Page 32 of A Second Chance for Love

She snorted. “You are clever—and efficient. In one action you could have revenge against the two of us—the person who tattled and the one who discharged you.”

Juss had to admit that, when spoken out loud, it did sound rather. . . juvenile, if not downright stupid.

But then he remembered Clara and what Venable had done to her. He’d never told a living soul Clara’s secret, but he did not want Oona to keep looking at him the way she was currently doing.

“I agree that my behavior has been reprehensible.” Juss flinched at her bitter laughter. “But I haven’t told you the entire story.”

“There’s more? What else did you have planned for us—for me? A public stockade? A stoning?”

“I know you don’t owe me anything, but let me tell you the rest of the story.”

For a moment he thought she would tell him to go to hell.

But then she dropped gracelessly onto the bed, fixed him with a dead-eyed stare, and said, “I’m listening.”

∞∞∞

Oona felt like she was in some kind of nightmare: all of this had been revenge. He’d never wanted to help; he’d never liked her. He’d only wanted—

“I now gather that you never heard why I was sacked?”

Oona threw her hands up. “How would I have? None of the servants ever spoke to me. All I know is that one day you were there, and then you were gone.”

He shook his head and muttered something beneath his breath. “He called us both before him, one at a time, and told us he didn’t tolerate that kind of behavior. And then—” he ground his teeth. “And then he accused me of getting not only Clara pregnant, but a woman who’d worked there and left six months earlier—do you recall Jenny Linton?”

“A slight, dark-haired kitchen maid?”

He nodded.

“She was dismissed for becoming pregnant?”

“Apparently, although that was the first time I’d heard about it.”

“So you hadn’t—”

“No, I barely even knew Jenny.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“What was the point? He might not have been wrong about Jenny, but he was right about Clara—or at least that’s what I thought at the time.”

A sick feeling was growing inside her. “What do you mean?”

“I won’t deny that what I’m about to tell you is self-serving. It doesn’t justify my behavior toward you, but perhaps it will help you understand what I was thinking.”

She crossed her arms. “Go on.”

“Clara’s child wasn’t mine, it was Venable’s.”

Oona couldn’t breathe.

“She was two months pregnant and decided I would make a good father.” He shrugged. “Being young and stupid and apparently incapable of simple addition, it didn’t occur to me that the child was coming far too soon until the midwife said something to me not long before I went to gaol. When I confronted Clara, she told me the truth. I couldn’t fault her—she’d been scared and alone. If we’d not been caught together I probably would have married her and we would have stayed working at Compton Abbey and I would have been none the wiser.”

“Did she say—that he—”

“He didn’t force her, but she said he was persistent and persuasive and finally she just gave in.”

Oona knew exactly what Clara meant. Exactly.