“It is your life,” her father said. “Only you will know if someone is worth waiting for.”
“How did you know?” Jane asked.
“I did not. I did not choose to wait for your mother. It was just that no other woman could ever hope to live up to her.” Lord Cotswalts smiled at her. “You would have to ask your mother why she decided to wait for me.”
“I cannot imagine that she would tell me.” Jane shook her head. “Thank you for all your help.”
“Let me know who you would like to meet first. I would suggest no more than three at a time.” Her father hugged her and then left the study.
Jane frowned after her father, mulling over his story. “It is easy enough for him to say. He was in love, and so was Mother. And I am not Mother.”
“And Blake is not Father.” Jane squared her shoulders and looked back down at the list. “And I am sick of waiting. Some of us do not get our happily ever afters. Besides, if Blake truly cared for me, then I would not be in this mess.”
I will not marry her.
She held onto his words. She knew what he wanted. He did not want a life with her, did not want to marry her.
“Is it so bad to want to be chosen? For once in my life, I would like to feel as though someone has looked at me and decided that I am enough. That I am the one they want.” Jane looked back at the list and picked three names at random. “And this is my chance to do that. I will not die a spinster.”
“It is my time to be chosen, and Blake has made his choice.” Jane sighed. “Now I must make mine.”
ChapterThirty
My Duchy For A Horse
“What do you mean Miss Pembleton is busy?” Blake asked, his heart sinking as he stared up into the impassive face of the doorman.
Blake was standing on the doorstep of Pembleton Manor, a day later than he had initially planned. Getting back to London had proven to be quite the challenge. About an hour after he had left the estate, his horse had thrown a shoe. To make matters worse, a passing carriage had splattered him from head to toe with mud.
By the time he arrived in London, it was too late to go to Pembleton Manor. Instead, he had focused on cleaning himself up and heading to Jane’s home as soon as he could the next day.
“Miss Jane Pembleton is currently entertaining and unable to receive other visitors,” the man repeated, bringing Blake back to the present.
Entertaining.That could only mean one thing. Jane was inside, and she was meeting with suitors. He felt emotion well within him, despair threatening to overcome him, but he violently shoved it away.
I have not come this far only to fall at the final hurdle.
“I am expected.” Blake smiled brightly at the man.
“His Lordship has not given me your name. Perhaps Your Grace would care to provide a calling card, and I shall pass this to Miss Pembleton at her earliest convenience.”
Blake shook his head. He suspected that if he left a card, Jane would only ignore it.
I need to see her face, to speak to her.
He was trying to think of something else to say, something that might grant him access to the house, when a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
“Your Grace, I had not expected to see you here.” Emily frowned at him, and though she made efforts to keep her face neutral, Blake could see suspicion and anger in her eyes.
“I came to see Jane.” Blake met her gaze. “I… I need to speak with her.”
“You really hurt her. I do not think I have ever seen my sister so distraught.” Emily folded her arms across her chest, disappointment and accusation in her eyes.
Blake felt his chest constrict. He felt as though he had not only hurt Jane but also somehow let her sister down. The thought only added to the guilt and shame he felt.
He took a deep breath and met Emily’s gaze as he said, “It was never my intention to cause your sister harm. I… I wish to make things right between us. I need to talk to her, to explain everything.”
“She is busy.” Emily gestured towards the house, her eyes seeming to search for something on his face.
