Page 54 of Regency Whispers: Scandalous Matches

‘Miss Jane, look. There are children sledging over here.’ Edward ran back and grabbed hold of Jane’s hand, pulling her with him across the snow.

Tom watched as they hurried in front of him and wondered if things would be terrible if the rumours started and he had to make things right with Jane. Edward would have someone to look after him, someone else to love him, and he would get Jane. Shaking his head, he knew that couldn’t happen, but perhaps there was a way he could continue with his normal life and preserve Jane’s reputation. A marriage in name, a marriage to provide Edward with a mother figure. For an instant, he wondered if he could ever keep to an arrangement of convenience like that—whether he would be able to keep his hands off Jane if she was his wife, looking up at him with yearning in her eyes.

Quickly, he shook himself. Anything else wasn’t an option. It wasn’t what he wanted from his life, the quiet domesticity of a married man. After his accident he had promised himself he would live every day for pleasure, for seeking out the different, the unknown. He wasn’t made for a life spent with one person day in, day out. He didn’t want the responsibility of someone’s love, someone’s trust. He wasn’t a good enough man for Jane, a selfless enough man. If things went wrong between them... He shook his head, hating the idea he could ruin her life the way he’d ruined his sister’s.

‘Come on, Zio Tom,’ Edward called over his shoulder and Tom tried to push the thoughts out of his head. At this moment the only decision he had to make was whether to try offering Mrs Burghley a bribe or not. Everything else was a mess of what ifs and uncertainty. It was no use debating what his marriage to Jane would be like when hopefully nothing would force them into making that decision.

‘He is so keen to join in,’ Jane said as they watched Edward inch forward, eager to be whizzing down the hill with the older boys they were observing.

‘He hasn’t mixed with other children since he arrived.’

‘That will come in time,’ Jane said, placing a hand on his arm. ‘Perhaps in the summer, when you take him to your country residence, he will get to know the local children in the village.’

‘Perhaps,’ Tom said.

They stood watching for a moment and then Jane stepped forward and grasped Edward’s hand. ‘Come with me,’ she said, gently guiding the young boy behind her.

As he watched them, Tom saw Jane approach one of the older boys in the group and speak to him for a minute before Edward stepped forward. To Tom’s surprise, a minute later Edward was speeding down the gentle hill on the back of the sledge, whooping in delight.

After a couple of runs down the hill, Jane slowly retreated until she was back standing next to Tom.

‘I know how lucky we are to have you,’ Tom said quietly. ‘When you suggested this little arrangement, I had my doubts. I thought it would benefit you more than me, but it has been the opposite. I don’t think Edward would be nearly as settled as he is now if you weren’t in our lives.’

Jane smiled at him, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

‘I wouldn’t let a scandal ruin your life, Jane,’ he said softly.

‘It may not be in your hands.’

‘I agree I may not be able to control whether Mrs Burghley starts any rumours, but I would not leave you to face them alone.’ He shook his head to try and emphasise his point. ‘I am not that sort of man, and I respect you far too much for that.’

She looked at him, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed, although he couldn’t tell whether it was with emotion or the cold.

‘What are you saying?’

‘I would marry you, if needed.’

‘If needed?’

He heard the slight change in pitch of her voice and tried to work out why she was getting upset over this.

‘If there is a scandal, I will marry you.’

She turned to him fully. ‘You would ask me to marry you?’

‘Yes.’

‘I might not accept.’

‘You would be a fool not to.’

‘I could just return to Somerset.’

‘You could, but gossip has a long reach.’ He shrugged. ‘Hopefully it won’t come to that.’

‘Hopefully not.’

They stood in silence for a while, watching Edward speeding down the hill, laughing with his newly made friends.