Page 52 of Holding Onto Love

She regarded him a moment. In all of Jasper’s wide acquaintance, there was an inner circle, and Hazard was clearly in it. But how did he fit? Was he an impartial observer or something more?

“How long have you known them? The Taverstons?”

“Oh, for years and years. I am like the older older brother they never had.” He drummed his fingers against the doorframe. “He adores you, you know.” He looked away. “Well, I am off. People to see.”

*

Vanessa crept into the drawing room to see if she could help.

“Can I bring you anything, Jasper? Something to eat or—” She sniffed. “What is burning?”

“Nothing,” he said. Too quickly. And the look on his face—like she’d caught him pinching a maid.

She narrowed her eyes. “Hazard stopped to say his goodbyes. He told me he’d brought you another missive from Crispin.”

“Did he?” He snapped the words.

“I meant to say Lieutenant Taverston,” she said, flustered by his ill grace. “Hazard complained it baffled him when I called him that. But I will not—”

“Don’t be silly.” He laughed. Or tried to. “I don’t care what you call him.”

She’d never seen Jasper so nervous. He shouldn’t let his brother rattle him so.

“What does he say now?” She held out her hand for the letter, though, curiously, she didn’t see one in his possession.

“Just more of the same.” His eyes skittered away from hers.

Jasper was—oh! He was lying to her! And she definitely smelled something burning.

“Did you…Jasper, how childish!”

He started.

“You burned Crispin’s letter!” She could hear her own voice rising with disbelief as she cast about for the source of the odor. The bin was overflowing with crumpled paper. The hearth was cold. She spotted the lamp. The grimed globe. An appalled laugh burst from her mouth. “In the lamp, Jasper? Really? In the lamp?”

“Well,” he said, pulling at his earlobe, “I-I was angry. He can be irritating.”

“You two are ridiculous. What did he say—that made you angry enough to burn his letter?”

His jaw was working. He didn’t want to tell her. Oh, this was too much.

“Then don’t tell me, Jasper. I won’t command you to explain.”

“He sent the notice into the Post,” Jasper blurted. “It was him.”

She stared. “Crispin did?” That was hurtful. It was a hurtful thing to do.

“Yes, well, but then he regretted it. He apologized. Of course, I was furious, apology or no. And, yes, it was childish to burn the letter, but…” He ran out of excuses.

“But you didn’t want me to see it.” Now he was even trying to shield her from Crispin. Or maybe protect Crispin. Maybe he didn’t want her to see how malicious his brother could be.

He gave a small, tight nod. “You shouldn’t be caught in the middle of our squabbles.”

“You’re squabbling about me. That is somewhat more than being caught in the middle.”

“But we have stopped. That is, I’m pretty sure we’ve stopped. We were both angry. We are both contrite. That’s how these things usually end.”

Wouldn’t that be lovely.