. “And they aren’t the only ones,” she explained in response to Felicia’s
questions. “The Seevers and the Carters also need some help.”
Felicia nodded. “The Larrimores and the Rileys also could use a little help. Their cottages are fine, but one of the Riley’s cows took sick last week. I don’t know how she’s doing now.”
“I’ll add them to my list,” Tina said as Felicia finished her food and rose from the table. Bidding them good day, she breezed from the room.
Tina watched her go, suddenly at a loss for a topic of conversation. Jay unwittingly came to her rescue.
“Felicia told me you were trying to reconstruct the books as well as see to repairs around the estate. Would you mind showing me what you’ve done?”
“Of course,” she readily agreed. “I have been using the study. Everything is in there.”
“Excellent. Shall I meet you there, say, in a half hour?”
“That will be fine.”
“Until then.”
Then he rose and left, and she was once again alone, but not quite. His essence lingered and she took a deep breath of the mingled aromas of the outdoors and horse, mixed with a soapy scent. Not the most romantic of fragrances, she thought, but it fit him.
Precisely thirty minutes later, a freshly-bathed Jay joined her in the study.
“I have been trying to reconstruct what has been done over the past five years,” Tina said as she watched him take the seat behind the desk. A small room just off the library with shelves filled with ledgers and account books, the study was supposed to be used as an office by the steward, yet she had her doubts about how much time Mr. Milton had spent in it.
She moved a chair in position to face him across the polished oak surface and laid out a number of handwritten sheets for his inspection as well as the ledger she had been working from.
The most recent ledger she had been able to find was from seven years prior and she had begun her reconstruction from it. In addition, after visiting the Wills, she had begun asking questions about the rest of the tenants and discovered the neglect was extensive.
The Gypsy Legacy: Marquis Page 9
