Page 69 of A Stormy Season

“It is all right to feel that way,” Jane said, gently squeezing her shoulder. “But we shall get through it together. And from now on, even if he insists on inviting himself to dinner, just say no.”

“He didn’t insist. I just felt it was my duty to invite him, when he left his calling card, since I have yet to meet his new wife.” But Penelope sounded tired, her eyes flitting away from Jane.

“You don’t owe that man anything.” Jane felt her temperature rising just thinking of all Penelope had suffered because of her first marriage. “Everyone knows your first husband’s cousin is an insufferable, unremarkable man who is so full of himself he can barely see past the end of his nose.”

Penelope’s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth, but a small giggle escaped nevertheless.

Before she could berate herself for laughing at Jane’s rude assessment of the Earl of Hampstead, Jane started toward the stairs. “I must go up and get ready for dinner. But don’t worry. The dinner will go well, as we do not care for Lord Hampstead’s good opinion, nor his new wife’s, I daresay.”

She hurried the rest of the way up the stairs, her heart lifting at Penelope’s quiet laugh that she was no doubt trying to suppress.

Jane dressed carefully, thinking of Luke as she put on her favorite gown and instructed her lady’s maid how to prepare her hair. Ready early, she went downstairs to wait for their guests.

She didn’t have to wait long before hearing a voice in the entrance hall that made her heart flutter. Moments later, Luke was entering the sitting room where Jane was alone, reading a book.

He was early.

“Would you like something to drink? Some port, perhaps?” Jane smiled—her brother had once told her that men were put off by ladies who never smiled—and gazed into Luke’s clear blue eyes.

~ ~ ~

Just as he’d hoped, Luke found Jane alone. But she looked so lovely, her smile so encouraging, it somehow made him even more nervous.

“I don’t need a drink, I thank you. I came early, hoping to see you.”Hoping to spend time alone with you. Hoping to kiss you.

“Oh?”

“Yes, I was wondering . . . I don’t want to interfere with your work duties at the shop, but I was wondering if you’d—you may say no, of course, if you don’t wish to.” After looking down at his feet, Luke forced himself to look her in the eye. “Would you come to my home tomorrow morning and help me search for the list?”

“Of course.” Jane’s smile grew more animated. “I would like to help you search.”

“You would?” He was half surprised she wasn’t offended by his request. Many ladies would have been.

“Yes. It’s like a novel, searching for a secret list, a list on which the lives of many people—and the fate of England—hangs in the balance.” She clasped her hands together as if it was an entertaining outing to the lake country.

“Thank you. It is very important that we find this list.” But instead of being desperate to find the list, his true motive for asking for her help was spending time with her.

“And we are still engaged.” Jane raised her delicate eyebrows.

Was she trying to flirt with him? Or was she only teasing him? He remembered how she’d kissed him. They’d both behaved, ever since, as if it had never happened, but that kiss was never far from his thoughts.

One minute he reproached himself for letting her get so deeply embedded in his thoughts, especially after Jane kissed him—something Anne had also done before they were married. And the next minute he was wondering how he might be able to spend more time with her. For the truth was, Jane was different, much more interesting than other young ladies. And when he was talking with her, all the ugly memories and emotions of the last couple of years faded away.

There were only two things left to determine. First, did Jane genuinely like him, or did she only want to get married? And second, was Jane as unfaithful as Anne?

Jane did not seem to be the kind of girl to try to manipulate a gentleman into asking her to marry him by kissing him. Itwasthe kind of thing Anne would have done. Luke’s fear was too strong; he had to be certain.

And the only way to be certain was to spend more time with Jane. And since he had tonight and the next day to do just that, he felt himself relaxing, more than he had in a very long time.

~ ~ ~

Jane’s spirits lifted when Luke asked her to help him search his home for the list. He couldn’t possibly need her help. Henry would give him all the men he needed, and Jane wasn’t especially skilled in finding hidden things. So his motive must be to spend time with her. Her insides warmed just thinking about it.

Before she and Luke had time to say much else to each other, Lord Hampstead arrived with his new, very young wife and another young lady.

The new Lady Hampstead looked too young to even be out in Society yet. She must surely be older than she appeared. Lord Hampstead was thirty-five, so if she were only fifteen . . .

The poor girl.