The boy standing beside Felicia moved. Taking up a pitcher from the table, he was out the back door of the cottage in an instant. He returned a few minutes later, the pitcher brimming with clear water. Carefully filling two mugs, he offered them to Tina and Jay, then resumed his place beside Felicia. She looked up and smiled at him, then whispered something to him that made him giggle. It was an eerie moment as the child’s amusement brought back memories of Aaron again. Jay shook them off and sipped his mug of clear, cool water.
The infant on the bed stirred and began to cry. Putting her mug down on the table, Tina crossed to the bed and picked him up, leaving Jay standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Felicia looked up and noticed him.
“Jay, come and sit. Davey, fetch his lordship one of the chairs. I’m afraid the bench is too low for him to sit comfortably.”
Davey moved to do as he was bid but was forestalled by Jay. “Not right now. I think I’ll go outside and look at the side of the cottage. If we are to expand it, I need to see which side it would be best to expand it from.”
Tina approached at that moment, carrying a now quiet, but wide-eyed, infant in her arms. “You mustn’t leave before you meet Jed.”
Jay looked down at the bundle she held in her arms. Large gray eyes stared up at him, two tiny fists waving in the air. Having never had much experience with babies or children, Jay wasn’t sure how to react.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he,” she said softly, brushing a soft kiss across the baby’s forehead.
Jay suddenly felt as if he had been punched in the gut. His whole body tightened, blood rushed into his lower parts and he was suddenly lightheaded. The rest of the cottage and its occupants faded. For the moment he, Tina, and the infant were the only ones present. Reaching up, he allowed one of the tiny fists to wrap itself around a finger as he watched Tina’s features soften, and replied, “Yes.”
He wasn’t speaking about the child. It suddenly occurred to him this could be his future—watching Tina holding his child, love shining from her eyes. The yearning that arose was unexpected. Jay could not have formed a single, rational thought as to why this woman suddenly mattered so much. For him the reasoning should have been simple—he needed to keep the marquisate and its holdings intact. The easiest way was to marry Tina. That she was beautiful, intelligent, accomplished at managing an estate, and devoted to the tenants were merely added benefits.
There was also the physical reaction he experienced in her presence. A reaction which seemed to get stronger with each contact. He had been back at Thane Park for less than a day and he was fighting to keep his hands off of her. There was much to be said for desiring one’s wife and little to recommend the alternative.
His own parents’ marriage had been a disaster. Clearly not suited to each other, his parents seemed to be able to agree on only one thing—they should each go their separate ways while maintaining the pretense of a harmonious marriage in front of their sons. It might have succeeded if a ten-year-old Jay had not inadvertently discovered his mother and her lover in the hayloft of the stables one afternoon. They had not seen him, and he never told a soul, but the effect on him had been profound.
He resolved then and there to be a better son to his father, thinking his devotion could make up for the loss of his wife’s. But Jay had been doomed to failure in this as well, for it was only a year later he and Aaron discovered their father was carrying on an affair with the wife of the local magistrate. Not knowing about their mother, Aaron had taken it in stride, seeing it as proof of his father’s prowess with women. When their mother died in a carriage accident with her latest lover when Jay was fifteen, he had been unable to mourn her.
The door to the cottage burst open, jolting Jay back to the present. Jim scampered in, followed closely by a young girl of about twelve. He was introduced to Nan, who relieved Tina of her burden while staring at Jay. Moments later, Jim and Davey disappeared out the back door and he and Tina headed out the front.
“Just how many children does Daisy have?” he asked once they were outside.
“Mmmm, six altogether. Ella’s the oldest, but she’s married to the blacksmith’s son. They are the parents of the twin infants, Jed and Ned. Then there’s Nat—he’s eighteen; Eddie is fifteen—he works in the stables at the Park; Nan is twelve; Jim is six; and Liza is three.”
Jay walked slowly around the side of the cottage, examining the foundation and walls as he went. “You forgot Davey.”
He crouched down to examine a place where a chunk of the plaster had separated from the wall and the crack leading upward toward the roof from it. Standing, he followed the crack until it disappeared under the low-hanging thatch.
“This wall already has some damage. It might suit to build the expansion here and take it down. Or put in a door to make the expanded area another room.” He stood there for a moment longer, then turned to her. “What do you think?”
Chapter Seven
Tina stood against the wall staring out toward the fields. For a moment she had forgotten his presence. Her own thoughts had gone back to the moment when they stopped before Daisy’s cottage and he had turned to ask her about Felicia.
She had felt her heart somersault in her chest at the sight of the lopsided grin which accompanied his question. The teasing light in his eyes warmed her and suddenly, the jacket of her habit had been too tight. She’d responded calmly, but not without effort.
“Tina?”
Startled, she turned toward him to find he now stood inches from her, his dark eyes hooded and unreadable. He was close enough that she caught a whiff of the spicy scent of his soap, mingled with the scent of horse and sweat. The combination was intoxicating and she allowed herself to unbend. The afternoon warmth engulfed her, the hum of insects surrounded her, drawing her into a cocoon of contentment which cast a dreamlike quality over the moment. Relaxing against the sun-washed wall of the cottage, she tilted her head up and watched as Jay bent near.
He was going to kiss her. She knew it with every fiber of her being—and she was going to do nothing to stop him. She hadn’t realized it until now; she had been waiting for this moment since she first laid eyes on him two weeks ago. She wasn’t sure she had fantasized about his kiss, but she had subconsciously compared him to Aaron ever since the first meeting.
He’d already overshadowed most of her memories of Aaron, just by his presence. But, the last time she’d seen Aaron, he had kissed her, so she considered it only natural she wanted Jay to overcome that memory as well. Her eyes drifted shut and her whole body went completely still at the first touch of his lips on hers.
The touch was featherlight, his lips firm against the softness of hers. But as he pressed deeper, she parted her lips on a sigh and his tongue swept in to taste. The invasion startled her and she raised her hands to his chest. Instead of pushing him away, her hands curled around the lapels of his riding jacket as his arms banded around her, pulling her away from the wall and pressing her close.
For a moment, Tina regained her sanity as Jay’s mouth moved from hers to trail light kisses along her jaw and down the side of her neck. But it did not stop the thrumming of blood in her veins, or the warmth that pooled low in her belly. Nor did it give her anything but a glimpse of reality before it was snatched away again as Jay reclaimed her lips in a searing, soul-searching kiss.
Her hands crept up to his shoulders, impossibly wide and incredibly strong, the only thing solid in her increasingly disembodied world. It was frightening to think, she would tell herself later, that a kiss could so completely obliterate reality. But for the moment she was lost in an unfamiliar world with only Jay as her guide—and she was content to follow his lead.
Jay raised his head and she heard him drag in a breath. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked up into his. She did not know him well enough to read what she saw there, but it did not frighten her. Straightening at the sound of voices, Jay dropped his arms and turned away just as Felicia came around the corner of the cottage.
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She was speaking to Liza. “We’ll see you tomorrow, but now it’s time for us to return to the house. Cook will give us a scolding if we are late for tea.”
Liza giggled. “Nana not ’cold.”
“Maybe not…oh, hello, there you are…but we still should not be late.” She glanced between Tina and Jay, “I think it’s time to go. It’s almost time for tea.”
“Oh, is it that late already?” Tina queried, turning to Liza to hide her heated cheeks.
Jay nodded in response. “I think we’re finished here.”
Felicia took his arm, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air, and the two of them followed Tina and Liza around to the front. Davey and Jim were standing near the horses, having obviously given them water. Jay gave each boy a coin for his trouble, lifted Felicia and Tina into their saddles, then mounted himself. The children waved as they left.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Jay turned to Tina.
“What question?”
“Davey.”
“Oh, Davey is Ella’s oldest child. He’s six.”
“Ella was away helping Myra Wills this afternoon,” Felicia added. “That’s why the children were there, although she often leaves them with Nan.”
Felicia chatted about the babies and children all the way back to the house, leaving Tina to her thoughts. She relived the moments before and after the kiss. Had she actually invited Jay to kiss her? Why hadn’t she stopped him? How much longer would it have lasted if Felicia hadn’t arrived?
Dear God, what if Felicia had seen them! Her cheeks flamed at the possibility. She had behaved like a loose woman. What did Jay think of her now?
She stole a peek at him out of the corner of her eye. He rode between them, his head turned toward Felicia as she recounted a story about one of the children. He seemed unaffected by what had been, for her, the most thrilling experience of her life. Did it mean so little to him that it could so easily be forgotten? Her spirits plummeted at the thought.
She was sure that was how it had been for Aaron. She had fought her way out of Aaron’s arms the one time he had kissed her. She recognized his need to master, not woo, her. He might have hidden that aspect of himself from her had he not stolen that one kiss. The disgust she felt when he put his lips on hers and invaded her mouth with his tongue had made her physically ill. He had pressed her against the wall and rubbed his body against hers until she thought she might faint. He had taken what he wanted with no regard for her feelings—she might have been anyone.
“You will not fight me the next time,” he’d declared. “When I return, I think I will talk to Papa about our wedding.” His eyes had roved boldly over her budding sixteen-year-old body, causing her to shiver with dread. That night she had cried herself to sleep, the memory of his kiss turning her dreams to nightmares. The day Roderick Milton brought his body home she’d hidden in her room, sick with fear, until her mother had come to tell her Aaron was dead.
Her relief quickly turned to guilt. She hadn’t wished him dead, had she? Wishes like that didn’t come true, did they? Had she truly been so selfish? Aaron’s death had destroyed the stepfather she knew, leaving a shell in his place. A shell that never laughed again, rarely smiled again, and mourned the loss of his son until his own death barely a year later.
And she’d lived with the guilt ever since. A guilt that mocked her for wanting to be happy, and persuaded her she didn’t deserve to be.
She owed it to her stepfather’s memory to honor the contract. If Nona hadn’t given her the pendant, she would have done so without a qualm. After Jay’s kiss, she might have even looked forward to it. Instead all she had was a decision to make that would require her to go against the wishes of one of two people who had given her so much.
*
Over dinner, Felicia drew Jay out by asking him about his ships and the places he had been and seen. Tina found herself in awe of all he had experienced in the space of a lifetime for her. He was a gifted storyteller and the evening passed quickly until Tina found herself yawning and glanced at the clock on the mantle.
Felicia seemed to realize it was late as well and, getting to her feet, bade Tina and Jay good night and left the room. Tina rose to follow her and Jay stood as well. Taking her arm in his, he walked with her out of the salon, stopping at the bottom of the staircase. Although she stood on the bottom step and he on the floor, she still had to look up at him.
“Thank you for sharing your adventures with us this evening,” she said politely.
The crooked grin returned and mischief glinted in his eyes. His scent surrounded her. “And thank you for this afternoon,” he replied. Bending his head, she thought he would kiss her hand. Instead he surprised her by brushing his lips against hers. “Good night, Tina.” Then he turned and strode toward the library, his hair gleaming in the lamplight.
*
Tina awakened in good spirits after a restful night. She felt carefree and light while getting dressed. Hurrying downstairs, she glanced at the clock as she entered the breakfast room. Trying not to begrudge the possibility Felicia was out with Jay again, she instructed the footman to bring her some tea and went to fill her plate.
Felicia entered the room just as she was finishing her first cup of tea. Dressed in a white sprigged muslin dotted with yellow and green flowers, Felicia looked exactly like a young girl on the verge of womanhood, her future bright and untroubled.
“Oh,” Felicia blurted, “I didn’t expect to see you.”
“Oh? And why not?”
“I thought you might be out riding with Jay. I didn’t wake up early this morning, so I thought maybe I’d take Midnight out later. He will probably need the exercise.”
Tina smiled. “After yesterday, you are assuming Jay won’t want to ride him again?”
Felicia grinned, taking her place across from Tina at the table. “Something like that.”
They were nearly finished when the butler entered the room, a silver salver in his hand, on which rested a folded note, and presented it to Tina. “His lordship requested that you receive this, my lady.”
Tina picked up the paper. “Thank you, Keyes.”
After he left, Felicia looked at her, curiosity evident in her expression. “What does it say?”
Tina glanced down at the short note.
Gone to Exeter on errands. Will try to be back by supper, but if not back by eight, do not wait.
It was signed with a single, bold, letter “J” at the bottom. Tina passed it to Felicia.
“Exeter!” she pouted. “We should have gone, too.”
Tina understood her disappointment. When their mother was alive, they made annual trips to Exeter on large shopping expeditions. It was often a highlight of the summer.
“Perhaps he had business there,” she said consolingly. “He might have just needed to go and come back—after all, it is quite a distance. Remember, we used to have to stay overnight whenever we went with Mama and Papa, but he says he’ll try to be back for supper.” Rising from her chair, she added, “Besides, if he just wanted to shop—which I doubt—he could have gone into Bideford or Hatherleigh. They are much closer.” Heading for the door, she continued, “I’d better let Cook know we will need to hold supper until eight.”
Felicia rose and followed her. “I’ll go with you and see if Daisy’s here with Liza and Jim yet.”
Tina spent the rest of the morning going over menus with Cook, and checking supplies with the housekeeper. Making lists of things needing to be ordered or repaired kept her mind busy. But during those times when she moved from task to task, she could not stop her thoughts from wandering back to the day before.
The events of the day before left her more unsettled than ever. She feared if the marquis refused to honor the betrothal contract, she would be forced to leave Thane Park. If Felicia went off to a young ladies’ academy, there would be no reason for her to stay. What would she do then?
And how could she leave him behind?
The
re was the crux of the matter. After only one full day in his company, she feared she was already developing feelings for him. Knowing she wasn’t repulsed by him or his attentions lifted her spirits, but conversely weighed them down. What would she do about the pendant if he chose to honor the contract? She wished she knew how to read him, how to tell what he was feeling or thinking. It would be heartening to know he was as off-balance as she in this. Of course, he knew nothing about the pendant, so what would she say if the contract came up?
*
Jay did not return until the next afternoon, but Tina would have been gratified to know he had considered foregoing finishing his business in order to return the same day he left. The delay, however, yielded unexpected information and assistance in his search for Roderick Milton.
By chance, he happened upon Gerald Hartwell, the Earl of Weston and heir to the Duke of Westover, who was in Exeter to make arrangements for the christening of his new son and heir. He and Gerald had attended Eton together. Knowing the ducal seat was closer to Salisbury, Jay couldn’t resist asking why.
“The Bishop is my wife’s great-uncle,” he explained with a grimace. “He’s also a likeable old curmudgeon and often requested by the family to officiate at weddings, christenings, and funerals.”
They spent a profitable evening catching up, re-living Eton, and discussing Aaron.
“I was sorry to hear about his death,” Gerald told him. “But, I must confess, there was no story of a duel being batted about. In fact, most people were surprised when word got back. No one was invited to pay their respects and I know of no one who went to the funeral. Everything was kept quiet and very private. It seemed odd because Aaron had many friends besides Milton.”
“Were you one?”
“Not a close one, no. If you remember, even at school we did not get along. Aaron’s crowd was a bit wilder than normal. They frequented the worst gaming hells, brothels few others would enter, and generally kept to themselves. They remained on the social scene, though, appearing at balls, parties, and soirees, but they tended to be a law unto themselves.”
The Gypsy Legacy: Marquis Page 11
